Fred Armisen on Good Hang with Amy Poehler

Hello everyone. Welcome to another

episode of Good Hang. So excited that my

old friend, my dear friend Fred Armson

is joining me today. And it's always the

best to talk to Fred and we're going to

talk about so much stuff. We're going to

talk about SNL, of course. We're going

to talk about how we don't like taking

physical risks. Um, we're going to talk

about our different conflict styles. and

we're going to talk about Wednesday, the

big hit show on Netflix that he is a

part of. Um, 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, Sleer Kenny. She's

an actor, a director, a writer, and just

all around cool, awesome person. Carrie,

thank you for joining us. Hi.

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>> 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 um background is.

>> Well, I could say the same for yours.

>> Well, 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 Slater Kenny. 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. I Well, I mean,

yes.

Uh, you're right. That wasn't a

question. But I will my retort will be

that I felt the same. I 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 each other? Now, I was

thinking about this because it's not

romantic and when you've never had that

kind of relationship, but there is

something that is deeply loving in a

slightly romantic way. And I mean that

because it's kind of heightened in the

way that romance is heightened. Um, so

it is just a seamless

like kind of loving like heart-to-heart

but platonic, you know, friendship, but

it it feels like family. How did you two

meet?

>> We differ on this slightly. The one that

we definitely agree on where we hung out

was he was on SNL at this point. Slater

Kenny were playing at Irving Plaza in

New York. So, we weren't able to go to

see SNL. He invited me and the rest of

my band to the show. But because, you

know, we had this conflict, he said,

"Okay, we'll just come to the

afterparty." And it was 2003. It was uh

Jennifer Garner and Beck were the, you

know, host and musical guest. And we

went to this after party and Fred came

up in the way that he's always

magnaminous and friendly and he was

wearing a little button with my face on

it and

which is, you know, from someone else

that might be weird. You know, you're

like, "Hi, nice to meet you. Oh, there I

am on your shirt." But with Fred, it's

just he wears both his heart and his

fandom on his sleeve.

>> Totally.

>> You know, kind kind of literally and

figuratively. I think that's why he

people just want to be around him cuz

he's just not cynical in that way. So

anyway, we hung out that night and then

started to just talk about

collaborating. I assumed he'd want to do

music and instead he had all these

little like comedic shorts he wanted to

start making with me, which was very

surprising and surreal, but just

completely based on our friendship. It

was very organic. It wasn't like let's

pitch this or let's try to do something,

you know, bigger than it is. It's like

let's just hang out and make little

videos. And we did that for years before

Portlandia.

>> Yeah. And with Portlandia, did you guys

go in and pitch Lauren at Broadway

Video?

>> Well, we did eventually we did. I think

it was um Fred's manager, who then

became mine, Tim Sarcis, who said, "Hey,

you guys are really developing this

chemistry. There's a whole sensibility

here in this series of videos that

you've done." And then you kind of have

to pitch to Lauren if you're on SNL. And

Fred thought there's no way. You know,

Lauren's just gonna look at this and say

like, "Okay, good luck. Thank you." No.

Um, and instead Lauren and and Andrew

Singer, Broadway Video, said, "Yeah,

we'd we'd love to be part of this." We

got really lucky and um, Fred was still

at SNL for like the first four seasons

of the show. So, we made a pilot super

quickly and we basically for we said to

IFC like you either pick this up now or

we just don't do it because he he's got

to get back to SNL in September.

>> Both you and Fred were musicians and

reformers. You're a writer, you're a

director, you're an actor, you're also,

you know, you go back on tour. Like this

idea that you have to be the one thing

felt like Fred was the embodiment of

that at SNL. like he he showed up at the

show and I want to talk to him about it,

but you know his he was doing he was

interviewing bands as a character.

That's how he made a he made his own

show basically uh playing like a very

kind of rude German interviewer who

didn't understand you know social

protocol and he would let and he would

and he would interview musicians and but

he also was in the blue man group before

he was

like he has yeah there's like kind of

like nothing he doesn't want to try and

by being around him you feel really

comfortable trying things too

>> for Sure. He is almost like the Swiss

Army knife in this way where you know

what the sort of familiar elements are

of a Swiss Army knife, but he uses them

in ways that surprise you. And I just I

can't believe all that he's capable of.

I still I'll be watching something and

I'm like, "There's Fred. When did he do

this?" Like, he's just he's everywhere

and he can do so many things. It's like

when when he'll when he goes on a show

and just decides to do an accent from

every 50 states, then you're like, "Oh,

I didn't like he surprises me all the

time."

>> You're right. And I kind of want to talk

to him about that, too, because why I

think that bit is genius. I mean, I

really do think Fred is a genius, a

comedic genius. Um, but why that bit is

especially genius speaks, I think, to

the bigger way that Fred participates in

his work is he's just making a choice.

like whether or not it's the best choice

or the most like he's just deciding that

that's how people talk from that state

and the comfort that you get knowing

that Fred has made a choice is what is

funny. It's and it's the same way with

any impression that he does or any

comedic choice that he makes. He's just

in the moment deciding I'm going to do

it like this and it's very relaxing.

relaxing. He and there's just this like

kindness and generosity, I think,

because he can be his taste is actually

kind of esoteric, but he makes the

audience feel like they don't need to

know that stuff, you know? There's

something alienating about it. So, when

he makes a decision, a choice, as you're

saying, to like pick an accent for

Alabama, it doesn't matter. People just

think like, "Oh, that's something I

trust this because you're just making me

feel okay to believe it." you know, he's

just and Fred just really he believes in

it. He believes in comedy. He believes

in like connecting with people. That's

very comforting.

>> 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 like 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

host that but Fred can do impressions of

people to them and they feel seen but

it's got it's it's just it's 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 treasure. I

trudge. It's a weird It's But it 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. It's 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 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 out intelligence

like that. 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 asked my um my uh first

guest to give me give a question 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, with 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 is 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

>> Carrie, you're 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.

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>> Woohoo.

>> Oh my god.

>> Oh my god. You

>> red 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 Fain.

>> Oh,

>> but I think like we're all starting to

dress like

>> we are

>> that. I I feel like we men and women are

all dressing the same 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 that 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 Armison is here and we're we're

we're we both have similar colors on

today. Yeah, Annie, I I can't even

begin. I mean,

>> thank you so much for this. I love this.

I'm going to call it a show,

>> but 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

going to talk about.

>> Yeah, it's

>> I know. I was just like, I have notes.

And I 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 for an hour and a half.

>> We could like the tone people because

people's tones do change a little bit.

>> Fred, 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 I 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 it's the best.

>> And you were on the first uh Zoom that

Dr. 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

going to be great."

>> But not everybody is like that. I mean,

we're 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 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 you made

him laugh in the 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.

>> Uh yeah, wait. Oh, wait. Wait till you

see what I do on this.

>> I memorized all these bits to do. Uh um

>> it is like it's going to sound like

>> it it is a mutual thing. Yeah. Like it's

a very like I don't when I'm around

Martin Short I'm not like hey I'm going

to 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 just by me

talking about it that I was joking.

>> But did he he actually get fooled?

>> He got fooled. Yeah.

>> Cuz I guess it was a very heightened

moment. It's like the end that was after

Good nights

>> of the 50th

>> and so it might might have just been a

moment where he thought it really

happened.

>> But I 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

went down, I want to turn to you, Fred,

cuz 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 cuz you have a a

gauge of like this is what's really

happening. There was one thing you told

me when I I was thinking of leaving SNL.

I think I already decided that I was

leaving SNL and you said I didn't even

ask you, but you were like, "Don't

worry, Lauren always stays in your

life."

>> Mhm.

>> 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

>> 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 Faradum.

>> Faridan.

>> Faridan.

>> Yeah. That's my given name.

>> Faridan.

>> Yeah. Feridan.

>> 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. Yeah. He or he chimed in on what

his name should be. There were there

were uh Persian workers in Germany.

>> Wow.

>> 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, Fred. 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. When I say

it was crazy, I'm not I'm not talking

about myself like I'm like amazed like

Yeah. That's crazy. I mean more that

learning the history of what I thought

Germany was like, that there were

>> 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 in

Japan,

>> right?

>> I had no idea. And much like Andy

Samberg who was on here talking about

how he did his roots when you did your

roots. You found out that you always

thought that your dad was Japanese and

you found out or that his relatives were

Japanese and you found out they were

Korean.

>> Yeah.

>> It was I was in this room for 4 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.

>> You'll be surprised. You'll be

surprised. And that's like that's that's

also

>> Yes, I will be surprised.

And it I mean, they just it's never

going to go back to full-blooded

Canadian

>> and people would be I'd be like, "No

way. My relatives were from Canada."

Like, but when you were growing up, you

have German and Korean dad. What you

thought was Japanese, Korean. You have

Venezuelan mom. How did you identify?

What culturally?

>> Venezuelan.

>> Venezuelan. Uh 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 were

over all the time we were traveling

there so it was a 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 speak

Spanish in the home

>> that was a lucky thing because at the

time

>> I didn't appreciate it why we have what

is this

>> and then now it's just like it's

>> and also like you know a lot of like

first you know uh first generation like

didn't always speak their 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 lot a lot of

SNL stuff. A lot of cold opens and

stuff. M 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 Armson. Well, 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 Freddy, little

Freddy growing up in

>> uh Long Island a little bit and then

Brazil a little bit.

>> Right. for a couple years.

>> Couple years in Brazil.

>> Yeah.

>> How old when you went to Brazil?

>> Uh I was that was like first second uh

second and third grade.

>> Okay. So, do you remember what it was

like?

>> Oh, yeah.

>> Arriving in Brazil. What it 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 to be with my friends.

>> Yeah.

>> 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 and be like

this food is weird.

>> I hate this place. I the word hate

>> got used so much. I hate it. I hate it.

I must have said that most of the time.

I hate it here.

>> Were you sad when you had to move back

or were like had you gotten used to it?

>> I had 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. So then you

go back to Long Island. Then you think

about going to college for visual arts.

>> Yeah, that took a while. That that was

more like

>> went back to uh um 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 why is it a common way to get in

a band is to go to art school? You just

want to be around artists and just like

>> Yeah. Like all my favorites that 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 Did you 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."

>> 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." And

>> that's so true. That's such a good

distinction is 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

>> Trench Mouth.

>> And Trench Mouth is like what? 1988

Chicago.

>> That's right. more more like 899 90 is

when it like really took took um shape.

>> So let's just for the heck of it, let's

listen to a little trench.

>> 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 were all in front of a

your 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?

>> 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 What's the gig? Uh

De Mo, Iowa. Great.

>> Mhm.

>> No money. Fine. Go. Go. Go. Fill the

tank. You know, like we kept the the van

running and clean and

>> uh it was like being uh Boy Scouts and

you know

>> packing up the drums. Come on. Come on.

Lifting and putting things on. What What

time are we going out? Hey, let's all

dress in black for this. Great. Let's

all dress in white. Great. Everything

>> energy like

>> energy of like it's it's us.

>> Yeah.

>> How'd you like that? They were awesome.

Let's do 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 uh looking up to

bands like that's the way to go.

>> Who were you looking up to at the time?

Like

>> Lungfish, No Means No, Fugazi, Jawbox,

uh Nation of Ulyses. We looked up at

these. We like we they cuz they were

also

really like possessed. They were

possessed with with this thing.

>> How much longer can we be on the road?

Go. It was just this and then playing as

you hear with this music,

>> everything. Come on. There's a change

here and another change and louder and

everything was kind of mathematical.

>> This wasn't like jam out music like

let's enjoy

>> how about something there was no groove.

>> I 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 yes. 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 it was so important and like just

the energy of getting everything right.

>> God that

>> did you guys have like were you an

arguing band? a you know a couple normal

arguments but what you're talking about

about those discussions they would go

into the night

>> well as it's getting dark as we're

driving it everything's getting dark and

we're still like but that's not 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

that the feeling it's giving me now of

like I remember that like it's like you

have a flag in your head you're 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 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 years like

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 sap success happening and you

think like

>> it's 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. 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, cherrypick us or like And

you had to just keep like you had to

just keep like renewing the contract.

>> Yeah. Or or renewing the goal.

>> Yeah. Renewing.

>> Well, 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.

>> 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 Mecons, 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 uh the other 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 on

the one. So usually you know you 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 I got it. Then they they had a 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 rotated?

>> The 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 it

was they were such a big 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 opening. So like uh the opening like

the first there's just three blue men uh

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

because 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 uh

there's a stick player, a zither player.

So we'd start playing and that was just

like it really felt like a be a proper

beginning of a show. Very loud.

>> Very

>> huge drum kit. Huge

>> really.

>> Yeah. I went through training for it. I

trained a little bit in Boston in New

York and uh it made my drumming better.

It was really frenetic and crazy and

>> I really loved it. I 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. Uh but the band didn't. The band

we were 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 with 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. They 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, you know? They're

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 drumed. 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 um series that

pre-SNL that is a version of a character

that you played interviewing musicians.

Uh and you kind of play this like

hilarious

German interviewer who knows nothing

about the bands.

>> Yeah. Or is very mean to bands because

we 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. Uh uh, Fugazi was here a

week ago and they 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. Uh a bunch of

people um Bob from Pavement. Yeah, it

got it was I just put a video together

in

>> I mean that was back when you just like

filmed it and made a

>> asked someone to edit it. Can you edit

this? no concept of money, you know,

just like can you do it? Yeah. And then

they did it and then

>> and then they gave it back to you and

you carried it around.

>> Thank you. And then that's that's what

existed.

>> I mean to to like age us I don't know if

this was like it when you started in

2003 but in 2001 at SNL there were 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 and you 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 cuz I've

>> You don't need to put this in, but like

I've known you for so long. I know. And

to talk about Blue Man Group actually

makes me like it jumps like a a track in

my head of like, oh yeah, we've never

talked about Blue Man Group.

>> We've never talked about it. We talked

about it very briefly, but everybody's

road to where they get is so stiruous.

Like one different

>> one different change and we're not where

we are. But I would say Freddy, more

than anyone I know, you know that every

day.

>> Like you really know every day. Like I

can't believe I got here. Like you say

it.

>> Yeah.

>> 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

>> that already felt like this is insane.

>> That whatever from Blue Man Group to be

here in front of Tina.

>> Yeah. How did you get the audition?

>> Through um Marcy Klein.

>> Yeah. She found producer on the show.

She found a video

>> uh of like all the stuff that I'd done.

Yeah.

>> And she show she made Lauren watch it

>> and then they called me in.

>> Wow.

>> Insane.

>> And you were like, you know,

30 what when you audition?

>> 33 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 because I'd been

through being in the band,

>> right,

>> for so long. So that I 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 5 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.

>> 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. 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.

>> 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

watched it all the time.

>> Yeah.

>> But I really connected to the B-52s and

DVO and talking heads like and I'm not

saying it in a way that's like uh hey I

just only like the bands. I'm saying

that like Lauren was communicating with

me these bands that he had on. I did

feel like I there was something I

understood about the show and then like

Mr. Bill and 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 a direct

message of like

>> there's got to be some way to

>> I felt like we were speaking the same

language.

>> Oo. Have you ever told Mike Myers that?

>> I think I might have told him.

>> Yeah.

>> Um but

>> that's a good way to put it.

>> Yeah. Like that sketch sprockets

>> Yeah. was a a favorite sketch of mine

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 inbetweeness 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 wast

amount of time. The amount of time like

thinking about sketches and talking

about stuff and around basically

which is like the most which is like

that was the preciousness of it.

>> Oh, that's the the 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 know. I was going to describe all your

bits and that was like it's like inside

jokey.

>> Yeah. It's like too difficult to even

but I remember like voices and faces

you've done who knows where 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 going to say it Freddy. 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 and all of the

other hard stuff. We don't love a

complainer.

>> No,

>> you and I do not love a complainer.

>> 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 talk. 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 is. It really interesting when I'm

complaining cuz we always we all

complain, but when I find myself

complaining, I'm like, "Oo, 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 I don't think

of you as conflict averse 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 light 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 going to

talk about this talk this thought

experiment and then the show hap and

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 notice you're

asking me a lot. I this Fred hates this.

This This is where because I You hate I

don't think you like this this direct

conflict.

>> I 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 because

I' 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

that 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. 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?

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 correct. 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 complainy of

me.

>> No, that was not complaining of you. 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 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.

>> Yes.

>> And it's like Oh my god.

>> And also often they're often they're

great.

>> Often they're great.

>> 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 this not even like actually and

you're not insulting to them. You just

put it in a 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? Who's the best?"

And I I always keep it

>> same. I would That's what am I going to

Yeah. That's the most low hanging like

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

cuz I like that's my stuff is like I

like to be like paying attention to like

detectivey like you know like like I

hate that part of myself that's very

like

>> you did it right, you did it wrong but

>> you know little

>> 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 T.

That's Tina and I that we're like yummy

food. Likeum yum yum yum yum yum yum yum

yum. That's our favorite food. We're

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

>> 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 and it's almost like everyone's

waiting for the moment to be done.

Everyone's like, "Let this finish out."

>> 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

>> and try to have like a face that's like,

"Oh." And then

>> I know. But I 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?

>> Many do do you mean like uh hosts?

>> Anyone hosts or people that came in to

do a bit or old cast members? Oh, like

for example, I 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.

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

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 relationship. How would you

define it?

>> 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. Mhm.

Who do you talk like I mean there's

there was that amazing Quest Love um doc

about all the musical guests but

>> if you can remember like who are like

the you know I I'm thinking of like

Elvis Costello

the

>> specials was the best thing I've ever

seen a music cuz 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 these little suits and crew cuts.

This like energetic band running off the

stage 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 at the I wonder if

you'll find it because

>> it's right here.

>> Look at the drummer is like back

straight

>> jumping around

>> holding a machine gun.

>> Yeah.

Yeah, they're so cool.

>> Did you like drummers that played like

this?

>> Yeah, I like Clen Burke was that way.

Really good. Really good posture.

>> Clen Burke

>> uh from Blondie. The Blondie drummer. My

favorite drummer ever.

>> Really?

>> Oh, yeah. Yeah. And really like nice

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.

DVO um and the B-52s 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 SNL50th you get to play with B-52s

and DVO. What was that like?

>> It was like the top like the very

crystallized top of of a mountain. Like

I it's almost scary cuz I was like

that's it.

>> Yeah. You're like I'm going to have a

heart attack.

>> It felt that way. I was like that that's

all right.

>> That is the very like you know that

shows at Radio City Music Hall. I had

seen DVO when I was 14 at Radio City

Music Hall. I had 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 on

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.

>> A

>> 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 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 it

>> 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. It I 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.

>> And 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 was just that was a

lucky thing. But that keeps going. We

just keep

>> it's so it like remains like it 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. We I got to hang

out with her all the time. We got She's

a great writer. She's such 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 Burn, 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 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 he

have a fuzzy suit or something. So, I'm

going to 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, Freddy, 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. 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?

>> Houston, I feel like has got a whisper

to it. Uh Houston, um I some people I

know from there are going through some

personal growth.

>> Personal growth. Uh Dallas, I always my

idea about them is that uh they're kind

of business-like. U I hear them on

planes on a conference call. I I had

been

uh at uh I was on a layover. Uh

we know someone from Bowmont and that's

kind of

Bowmont's the biggest I've ever heard. I

I can't imagine they're like the little

Y before imagine the longest wording.

Yeah.

>> And then countries.

>> Um

>> can you do Iceland? We we

>> Iceland has

>> 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

>> is 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. 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. You're like,

>> but they're just saying, "Uh-huh.

Uh-huh. Uh-huh."

>> Yeah.

>> That is

cuz 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.

It's my I can't wait for breakfast.

>> Breakfast.

>> Oh, I love it.

>> And then you want to 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. Mhm.

>> I'm not a big like I'm going to 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 a tour recently and I

had did have to bring some equipment,

but

>> Okay, got it. Um Broad City.

>> Oh, yeah.

>> That was so fun.

>> Amy,

>> that's

>> and parks. I mean, we did

>> 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

Halloween.

>> As the baby, I'm just a baby.

>> Little 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 dog.

Like just no thank you to dogs.

>> When we first met, the first thing I

told you I was like cats.

FI cats. I just met Lauren. Cats. You

know that, right? Uh cat. I love cats.

>> 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 per you are

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 cat.

>> I like how that they 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. M that you say that regrettably.

>> I wish I wish it wasn't that way.

>> Salty is not good either.

>> I don't believe that.

>> I don't either. I think salty is better.

>> I I think when people say that salt

causes health 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 salt?

Why? I Yes, I know you're right. But

>> I know what you mean.

>> But whenever they're like there there

was too much salt on it. I'm like I

don't think that's going to be the

thing.

>> That's is 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 u a

chocolate bar that has salt in it.

Great. I like that.

>> Okay.

>> But uh I love sweet. I mean, I love

chocolate so much.

>> Yeah. I

>> too much, do you think?

>> Yeah. I too much.

>> Are you trying to cut down or like you

have to

>> I'm 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

>> You 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 cuz I get

on a real ride and I crash pretty hard

after sugar. Like I have big sugar

crashes.

>> Oh yeah.

>> Mhm. But salty

>> it's perfect.

>> It 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 I'm not afraid

of flying. Do you have any phobias?

>> Oh, heights.

>> That's right. Fred,

>> I couldn't do a taping of this because

of it.

>> Yeah,

>> cuz you were like, it's on the whatever

floor

>> 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 I told you about that. I

think one time we were at a hotel and

you guys were so nice cuz I we I went up

to your hotel.

>> Me, you and Tina went up to your and it

was um I told you and you guys were so

nice. You just closed the blinds and 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,

"Hey, 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 going to 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. An engineer would would

actually be insulted by that. Like do

you have any idea? Like we studied

>> like hundreds and hundreds of people

going into building. Millions of people

going to buildings every day

>> around the world. Yeah.

>> Around everywhere.

>> Yeah. But could you ever like climb a

tree or like is it that kind of height

too? 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 explain a little just so

>> have you ever done any kind of like a

bungee or Nothing like that I like that

about you Freddy I feel like we're very

similar we don't I don't like I don't

like what am I insanely I don't like

taking risks

>> no no no none of that I'm not interested

>> no

>> I'm also not interested in watching it

I'm not like or stories about it like

all that I'm No, like if you're going to

free if you're going to 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. I don't want to

see.

>> I'm oddly not impressed.

>> Yeah.

>> Of all the thing that you want me to be.

I'm like

>> I'm like whatever.

>> Yeah.

>> I don't know.

>> You

>> What is freline? That's when you do the

rock.

>> Yeah. You do the like no with no with no

ropes

>> and just like you just crevice and cre

and just thumb your foot.

>> Yeah. And then like one more slow and

>> 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' I'd want to know everything

about your story. If you do that

>> happened to me once.

>> I was chased and I I saw this mountain.

I was like, there's nowhere to I was

like,

"Get out of here." And then the person

couldn't. They were like,

they were like, and then

>> and then you stayed on there.

>> I feel bad cuz 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

unfried

>> and they that's they fill out the

application. They're like, I guess I

have to

>> like there's not one

>> day got to I hate this job.

>> You're right. There might be a few

people that's their job.

>> It's just the world.

>> 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 you'd recommend?

>> Wow. For real. The thing that I'm most

uh 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 there 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 a minute, you

can seem like an expert on almost

anything.

>> Yeah, I think so.

>> You have to memorize a couple things,

couple things,

>> and then there'll be a word or something

where people will go, "Huh?"

>> Uhhuh.

>> 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 something

that I want you to pretend to be an

expert in for one minute.

>> Okay.

>> Okay. I'm gonna set the timer. Um I'm

gonna say um the uh Alaskan pipeline.

>> The Alaskan pipeline.

>> Yeah. Ready? So, with with me today is a

expert um Fred Armison 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.

You did it. I don't know if any of

that's true. When you said 1951,

>> I have no idea.

>> No, no idea. Um, thank you, Fred. Love

you. Thank you so much for doing this.

love you. Thank you so much for You're

>> the best. I'm glad we addressed

>> you. I We did.

>> Thank you so much, Fred Armson. 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 Burn.

We could talk about the specials. We

could talk about Lorraine Newman. All

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 uh, 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 Polar. The show is produced by

The Ringer and Paperkite. For the Ringer

production by Jack Wilson, Cat Spalain,

Kaia McMullen, and Alia Xanerys. For

Paperkite production by Sam Green, Joel

Levelvel, and Jenna Weiss Berman.

Original music by Amy Miles.

really good. Hey