Lisa Kudrow Returns

24:33i remember back in those days you had a i don't know if you ever make this sense but you used to make it make something which was you would take m &ms yes pour them into a pan yeah a big sheet a sheet yeah put them in the oven and melt them well not totally not totally yeah but so that But some of the integrity of the M &M is compromised. Yes. Okay. Sounds like the point. That was the point. Uh-oh, uh-oh. Deep breath. No, deep breath. Hold. Exhale. Can I have a raise?

25:14It just spiked. The podcast just got canceled. I would be like, my days are free. This is the part I don't like. I don't mind the inflating part. What I hate is when it's going down and there's the throbbing in your arm. That just always feels gross to me. Does anybody else have that? No. Okay. I'd like to be excused from this podcast. I thought that was some exciting podcasting that just happened. Yeah, it was. What's throbbing? What do you mean throbbing? When you compress the arm, the blood, then, of course, you feel it goingth-thump,th-thump,th-thump in your arm. I don't have that, so one of us is dying.

26:00Do you ever think... Wait, we've got to get to the end of this M &M's thing. Oh, yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah. So you would make this thing, and it was like this big sheet of kind of quasi-melted M &M. Yeah, it maintains its integrity if done right. It's just that the candy cracks and a little bit of the chocolate bubbles out. And it tastes like a different kind of chocolate. Right. It tastes like good chocolate. Do you still do this? When was the last time you made that? Because you used to make it a lot. Well, yeah, when I was young and could have M &Ms whenever I wanted. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, it's been a long time.

26:34Right. I think after I had Julian, my son, I stopped doing that because we had to be more healthy. I think of those days, L.A. living in a$380 a month apartment. And I remembered I made one thing and one thing only, which was bumblebee tuna fish. I'd put it in a bowl. I'd put a bunch of Miracle Whip in there, mix it up. I'd put it on two pieces of toast to make a sandwich. And then I'd have that with a bowl of the Oodles of Noodles ramen. Ramen, yeah. And you'd think, oh, okay, you do that maybe five times in a row and you're good. I'm made of that stuff. my entire body. It's probably why I'm wearing a blood pressure monitor right now.

27:19There's the source of the throbbing. I think I've destroyed my body. The flavor packet alone. Oh, I love the flavor packet. God knows what's in there. Right. But that's all I did. And I think back on that now, just as you said, we were all just automatically doing these things. And then now, no, I would not get an Isuzu Opal. Which, by the way, didn't you share that with Greg? Greg? Yeah, my writing partner, Greg Daniels, and I initially shared it. And if one of us had to date, we had to ask the other if we could borrow the car. We were adult men sharing an apartment. We also shared an apartment.

27:56We shared an apartment and we also shared an office where our desks faced each other. And a car. And a car. I mean, it's more than any married couple. Yeah. Yeah. Absolute madness. But also, you guys had, you came out here with jobs. Yeah. We had a tryout at a job, which was not necessarily the news. Oh, that was a tryout? I think so. I mean, meaning we were signed on to do, I think, four weeks. And then if it didn't work, which is why we were so petrified that we bought the cheapest. We rented a car and then we realized Greg was always really good at this. It'd be cheaper if we just bought this absolute piece of shit that they're giving, that they're selling at the airport to saps like us.

28:37And we bought it. I remember it had a sticker on the back that it said, I heart my, and that was the face of a poodle. And I tried with gasoline to get that thing off and it wouldn't come off. And so I just decided, okay, I'm just going to go with it. I mean, back then you and I went through this, you know, this, this time together where neither one of us knew like what's going to happen. Right. I was getting writing jobs. You were working. At my dad's office. At your dad's office. Yeah. Headache clinic. A headache clinic. Yeah. And you did some research with him on that, right? I did, yeah. Well, that's right.

29:11Specializing in, what is it? The left-handed people have more cluster headaches? That was the question. Headache types. Amongst all, there were nine different identified headache types. And does handedness, is there any association between handedness? And what did you find out? No, there's none. Oh. All right. There's none. We've talked about our friendship before, But one of the things that I remember giving me a lot of solace was I thought because I came from the East Coast and had gone to this whatever, you know, very academic school and had no I didn't had any training in acting or anything or written professionally.

29:53And I come out to L.A. and I felt very self-conscious because and then I go to this improv class and and I noticed the person who I thought was the funniest, most interesting person in the room, Lisa, and I start talking to her and she's just graduated from Vassar and she's pre-med and no one in her family's done this. Right. And your mom went to Vassar. Yeah. That was the other thing. Like, oh, my mom went there. Yeah. Well, you know, when you graduate, I don't know if that's everybody, but first thing you ask someone who looks around the same age is, so where'd you go to school? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

30:26And so I don't know. Do I know anyone there? Do we have anyone in common? Yeah. But it was it just felt like, well, wait a minute. She's doing this. And she seemed very confident and like, well, this is yes, this is what I'm going to do. Well, I was confident once I saw you in the class and I figured out what to do based on what you were doing. Because I didn't understand the terminology at all. Like, commit. It's like, I don't know what that means. Commit. Commit to being an actor. I don't know what that means. Right. Yeah. But you didn't see me do anything. I made a beeline for you right after you did the, you know, space ball or lift a disc.

31:05All this embarrassing stuff that you do. But you did it with commitment. You weren't making a meal out of everything. You were just doing it. And you just looked like you actually were lifting a disc. Or you actually were throwing a ball. And everybody else was, grr, anger. You know, like, oh. And I thought, I can't be part of this. I can't. I just can't. And you didn't. And I made a beeline for you. Oh. And said, hi, that was really good. I'm Lisa. Yeah. Well, you know, one of the things that's funny is you and I are both this is we were in improv together for all these. That's how we really got started.

31:44And there's aspects of improv. That's I'm sorry, it's embarrassing. There are parts and you're an incredible improviser. And I moved on, got a writing job in New York at SNL. So Greg and I left. So I was going to, I think, be in the groundlings. I was headed just about to go into it when I had to leave and we had done all these classes. You were going to. He was absolutely going to get voted into the Sunday company. But I was which was going to mean a lot to me. And then it's like, nope, paying job. Got to go. But what I recall most from that period was there's a side of both of us. This is a similarity we have where we want to do it.

32:28but there's some embarrassing stuff that goes with doing improv and acting, these kind of exercises. And neither one of us had much patience for it. And I thought, is there something wrong with us? And I'm a fan of the show Hacks. And I was watching the third season of Hacks. And there's this great scene where Jean Smart agrees to do some improv. And she goes backstage and all these kids that like, I forget where it is. It was on a university campus. It was on a university campus. And they're all saying, hey, let's do zip, zap, zoom, zip, zap, zap, zap, zoom. And she's there and she's established as one of the great comics of all time.

33:05And she's achieved everything. And she goes, let's not do that. Let's just not do that. And then like, okay, let's do bit, bop, boo, bit, bop, boo. And then they're pretending to throw things at each other. And I thought it was such a great scene. And I thought of you because we've had it since where you and I have been asked to do improv. Yes. That's what I was thinking. For a good cause. And you and I will show up. And once again. Let's do warmups, everybody. We're in an alley. We're in an alley. Oh, no. Well, literally, we were. Remember this one? We were literally in an alley, like down by Sawtelle or so.

33:44We're in an alley outside with about 11 people. And it was for a good cause. But they said, OK, OK. okay, we're going to raise some money tonight. We're all going to go out there. And first of all, it was way too many people. Like I think if there's more than, if there's like 40 people doing improv scenes together, I just think this is insanity. And then they were saying, let's do some, okay, let's go, I'll say, and then you say, and so I stopped it and said, is it okay if I just, I'll write you guys a check?

34:15Tell me what my presence here will raise for this really good cause and I'll write you a check. And then I just want to go home. And of course, people were like, dude, what happened to you, man? You know, like I was letting down, you know, you lost the improv spirit. I'm like, I never liked this part. I always hated this part. No, and then I'm just like this coward or get along to go along. And then it's my turn. I just don't do it. Oh, no, it's called passive aggressive. That's what it's called. Tell me more about this passive aggressive. I'd like to learn how to do it. Not that it's funny because it's ironic, but.

34:59No, but that's, by the way, we also have that in common. Yes. We're so much therapy to stop being passive aggressive or manipulative in any way. But then I'm just passive aggressive to the therapist. I'm like, oh, well, that's a good, oh, that's good advice. That's really good advice. Is that passive aggressive? Shit. I thought that was just... Dick being an asshole. No. Now, am I in trouble? Because no, that's very kind of you.

35:34Therapy's not the place to say exactly what you think. Because then the therapist can turn on you. Right. Oh, no. Never show a therapist your vulnerability. That's one thing I've learned. because then they'll use that to try and get you. I know. By the way, this is not a bit for me. I mean every word I've just said, and I've learned a lot. I got to go. Not until my blood pressure settles. So I got to, I had this great front row seat to knowing how crazy funny you were and how, you know, just fantastic you were. And then for a bunch of years, And then it was just to see you not just nationally, but internationally.

36:20Everyone go, yep, her. She's like the funniest. And I thought, how cool to see that beforehand. I don't know. That was an amazing thing to get to see. Yeah. And also to someone who's a really good person and deserves it. But that was passive aggressive. There were definite air quotes. Well, there's a difference between a lie and passive aggressive. I'm confused now. Tell me how to be. Oh my God. But that was really, that was cool. That was cool. And one of my favorite, because you got married at the, was it the end of the first season? Yeah, right after the first season, right before the show exploded.

36:59Yeah. So the show has been, it's been made, but it like kind of blew up over the summer, but it's just starting to blow up and you have your wedding. Yeah. And I'm invited and you sat me, I've been doing late night for like a year, I think, or maybe a year and a half. You sat me with the cast. I'll never forget. I have such a clear memory because everyone was so young. Yeah. And I'm sitting there and I'm the vet. I've been on TV for like a year and a half. And so I'll never forget. There was this kind of Matt LeBlanc, especially it was kind of like, huh? I mean, I don't know. What do you think's going to happen?

37:38And I was like, I think you guys are good. I think you guys are good. And some people are like, really? Do you think? Like, this is insane. And then I think right around that time, it became bigger than Catholicism, you know? Certainly more lucrative. And I've seen the Vatican. I don't think so. Vatican is really looking shabby. But yeah, I... But by the way, same for me to see you. Okay, here's what I have to say. that I know you had a hard time at first. I mean, I saw that you had a hard time. But you kept just being you, doing your comedy, and then everybody came around and realized. It was like retractions, you know?

38:24Like, hey, we were wrong. Oh, this is what he does. Oh, this is who he is. It's not his fault. This is what he does. No, no, no. No, no. It's like, oh, this is the comedy. It's hilarious. Oh, that's nice. Once they figured it out. Yeah, but - But you just kept - That was harrowing. Showing up as you - I know, because you don't know. Are they ever going to get it? Are they ever going to - No, and also, they're telling you, if people of America doesn't get it in the next three weeks - Right. You're out of here. But that was - And I was hearing that a lot, and then I would think, nope, we're still going to do the weird thing tomorrow.

39:01But that was a huge life lesson for me. Really? Yeah. you just show up, you do what you do, either they get it or they don't. And if you get to be there long enough, they will. They're just going to see that's what you do. And it's different, but then they'll come around. And it was sort of like, you know, HBO shows, by the way. We're like, I've never seen anything like that. What the fuck is this? Oh, yeah, you can say, what the fuck is this here? But and then they go, OK, well, I guess this is what it is. And they come around and that's what you did by yourself. and took everything and just kept showing up and kept doing it.

39:40It didn't affect you. Oh, well. Wait a minute. I don't mean personally. I mean every night on your show. Right. It didn't. You behaved as if none of that was happening because you had a show to do. Your situation was so intense. And I saw you go through that, which I can't even begin to imagine what that's like. And I know that that level of, oh, my God, you know, one of the friends is buying an avocado. We've got to get a photograph of it. Did you know what I mean? Just the intensity of it. Yeah. But, I mean, I don't remember it being too bad for me. But there were six of us together going through it.

40:24I mean, the first time anything happened, you know, we were doing the publicity stuff we have to do. And there was an entertainment weekly photo shoot. and by the time we're done, it's dark out and we're all walking out to our cars and in the parking lot, it was tons of paparazzi. You know, like you're blinded by the flashbulbs and they're not just calling your name out. That was the other big, they're mad calling your, you know, like, Lisa, Lisa! Like, fuck you! You're not looking at my plans! You know, David! Just like screaming at all of us and like, why are they angry? what happened? What is this?

41:03It was terrifying. There's a flip side to that energy. It's, it's, they're excited to see you and there's a great moment in that Scorsese movie, King of Comedy, where Jerry Lewis plays, basically Jerry Lewis, and he's walking down the street and everyone in New York is shouting out, Jerry, Jerry, because he's playing a big talk show host. Yeah. And he's, and, and a woman is on the phone. She's talking and she goes, Jerry Jerry talk to my son and holds the phone out and Jerry Lewis just goes can't right now and she goes you should get cancer yeah and I've always thought that is a that is an amazing yeah it captures something that both of us have seen that there's this those little magnets that flip instantly oh oh oh fuck you yeah so you're always dealing I think I'm always trying to get ahead of that and make sure everyone's happy, which can be a mistake.

42:00Well, that actually only happened to me once in London, of course. Yeah. Where, I mean, I guess they're just so repressed there, right? I don't know. But I was there with my husband. It was kind of early on, but Friends was big there. And we were in a department store and he left me to go look, you know, at the men's section. I don't know, something somewhere else. Got an ascot, probably. To get an ascot. Oh my God, that's right. Yeah, a silk beret. And where do they have their berets? Yeah. I need a baguette. Uh-huh. I'm sorry, Michelle. And a bicycle. So he went to the bicycle section with his baguette beret.

42:39And he was trying them out. I was just going to say, and first he went down to the makeup department to draw a mustache. No, no, not a mine. Not a mine. Yeah. But anyway, so he stepped away for two seconds, which was long enough for a pack of women to come over. Like, oh, I won't do the accent. Right. Oh, how exciting to see your own friends. Yeah. Oh, could we get, do you mind signing this? No, not at all. Oh, that's nice of you. Oh, I guess you shouldn't mind, though, because you did sign up for it, didn't you? I mean, there really is no room to complain. And then one after another, you did ask for it.

43:15Like, they were getting mad at me. And you were giving them what they wanted. And I didn't say one word. Yeah. They just did it all on their own from happy to see you to do we have we need a rope and a tree branch. That's what it felt like, you know, like a gallows, you know, like they went from who is so happy to see you to string her up right now. Nothing you did. And my husband and I just was getting kind of scared because I felt like it was two seconds away from getting physical. And my husband appeared back and they stopped and just went, lovely to meet you and walked away. And I went, you don't know what just happened.

43:56And you won't believe me because you didn't see it. Because when you came up, I was like, oh, that was so scary to me. I didn't say a word or do anything other than smile and start signing. Yeah. I've always felt like you always hear groups. Like the Beatles, they would say, we had each other. And I think that must have been a godsend that you guys could compare. I was on the set once and could just see that like, I think at one point we were all near the dressing room area and everybody was just sort of chilling before we went out and did this thing we were going to shoot. And I thought, oh, they've got each other.

44:37That's got to be such a godsend. Oh, it was. Completely. And also, I mean, and we kept each other in check pretty well, too, because not one of you is the star of the show. You know, you're accountable to five other people. That was great. That was really good. And I forget what I was going to say. I'm concerned about you. branch where's my blood pressure cuff no one's just gonna take mine off and put it on you but yeah because there was a backlash for us like after two or three seasons i don't remember but you know we didn't know to stop we're just doing what the network and studio were asking us all this publicity to do and we were way overexposed and and and so there was this big backlash and And we I remember the six of us met because we were asked to do something.

45:34And the discussion was, do we do it or not? Because we always would discuss everything we were going to do. And what we realized was, yeah, let's not do it because really all we have to do right now is just show up at work. Let's have like a moratorium on all the press and just show up. And I remember saying or yeah, I remember saying like Conan, like Conan. He just showed up, did his work every night, even though the press was rough when he started all that. You just show up, do your work, deal with the task at hand, and then it'll be okay. And they were like, who's Conan? That dork from the wedding?

46:17Wasn't that tall, nervous girl from the wedding? But you know...

46:28how do you know Tilda Swinton? She was at your wedding. They seemed so, they were so happy to see me. And then I realized later it was because I thought I was Tilda Swinton. And she wasn't even famous then. They just said, you look like an actress that's about to break. Do you, okay, you come off of Friends and then you can figure what do I do next? What are the next? And the projects that you did afterwards, to me, and Friends is fantastic, but I loved the comeback. Oh, thanks. So much. And it's beloved. I hope you know that. But it's absolutely revered. And it was so well done that there were times when I was watching it that I got suckered in because we've talked about this.

47:21the actor who played the head writer who was so cruel to you yeah and he's terrific actor yeah lance lance yeah and he but he was really being a passive it's just an incredibly acidic mean cooler than you um treating you terribly and i was getting really upset on your behalf and then i remembered there was some where i am i'm at some television academy thing and people And I meet him. And I swear to God, like, I was mad at him. He's the nicest person on the planet. He's the nicest person. Yes, I know. We ruined him. I mean, we... Yeah, he can't work now. Well, no, he's the dad on Young Sheldon.

48:05Yes. Oh, I know. I was making a joke. I didn't want to... Okay. I watched Young Sheldon religiously. I don't want anyone to think we don't know that he's really successful. Yeah. Okay, well, yes. He got his due. Yeah, of course he did. I don't think you needed to ruin the rhythm of everything for that. Okay. I just want everybody to be happy. What if he listens to me? Can we get a, how can people see Young Sheldon? When's it on? Passive aggressive. I think it's over now. Oh, it's over now. But it's streaming. Okay, it's streaming. You can see Young Sheldon on streaming. It's on Paramount Plus.

48:39That's all the time we have. Come on, everyone. Help Chuck Lorre. he's only got 15 syndicated shows I'm setting up a fund for him and for Greg Daniels we're gonna get them both taken care of get him back on his feet but what's nice is you did that and you had me as a guest on web therapy yeah thanks for that and yeah I really helped you out it did yes you did But what I'm saying is you chose these projects that were really smart and right for you. What's cool is I think you got these fans who I'm sure know friends, like friends, like you on friends. But then you got to, I don't know, that takes, I think, I think you made very smart moves.

49:34And that sounds too calculated. Yeah, because it wasn't. It wasn't. You just, you made, you went out and you made stuff that interested you with really talented partners. And I think there's a bunch of. That was the smart part. There's a bunch of people who love that. They just, they love that work. Yeah. And it's you getting to be, show a completely different side of what you can do than you maybe got to do on Friends. Yeah, that's true. I do credit you with. I have to say, yes, you know, what's really brilliant about me. Yeah. I just, this is serious. You did though, because I got a good hunk out of this for some sort of one man show type thing I had to do.

50:15It wasn't a one man show, but it was like I had to do like 40 minutes. But I got such a good chunk out of, and this is all to your credit where, who do you think you are? And I'm sure we've talked about it, but you said, Conan, you're going to have such great ancestry. And I told you I wouldn't. And you said, no, no, no. Everyone says that. but then it turned out they're related to Charlemagne and they're related to Joan of Arc. I wasn't saying you were going to be related to Charlemagne. Charlemagne the god. I'm shocked you know who that is. Aren't you? Eduardo, aren't you shocked? Shocked. You have no idea the knowledge I have.

50:52You have no idea. Yes, we do know the knowledge you have and it doesn't involve it. Charlemagne the god's my guy. There's a Charlemagne the god? Yes. Yeah, huge. on what show uh he hosts the radio oh it's a person yeah he calls himself charlemagne the god yeah he thinks a lot of him yeah charlemagne the god that's his thing here we go oh no oh hold on we don't have to hold our breath this is why we don't think you would know who charlemagne the god is because we're listening to your blood pressure thing so you're saying no one who knows who Charlamagne Tha God is, is doing a 24-hour blood pressure cup check.

51:33Holding it up to a microphone so everyone else can hear it. I want to get the word out on this device. The Oscar 2 is fantastic. It's getting to the throbbing part, which I don't like. It makes me uncomfortable. That will be going back to the doctors later today. Tomorrow. Tomorrow at 11. Or will it? If you want to meet me on Pico Boulevard down sort of near Highland. Do they meet? I can't remember. It's all a blur. I don't know. Who's they? Who's meeting you? The streets. The black market. The streets meet. The streets. The streets meet. I'm sorry. I've been, every day I'm driven to work in a stretch Hummer with murdered out windows.

52:12So I don't know what's going on. The black market medical device gang. Anyway, you were so positive. So I gave you guys the whatever, cheek swab, nothing. I hear butt kiss, nothing, nothing, nothing. And then I had to call you and say, hey, what's going on with, you know, the big special we're going to do about all my. You said special. You said there's nothing. I know. There's nothing. No, I didn't. There's nothing. You're trash. Here's why you didn't hear from me, because I kept we'd get our updates from research. And I kept saying, keep looking. Come on. It's Conan. You're going to find something.

52:52Come on. There's nothing. And they're saying, no, but everybody, everybody in Ireland has the same name. and in the families they named the kids the same names after Reardon's and everything like we don't know which of these people and I said well we think it's this family and they had something so fascinating and interesting and they said well we can't definitely verify that that's his family I was like well I almost said do it anyway he can decide if it's his family just fake it you don't know what he knows what was the thing that was so interesting I don't remember really clearly I don't remember so one of the things about it was really interesting your it was string of unsolved murders kind of 1810 sort of I think one of the see you do know about it and it was his family it is family lore

53:57proof though that all this cool stuff that you've done after friends is that you get this call from taika watiti yeah and uh jemaine clement texted me from uh oh he texted you yeah i'm gonna can we make it a call it's more dramatic okay yeah no he reached out on social media yeah but i'm just picturing i just want to see an old bakelite phone ringing okay and you pick it up you've got like cold cream on your face. Yes. And a coalesce. It's like, yeah. You've got a call and it's an operator. This is Wrigley 50255. Taika Waititi's calling. I'll take it. Who? Yeah. Who? Michelle's in the background throwing a medicine ball around.

54:42Darling, hush. It's the head of the studio.

54:50But they call you And apparently they're like, we they've always wanted to work with you. They've always been fans and they've been waiting for the right thing. And they have this project, Time Bandits. And so. And so I said, yes, of course, because it's Taika and Jemaine Clement. Come on. And then I think that's. Jemaine Clement. Yes. Everyone's nodding. That's right. I didn't know at the time. I just know that we got together, Liza and I and you, Michelle, we got together and you said, well, I'm leaving. We got to go now because I'm leaving in two days to go to New Zealand. New Zealand for six months.

55:26For six months. And I thought that you had committed a crime. I got to get out. But now I know what it was for. I committed a crime. I can't tell you why, but I have to go to New Zealand for six months and then everything should blow over and I'll be back. I got to lay low. I got to lay low. You know me. Oh, I know you. Best not to ask.

55:50So this thing's incredible. It's, I mean, it's, first of all, I got to see the first episode and in the first episode, everything pretty much gets, ramps up very quickly. Yeah, yeah. But this is, I'm seeing you do something. This is action, adventure, comedy. Yeah. I was running around. You are running a lot. Talk about blood pressure. There are explosions and I was watching it thinking, I know Lisa doesn't like this. Yeah. I know for a fact. She'd be like, oh, why, why? Stop with the noises. No, no, it's fake, but you've got to hear it and then run. Did you not? No, it wasn't that bad. Wasn't that bad.

56:32Except the explosion on the ship. Yeah. Yeah, that was like, so, you know, you all, you know, be where you were in your places. Be careful that you don't touch the barrel. I'm like, what? And I've got Kal-El, who's the freakishly talented kid, right? Yeah, he's great. Kal-El talk with me. And I went, what? What do you mean? No, it's not going to. It's not going to blow up now. Like, right. But don't touch it. OK. Yeah. OK. But we have to run by it. So don't bump into it, anybody. You know, can we run by? And then we're off the set. And they're like, no, no, that's not going to blow up. We'll switch it out.

57:10And we leave. And one of the another guy in the cast, like, sort of stayed behind and looked. And it was just they didn't move anything. That thing blew up. And I was like, okay, let's have a health and safety talk now. Right now. Yeah. No, not right now. It was later after I found out. What are you doing? No, don't do that. Don't trick us into being next to explosives. A barrel of explosives. Yeah. But did you like making it? Was it fun to do? Yeah, it was really fun. It was. It was really fun. And it was COVID, so it was COVID hours, which means only 10-hour shoot days. God bless COVID. I know.

57:49Sorry, that's going to come across kind of wrong. I'm sorry. But you weigh things. Better hours on a shoot plus mass deaths. And then you weigh it. Hollywood celebrities. I don't know. Things balance out. Yeah. There's going to be some blowback on that. And that's going to be on me. I like that my take on this is what's the joke? He's only saying what we're all thinking. Yeah, it was very, very, it was really fun. And that place isn't that place. How condescending. We were in Wellington. It's the most beautiful place on earth. I mean, nothing. I've never been to New Zealand. I want to go. Yeah.

58:28We were running around in forests. We would go on location and we're running around in forests. And no, no, this has been untouched. And there's no development anywhere near here. And this is how it's been since about the time that we are pretending to shoot in right now. Right. Oh, my God. But it was really, that was thrilling. It was so beautiful. It was. And everyone was nice. I was blown away. The show looks spectacular. Yeah. And you get to be, again, it's funny to see you do your comedic rhythm in over-the-top action adventure. But it's you. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. It's a version of you.

59:07Good. The first couple weeks, I was panicking. Like, I don't know what I'm doing. I think I'm doing like five different characters. A couple times I think I'm doing Valerie Cherish. And then I think I'm doing the woman from web therapy now. Like, you guys, someone direct me, help me. And Ty went to Tyke. I said, I'm really struggling here. And he and Jemaine went, are you? I said, yes. What? Haven't you? Can't tell? Nah, looks the same to me. And I'm like, oh, no, you have to give me notes. And he said, okay. I don't know what notes I would give you. Oh, no. Oh, no. What's going to happen? And they think they can trust me and they can't.

59:48They've made a terrible mistake. They've made a terrible mistake. A voice that goes through all of our heads all the time. I'm going to be on the next ship back to the U.S. I'll just take this prop galleon and go home. But then it was fun. Can I ask you, is this true? I think it was Jen Aniston said, she said that when you guys are doing Friends that you don't, it just occurred to me right now, uh, Lisa doesn't like it when the audience is laughing. It's something, it's something she's said, like you're, you would say something and it would get a big laugh and it would irritate you. Cause they were laughing for too long.

1:00:27It wasn't that funny. That's why it wasn't an honest response. And it irritated me. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's like you're now you're just ruining the timing of the rest of the show. I mean, there are other lines. I didn't say it. Sometimes I would, just look out. They'd been laughing too long and sometimes I would just look out and go, come on.

1:00:55Really angry. I can see that. But I understand. But no, I would happily let those laughs splash along. Because a TV show is not for the studio audience. It's made for the TV viewers at home. so that's who we're in service to right if it were a stage play yeah laugh as long as you want i'll figure out things to keep my character busy right waiting to continue with it that's fine you know but then it's being filmed and now i'm just sort of like standing there and then you do like things that you hate you know just like nah that's right i said that you know it's terrible i think they We instructed our audience not to do anything like that.

1:01:43Right. Yeah. I like a warm-up person who tells the crowd, don't laugh. Well, oh, we did so many takes, they did stop laughing. Yeah. Which then made the writers think, all right, it doesn't work. It's like, well, it worked. It worked the first time. And then, all right, well, let's come. And so they'd come up with alternates. We took six to eight hours to shoot a half hour. Wow. But all I knew was, you're going to take the laugh track from the first take anyway and move it to whichever take this is. So who's suffering because they're not laughing? I'm okay if they're not laughing as hard. We can keep going.

1:02:22Right. We can. Yeah, I don't know. But it wasn't up to me. Yeah. Because I was just an actor on a show. Do you have distance on that now? Like when you see, because it's ubiquitous, when you see a Friends on, does that affect you in any way? Or is it just? Well, I used to not be able to watch it at all. I mean, I'd see it on and be like mildly interested. And then I'd see me and say, that's enough of that. I can't bear it. And then, well, listen, after Matthew died, I could start watching the show again because it wasn't about me. It had to do with him for some reason. and so I have started watching Friends not started like season one and you know but there are marathons on and I have spent at times since he died all day long watching the show that's interesting and now you can see and you you can enjoy the show you can enjoy Matthew you can enjoy what he's doing yeah everyone is phenomenally hilarious to me I'll net you started doing that show and you called me up and uh you would you would you would i don't have an eye for what's going to be a hit well i want to say that no no that was nothing about that okay you called me up and you were raving about matthew about matthew and you were saying he's so funny and there was part of me i like there was part of me that was jealous like i was okay yeah i make you laugh pretty hard and you were like, no, you don't understand.

1:03:55This guy's really. No, I wasn't that bad. No, no, no, no, no, you weren't. But I'm just saying it's, it's, I think that's human. Is it? I was just surprised you classified it as part of you as jealous instead of being your entire being. What I meant, I was excluding bone, like bone and sinew, but my entire spirit. I see. No, there was part of me that was just like, And then I was watching him and going, yep. Yeah. Well, no, because, I mean, you are the funniest person I know. No, no, no. That's not what this is about. One of the funniest people I know. Well, now it's hard to hear, you see. But it is true.

1:04:36That's just a fact. But I was so. But he was such a huge. I thought that Chandler character, when I read it, I went, oh, they have a gay character. That's good. I thought that's that's all I heard. That's all I heard. You know, and so at the table read, I just did a double take at him. Oh, my God. That I never even in a million years could have envisioned anyone playing the character like that. And with his own rhythm and everything, it's his own. Impeccable timing. Impeccable timing. But also just, I mean, honest to God, shooting those titles in the fountain was a nightmare. You know, I don't like discomfort at all.

1:05:20Mild. Any kind. I don't like it. And that fountain was cold. And it was very late at night. We'd done, I think, 500 takes of dancing. Unmotivated dancing is hard, too, right? That's just, it's hard. When one's in a fountain, one does dance. When a bunch of young New Yorkers are in a fountain, they dance. You know, and then the, hey, what if you play with that scarf? for, you know, stuff. And you just get like, no, I don't want to. It's not funny. I don't want, you know. I was a real joy. But, and it was so cold and we had to keep doing it. And Matthew, and they said, we're going to do one more take.

1:06:00And he said, one more? Okay. Can't remember a time I wasn't in a fountain. Seriously. Have you, can't remember a time I wasn't wet. What are we, wet? What are we, wet? In a fountain? What are we, dancing? In a fountain? Yeah, I mean. And this is before the show has even come on. Right. So that's also important to know is no one's a star. This is you're seeing. And it wasn't in. They hadn't written him like that yet. Yeah. And I don't know when I've laughed so hard. Just and so I'm not kidding. You see us laughing. Yep. And it's because he had just said, all right, ready? We're going to go again.

1:06:44What are we going in again? Are we going to do it again? And just laughing hysterically doubled over. And that's in the titles. Yeah. That was Matthew. He came on our show not long after that and showed up early. And so we got to hang around and talk to him. And he was so excited. They had just shot the episode with Jill Goodacre where he's trapped in an ATM. Vestibule. A vestibule with Jill Goodacre. I just wanted to say vestibule. I'm proud. I remembered the word. Sorry. Go on. I'm ruining your timing. No, but it's... Oh, bring it on. Too long. Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum. Blood pressure falling.

1:07:30It's your medicine. Years being added to my life because of unmotivated laughter. So he was on talking about Jill Goodacre. No, we were... This wasn't even on TV. We were just in the outside in 30 in the sixth floor. And he was just so filled with joy and excitement. And he was saying, and I got to shoot the scene with Jill Goodacre, Jill Goodacre. She's beautiful. And I was like, this sounds he was like, it's all going so well. And things as everything plays out, it's terrible, terribly, terribly sad. but I, you know, and I just have this tiny, tiny fraction of moments here and there with him.

1:08:10But I inevitably go back to those moments where - Yeah, yeah. He was, you know, at the wedding and early on and when I would see him and he was just so happy, so talented, so, I mean, that's a little bit of a blessing is when you can go back and see that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, and also, look, that was, everyone was so excited. And I think for some people, and he was definitely one of them, it's, oh my God, this would be really good. Everything will be fixed now, you know. Yeah. That's not how it goes. Well, we've seen that a lot, which is if people take, and I try to, I think I bring this up a lot, but I think there's, I've seen a lot of people become famous or get famous or start in a certain place.

1:09:01and I've had an interesting vantage point on it. And what I've seen time and time and time again, which I wish I could tell people is, there's a lot that's kind of nice, that is nice about being successful and that's nice about having someone be happy to see you. It doesn't fix anything. Something is broken. If something is cracked or something needs mending, it will not fix any of that. In fact, it probably hurts. Yeah, because the disappointment that it hasn't. And the rage. Wait a minute. I got the thing I wanted. Now I'm famous. I got the house. I got the attention. And why the fuck isn't this fixed?

1:09:42And it's like, well, that's a whole that this has this is a clear broth. This isn't going to do anything for that. Yeah, I mean, I do feel that it's like, because I remember thinking that before, you know, when I was struggling having my ramen noodles every night and, you know, everything. And thought, like, someone I know, like, would become famous or something. And I'd think, oh, God, see, yeah, then if everyone loves you, then, you know, you'll give yourself, you'll love you. Like, without even realizing how sick that was. It was like, yeah, that's the healing power of fame. and luckily I had therapy before friends and did understand but I know it's at the root of all that is like yeah because if everything goes well and everybody loves me then I then I will submit to loving myself too and I think that's that's the problem I mean I think we we think there's something shameful in loving yourself or there you know you're going to be an asshole if you do but that's not what love is.

1:10:43Jesus. So I've got to go because I think I've just healed all of you. You did. Your blood pressure dropped. You did, actually. 20 points just now. You are. And you're welcome. You are. There's all the things that people know about you being incredibly funny and brilliant and having this great just career. I don't know that people understand how wise you are. Of all my friends, which is fortunately for me I know a lot of people I think you're one of the wisest people I know I'm serious no in terms of like in terms of getting angry just stop lying in terms of in terms of people you've always been people and what life really is and what's important I think you're very gifted that way so I think we're going to end on that and thank you so much for coming in seriously and congratulations on the new show because I love it.

1:11:40Oh, good. Yay. The idea that these very impossibly cool guys called you up and said, we've always wanted to work with you. You, Lise Kudrow, that's just, it's so, it makes perfect sense to me. Oh, thanks. And it's very cool. It was thrilling for me. Thanks. Well, next time come up with a better, you know, Conan O 'Brien blank, you know. I'm perfectly happy, thrilled, honored, grateful, I said again, about being Conan O 'Brien's friend. There you go. That's it. With anger. It's the anger.

1:12:17Conan O 'Brien needs a friend. With Conan O 'Brien, Sonam of Sessian, and Matt Gourley. Produced by me, Matt Gourley. Executive produced by Adam Sachs, Nick Liao, and Jeff Ross at Team Coco, and Colin Anderson and Cody Fisher at Earwolf. Theme song by The White Stripes. Incidental music by Jimmy Vivino. Take it away, Jimmy.

1:12:38Our supervising producer is Aaron Blair, and our associate talent producer is Jennifer Samples. Engineering and mixing by Eduardo Perez and Brendan Burns. Additional production support by Mars Melnick. Talent booking by Paula Davis, Gina Batista, and Britt Kahn. You can rate and review this show on Apple Podcasts, and you might find your review read on a future episode. Got a question for Conan? Call the Team Coco hotline at 669-587-2847 and leave a message. It too could be featured on a future episode. And if you haven't already, please subscribe to Conan O 'Brien Needs a Friend wherever fine podcasts are downloaded.