RE-RELEASE - Fred Armisen

23:51But I do have another sketch I like, Dana. I'm going to tell Fred just to, you know, boost his ego. So he doesn't like zone out. Have you ever had someone zone out? A couple.

24:02Dana Carvey:Yeah, a couple of, no, I don't think so. We always have to scream at them for interrupting me and Dana talking when it's their show. So you had one called Code Check, but was that really cut? Is that really wasn't on air? Yes, that's a Cecily Strong one. That's a great one. But they put it online, which is kind of the same thing now. Oh, it's great. I mean, I wish we had fucking online. Oh my God. I know. Best of Dress. We wouldn't have thought about stuff getting, can you imagine? We used to joke about Best of Dress. Oh, that'll be on Best of Dress because it never gets on. But she was your girlfriend in it?

24:34Yeah, so good. Girlfriend, wow. Okay. Remember when she kept saying that? You go, hey, we're a couple now. She goes, couple, wow. Okay. It's so good. That was a really weird one. And it was perfect because it was pretty simple. And Dana, he kept asking for his coat. It's hard to explain. Yeah. I'm like, this is not my coat. How does that not make it? This is the fact that a coat I would wear. God damn. You know how it is. I know. But it seemed like it was working. But I do feel like it made its way on. I mean. Oh, well, the fact that I saw it, like, that's great. If anyone can just see it. Yeah.

25:09And I think they put it online the next day or something. So it had its own life for sure. But it was brilliant. sometimes dresses are a little rough on the edges because you don't even know the fucking lines you haven't done it since thursday or something or friday no you don't and you're just doing it live you're like i didn't i rehearsed this once two days ago and we're already in front of a crowd it's dress but you're still like figuring it out and you're remembering the blocking the air you kind of go okay i know it a little better yeah yeah that's fun that's the fun of dress i like that um yeah so i mean there's also there are those times where you don't quite understand what what's happening in the sketch like where am i what am i in this yeah do i have an accent

25:47Dana Carvey:i did a jack handy sketch with robert mitchum and neither of us knew what the sketch was about he was a beekeeper in the himalayas or something jack handy you know did jack can't stay around for you guys or no he was gone already have you heard about him yeah i mean also his deep work is amazing. You know, that really stood the test of time. It's almost like a fake guy. You hear deep thoughts of Jack Haney. People go, wait, is it a real guy? That's what I thought when I got there.

26:22Oh, your camera went, uh, yeah, David, your camera went dark. I know. David, David, what are you,

26:29Dana Carvey:what are you doing? Heather? Did your lights, did your lights go out? I worked out front. I probably cut through the fucking. Oh, there you are. You're like, you're like fading in. But your sound is good. Wow. Made it worse. Wow. Oh, there you go. There you go. Federicito. I didn't think that was possible. You know what? Hashtag mansion probs. Hey, Fred, did you, what was your... Mansion probs. Your team stuff, what was your favorite? Like, you know, I know you had the Californians, which I was watching that, like maybe three weeks ago and you came in and there was you did it so earnestly your guy and it just uh i don't know that sketch really kills me and i i guess the arbitrariness of that like i think bill said you got on the sound stage and suddenly you were doing that guy or was it in read through it's it was like a common it was really it was a bit also we would do at the table you know that moment before you're actually reading the sketches we did it like we would you know everyone goes to la in the summer so when we came back we would just start talking like where were you were you in oh i was in la like did you go up barham did you make a left on and then that sort of you know yeah built up and built is what we kept doing it and then i worked with this um writer james anderson and i was like what do we do with this californians what can we do with these directions and he was simply like why don't we just make it a soap opera and so It's such an odd call, though.

28:03I know, but that's kind of like the magic of, this is so corny. It's the magic of working with writers that I never would have thought of that. And just to have someone say, let's make it a soap opera, and then it's done.

28:16Dana Carvey:For stand-ups who write their own material utterly, and when you get on SNL, and suddenly somebody is handing you something, and you go, wow, this is great. Yeah. And it just got handed to me. That was revelatory to me. Like, wow. Or taking your idea and greatly improving it. Like, oh, this is so much better. Yes. So it was exhilarating, really, to collaborate. You go knock on anyone's door and you go, will you read this once if you have a second? And they go, even down, he goes, you know what, what I might do is at the end, there's something funny about if you just don't ever say that. And I'm like, oh, okay, yeah, yeah.

28:59And then that's all you get. and then you go and you figure it out. But if they can give you anything, just fresh eyes, you know, and they're all smart. So they're all thinking, what's the best for this? That's such a gift. It's hard to get people to write with you. And they care. They care about the piece being good. So their advice is always the best advice.

29:19Dana Carvey:Oh, I'd see them, if you came off something that someone else had written and it worked, there was like a little quick little party. Yeah, they love you. Kind of backstage, like hugging. Oh man, crushed it. So that was a real high for them. And I didn't really realize till later that at least back then, at least half the writing staff wanted to be performing as well. They were in the writer's box for a while. And then they, you know, like Bob Odukirk, you know. Yeah. And then he got out of that. Yeah, they were both on ours. Conan as well. They'd write themselves in just little things and it wouldn't seem to work.

29:52They would just, not that they weren't good, but they would be replaced. Maybe we had too many cast members and it was very hard. It was because I was a feature player, very hard to get on. We had too many mouths to feed. And I think that's sort of the norm now, just too many. How many were in your cast? You were in like different casts. I feel like you were. Yeah, he was. You like a bridge. Yeah. Yeah. It was tough when I got there because these guys are, everyone was a fucking, you know, first ballot hall of famer. And so you got, you know, you're going to do something instead of Phil Hartman.

30:26No chance. you know Lovitz was even there for a little bit Dana and Dennis Miller and Jan Hooks and Nora Dunn were both on Reel they were great so and then they influxed Farley and Sandler and Schneider's very good sketch guy Chris Rock Chris Rock and Tim Meadows so you know it's just not enough to go around it's just that's the way it is but that's that's your memory of it as a viewer I never thought of that I was never like oh David Spade isn't getting enough I was like I was always like, did you see the thing that he did on update? Yeah. All you need is something for them to remember. Yeah.

31:01Yeah. And then that's like the, yeah, that's the main memory from it. Never did I think that you paid for you on. And it's better to be in almost less than just make them try to work. Cause I told Dana that when the first show I came into, they brought you in a day early and to watch the show and Lovitz was all depressed. He was only in two things. And he goes, well, Dana's in six. And I go, I said what you said. I said, I've never seen the show and thought someone was light. Still. I just think there's that guy I love. Oh, that's funny. He's in that. He couldn't even, was never counting lines or sketches.

31:31And then when I got there, I fell right into it.

31:33Dana Carvey:I preferred personally to be in two things, maybe. Totally. Or a third as a supporting character. Yeah. To shepherd a sketch, even one where you're kind of the executive producer of your sketch, is very nice. That's why, and I was going to ask you about when you hosted SNL, the difference in that. because you have to really let it go. You're kind of in, have to prepare 13 or 14 sketches and then six or eight get cut. So what was that like emotionally for you when you came back? You did 11 seasons at the time as long as anybody, right? Huge run. And then you come back and host and you come out and do your monologue and they're screaming.

32:17Dana Carvey:It's surreal, isn't it? How did you feel about it? I mean, I loved it so much. you know like what a highlight in life just in general yeah um but the experience you know of handing everything over like i really was like i was still in the mode of like oh man i got to take care of all these sketches make sure i write this much and you're doing so much other stuff that everything is taken care of for you so all these writers are coming up with stuff i didn't even have time to think and then then it it just turned out great on its own so i i really like that part of it, of just trusting everyone.

32:51And then that worked out. And they're laser focused on you. Yes. And they know you, they know what you like to do and what you, you know, what's going to work.

33:00Dana Carvey:It's such a big transition on the show when you, the audience starts to be familiar with you. And I don't know how many shows it takes, but I, you see people all the time who come on unknown and then they, they turn it, turn it better, better, better. The audience goes, I like you, man or woman. And then it gives you so much more confidence. Yes. Because you can feel that they're on your side already, as opposed to, is this guy going to make it or is this woman going to make it on the show? And so when did you start to feel that? Like four years in, three years in? That's what I was going to say.

33:33I was going to say like three or four years in, I did this judge, what was his name? Judge Seidlin or something. and something he was like the Anna Nicole Smith judge you know something in there felt like I had to work less meaning like I was like oh please please like this it felt a little more like I could come out and update and it was okay and you're right there's a feeling of being familiar that I really liked but something in there I don't know three years or something

34:06Dana Carvey:yeah that I think is pretty typical And when you were out there with your different bandmates, it seemed like you obviously had Garth and Cat with Kristen Wiig, who's a supernatural sketch performer. And then you and Bill Hader, just to me, just had a symbiotic thing as well. We did. You just mixed really well. And we see someone new when you got out there and the band's playing, you get there doing your tie or whatever it is, and you see Bill, he calms you down. I mean, where were you on the nerve scale? I was kind of okay on the nerve scale. I don't know why. I just, you know, I just enjoyed it and had such a great time.

34:45But being with Bill really felt like I was really with my friend. Like we made each other laugh so much and we just identified with each other, supported each other. something there was something in that relationship where it just was uh really supportive and fun all the way god he made me laugh all the time i mean everybody did but there was something with him that i felt like we were going through uh i don't know the same experience you know being yeah um did you have a favorite writer james anderson because we wrote so much together we wrote we just always ended up writing together um but you know someone yeah yeah but you know but when you're there, I mean, there's so many people who are so prolific.

35:29I remember when I first got there, seeing Tina Fey's work ethic was incredible. That changed. Just to see how focused someone could be on writing without ego. That was like a real, it kind of, I was like, that's the way to be. That's the way to be a writer. She was, God, she was so good. She can churn it out.

35:49Dana Carvey:She can just write great jokes. Just one after the other. Yeah. I don't know. She has some kind of frequency that just, they come to her. She reminds me of Steve Martin in many ways. I don't know why. She's kind of put them together in some ways. You know, they write great books and they're intellectuals, but they don't wear it on their sleeve at all. No, there's a humility to it. Yeah. But it's still effortless somehow. They just sit down and then all of this stuff starts coming out. Week after week. I couldn't believe it. So yeah, she does. But everyone, Seth Meyers is also - sort of selfless and works really hard.

36:26Like he would just work throughout the whole night. Were you hired as a writer performer? No, I was... Just feature player. Just feature player, but you know how it is. We just, we write. Sure. I'm just saying because Dane and I, we ask people because I was a writer performer. I didn't want to be a writer and they wanted me to be more than they wanted me to be a feature player. And Schneider, same thing we hired together. But Dana was hired straight cast because he's such a home run hitter. And then, but no writing, but that kind of sucks because everyone writes. Yeah. So it's like, who decides it's a weird decision to go.

37:03You're not a writer, especially feature. Cause you're just scrambling to get on. So you have to write an update or something. No one even knows you. Yeah.

37:10Dana Carvey:We just accepted it. I mean, it's really just, uh, the platform, the platform of being on SNL. If you were a main player, uh, all Phil did get a writing credit. Cause he had written Peewee's big adventure. with P.B. Herman. Bad, bad apple. I never added that. A problem with it, but I... Remember when he goes, I'm a bad, bad apple, rotting to the core. Oh, yeah. That was me. He was in jail all the time.

37:42Dana Carvey:So, do you mind if we go back a minute and just talk about your drumming? Because I'm just a big fan of drummers and I have favorite drummers And I loved your special stand up for drummers, for drummers, where you just go through at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. Yeah. And all the kits set up and you did all the styles. Yeah. So, so great. Did you get a lot of feedback from other musicians and drummers about how? It's like exactly. First of all, thank you. That's very, very kind of you. and um you know i i love drumming so much it's like the biggest part of my life and you know that's how i got into and whatever showbiz or entertainment yeah i just still love watching drummers i still love playing and um the the things people have said to me it's like it that was my goal i was like i just want something where like drummers can come up to me and feel like they're part of an inside joke that they can you know have like a really heartfelt conversation about like, oh man, I'm a drummer and I know exactly what you're talking about.

38:44And it's really, that's really gratifying. And that whole thing with the drum kits was just like, it visually looked cool just to have all these old kits and go to the 80s. So it was like a visual thing. And you go one after the other and play all these styles.

38:57Dana Carvey:I mean, it's such a singularity as a standup special. It's like completely its own thing. But thanks, thank you. I love the way you play. I just would call you just very musical. you have a heavy foot um you're you're very light on it you're very organic with it i just like to watch you play some drummers you can kind of work with them a little bit like are they going to make it with you i feel very relaxed i mean wow what a thing to say that's so so i just all sincere i i just wondered the drummers that uh inspired you stood out for you i mean people pepsi coke it's always, for my generation with a friend of mine, it was Ringo Starr or Rolling Stones.

39:39Dana Carvey:Charlie Watts. Charlie Watts. You have to be one or the other. You're either Charlie Watts or Ringo Starr. That was back in the 70s. Who were some of your favorites? My favorite, the guy who I really emulated was Clem Burke from Blondie. The first time I ever saw him was on SNL. He's like, Like, cause you know, he's, he dresses like in a little suit. Like he looks like a mod and his drum kit is set up. Like it's like this red sparkle, like a very flat. Yeah. And so the aesthetics of how he was, I was like, that's a great way to be. So he was like, he's like my favorite drummer. But to your point, I love Ringo.

40:18I think, I think everybody loves Ringo. I think there's like a myth that like there's some controversy about it. He doesn't have a bad rap, right? He doesn't have a bad rap. He's not good. What's the myth? No. The myth is sort of like, well, you know, people talk about him like, you know, he's actually a great drummer. Every drummer I know loves Ringo. Even privately, they'll go, no, those are expressive fills. He's great. Everyone loves him. Everyone loves him.

40:42Dana Carvey:You put on She Loves You on YouTube live remix. And the way he goes to the lower tom, I know he's a left-handed drummer. Just this little fill. Yeah. Like he did these little fills and they were so electric. and he gets shinier and brighter just like the whole band does. For me personally, I think that it was such a wave that is still hitting the sand. We were trying to comprehend why and how that happened. That much great music in 72 months with these four guys. Yeah. He was perfect for them. And everyone knows that sound. Everyone knows, you just, you can picture, you can hear his drumming in your head when you think of any of their songs.

41:22Dana Carvey:Yeah, he stylized to the song. So when you're playing with your bands and you came up, you know, kind of Devo clash. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. All that type, that type of sound. Yeah. And what is it? I'm doing Devo going. And you're, you're kind of probably a ride the pocket guy with, with, with some fills or you just know how would you describe your stuff? Ride the pocket. Well, the ride the pocket is a, yeah. Like fewer fill. There's this thing that happened. Lingo alert. Say again, you integrate the fills into the beat. Yeah, that's exactly what I was going to say. In New Wave and in punk, they had this thing where they would do these busy beats, these beats that had toms in them throughout.

42:08So it wasn't a fill. It was just like... So the toms were in it without a crash at the end of it. It was just like, that's what the beat was. And that's how I learned. Alan Myers from Devo played like that. But so, yeah, it was just it was just part of the beat. So but it was all none of it was complex time signatures. They were all four, four. So I'm really into like four on the floor. Just keep the kick drum going. I like the simplicity of that. But yeah, it's like busy, but those aren't fills.

42:41Dana Carvey:Can you play to a click track in a studio? Does it throw you or does it help you? It helps. It's frustrating. I'm like, I actually, I don't think I'm great at tempo. I think I speed up. So sometimes I have to, especially during the pandemic, there was like a lot of stuff that I had to do to a click, but now I'm used to it. So it's frustrating. So for people who don't know, it's like that, that, that in your headphones and on the fourth beat you come in. Yeah. And it sounds like this on the headphones.

43:12Is it like looping? It's just so that you don't lose the tempo. you know lederman over there yeah yeah yes he's like the producer do you find yourself drumming

43:24Dana Carvey:uh like if you're driving a car or just drumming with your mouth yeah or tapping away all the time or tapping on your keyboard fingers just doing a beat stuff like that yeah me too yeah when you're driving i just love rhythm yeah yeah who what about you Who's your favorite drummer? I don't know. I think over time, there is a, the most mesmerizing thing I watch a couple times a year. There's so many Buddy Rich solos. There's one, I think it's in black and white, whatever. To me, his just technical skill is so mesmerizing. Yeah. And that solo that he does, and he did it over and over again, but it builds to a certain way.

44:06Dana Carvey:and he's got the snare going from super fast to like just down to nothing and then right back again. And then he's doing all the fills and all the stuff. But, you know, I was listening to Fleetwood Mac the other day because I have a car stereo that blows my mind. And I just go, man, I love Mick Fleetwood. He has a sound and a pocket that's so simple, but it really weights all that brilliant melody. So I kind of, I go for the band. Yeah, it's so bassy. I mean, obviously, John Bonham, everyone says him. I still don't understand him. I don't know where he got his sound, like his kick drum. The value of that with his snare blows my mind.

44:48Dana Carvey:You know, just the sound of it and how it was my time. I know. People keep trying to explain it. People keep trying to explain him, his style, or how he got that sound. And I've heard so many different explanations. So I've heard people say, well, he's actually very jazzy and he plays lightly. It's the way he tuned his drums. And I have no idea. I'm the same. I have no idea how he got to be that way. Keith Moon, I love. Keith Moon, I could listen to forever. Love Keith Moon. I just couldn't imagine anyone better. Who's next? The way he is so busy, but it's so part of the music. Yeah, he's like a genius.

45:27He's fun. It's like it's fun to listen to him.

45:29Dana Carvey:playful and fun. Yeah. David, I feel bad. We won't talk about drummers. I just, I'm sorry. Jesus. Let's talk about Tinder and how to meet a gal. I'm kidding. I'm looking at his Google, fear of heights and he feels bad for everyone he's gone out with. I think I have one of those. Are those your quotes? These quotes. Yeah. Fear of, fear of heights and feel bad for him. Not any, not any, I feel less that way. I mean, And that quote from a while ago, so I feel less that way as time has gone on. I feel like I'm not married, so I feel like I'm not nailing it somehow along the way. That's not true. That doesn't have to be the end point.

46:12Because some people do get married and it doesn't work out. Yeah, I know. So go easy on yourself on that. I thank you because it is tough. Because if you really think about it, it's very hard to sync that up perfectly. It's very hard. I would say that's true. Yeah. And Dana did it right. And that's why I got to deal with Dana because he he's had the same beautiful wife.

46:35Dana Carvey:I was a terrible single person. It's just I would feel so sorry because that no woman who wanted to be with me was carnal about it. If they want a boyfriend, he's cute. You know, and if I was there for other purposes. But I really enjoy being married. I like having a friend. You meld into each other. She listens to the podcast. Yeah, she's our eyes and ears. She's my confidant. I run everything by her just because she knows me since 1979. Oh, that's so nice. And she enjoys this podcast. And I go, really? Because I can't listen to myself bloviate. But Fred, can I? Bloviate. You're an emotional character and you're a sensitive character.

47:23Dana Carvey:And I remember you, like we all are, we're clowns that are wounded, but whatever it came from. But I want to ask you first, you sent me an email after you left SNL and you kind of said, how do you process no longer being on the show? Speak to that. Yeah, because I like the experience of being an ex-cast member because we all get to go back and do stuff. But, you know, that feeling, because I used to, or still do, admire ex-cast members. I like how they go on to do other stuff. You know, there's something about that tradition, whatever it is, movies, other TV shows. I was like, what is that life like?

48:04And, you know, just seeing how Molly Shannon was afterwards and she'd keep working on stuff. And then just watching your career, same thing. I was like, what does Dana Carvey do afterwards? And then every year there's a new feeling like, okay, I'm still kind of there. I know a lot of those cast members. Then another, I'm talking about SNL. Right. And then it just turns. Couple more cast members. And in about four or five years, all of a sudden it's all new people. And you start to see people you do not know. And so that feeling, that's what I was asking you about. I was like, what does that look like?

48:44Like, what does that feel like? I kind of like it. But every year that goes is just like you're further and further away, you know, from like the actual, you know, the blood, the meat of the show. How about hosting when you don't know anyone? It's just so much different because you go, I wish I could host when I was on the show. And you go, I know how this thing works. I know how everyone is and be perfect. First time I hosted, I knew a few people. I think the second time I didn't know one person. And then you feel scared. like oh I feel like a real host where what does everyone do or who's that person you know people talking to me I don't know if they're a cast member I don't know if they're a writer how do

49:20Dana Carvey:you handle it Fred when um people or other performers or people come up and sort of you know uh tell you very very flattering sincere things like you're in that mode now I'm sure if you run into cast members now somewhere they would be Fred Armisen I gotta tell you that sketch you did and it's all a surreal circle and it's still going. And the fact that we're part of the continuum is sort of where the gratitude comes in. But how do you handle people just, Fred Armisen, get out of town. It's so nice. And people are really kind. People are so nice about it. They say all the right things. They remember all the sketches that I love.

50:00They love doing deep cuts. Someone will mention a dress rehearsal sketch. I love it because that's the way I was when, you know, I got to meet whoever, Chevy Chase, you know, whoever it is, Lorraine Newman, I'm the same way. So I, I like that. I like that tradition and just people are just, are cool. I don't know what it is. When they get excited, it's nice. Also they're, they're, while they're talking to you, they're figuring out other things you've done or other sketches. And you also, oh, because when they walk away, they go, oh, I didn't even think that, but that's cool. Like, I just saw your new girl, your new girlfriend sketch where you played Regina or something.

50:36Yeah, yeah, yeah. Goddamn, that was funny. Also with James Anderson. That was like an intellectual. I just like, you know, someone, it's, that's people who don't like to do small talk. Like every conversation has got to be deep. Yeah, exactly.

50:49Dana Carvey:See, like that premise is just so great. And it's well done. Rather than just church lays out there, she's a religious nutball. No, it's fine. I mean, every era has its own style. It's just evolution. It's just sensibility. Once you get to SNL, even back when I was there, you're going, fuck, every sketch has been done, you think in your head. Right. And then it's been 20 more years of just new sketches, but it's hard to crack the code. It's like writing a song. You go, this is kind of like that one they did. This is kind of, it's hard. I know. And the game of which cast was the best. Yeah. Forget all that.

51:25Dana Carvey:Yeah. The current cast is always the best. I agree. And also for every cast, there's always great enough people in it that you could pick out stuff that is, you know. Yeah. That's fantastic. And I still watch writers. They still, I look at, I know Dan Bula is a writer there. That's the only one I think I know, but these guys come up, I watch the sketches, even if somehow it doesn't work. I, I look at the writing and go, shit, man, that was a good idea. You know, they did it pretty well or there's still a good stuff. And they probably get hammered right now about it. Like, cause like every present cast there, people are mad because the old one's gone.

52:01Yeah. But I, I watch all the time.

52:03Dana Carvey:If you can do like, You were kind of like a jazz player. I'm just using words loosely, but if you can do dry, smart stuff and make it kill with huge laughs, that's always a real rush. Some things are more rock and roll and more high energy and bass and pushed, and some are kind of subtle and a little different, but when you hook the audience on SNL in one of those, it's really fun. I got it with Carson. It was a very, for my part in that sketch, was very dry. Did you have some favorites? It's kind of, it's hard to ask people their favorites. No, that's okay. I don't mind. The way you envisioned it and the way it turned out.

52:41I think, because the thing is like, as much as I could take credit for it, I got to give credit to Lorne. That's why it's easy to talk about. We do too. He's the guy who, you know, on paper, it looks like it's not going to work. And he's the guy who goes, let's put it on and see if it's going to work out. And for me, it was like this comedian I used to do on Update who had no punchlines. Like he just would open up a newspaper and just point out the headline. Can you do that on command?

53:09Dana Carvey:Could you do 10 seconds of it? It's just kind of like, you know, pick up the New York Times. He interrupts himself. Yeah. And it's just, it's just him going like, like, look at this. The Congress is going to donate. It's going to have like$8 billion for the Ukraine. You can't, what? You can't. There's no, on any other day, if any of us, and he just keeps going until there's no, you know there's no but this is there's no punch line it's just pointing things out and being outraged it's very really funny another then another headline anyway i don't god it sounds like i'm i don't mean to pat myself on the back about it i no i feel bad you gotta like some of them come on no that that's a skilled thing if you try to do it yourself it's it's difficult it's it's kind of a weird bit like that and get it to work it's fucking huge victory yes and yeah And the fact that they put it on update, I just feel like that would, there's no jokes in it.

54:03And then, you know, and we, you know,

54:05Dana Carvey:we do give Lauren credit for stuff. Like you just said, that he will go for the really weird dry things. Sometimes he likes the rock and roll things. He likes a mix. He likes big laughs, but he also, let's just see if it works. Everyone has a Lauren impression officially. What, what, what's your take? I like doing the one, uh, I like doing the one of the, of like the warm greeting. So like if everyone comes out to dinner, you know, there's this thing that he does where he sort of is super polite. And if he saw you, he'd say like, hello, Dana. Hello, David. Like a very warm. I like that version of him.

54:48Dana Carvey:That's a frequency I've not heard. Uh-huh. That's more. Everyone always is doing this. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Yeah, yeah. no no no no no no no no no no you know yeah that that's that's an exaggeration of lauren backpedaling because you misunderstood what he was saying yeah all i'm saying is that this and that oh you mean we shouldn't put it on no no no no no no no no and then you get them back and then you get them back but you can't imagine snl without lauren i just think he's the uh he's obviously the linchpin sensibility wise i think the the ivy league guys come in and they respect his intellect.

55:25Dana Carvey:They respect him as a smart person. Yeah. And he has that. And he also likes, you know, stand-ups that kind of shoot for the fences. Yeah. Before we go, I always, and no, we don't have to wrap up because I'm having so much fun, but I always like to ask our guests three things. Sure. Just to, I like to put Fred, I'd like to put you at like, you know, eight, 10, 11 years of age. So a toy, and you don't, if you don't have to answer, you don't have, a toy that you remember that you really liked as a kid, a bicycle that you might've got, and any music or television show or film that really rocked your, blew your mind in those formative years.

56:04So you're saying eight, well, like, what grade is that?

56:07Dana Carvey:Well, I always say five to 12 is the formative years. So like kids, like being a little kid. Yeah, I had Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots to get you started. They didn't last long, but that really blew my mind. Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots. I would say, I think I really liked, I had like$6 million man action figure. Yeah. And it had, there you go. It had so many details to it. Like you could add so much to it. Yeah. You put on little helmets and stuff. Yeah. Little helmets. And then like. The eye. And the eye, you know exactly what I'm talking about. The eye, like you could look through the eye and it sort of like blinked.

56:42It had like a, it didn't have a light, but like a sort of lens. and then if you rolled off his skin off of his left arm there's the mechanics of his bionic arm it was really cool it took a lot of imagination because it looks cool but it doesn't really do much so you've got to kind of make your own scenarios in your head which is good

57:00Dana Carvey:would you put it in dirt and stuff and make a little trench it would be like a little a rocket ship some rocket he was in I don't know some vehicle of some kind So there were a lot of things you could get for it that I really liked. Bicycle, I had like, I'm thinking of the word Apollo. I had an Apollo something, like a yellow one with like a banana seat. Banana seat, yeah. I grew up in the suburbs of New York. And I remember endlessly riding with my friends. And I was really young, but there was no sense of like, hey, be careful. None. Tell us where, it was just. Not a helmet in sight. Nothing.

57:40No helmet. We could have gone, you know, main streets like with traffic. And me and my friends would just ride around and forever, all afternoon. Not even be careful. Nothing. Oh, yeah. Nothing. Nothing. Yeah. And wipeouts, you just had to get home like squeak, squeak, squeak. Your legs bleeding.

57:57Dana Carvey:Yeah. If you can look back in a sense memory way, when you had your, I had a stingray kind of a knockoff, but you get on your bike and Saturday morning and you start going and the wind is in your hair and you're pedaling this bike. And then if you go shoot hoops or run around a park or a school, your bike's just tilted over and you go and you get your bike with your friends. It's just sort of magic. Yeah. Yeah. And the aimlessness of it, like also being with your friends and you're just, you know. Yeah. Going up hills and yeah. Yeah. That's it. Just like laughing with them. When it's not a school day and you've got the whole day to do anything.

58:35It's getting dark. I remember the getting dark part. That's kind of like, all of a sudden it's like, there's no lights and your friends look different in the light. You know, you got to get home.

58:44Dana Carvey:You're supposed to get home and it's getting darker and darker. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The best. The best. It's funny that there's dirt involved. I feel like there's a lot of dirt, like fields. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. A park where there was mud. Someone made a little dirt jump. Yeah. Yeah. I could do a wheelie. I could do a wheelie for like a quarter mile. Really? I had a mongoose. If you had that kind of a very light chain. Yeah. I had a great. I had a BMX bike. So once I got up, I was a skateboarder too. I don't know if that helped, but I could do goddamn wheelie. And I thought it was King Cock.

59:15I had medium dick energy. King Cock?

59:18Dana Carvey:Was that a doll that you had too when you were 10? You know, like King Cock. That would have been a great doll.

59:29Dana Carvey:So Fred, also just, I like either TV shows or movies that blew your mind between 8 and 12. whatever i don't know if this was 8 in 12 i think it might be it might be it could be 13 there's no heart this is just a conversation starter for some reason uh planet of the apes jumps out at me as like yeah of like the idea that like i thought about planet of the apes all the time so there was there was there was the movie but there was still the sort of there was still like in my head i'd be like wow the statue of liberty and wow they took over and you know there were these intelligent Dude, when you saw the Statue of Liberty at the end, were you like, what the fuck?

1:00:08Yeah. That was unreal. I was like this.

1:00:11Dana Carvey:No way. Where are they? I know. Rod Serling, I guess, came up with that. Did you notice after the spaceship crashed that they walked across the desert for like 20 minutes having philosophical arguments? Charlton Heston and the two astronauts. And then they reveal the monkeys riding horses. Yeah, with the nets and they're all grabbing them. With the nets and the music. Yeah. That was, you know, Bill Hader, your bandmate, he mentioned his one was Taxi Driver. What? Yeah, that's the movie that blew his mind. He saw it when he was young. I mean, very dark. No, I saw it when I was probably 25. I was a grown-up.

1:00:50I wouldn't understand how crazy that was. It made me scared or sad or something.

1:00:56Dana Carvey:Bill would have been like 10, 10 years old or something, but he always, you know. I was like powder, you know. I'm like very sensitive. So I couldn't handle those movies. Yeah. I saw Taxi Driver. I can't, blew my mind. No. Bill Hader. Yeah. I know. I don't know. His voice is so interesting. And then he, he went into a Daniel Day Lewis in, um, there will be blood that his voice was so transformed because his speaking voice, you don't, wouldn't imagine he'd have such a range that he has. Yeah. Cause he goes, Hey, how are you? And then he's, yeah. It's not enough that I, but, um, no, what do you, what do you, what do you think goes on in, in, in Bill's skull?

1:01:46Like where, why can you do that? Like, what can, why can he do that with his voice that he can go that deep, but he talks up here. Yeah. Uh,

1:01:56Dana Carvey:that's, uh, unique. I think that's kind of unique. I don't, The real physical, it's like this talent, but there's something physical going on. Like something's wrong with him. Yeah. Because he can go into Howard Stern like really deep. Yeah. He goes really basic. I found that really hard. I found, which a guy you did too, Obama difficult for a long time. Because of the basiness. But I finally got it. That's what we got to do. The thing about Obama, you got to stay calm. We're going to be fine. There's no reason to panic. Everyone's got to do a thing. So I finally do him now, and now I feel like I got him.

1:02:32Dana Carvey:But back in the day, it was like, so down here. We didn't know him as well, I guess. No, when I first four years, I did him. Didn't work at all. Even his second term, a little more. But I can do him now, and everyone is successful. We love him. He's no drama Obama. So he's just, to me, he's just the coolest guy. That's what he was. Save the drama for Obama. Did you watch any, for music, since you're a musician, one last question. What was your first record you bought or the love? You mean as a little kid? As a little kid. I bought Do You Want to Know a Secret as a 45 in 1960. You did? Yeah, because I Want to Hold Your Hand was sold out.

1:03:13Dana Carvey:Yeah. It was Do You Want to Know a Secret? And I don't know if it's Please, Please Me. I don't know. Anyway, 45. Please, please. Yeah. Wait. Listen. Do you want to know a secret? Do you want to know a secret? Wait, where did you grow up? I, I, from Montana, but I grew up in the peninsula, uh, San Carlos, 20 miles South of San Francisco. And the Beatles came on Ed Sullivan and I went down to this little record store. I must've stole some quarters from my dad's pants. I don't know where I got, I think it was 50 cents for a 45. And I remember it was, I was disappointed because I wanted, I want to hold your hand.

1:03:50Dana Carvey:And I saw her standing there, you know, but I had three older brothers, so they probably had them already. I don't know why. I just picture you for you. I picture you buying LPs for some reason. Later. Yeah. In the very beginning, we were buying both, but all of us were buying albums later. And my brothers were. They were older than me. So but in the beginning, it was a 45. Wow. Kind of hip. I know I'm I'm so old, Fred. I'm really. You wouldn't believe it, Fred. I go way back. Don't let this face fool you. Wow. So you were getting 45. I. In early days. And I bought the Beach Boy album with my brother.

1:04:28Dana Carvey:We had a band called The Surfers. And my kick drum was a clothes hamper. And my Hardy Boys book was my snare drum. And I stole drumsticks from Mickey Hart's drum store, the guy who was in The Grateful Dead. Wow. Yeah. Welcome to my podcast. What's your first drum set, by the way? Like a weird mix. I think a Japanese made sort of, I think it was like a knockoff of a Gretsch. So it had that sort of, you know, pearl inlay to it, but it was like fake and cheap, but it was, it was, but it was great. I loved it. I loved my kid. It was like a, you know, we got it used. My dad got it for me and first record.

1:05:12I think my parents got me the candy man by Sammy Davis jr. Oh really? Oh yeah. Yeah. That's like the first memory of like, I mean, I think I was really little, but I think that's right. The Candyman. Yeah, it's a great one though. Yeah. It is great.

1:05:28Dana Carvey:Oh yeah. Sammy Davis was genius. There's a documentary on him, you know, just, and so such a great drummer and great tap dancer. Talk about. Entertainer. And then my parents would get me Beatles albums during the seventies. Like they were already broken up, but then I'd get solo albums and stuff like that. Which one rocked your world? Ram. Yeah. Paul McCartney. Ram. Ram. Ram is that's my favorite album ever really that's a masterpiece yeah I love that album yeah it is brilliant that is probably his best McCartney I think he had gems on every album I don't even know Ram I love McCartney that's how much it's a 19 this 1971 album that is boy that blew my mind I still listen to it it's like a weird it's like a hip it's like a weird like country-ish hippie kind of it's an experimental album I would say and he won't play those on his tour right I don't think I've ever heard one song from an album are you familiar with Arrow Right Through Me from Back to the Egg I think

1:06:36it's one of his best songs because that horn part the horn part at the end is insane

1:06:45wow this is making my day Hey, Fred. Because it turns around weird. Like it doesn't land on the -

1:06:52Dana Carvey:Yeah. Yeah. Arrow threw me. God, it's so good. Oh, God, Fred, you made my day. Someone else knows back to the egg and arrow right through me. Oh, come on. Come on. Jeez, that's awesome. This is the greatest podcast ever. Anyway, Fred, we love you. We just say that now. I'm old enough now. I just say I love you to grow a man. I love the both of you. I admire the both of you. I look up to both of you and I love hanging out with you guys. And thank you for chatting, buddy. It's a lot of laughs. And let's, let's have, let's have, let's have, let's have a lazy dinner. One of these nights in LA somewhere.

1:07:29Dana Carvey:We'll run into it. Largo. Yeah. I feel like we, I feel like the three, both of you, I feel like we do run into each other once in a while. I bet we do. Through Largo. Yeah. And this sushi restaurant we go to right near Largo. I like you never say it. It doesn't matter. Well, I don't know if I'm supposed to say it. There's no one there. If you go with Sandler or Conan, there's nobody on the street with cameras. It's just very mellow. Great place to have a conversation and hang out. Fred will go and Dana will buy. Okay. Please do. Ooh, baby. Thank you, Fred.

1:08:06Dana Carvey:I love it. And you did the horn part at the end. Oh, I love that part. Yeah. So much fun, Fred. Thanks for asking me to do this. this was awesome alright love you brother love you okay bye bye

1:08:21alright listen if you're enjoying The Fly on the Wall of course hopefully you are click follow we don't want to be desperate but obviously smash that god dang button on your favorite podcast app smash leave a review a good one leave a five star rating nothing else whoops and maybe even share an episode with a friend if you're watching this episode on YouTube please subscribe Dana what do you think?

1:08:45Dana Carvey:I'm going to tell you this right now hear me now believe me later Fly on the Wall believe it or not is presented by Odyssey and executive produced by hold for it Dana Carvey and David Spade or David Spade and Dana Carvey we don't write this stuff Heather Santoro Greg Holtzman and Leah Reese Dennis the show is edited by Evan Cox with production support from Phil Sweet Tech. Talent production and booking by Sophia Lepore.