Stories from ‘Saturday Night Live’

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And we've had a lot of people talk about their time on SNL, the good and the bad. And so we've grabbed some of them and put them together. And you're going to hear from some amazing people. You're going to hear from people like Maya Rudolph, Seth Meyers, Martin Short, Andy Samberg, Tina Fey, Jack Black, Rachel Dratch, Kristen Wiig, Ana Gasteyer. It's going to be incredible. And we are going to start this episode with someone who worked behind the scenes, someone who was. is still the most incredible photographer who took all the pictures of your favorite people and they are their favorite photographs. And just recently, her new book, The Art of the SNL Portrait, has come out. Mary Ellen Matthews is joining us. And let's get the skinny about what it takes to work at that crazy place. Mary Ellen, hello? This episode of Good Hang is presented by Uber Eats. Big news, Aldi is now on Uber Eats and you get 20% off your first grocery order with code NEWALDI26. So whether your fridge is empty and you're too tired to shop or you just ran out of essential ingredients in the middle of a meal prep, don't worry. Fill your fridge in just a few taps and get 20% off your first Aldi order on Uber Eats. For orders over $60, you can save up to $20. Ends February 28th, 2026. Terms apply. See app for details. Mary Ellen! Hi! Hi, honey! Hi, honey! I'm so thrilled to be here. Like, never in my wildest dreams. This is so, this is amazing. Are you kidding me? I'm so, you know, so we're like doing our clip show of all the SNL peeps that have come through. So many of them are interesting. I'm so excited to be here. In your book, The Art of the SNL Portrait, your book. I'm so excited to see it in your little paws. Tell everybody, like, what your job, what does your job consist of? What does the week look like? So we find out who's going to be on the show, like, the week before or a couple weeks before that, hopefully. And I just kind of have to come up with some ideas and talk to the stylist, talk to whoever's team it is, because it's collaborative. It's between you and I. It's between whoever it is and myself. I don't want to drive the vision just what I want to do. So, you know, try to include whoever it is in those decisions. And also, it's like, it's not about just doing these, you know, conceptual ones. It's just about, you know, you being you in this time and space. Because it's all, you know, it's a documentary also about the time of you doing the show and what's going on in the world. It's so true. You're right. Like, everyone has an era. Yeah, for sure. And like, for instance, there was a blizzard happening, one in 2016. It was on a Saturday. Ronda Rousey was on the show. So grabbed her between dress and air, threw her on a sled and just put her outside on 53. So things like that, if you can really like nail it down to the actual minute that it's happening is pretty special. That's cool. You want the pictures to feel like live, like part of a live show. I mean, I wish I could do that more often, but you know, someone else wants to do that, but me. Let's talk about Tom Broker. What does he do at the show? And how do you guys work together? Tom is the costume designer. He designs all the costumes in the wardrobe for the entire show. And for me, I work with him on the photo shoots. So if he styles the photo shoots, if the person doesn't come with their own styling team, and if I have an idea of like, I want Amy to be in a, you know, 17, 17, 17, century dust mat Dutch masterpiece, you know, of course that idea doesn't come till about one 30 when, when you're going to step on set. So it's like, I'm like, Tom, you know, I'm so sorry. This idea just came to me, but it happens sometimes, but you know, so he has an archive and he's just a genius to know what to pull and know exactly how to make sense of this sort of, you know, wacky idea. Well, I'll give it a perfect personal example of what it's like working with Mary Ellen. Mary Ellen's like, I have this idea where you have an apple on your head. You're balancing an apple, right? And I'm like, okay, cool. And then props gets the apple. And then Tom's like, what are you thinking? And you're like, maybe something like angelic. And I put this like kind of white dress on and it looks kind of culty. And you're like, that's cool. That's cool. I'm like, that's cool. That's cool. And then the apple goes in your head and someone's behind me holding the apple on my head. And you're like, don't worry. We'll, you know, we'll paint it out. We can paint out the hand. So it looks like the apples on the head, but then you're like, but it looks kind of cool with the creepy hand. Holding the apple. Yeah. And that's a perfect example of like, all of these things are happening in real time. And the creativity part is the part you're getting the most excited about. A hundred percent. And you know, it's like, uh, I think, who was it? Quincy. I'm going to quote Quincy Jones right now and say, let's leave room for God when you walk into the studio, because you don't know what's going to happen. Mary Ellen, anyone that's worked with you, like you're proof that if you're good at your job and you're wonderful to work with, like it should be easy. It shouldn't be hard. It shouldn't be torturous. It, you know, everyone that has worked with you comes away with their favorite pictures of themselves. Uh, that's so nice to hear. I mean, it's true. And it's a collaborative thing. I've got so many great people working with me and, um, you know, the styling goes into it and our prop department, you know, they're, uh, I can, I'll tell a funny story if you have time. Of course. Okay. Um, so Paul Rudd was on a Paul McCartney and I thought of this at the very end, you know, we were all like, you know, I couldn't, you know, he's watching the rehearsal. I'm like, you gotta come over here. We got this done. And at the very end, I was like, we should make you into a sixties version of Paul McCartney, the mop top. And so, you know, he's got to go on and do his rehearsals and whatnot. Um, Speedy or Sir Speedy, who is, who is, you know, the wonderful guy who the gentleman who takes care of all the band's equipments and all logistics, he goes running down to like Chelsea guitar. Gets like the left-handed bass for the, for the Paul McCartney. Jody's doing the wig and Tom's pulling together this and we put it together during meal break. And he is like, he nails this. I could show you. Yes. He nails this. I'm, I'm a mop top Paul McCartney. And it's one of my favorite. Oh my God. I remember that picture. So listeners, it's a black and white picture of Rudd looking like Paul McCartney. And it's, this is Mary Ellen in a nutshell, which is like, I have an idea and then everybody steps to it. It's a complete collaboration, like you said, and it looks incredible. And you can't ask that kind of get from people unless you know, it's a good idea. Well, you took an amazing picture of Tina and I, when we hosted where we were Simon and Garfunkel. There's a great behind the scenes picture in there, by the way, at the very end, of you two like laughing when we were doing that. Well, everyone should check out the art of the SNL portrait, Mary Ellen Matthews, the best photographer around Mary Ellen. Everyone that has worked with you adores you and, um, you are aging in reverse. Love you, Mary Ellen. Thank you so much for doing this and congrats again on your book. Yeah. I hope to see you soon, honey bunny. Okay. Honey bunny. I'll see you soon. Thanks again. Bye. plan from Visible. It's one-line wireless with unlimited data and hotspot for $25 a month, taxes and fees included. You heard that right, $25 a month, same cost every month, all in Verizon's 5G network. It's the ultimate wireless hack to save money and still get great coverage and a reliable connection. Switch today to Visible today and cross wireless savings off your to-do list. Terms apply. See visible.com for plan features and network management details. Thank you, Mary Ellen. Thanks for getting on. It's so good to see you and let's get started with our show. Let's hear first from Maya Rudolph. One thing I wanted to bring up in that office was there was a cleaning lady. Rosa. Rosa that worked on the 17th floor. Teeny, tiny lady. Very teeny. And she had been there for a very long time. She had seen some shit. Yeah. And. and there was a moment When would you tell the moment when we were in that office and Rosa came in? I think it was probably usually if we were in that office during the day because we were there so much at night, you know, they we weren't keeping regular office hours. So there weren't great times for people to come in and clean and change the trash cans out and stuff. And so it's probably a read through day, maybe like a Wednesday. And we were in there waiting for a table read to start. And someone was definitely crying. I think I think Emily might have been crying because her desk in that office was close to the door. And so she had her back to the door and she was talking to us about something that was really hard. And we were also sleep deprived. And I just remember Rosa coming in and she didn't speak very much English, but she saw what she always saw, which was she came in and she saw a few of us just sitting around talking to each other deep in conversation. And Emily was crying and she put her hand on. Emily's shoulder and she goes, Oh, don't cry, sexy. Do you remember that? I love it so much. It was like it was yesterday. Don't cry, sexy. And I highly recommend you say that to your friend when they're sad. It's really a little. Don't cry, sexy. Don't cry, sexy. Do you want to tell everyone the first time you met Barack Obama? And who you were dressed as? Yes, I would love to. The first time I met Barack Obama when he was running for office, I was dressed as Shirley MacLaine. And. And then the second time you saw him, you were dressed as. Barack Obama. Yeah, it was a sketch that you were you and Daryl were Hillary and Bill Clinton at a Halloween party. Halloween party. And it was one. And I remember. I remember Barack was new on the scene looking smooth. And and at that time, I think like Barack Obama masks were popular, you know, because it was like the new candidate. And so the joke was going to be that I come in like, whop, whop, I'm Barack Obama. And then he taps me on the shoulder with his mask and takes my mask off. And he goes, Oh, my God, it's the real Barack Obama. So we did that at Drexel. And that was it. Yeah, he didn't do it. We did not do it at air. Thank God. Why? What do we know? Why? I do. I mean, I did not have a take on Barack Obama at all. I didn't know. So, you know, I just remember you were you were you were a teeny tiny, teeny tiny tall man, very tall and very fun and stressful to be dressed exactly like the person you're standing. It is so much fun. And I remember the first time we saw each other. It was when we were about to walk out on stage. So at dress rehearsal, there was like a little little flag there and door that's supposed to open. And I'm there waiting in my little Brooks Brothers suit. And I think we like bound my boobs. And I had I used to play Scott Joplin. And so I had my Scott Joplin wig on. And I was standing there. And then people don't know. Maya has the cutest little tiniest little legs from knee down. Just the knee down. Knee down. It's like a little little teeny tiny. Teeny toothpick. Look at those little legs from knee down. So cute. I want to kick, stretch, and kick. Little teeny tiny, teeny tiny. Just from the knee down. They're like like breakable. I know they're so little. So you had your little suit on. My little suit on. And it was teeny tiny. And then he came over. And here's the thing. I didn't. It was really. And then I didn't have a good impression. Like I was sort of like, I'm Barack Obama. And so I was standing there. And I said, well, what do you think? And all he said to me was, I don't wear a three button suit. Damn. I still don't know what that means. It's like it's like that's like a guy knowledge thing. Sounds like flirting to me. Just kidding. No, I'm not. I will take that. I've I've gotten to two tonight and I'm taking them home with me. I'm taking them into the spank bank tonight. And you have a lot of female friends. I do. Great. Like a great number. I count myself as one of them. Women in your life who are your friend, who you're deeply tender to and very like you really like take care of us. And you care about us. And you like, I mean, you're the only you and Shoemaker are the only men they're ever allowed even close to a lot of the SNL women we gather together as a group. And just recently we let you sit with us for 30 minutes. And then we said, I think maybe it was Tina. But Tina said, thank you for coming. And also, thank you for leaving. Yeah. Well, on the way there, I said, Seth, heads up. We're meeting. And I think you have about a half an hour window. And you said, fine, I'll take that. And then we sat down at the. And then we sat down at the steakhouse and you hung. And then Tina said, and now it's time to go. Yeah. It was. Can I point out my favorite observations about you guys as a group? Yes. You needed a second table for all your jackets. And every one of you had two totes. Yeah. And most of the meal. Again, I think if people saw the seven women that were there, they would be like, oh, my God, how funny was it? And I would say. And mostly they were looking through their totes. And at no point were less than two people looking through a tote for something. Well, yeah, because we had put it in the other tote. Comedy legends. Yeah. Rustling through totes. And it was like, and it was a lot of hand me my tote. And it was like, is this my tote? A lot of matching totes. Yeah, I think we had gotten some totes. Matching totes and puffy coats is how I would describe it. It was. I mean, it was the SNL 50th week and it was very cold. It was. It was. But it was. Also, we were all dealing with like a lot of temperature. So our bodies, you know, we're of a certain age. We get hot and cold really fast. So it was a lot of putting on coats, taking off coats. It was a lot. And a lot of like, oh, my, I'm so hot. And then taking the coat off and then handing it to you to put at the table. Every coat was louder than the next coat. Just when you moved the coat, it was like the sail of a schooner. Which is like. Very hard to hear any conversation due to the rustling. Which is weird because we were shouting. We were shouting at each other. We do shout at each other across the table very loudly. Also, Paula within, Paula Pell. Yeah. Within like five seconds had set up a home office at a third table. She, you're right. She went, she got a third table because she had to do some rewrites. It was during the show week. Real time rewrites on SNL 50th. She was immediately had like a laptop and also like a TV monitor. Yeah. Hooked up. There's also, when we all go out, there's a ton of food panic. Yeah. When are we going to get our food? Who ordered? What should we order? And we all fall into very specific categories about like how fast we should order. And, and. There was a lot of talk about what you guys are going to get. And as soon as the server came over, the minute they spoke, everybody forgot everything that had been agreed upon. Yeah. And. Yeah. Because it went right back to square one. Yeah. And don't forget, you know, I'm a woman of a certain age. I need like 85 grams of protein a day. So we were just like, how many steaks do we, we need to get like 40 steaks. Yeah. Put us in a private room where you could have a wedding. That's how big it was. Yeah. They knew what they were dealing with. And yet within like 10 minutes, I thought we might need a second room. The sprawl. Well, luckily in 10 minutes, we asked you to leave because it was enough time. It was so, it was so much. You did that putting on and take it off codes. Sometimes I think of an SNL sketch just at the table that for whatever reason stays with me forever. You remember Fred did a sketch once where he was someone at a dinner party who kept taking off and putting on a scarf. Yes. The longest scarf. It was a really long scarf. And he kept being like, oh my God, it's so hot. And he would take it off. And it was like, he had to like loop it around his head and he had a practical scarf and he'd loop it around his head like 10 times while everybody waited. And then he'd start telling a story. He's like, oh my God, it gets so chilly. And then just looping. I think about it all the time. Did it make it on air? No. No. But I can't, I think about it all the time. Also, Fred, I think Anilda was his, do you remember his stenographer, court stenographer character? Oh, yeah. And it was. It had a name? I think it had a name. His court stenographer had a name? I think Anilda. Anilda? I think. I'm not sure. Okay. Typed like this. Oh, kind of a little bit like this. It was a lot like that. But also paused the trial a lot to look through her bag and just would say over and over, I can't find my chapstick. I can't find my chapstick. I would say I don't see a scarf without thinking. Are you talking about the first one or hear somebody say chapstick without thinking about the second? Fred Armisen is like, we talk about him all the time on here. Like, he is truly like the funniest of the funny people, I think. Fred can do these physical things the slightest. There is no one funnier than Fred. I agree. This is what Fred said to me at the end of the show. Fred Armisen for everybody listening. This is what, first of all, this is visual, but his dressing room is beside me. So I would pass his room and he'd be on his phone. I'd say, hey. and you go. I'd say, Fred, you're not really asleep. Oh, hi, how long have you been here? Fred, I just saw you. And the other thing he did, which he completely convinced me was true, was when I left the stage after the good nights, he said, why did you call Paul McCartney Tony McCartney? I said, what? Yeah, I mean, you said, oh, Tony McCartney. And because I didn't know Paul was standing beside me, I thought, did I? That's such a funny joke. Then I told Bill Hader this, and Bill told Fred, and then Fred sent me a text like a couple days ago. Sorry, I thought you knew that was a joke. I literally thought I said Tony McCartney. That would have been great. The stupidest thing in the world. Tony McCartney. Tony McCartney. I wish I said it, of course, not knowing Paul's name. Fred used to send me long texts about his flight schedule, like when he was arriving, what airport, what city. Time to get picked up as if I was picking him up from the airport. Yeah, I know. He is so deeply funny. He also does a bit that I love where if you haven't seen him for a long time at a party, and you go, hey, Fred, he goes, hi, how are you? He pretends you're just a fan bothering him. He's so funny. He loves a bit. He does a million of them, too, and everyone's funny. Yeah. I mean, that's what's so funny about the stuff that we do is, like, nobody remembers the ten-to-one versions of things that were, like, just stinkers. Always. Crazy stuff. Stuff where I was mad that it would get cut, and then I would go back and be like, oh, my God, there's nothing here. Like, I was just running on fumes. Like, why was I so mad? It was just because, like, it was literally as much as, like, I exist, too. Like, I want to be on the show, too. Emily Spivey and I wrote a scene one night that we thought was so funny, and it was just about these two giant, like, trucks, like, truck drivers who would come. Up next to each other and keep telling the other one to honk it. Yes. And it was like, honk it, honk it, and just telling the other one to honk it. And we were like, oh, we were dying, and we turned it in, like, you know, 8.45 a.m., and Shoemaker was like, we're not doing honk it. And we were like, what? We already made T-shirts. He was like, we can't produce honk it. We can't get two giant, like, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, we can't get two cabs. And also, like, you guys, we're, like, 35 sketches over, and, like, you turned this in at 8.45, and it's like, we were like, justice for honk it. Like, we were still, we were so mad. So just to be clear, you're not going to let us read honk it? Okay. Okay. Noted. Looking forward to having an employer that supports honk it. Fucking noted. Looking forward in the future to working with someone who understands honk it and what it means to us. Oh, my God. The thing that made me laugh the hardest most recently was this clip of Bobby Moynihan from, they did these really great SNL documentaries, and it was a documentary about auditioning for SNL, and it was people, and you were in it, you were great in it, and they talked to people about the process of auditioning, and then they show them their audition back, and people get emotional, people, you know, they've never seen it, or they're like, oh, my gosh, this is from 50 years ago or whatever, and they showed, they made Bobby watch his audition back, and he's doing a character that's in his audition that's just beyond inappropriate, and he's watching it, and he's watching it, and he goes, oh, no. And then he just goes, oh, Bobby. And the way he says, oh, Bobby, the way he calls himself by name is so gentle, and so it made me laugh so hard, and I think it should be the TikTok sound that people play. Like when you have to, you have to see a piece of comedy that you're like, okay, we realize now that that's not okay. You just show the content and just hear the voice of Bobby going, oh, Bobby. And that's how you apologize for problematic content in the past. You just put the oh, Bobby sound over it, and it means I see it, I'm sorry, let's all move forward. I know better now. I know better now. I do better now. I'm an ally who makes mistakes. Oh, Bobby. Oh, Bobby. Oh, Bobby. That really made me laugh. I couldn't stop watching it. You can make that, get that audio. You should. Trademark that audio and make merch. Well, you could have been a cast member. No, I don't think I could. I don't think I could handle it week in and week out. 100% disagree. Once every 20 years is more my speed for that gig. But you could have, I mean, did you ever audition or want to audition? I didn't want to audition, but then I didn't audition. I had an idea in mind that I never went and followed through with. What do you mean you had an idea? Well, I had, I don't want to repeat. I don't want to repeat it because now it really sounds stupid in my mind. But my audition was going to be basically, I was going to be a superhero that I created. I don't remember what it was called, but it was like a combination of the Hulk and maybe it was just the Hulk. It was, I was going to come in as the Hulk and just jump around and do like this weird slow motion kind of performance art dance where I would crush things with my foot and then do like a mimed, the earth is cracking. It was not. I was not going to get in and I knew that, but I had practiced it in the mirror in my living room a few times, but I never pulled the trigger. You didn't? No. How come? Like, did you get an audition and you just didn't do it or you like, it's, I'm fascinated by it because also I'm interested in that story because that is a little bit of sabotage. Yeah. Maybe there was a party that didn't want to be on it. Well, that's the constant battle is the fear of failure. Totally. Sometimes you're up for the battle and sometimes you're just like, ah, pass. Okay. Do you remember Boys Night Out? Yes. The sketch that didn't make it on SNL when I was there with you. Yes. Emily Spivey and I wrote a sketch called Boys Night Out and it was Jack waiting for the boys to arrive and they never showed up and just kept ordering more wings, but there was a song. Do you remember the song to it? Boys Night Out. Boys Night Out. Now we're really rocking. And the chicks are all a squawking because I'm talking about a boys night out. You never forget a song like that. Thank you so much. That's all I needed to hear. This episode is brought to you by PayPal. 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Vaccination may not protect all recipients. Sponsored by GSK. Do you remember the first scene on SNL that, like, you were getting laughs and you thought, like, It's working! Like, that felt like, no. Um, gosh. I don't remember the first. Because I remember the first few times I got on, like, I wasn't even. I, like, left my body. So I don't remember, like, this is going really well. I was just like, I'm on! Like, that kind of thing, you know? Yeah, yeah. Well, the first, very first show, I wasn't in. Like, the, you know, season premiere, whatever. Right. And, like, you've told all your friends, like, I'm on a. And, like, everyone's watching it, but your scene gets cut, like it does. And then the next week, the same thing happened. Scene got cut. So it was, like, the third week. Who was the host, do you remember? The one that I got on was, uh, I should know this, oh my God. Well, I know the first one was Jerry Seinfeld, then it was Norm Macdonald, and then it was. And does not compute. Oh my God, I don't remember. Well, it's funny, the brain remembers trauma. So you remember the two shows that you weren't on? Dana Carvey? I'm going to have to go look. They're going to do those three guys in a row? Look on your computer. What year was it, Dratchy? It was 1999, third episode. episode. This will be a fun game. Dana Carvey? Okay, and I'm going to have you guess the musical guest because that's always fun, too. Oh, my God. See? I don't know this. I don't remember anything. No. 1999 SNL hosts. And don't worry, we're going to keep all those in. Let me tell you one cool thing, though. I just heard that. Wait, let me tell you one cool thing, though. Please. Please. The very first musical guest was David Bowie. And when I was, I've told this before, but when I was getting my photo taken for, like, the very first opening credits, like, it was on the stage, you know, like in 8-H, and David Bowie was, it was Thursday, he was rehearsing with the band. So, like, I'm getting my picture taken, and he's right over there singing Rebel, Rebel. I mean, I have chills every time I think about that because that was just, like, I mean, I don't even have words for, like, the surrealness. That's a very, that's a very. Yeah. Like, to have a soundtrack of that moment for your life, and it's David Bowie playing live. It's David Bowie, icon, yeah. So, I remember that. Should we tell the Black Crowes story? Okay, so one time, so I don't do drugs at all. So, at that one time, the Black Crowes were the musical guests, and someone in the Instagram came up to me, he's like, hey, do you want. That's my. Rug off her voice. Hey, do you want, um, whatever you call it. Joint? Not a joint, but just, like, a hit off a joint. I see. And I was, I don't know, I've tried it a couple times. It's never really worked. I've never really dug it. And then I was like, okay, sure. So, I took, like, one puff off of this Black Crowes. Am I going to get sued? The Black Crowes pot. You took a hit off the Black Crowes pot. I took a hit off the Black Crowes pot. And my cousin was visiting me, my cousin Zach, and I came back to the table, and I was like, oh, I guess this is, like, I'm really high right now. And I was so embarrassed, because, like, it was my little cousin. And I never, ever, ever get high. And then I came back, and I was kind of like, I don't really remember if I told him or not. Oh, he didn't, he might not even know. I don't even know, but, um, that was my one, like. I remember you telling me you couldn't get up from your chair. Oh, I don't remember that. But it's possible, it's possible. That you were kind of stuck. I was just, like, really, like. Anyway, and that's why I don't do drugs. I mean. No, I'm just not into that feeling, I guess, but. No, you're not into that feeling. Only if it's from the Black Crowes. And then, yes, Chris, Chris Robinson, call me. Call me. Call me. And then when you were at SNL, like, I feel like we got. I was thinking today about all the stuff we got to do together, and we got to do a lot of dumb. So fun. So fun stuff. Oh, my gosh. And. But, you know, and I was thinking, it was like. I mean, in many ways, I wish we had. I wish we had more time together when I was more experienced there, because I was new and kind of stressed, and I felt like I loosened up more and figured out how to, like, just have more fun as I got older there. Yeah, yeah. But. But we did get to do some fun stuff together. Well, first of all, you were in the original Debbie Downer, and that was so fun. I mean, just to be laughing there with you. Well, you bring this up, and, you know, I ask this question to people on this podcast, and I truly feel like it is because of Debbie Downer that I ask this question. Again, I owe you a lot of money, and thank you for building this podcast with me. But Debbie Downer, I've said it many times before, was and is the thing that I go to. Also, maybe now replaced by the clip. The clip. The clip of this podcast. I watch the clip a lot of times, and I just wanted to clarify. I don't go, like, watch my work. Like, I don't go watch, like, a movie I did, because, like, I just like to have it in my head. But that, it's like I said, it was like seeing your biggest crack up. Yes. And it's just like, I have to laugh every time I watch it. Me too. And Debbie Downer was like that for me during very dark times, because it was the combination of us all having fun. You, your, like, the way in which you were physically trying to hold it together, like, the way, like, the laugh was, like, something you were trying to hold in, combined with the zoom in. And the sound effect. And we've watched it so many times. Like, Emily Spivey knows every single, she's like, this is the part where your lip starts quivering, because there's one part where at the very beginning, I'm going, giggity, giggity, giggity. And then there's the part where you, something falls backstage and I look away. My eyes dart over there. Like, we know every single moment. It is, it's like the Zapruder film, like, frame by frame. Yes. And it proves, it just, it got me, it's such a serotonin boost. Before we move on, talk to us about the, like, who did you write Debbie Downer with and how did it start? Oh, like the origin of it? Yes, the origin of it. Oh, okay. People will want to know. So, well, it really started because I went on a vacation by myself. So it had been suggested to me by a therapist. And I often leave that detail out. But since I'm on this one-on-one Amy interview, no, I said it like once or twice, but usually I leave that part out for the masses. But, no, not like this, this number one podcast, masses. But, no, she just, like, she kept saying, like, take a trip by yourself. And I was like, why? Like, I don't want to do that. I could go with friends. Like, I don't want to. And I just kind of took it. I took it as, like, doctor's orders. Like, I just sort of, like, I'm doing this. And I, like, self-propelled myself to the jungles of Costa Rica. No, but I wanted to pick somewhere that it wasn't going to be, like, honeymooners. Like, I wanted to pick somewhere that was, like, just, like, I don't know, somewhere kind of remote, I guess. So it was, like, very remote. It was in the Osa Peninsula. You had to take, like, the big plane. Then you take the smaller plane. Then you take the two-hour Jeep drive. I mean, I was. It was going deep out of society. And each time they were, like, it was, like, Barbara Pottier won. Well, no. So I picked this. It was, like, this eco lodge thing. So I went there. And then it was just, like, a. So there was, like, these commun. It wasn't, like, a lot of people there. And it was actually really cool. Like, and I did meet really cool people. And I met these two sisters that, like, they were older. But they're, like, my age right now. But, I mean, the age I'm now. And they were sort of, like, they sort of told me, like, the rudimentary fundamentals of what is later known as the secret. Like, did I tell you this? When I was on this trip. Yes, people should know. Dratch knew the secret before anyone knew the secret. So when I was. And I learned it from the jungles of Costa Rica. From two white ladies that were from Colorado. But anyway. So. So. So they, like, they were just weird. You know, because you're, like, chatting. And I got to say, like, hats off to the suggestion. Because I never would have talked to strangers if I was with a friend. Right. You know. Right. So I'm, like, having this conversation. And these women were telling me about, like, you know, basically, like, what's the law of attraction, I guess. But they put it, like, you know, if you think on positive things, positive. And if you're focusing on lack, you'll attract lack, basically. But then it almost, like, the whole thing got, like, sealed. Because then we were on this, like, you know, you could do, like, nature walks or whatever. And we were on this, like, walk on the beach, like, with the little, like. It wasn't, like, a group. It was, like, whoever's here and wants to do all this thing. And this woman. This woman was saying, like, there were these, like, beautiful birds overhead. These, like, scarlet macaws. And, like, way up in the sky. And this woman goes, I want a feather to bring home for my daughter. And I swear, like, 20 seconds later from, like, way, way up high, this feather starts to just go. It falls down. We all, like, kind of see it, like. And it lands, like, right at her feet. Whoa. Amy doesn't believe in any of this stuff. I do. That's cool. No, that's cool. That's cool. I believe in manifesting. That was cool, though. So then I was just, like, sold. I'll join your cult. No, but then that. Okay, this isn't anything about Debbie Downer. This is just other stuff on that trip. But anyway, but then the Debbie Downer story is that when later it was, like, sitting at dinner, like, you're with randos that are there. And people just making chit chat. And someone said, like, where are you from? And I said, New York. And then they said, like, oh, were you there for 9-11? And it was, like, three years after 9-11. It wasn't like it just happened. It was kind of. And then I was kind of like, uh, yeah. And then, like, it's kind of like just like in Debbie Downer. You had to, like, get the conversation back because it was, like, vacation times. Right. And then, like, about a week later after I got home, I was, like, out listening to some band, which isn't something I usually do. But I think that's kind of interesting because, like, doing something you don't usually do and then your brain is kind of like. I don't know. You're not on your usual channels, I guess. Yeah. But then I just had that idea of this kind of based on that, like, someone like a Debbie Downer popped into my head. Yes. And then, which this is kind of just talking creativity. Yeah. I found at SNL, you couldn't just go in there and, like, okay, let's think of a scene. Like, it had to be, like, moments like that. Like, and to me, that only happened, like, once or twice a year, which is why, like, you might sit there at home and be like, why isn't there, like, SNL? But it's like, thinking of really original characters, characters that kind of like hit on something it's not something you can like steer the ship on it's like to me like it has to like vibe out with you I don't know yes you have to be like you have to to your point you have to like keep the channel open and be like find the muse and like yeah find you it just can't be like yeah turned out exactly and how but then so then I said I took it to Paula Pell who we wrote with often and is hilarious and everyone knows Paula now because I love Paula's like out there more in front of the camera but um but anyway and then we were on writing night we were trying to write it we set it in an office and it just kind of wasn't really flowing we it just wasn't really jiving and then we were like maybe we need to put her somewhere really happy so then we thought of Disney World of course happiest place on earth and then and then while we were writing it like when like of course Paula was cracking me up with these one-liners and everything and then we started just going like like just for ourselves and then we're like what if we put that in the scene? actual trombone sound so then for read-through we had I don't remember if we had like the live person or someone just had done it but then it read through like it killed but then you never know because sometimes something can kill at the table and then when we were in dress rehearsal Jamie and Horatio were kind of laughing and I was thinking like you guys like I feel like this could work like yeah keep it together guys and then like on air I just flubbed one of the lines and then I don't even know I guess I was like so nervous sure and then but you were on you but thankfully you just like like like the good Pisces fish like you just like you went along for the like it was it's so joyous watching it because it is just the calm it's like what real live tv is supposed to feel like okay well you've talked about this and I've heard you talk about it and really made me laugh you're for the first sketch you were in at SNL oh yeah was when uh you right yeah we're pregnant in the butt my character was pregnant your character but it was it's funny because back it up even to like my first pitch because that was J.B. Smoove right the great writer and performer J.B. Smoove the great everything yeah the best pitcher incredible and he pitched this thing where you were pregnant in the butt and everyone was laughing and I didn't know that like he's like he just does like funny pitches right and he wrote it I think and he often he often J.B. I think you often pitch stuff that you weren't gonna write yes oh no I always pitched stuff I wasn't saying that was kind of the thing on Monday night you would be like um and you just kind of bullshit your way to get a laugh and then you'd be like okay now I really have to buckle down but I think because the response was so funny J.B. was like I should I gotta write this that's the other thing and you're like I wasn't really gonna write that thing yeah it was my very first sketch Jason Lee Jason Lee was those Foo Fighters yes Foo Fighters Foo Fighters I did say that I'm so happy that was my first that was your first sketch and you remember the first like I mean the first character you have so many but do you remember the first one that was a recurring that you thought it was a target lady like where you felt like oh I'm gonna get to do this again like I have some kind of I don't know I know it might was it a-holes with Sudeikis it might it was either a-holes or target lady yeah I mean for people who don't remember um you know I don't know Kristen has done so many characters I mean we could talk about them all day but there was a there was target lady who was of course very very excited about things getting improved yes and had an incredible haircut great wigs thank you um incredible wig and then another great wig and another character was a-holes which is Sudeikis Jason Sudeikis and you and you guys were kind of like just like the worst people to show up anywhere yeah yeah yeah and you did a great move where you would play with your hair and chew gum real simple there's so many funny characters that I want to talk about but I won't I won't embarrass you by going through them but I've said this to you before my favorite character is the surprise lady that's one of my favorites I love her I love her for a million reasons I love her because the the the way you play her is so funny I love her wig fantastic wig oh always in a turtleneck always well she had died in it she had died in it that's right that's right did you did you write it was in the script that we like that we pulled it over yes and when I when I say that was one of my favorites that comes from doing it yeah like I I like being I like being in a sketch where there's a lot of people and there are moments where everyone is looking around like what is going on I love that moment yes I love a cut to Kenan just like we gotta get out of here like this lady is nuts I it's my favorite thing that actually would be a really good way to sum up a lot of your characters oh yeah most of my sketches if you go back and look like no you gotta cut to people being weirded out by me to remind the audience that but why I love the surprise lady so much is because there's a lot of wig in it I think because she is nervous but excited and she loves a party and she cannot wait to deliver that good news she can't wait and the physicality of her and the way so funny god I just watch clips of it all the time I love it so much it's so funny and stupid funny and stupid yes which is the best which we know is the highest praise in comedy agree like the the more people go oh oh that's so dumb and you're like yay I did it for people that didn't see the the SNL 50th music special which was amazing you there was like sketches in between acts and a lot of musical sketches and Bobby and Marty came out and crushed that was not an easy audience it was an audience of truly every single person was either performing or a performer or like it was a cynical audience yeah you guys crushed what was that feeling to do that that night it was so fun for lack of a better word like it was so for there was something you know as you go back to these reunions and you bring all of your kind of history and baggage and whatever with you um again just kind of speaking to your point of the fact that this is all just so embarrassing because first of all like it's radio city music hall it's 6,000 seats I mean it's it's a huge epic space yeah we followed Lauren Hill sure that's who you want to follow so you have to understand that in the wings that's right there are like thousands of cool music people I mean like yeah I my dressing room was next to Jack White and his band and I'm dressed as Bobby Mohan Culp okay I've got the giant glasses and my like striped dress and Will's got his bald pink and his you know we were rehearsing in the keyboard so already we're like the losers in the wings do you know what I mean yeah I mean the winners for me but it was it was fantastic I mean actually you're like you've got the violin and you've got the eye patch 100 and so we're already just like what is happening what is happening why are we here and who invited us you know and then we just started to giggle because we we it was so cute because we doing the sketch and doing that we just it was very easy to imagine how excited Bobby and Marty would have been the people would have been to be at Radio City and what was it like back what was it like back did you see Jack White who else are you seeing I mean mayhem like posses and people with like you know music people so they got like yeah they're so cool big cool hair and glasses and fur like Lauren Hill's a fur coat and an afro and like everybody's got like floral pants that come up to here and there's posses and you know weed everywhere you know Chris Martin's in the corner like cool people actual cool people who just looked right past us like they were they did not know that we used to be on Saturday Night Live they were just like who brought Granny and Gramps like just right past us that actually probably was fun it was so fun that's fun and then going and then we like you know going out there and all that stuff just suddenly worked you're right now that I'm remembering Lauren Hill had had a surprise incredible performance insane and then it was like smoke and like and then it was like test test test and you guys cry and that's what I mean is that what I did I knew it was streaming and I also knew I mean it was really funny because we were like they just and all of their stuff was about how they'd come to New York for an ophthalmology appointment you know they were just lucky to slip in and just everything about it was so fun and so we're sitting there and uh yeah and I did have the feeling I was like this is streaming because one thing about SNL for me again I don't know if you ever had this but it's a little bit of an a student girl you know nerd girl thing I was always my greatest regret about the show not that you would go back in time is that I couldn't I never like settled into it and enjoyed it because I was always so aware of the time and of running somebody running down the clock somebody else's sketch is going to get cut like I was always and when we were there it was such a you know like explosive surfeit of of talent that there were always three sketches a night that might not make it you know yeah so I always felt like I had to like keep it moving keep it moving so I was suddenly very aware that it was streaming and that I was not going to be rushed and I was like I'm gonna be bobbing about the funniest thing in the world to me is this woman and this man these these choir teachers getting people to settle because there's just nothing funnier so that's what they did is they just kept telling people to settle i need you to settle i need quiet in the back hand goes up mouth goes shut hand goes up mouth goes shut just this idea i was like i'm gonna keep going until they settle i'm not gonna worry about it and if i had been at 8h we never would have done that right very good but we just we took a full probably 45 seconds to you know get people to pipe it david spade pipe down that's right you guys called him out i don't want to hear it pierce brosnan so stupid 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 mcmullan and alea zanaris for paper kite production by sam green joel lovell and jenna weiss-berman original music by amy miles your heart can tell you a lot about your health apple watch series 12 measures your heart rate every five seconds with the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable so your vitals app now with heart rate variability can tell you when something is off and your readiness score can let you know when to rest and when to push hear the story in every heartbeat with apple watch series 12 the features described are for wellness purposes only and not for medical use iphone 11 or later required based on apple conducted study of heart rate accuracy august 2026 visit apple.com slash apple watch series 12 i hate mondays king's hawaiian cinnamon swirl bite taylor hansen sure i'll try one hey let's get back to work please but taylor hansen's making my day way better with 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