RE-RELEASE - Molly Shannon

19:41Dana Carvey:Hi, everybody. I'm Maury Povich. On my podcast, On Par with Maury Povich, I'm going to sit down with the icons, the stars, and the faces at the very center of today's big cultural moments. With everyone from comedians Josh Johnson, Dan Soder, Leanne Morgan, to newsmakers Don Lemon, Joy Reid, Aaron Parnas, and so many more. So join me for new episodes every week because nothing is off limits. Great conversations. They're always on par. Follow and listen to On Par with Maury Povich wherever you get your podcasts. At DSW, we ask the important questions like, what shoes are you going to wear? Whether you're prepping for wedding season, festival season, or just planning the ultimate vacay, the right shoes can make or break an RSVP.

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20:45Wait, I have to ask one question. David, how old were you when you came to town? 20. 20? No, he looked 15. But you could play together. I tried to audition with your, I had a box of props. Gross. And I waited at the improv. And you know what's funny? I had a Batman sweatshirt on, just sort of signal I liked comedy. Like, this is kind of like a cost. That's a good idea. So gross. But I was like, I'm kind of funny already. It was just a bat. And I was like, huh? And they might stop me on the crowd and go, you don't even need to audition. I know you got something going on. That's funny. And so I go, and then Dana, you might've done this.

21:21They go every three minutes, they pull it out of a hat. But I think it's all rigged because it's even worse because you don't get sickened by your audition. Every three minutes you're sick because they go, is this it? Hey, Jim Squankmeyer. Nope, nope. Got three more minutes. And then every, that's all until midnight. Then they go, just go home. Well, that's it folks. And I was like, oh, I never got picked. So I gave up again for a year. And then I came back to LA. See, everyone quits. Try it again. Everyone quits. It's just the way it goes. You have to be a quitter. I was going to check.

21:48Dana Carvey:I want to hear what happened when you walked into an audition room. Because when I walked into it and I'd see all these versions of myself. Yeah. Like really young, boys looking men with no chins and just sort of like. So I'm like, oh, this is me. I'm part of this tribe. So when you walked into a Molly Shannon, did you see versions of Molly? I mean, I definitely, when I started to get further along, there were definitely like, you know, you probably audition opposite Groundlings girls, like really talented, kind of those really fantastic comedy girls. But before that, no, I don't think so. But I would usually audition for like the best friend or whatever, that type of thing.

22:28Dana Carvey:When did you get really, when did you kind of, or did you always have it? Because I was reading your book last night, but I just, your internal confidence. I'm always fascinated by that. Is it confidence? Because I would say mine would go up and down. Do you have, I mean, there's a Molly in there that goes, fuck these people. I'm fucking great, right? Get out of my way. You know, or how do you process your talent and what happened to you? How do you process? Or is it just surreal to you? I think sometimes if I felt like, I remember auditioning for a commercial and I was a waitress at the time.

23:01I didn't have a lot of money, but they were just like kind of rude. these like producer writers were all there and kind of blaming the actors and no, no, you know, and I was just like, and all these really cool actors were auditioning and, and then I went and did it and I think they weren't really paying attention and they're just like acting disinterested and they were making everybody wait for a really long time. And I then, I think when I was finished, I said, you know, the problem you have is the writing, the actors are all really good. These people are talented. You got to fix your script.

23:34this writing is not good enough. Oh, okay, a good one. Because I was just like, I just, so I could be tough that way and just not care if I knew that something was right. I would get, I think sometimes that's a good, you know, sometimes if you feel angry, that can be healthy, you know, standing up for yourself. So I definitely did stuff like that where I was like, I don't give a shit, you know? Well, because they start treating you so shitty sometimes in those auditions. You go, they don't even look up. They don't do anything. They know they're not taking you. They look at you, look down and go, oh yeah, they're out.

24:04And then they go, go ahead. And they go, we're not doing the other scenes. That's the worst. Because the person before you is there for 25 minutes. And they're laughing and chuckling and really clicking the heels. And then I read one scene. They go, we're just doing one. I go, that last person did nine. And then they go, well, we're just doing one with you. I go, hmm. Yeah. So I was so good. I got it just from that. They're like, we'll explain it in the parking lot and get them out of here. Exactly. And understand, I was working with the public all the time as a waitress. And so I was always polite.

24:32And so I just thought, yeah, it's disrespectful to treat people that way. So at any level, I don't think that's...

24:39Dana Carvey:I do think sub-planning anger for fear is just a nice move. You know, like I have a fear of flying and sometimes I'll just manifest anger to myself. Fuck this thing. Let's fucking light this candle, you know. I mean, it's just a good way to get aggression out, you know. Wait, you mean that you... So you'll be... Fearful, anxious. to fly and then you'll start saying like fuck this plane fuck this plane let's light this candle I don't know I never see you mean to anyone unless it's really really people like me I'm a nice guy which is kind of it could be also what an obnoxious passive aggressive guy depends what song you like but I had horrible anger issues in my 20s and I would be nice until I wasn't nice never make a nice guy mad because then they have all this suppressed anger stored up and I would go zero to a thousand with a bank teller or a director and I never had a middle gear.

25:39Dana Carvey:Then I figured out, I have all this anger from my childhood, so I've been better. It's like Molly said, if you're bullied, I get that. I get bullied all the time, so all my whole life. So if you get pushed around, you get this, or someone's very disrespectful, I snap on a dime. David, did you get bullied when you were a kid? Oh, my God, nonstop. You did? For what? When you were in grade school? I was a bit of a pipsqueak. I wasn't this strapping athlete you see today. And I was always pushed around and I didn't have a dad, you know, and I was mad. My dad wasn't there. So one time I fought back on this kid in sixth grade and he kept pushing me and hitting me for no reason.

26:11And it was so humiliating. And then I'm like, it just came out like my dad left me. You want all this anger? And I just went bananas on him. And he went down his back and I started beating the shit out of him. And the whole school was watching and they, and he crawled up and he goes, the coach is coming. And he ran, the coach was not coming.

26:28Dana Carvey:What was his name? I love it. Oscar. Wow, dude. Oh, yeah. Samler brings him up a lot. Ronnie Carrasco was my last fight. Ronnie Carrasco called me out in seventh grade. We're terrified all day. Then this kid was like in fourth grade. Go, we can hear the punches, man. We can hear the punches. And then you just get them in a headlong. Anyway, I had boys in high school. I should say all their names right now because they deserve it. They're funny to hear. When I would walk by, they would neigh at me like, oh, and it really hurt my feelings all the time. I was like, what are they? Why are they doing that?

27:04Did they think that I look like a horse? And it was humiliating. And I wish I would have spoken up or told, you know, the head of admissions or the headmaster, but I never did. I would just take it every day. And then I heard that it was because there was a horse named Molly in Animal Farm. And that was it? That was annoying. Even dumber. But every day, so mean. God, if we can call those guys right now, get it out. They were twins. Assholes. I'm not going to say. You're not? No, no, I won't say. All twins are on standby right now. Two twins and another one. And they were such dorky twins. By the way, Sandler bullies me because I told him that story 10 years ago.

27:47And then now we're doing a gig in St. Louis. And he looks out at the crowd and he goes, I think Oscar's here. And I go, get the fuck out. Oh, he kind of drops my heart.

27:59So you talk about him a lot. I just did to like those guys. Oh, funny. I never heard Oscar. Oscar. He just was rabbit punching me, which is illegal. I'm talking to some people at Little League and he just starts rabbit punching me in the back of the head. I'm like. That's a back of the head. And then immediately a circle around me. No, no, there's not a fight here. Wham in the face. I'm like, I don't know. I can't get mad. I don't know what we're fighting about. If he'll explain it to me, I'll gladly.

28:23Dana Carvey:Yeah. Well, at least it was outside the house. I got beaten in the house and outside the house. No, but I kind of ran. You did? Why, Dana? Well, your daddy liked to get a little... Physical? He liked to throw things around a little bit. It used to be like a fun podcast. I have a lot of questions for you, mister. There's plenty of people who had a couple whoopings, and I'm not exotic. That was sort of the drill back then. But my childhood, that's a whole other issue. I have so many questions. Did your dad spank you? Molly, if you don't start a podcast, you're the most curious guest we've ever had.

28:55Dana Carvey:We can't even get to. Dana, you can't let that slip by me because now I have so many questions. Wow. I know. Well, we'll talk afterwards. Okay. Is that still rolling? We're going, right? Yeah, yeah. I want to talk about a lot of things. I have to ask her about a stand-up comic name. I don't like that character. You did a character, right? I don't remember. I think I remember. Oh, Jeannie Darcy? And it was, don't get me started. I love that character. She's like very monotone, is that what you're saying? Yeah, she's kind of like on the spectrum maybe, but trying to get into the end of comedy. Has a lot of dreams, but really not gifted.

29:29But she's like, don't get me started. Don't even get me started. And she does comedy about dating, but she's probably like, you know, very out of touch with herself. But so she does. But I love doing that character. I did it at the very end of SNL and I purposely did it to not get any laughs. because I was kind of sick of always, hey, you gotta make a more up. That's funny. Then I did the opposite. That's great, yeah. And I really just did it to... Because your jokes aren't really nailing it right. They're probably bad, right? Yeah. Intentionally bad. Yeah, it did intentionally. And I did it to kind of make Jimmy Fallon laugh and Will Ferrell laugh.

30:05It was really kind of just for them. And the audience did not get it at all, which was perfect because I wanted it to be like dead silence crickets. And it took a while to get it on because, you know, if you put something through once and it doesn't get on, you really shouldn't push it again. But I pushed it through again and it finally got an update and it was great. What did you do with, Jimmy? I did it. Yes, I did it with Jimmy. Yes, I did it with Jimmy. And then Scott Wania wrote a version where I was performing at an old age home. And like, don't get me started. Don't even get me started.

30:38Yeah, I remember that. You know when men leave the toilet seats up and she would do this dorky comedy about men versus women. And basically in the sketch There were people dying in the old age home Being wheeled out who would die Their pulse has stopped And I'm still doing my stand up And I have no I don't The character has no sense of She doesn't care if people are laughing Or yes It was the most fun

31:00Dana Carvey:So do you feel like you're more confident Like that I feel like I was the most confident The day I stepped off SNL I kind of always have a part of me Like maybe two more seasons Because I finally didn't give a fuck in the best sense of that expression. Yeah. Did you feel like at that point you're making Jimmy Fallon laugh? I mean, you must have evolved in terms of just, you know, after doing, you did a hundred shows, you just feel different about doing SNL, right? At that point, there's a confidence. That's true. I think Lauren's world is so different than Hollywood. Like, Lauren doesn't care when anybody thinks.

31:32He's like, I like them. He'll take somebody and he doesn't care. He does his own thing. That's what I found refreshing. Whereas maybe I felt the town of Hollywood before I got SNL was a little more like kind of people following people or, you know, Lauren just decides what he wants and he doesn't care. I know. He is the master of the universe. They don't fight him on everything. Yeah. So good. So I really liked Lauren's world. And yes, I felt like it was like a comedy boot camp. I felt like I got to a point there where I really started to enjoy it. I was like, you know what? I'm not going to worry about if I get something on or not.

32:04I'm just going to enjoy it like a creative arts camp. Like, I'm working with these amazing writers and such talented people that if I start to look at it more as like an arts camp, like a fun, you know, that then I could enjoy it more. I mean, look, we all know it's competitive, of course. But I changed my philosophy about it like three quarters of the way through there. I just started to really enjoy it. Like pretend like it's like a summer camp for creative people.

32:30Dana Carvey:Did people calm me down? Because when I was battling nerves, we've talked to Bill Hader and others around the nerves of SNL. Yes. And then I'd come out and I would see the church lady set and I would see Phil in his costume, Phil Hartman. And I would see Jan and they would call me down. I'm like, these are my people. I love it. They're so good. It's so much fun to have people that are pretty much whatever damage, why we do this, who we are in this little tribe against the world. It's nice, isn't it? That is so cool. So it sounds like what you're saying is that you would just feel like you're just with them and you could like tune out the outside.

33:03Dana Carvey:Well, when you see Will Ferrell there and you're walking into the set or Anna, you're safe. You got somebody getting there. It's kind of calming you down a little bit. You're more excited and you're in it together. Exactly. I actually, Will and I wrote this sketch once where we were two characters. We did it center stage. So there's no excuse to not get a lot of laughs because it was easier. And we played two characters who'd recently lost 100 pounds. And the sketch tanked. Not a laugh. But Will and I made a deal when we went out there. We were like, okay, if it's just crickets, we're just going to commit harder.

33:36Dana Carvey:See, I love that. And we were looking at one another and like a twinkle in our eye, like, oh, shit, we are bombing. And then we just performed it harder and harder. Like, can you believe it's a hundred pounds? And nobody was laughing. I wish I could have a copy of this sketch. And it was just exactly like you say, Dana, like such a bonding. It's like it's all I cared about was me and Will, Will and me. Nobody else matters. And this might be the most fun I have ever had. And I feel like you have to embrace the bombing as much as the scoring because they really go together. You know what I mean?

34:11It might be a clever bit because sometimes the audience doesn't, if they don't get it, they sometimes feel like they're missing it. And they go, this is good. Because in the old days you do a sketch like Cheatburger, Cheatburger. They don't know why it's funny. And then they go, remember that great sketch? And Dan Aykroyd goes, oh, Conan's bombed three times. It's like they would just keep doing it. And then finally it clicks in and people go, I love this one. And it takes a while to get why it's funny. And sometimes it's not so easy where it's just like jokes, jokes, jokes, or I'm a crazy character.

34:37And they go, I get that. But when you're doing something very dry, that's fun. And if they stick with it, sometimes by the end of the sketch or the next time you do it.

34:45Dana Carvey:You know, Molly, you did all these styles. You do this sort of very subtle acting. And then you're doing Mary Catherine Gallagher. Yeah, yeah. And so that would be if the sound broke at a bar, they're watching SNL, and the sound was off, that was still going to get laughs. And then it was also funny with the sound. It was like an atomic bomb of comedy, right? Oh, yeah. Oh, that's so sweet. That character was so fun. I mean, yeah. Did you not audition for that or am I crazy? I didn't audition for that because there was a woman around town who was calling herself kind of the unofficial talent scout who, I won't say her name.

35:21But she was like, whatever you do, don't do that. Little character, Mary Catherine Gallagher, when you audition for Lorne. Because if you do that, you'll never get hired. What? So I listened to her. Yeah, isn't that crazy? What a brainwashed.

35:33Dana Carvey:I had it with a church lady. You did, Tina? I had managers that said, you're doing that too much in your act, my stand-up. You're coming off gay. You know, this is the 80s, the worst case scenario. I'm going to only do five minutes out of a 75-minute stand-up set. I'm only doing five minutes. Nah, it's too much. You're coming off gay, kid. Interesting. And did you do it when you had that stand-up audition when Lorne Michaels was there with Brandon Tartikoff? Yes. Yeah, that was in my quiver. And I bet Lorne loved it. Lorne was, he said he knew at that moment. You know, I went through a further audition and I was terrified, but he said he'd already decided at that moment.

36:10Dana Carvey:Thanks. You had me at special. I love Lorne. You know what? The thing that's great about Lorne, because you're making me a nostalgia for him, is that he loves funny people. He does. He loves us. He loves this. He just loves that we're doing this. Yeah, yeah, he really does. It's so sweet. He is truly a legend. And the thought of him not being there is just, I can't even imagine it. It's his show. You mean the show. It's his show. It's him. They've become one. They've integrated. And he has so much love. People don't know that about him. And he's such a deep thinker and loyal and funny and so intelligent.

36:50Do you still talk to him ever? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah. He's fun to talk to after the show. He's fast.

36:55Dana Carvey:He sort of has this, you know, he's a little intimidating at first because he's so like, but he's so vulnerable underneath all that. It's still your boss. Always, forever. It'll be like, that's my boss. Yeah. But he's sentimental. I mean, now that I'm, after I turn 60, I just tell people I love them and stuff really casually. Sandler did it when he was in his 20s. You're coming off gay. You're coming off gay. That's what Sandler said. That's so funny. Your agent calls you out of the blue. I heard you told your friend you loved him. You're coming gay. Are you still there on that lady character?

37:28Double gay. Get out of my sight. That's a stick. Wait, who is the manager who said that you can't say? Oh. No, that's okay. You don't have to say. No, it's just funny. You don't have to say.

37:37Dana Carvey:Yeah. It was, you know, look, they. It was the twins. It was the 80s and, you know, whatever. I don't want to say it. It was a big talent agency. And I don't think they were trying to fuck with me. They really believe that because if you're not listening to the character, well, well, well, just sounds like, you know, you could say you're playing a girl. It sounds like a stereotypical I'm playing some effeminate character instead of a church lady. Not a clever church lady character. It's very clever. Your summer starts now with Memorial Day deals at the Home Depot. It's time to fire up summer cookouts with the Next Grill four burner gas grill on special buy for only$199.

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39:35Dana Carvey:We should talk about the injuries you took. Because that was a big part of your book. I am. I am okay. I'm all right. Orthopedically. Because I remember you threw yourself around like Farley and he would be really in pain. And I think I remember when I was still there, we had overlaps because we did play Star. You guys were cast members together. And lovers. And you weren't, I know you wrote, but were you also paid as a writer or not? No. Not the whole run? Paid as a writer? No. Isn't that crazy? Everyone there. We all wrote. I think they dropped my writing credit when I went full cast. but it was but everyone still writes for themselves obviously and people at home don't know that if you write it's fun to write with a writer from the show because you have to have someone watch it you know like from from the booth when you're rehearsing if you write it yourself and there's no one else involved who's watching I don't even know who watches it so you write to get yourself on the show it's a writing job Steve Corrin who'd you write the best with I wrote with so many different people like Paula Pell and Steve Corrin and but basically it feels like I, when I first got there, I was, I was so, you know, oh my gosh, how do you figure this out?

40:47But it just takes, you know, feeling comfortable with one person in the room. I think you have to be able to be yourself, but I always tell people who are trying to get into writing. If you just have that one person that you could be in the room with where you don't feel dumb throwing out ideas and you can really fully be yourself. That's all it takes, you know, or write by yourself. And if you're a writer, it's good to lock into someone else. That's good because if you can write for someone, you see these writers that are like Tim Hurley. He's with Sandler for every movie. Like there's a lot of people that are double up and they just do movie after show after movie.

41:16And it really is important to find someone you can lock into on the show. I think what I was saying about Mary Catherine, I think they were using steel folding chairs. And I remember going, are those real steel folding chairs? There's no, she keeps falling on them. I remember feeling worried for you. I mean, I've seen it live. like whoa that looked gnarly

41:38Dana Carvey:on back onto whatever you're falling on I was kind of reading your book last night like you were like another type of Farley I mean I don't think many people threw themselves around the 8H like you did in that character and you kind of got in a hypnotic state in a way or you'd be I would feel nothing I didn't feel the pain when it was going on I would throw myself into metal chairs and do crazy stuff and I look at that now and I'm like oh my God, I'm so glad I didn't break my neck or, you know, my back. Yeah, I wasn't even thinking about that. But then the next day when I would wake up, I would definitely feel like, oh, my muscles hurt and I would have cuts and bruises.

42:18So I would feel it the next day. But I also liked it because I felt like I worked really hard and threw myself into the character. And I really did want to perform and be physical and be like the boys when I started. And I really wanted to do that. And then it also helped me kind of pour my nervous energy into the character because I was so nervous. So the physical aspect of it felt like a release.

42:39Dana Carvey:I got that. Yeah. Yeah. And so how big, what was the evolution of that becoming a movie? You did it and then you did it and then it became a huge hit and it was exploding. And when you come out and you get applause, I mean, that feels great, right? That feels so good. I guess Especially Because It took a while To get on because I put it at the Read through and then Lorne liked it right away he was like let's wait And save it and we'll do it with Gabriel Byrne And then Perfect So then Gabriel Byrne came But then for the show order That week for the dress rehearsal It was at the bottom and I was like, why is this at the bottom?

43:26Which means it's probably going to get cut for the dress show. It was late in the show. It was late in the show. They think it's not going to make it. They think it's not going to make it. Yeah, they don't have a lot of fun. But that was kind of good because I thought, I'm going to have to show them. And I think because I'd read it at the table, they weren't understanding how physical it was going to be. And because I'd done it in my show, that character in my show for so many years, I knew what it was. When I did it in my stage show, I would climb the walls and get up on the rafters and they'd have to peel me down off the wall.

43:53So I...

43:53Dana Carvey:And did you have the outfit? Sorry. Did you have the outfit in the stage show? No. In the stage show, I think I just wore a black skirt. She became a Catholic school girl. Because it was a very funny look with the underwear and everything. Yeah, it was an underwear. Bobby socks, yeah. Yeah, exactly. So go ahead. So then I thought I'm really going to have to show them. So that was kind of good. So for the dress show, I just really went crazy performing it. And people went crazy. It got such a great response. And then I went into Lauren's office between dress and air to see what made it to the live show.

44:27And my sketch got moved from the bottom of the show to the top. Yeah, number one.

44:31Dana Carvey:And same thing happened with the church lady. Is that right, Dana? Something about these characters. Yeah. Did you have the smelly armpits and superstar on the first one? I did superstar as a joke. I threw it in for my friend because we used to always, my friend, Deborah Palermo, as a joke, I used to always go superstar. So I did it for her. I threw, I exited the stage as Mary Catherine Gallagher. Then I came back in and slid on chairs and just under my breath went, superstar, for my friend at home watching to make her laugh. Oh, funny. So we just thrown it back. Then we kept it in as like a refrain.

45:02Dana Carvey:Then it became, it's just like a great explanation. Yeah, exactly. Someone who just fell all over the place and owning it. Yes, exactly. And it's also. I'm so proud of it. Yeah, and it's a representation of my childhood, of overcoming hard stuff and still having resilience and hope and maybe stumbling and falling and maybe looks like she's not going to make it. And then they rise above the wreckage. It's a repeated dance of those themes. So you were able to, sometimes people ask me where things came from and all that. And I try to come up with an answer. Sometimes I'm not sure. But you were able for yourself to figure out at some point that that character was a manifestation of stuff that happened to you.

45:46Dana Carvey:Exactly. And it was like self-care, basically. Yeah. I get to reenact this, but be superstar at the end. Exactly. That's so interesting. Yeah, it's like healing. Yeah. So before I was even in therapy, I would do the character on stage. And I remember a friend came once and they said, oh, that character, the schoolgirl, or it wasn't a schoolgirl then, Mary Catherine Gallagher, she seems angry. I was like, angry, really? I didn't. I thought, oh, that's interesting. But because the original scene was just a girl auditioning to try to be in a David Lynch movie and we would just improvise. And I'm like, no, no, you're not understanding.

46:19And I have to prove myself and get this person to, you know, like me and cast me. And so it's just a little exercise in trying to be seen and understood. And so, yes. So that's where art can like save people. You know what I mean? That performance as a release. And does that make sense? So sometimes you can be in the, like, so in your work and being creative and not realize what it is you're trying to express and not be able to be objective about it till later. Does that make sense?

46:50Dana Carvey:Yeah, I think, you know, in a cartoon way, I think that's a really evolved way to think of things in that character. I did a lot of passive aggressive characters because I had trouble expressing anger because I grew up with a lot of anger in the household. So you were just taught to suppress it. Yeah. So Hans and Franz, I don't know, you kind of even look at me and you're like, well, you're an old Quino and you're doing so. All my characters was kind of angry initially and passive aggressive. I guess that was healing. So let me ask you a question. So you felt so in your house, but you said that your dad could be really aggressive and violent.

47:26Yeah, violent temper. But you had to. Did you? How did you have to survive it? HLs.

47:32Dana Carvey:I'm going to disappear, basically. So we weren't like, I asked Sandler about that. And his family was just like, they could yell at each other nose to nose. You want to get some ice cream? Okay. You know, healthy. Yeah. This was not that. But it was the 60s, five kids, a lot of independence. See you later. You know, so, I mean, I survived. And what was your mom like? She was sort of very sweet, but very dainty and very much under his thumb. And she was the artsy one. interesting and you know these big families you know we raise each other a lot we scrambled it was like if there was sugary cereal get it now you know that kind of stuff yeah yeah so anyway it's very interesting it's always fascinating like David he had an easy childhood so it's still he's so fucking funny but with just oh no David David you were raised by your mom yes I'll take this question from Molly yes you were raised by your mom my mother I was saying about Dana's mother like it sounds like mine she was very like creative and she was a writer and she loved artsy stuff and always wanted us to do anything like that that we thought was my brother was more artistic you know anything comedy anything she loved it she loved writing so she would always push that but that the dad wasn't around I think you had sort of the reverse of that with your mom and you had a tough I think it's funny because all these comedians it just always sort of the same type of story where it's just tough you know yeah and a lot of people have tough growing up i mean that's we're not we're not all comedians yeah it's just that's why we're not that special in that regard but i did i was lucky to have a mom that was very you know she had it dealt some tough cards but she tried her best and the dad wasn't around but i think the mom really tried to make up for it you know that's great she was great still around thank god because that's a tough one and uh i think that it just plays into everything you know yeah it only takes one it's like i think you need something if you have one good parent i like the figure it speaks they say having a champion yeah and was reading your book this morning uh your dad became your champion like you can do anything my mom was like that with all of her siblings that's you know yeah So it was, we did, we had a bounce.

49:56With all her children or all her siblings?

49:57Dana Carvey:With all her, all of us kids. Oh, with all of you kids. That's so great. So she was supportive that way. Did she stay married to your dad? She did. She did that so interesting. Interesting. You know, 1940s, 1950s. It's that generation. You don't leave. Well, let me ask you this. So she, so did you feel like you had to be more like her? No, I kind of took care of her. Yeah. You did? I was her surrogate husband. That's so interesting. That makes sense. I had that a little bit with my father, too. There's nothing to be embarrassed about with that. Oh, no. It's just normal codependency. How do you get attachment?

50:39Dana Carvey:How do you get loving? By behaving this way, you get it and you don't. I went to therapy, too. Maybe we went to the same therapist. I have to say, I don't know how much more time we have. We've never had a guest quite like you. You're so interested in us and we love it. It's so interesting. Well, you guys are so talented and, and I have to say, it's so fun doing this show because I would rather hear you guys talk. Yes, we would too. Seriously. We're listening to this particular episode. Want to hear about Molly Shannon. Well, I like talking about anything like that because I think that that's, it's helped so much.

51:13Dana Carvey:I like talking about it. Therapy helps so much. Yeah. How long did you go? A long time. Okay. I went five years, but maybe I'll go back. That's great. She's driving me nuts. Molly's got such an interesting disposition because you're always upbeat and you're such a good listener. And even we don't have to talk about it. But when we were at that Norm thing the other day, you're such a good articulate speaker. And you speak from the heart about any subject. And just when we're out and you meet people, you're just very locked in. It's very hard. You don't see that a lot. You think you do, but you don't.

51:48And so it's very And then your whole upbringing And just to this point in your comic It's just we're all so Been to the ringer in a weird way And it's funny because when you finally make it You're like what the fuck was that about Was it worth it But you're very I just have to give you a compliment that when you're out And about she's got such a good vibe Everyone loves it You must have a lot of friends

52:11Dana Carvey:If you're a curious person people like that You know what I was going to say but don't you think Like sometimes I think going through that tough stuff when you're little does give you that kind of command of an audience, that control. You have to have some kind of weird skill to be able to, you know, do what you guys do, like get up and perform and know how to like hold a crowd. I mean, that's not an easy thing. How do you think your childhood gave you that ability to do, to have that special skill? Oh, God. These are really good questions. It's maybe attention. It's so gross. I'm going to use it for my book Hello Dana Hello Dana That's funny Oh my god it feels so good to laugh One thing I will think though Is I don't like I feel like the healthier I become I feel like I don't want to keep going There's old patterns of going toward Pain or this or that you're not good enough It's like oh my god after a while You know what I mean when you have your health Be happy It's like, oh my God, give me a break.

53:16It's a great thing. I have to ask you about the show where you, QVC, it's called I Love That For You. I Love That For You. And we talked to your lovely co-star. Sure, sure. Do you know we talked to your lovely co-star? You talked to Vanessa.

53:27Dana Carvey:I actually saw the first two episodes last night. I saw one. That's so sweet. I love when you do characters and then the character does a little character voice. It's so funny. That's such a specific thing only you could say. Oh, I love it. Just do a little bit because your character's like QVC. and then go, it's like, whatever you do. Well, you're, for the people at home. Yes. I mean, this is on Showtime with Vanessa Bayer. Yes. I love that for you. Vanessa is such a doll. I love that for you. It's a really quirky, cool, smart show. You say what it is. Oh yeah. I play a host of a home shopping network and I'm like the queen salesperson and I can sell stuff like this is the cutest little jar of sugar.

54:10You see, you know, and Vanessa taught me how to do it, but this is what these women do and they're very good It's selling stuff. It's very funny to watch.

54:15Dana Carvey:Yeah. But Vanessa grew up watching it, so it's based on her childhood. And Vanessa and I are both from Cleveland, Ohio. And Vanessa's another one who she seems almost like she could be a psychotherapist, not an actress. She's very calm in real life. Did you find that? Yeah, definitely. She's so grounded. I could see why you two would connect. Yeah, yeah. And you, Molly, you saw one, and she plays the QPC girl. And it is kind of funny for you because I like it because it's very calming to hear those people talk, like you said. and you're just so happy. I could just drone on and watch them for a while because they're very interested in what they're talking about.

54:49They're very interested in the audience and they're just talking to you and they don't fucking stop. And they showed Vanessa going through the audition process of that show and it seems very hard, that show. It made me scared to be on QVC because you just got to run it and then they have a graph showing when the sales go down when you say something wrong and you go and she accidentally smells something and acts like it smells kind of bad for half a second And then the sales fucking plummeted. Yeah. Just now half a second. I have a friend who trained for it for his for a shampoo line. And he said he was terrible.

55:23But they they put you through training and there's a certain type of language I have to use. But he said, if you talk about like mama or God, the ratings go up. My mama says, you know, this sugar is the best. Thank God, you know, church on Sunday, you know, sales. So there's a certain thing.

55:39Dana Carvey:I wonder what we should say in this podcast to make our ratings go. You don't say anything. Hallelujah, David. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Oh, my. Praise. No, I don't want to say that. I don't go for ratings. Yes, I do. No, I do. Molly. So, Molly, how do you – so, yeah. Do you like apples? Do you like apples? What's your favorite? Have you ever – I know you like half chickens. Can I ask you a question? Have you ever at a dinner, been to a group dinner, and there was a little bit of a silence or a lull in a conversation, just said something just to fill the air? David, you go first. That's all I do.

56:18That's a good one. That's all you do. Yeah, I go, do you like apples? I go, I already asked you.

56:23Dana Carvey:I go to, what's your net worth? That gets everyone going. That gets everyone going. Have you ever encountered anything supernatural besides meeting me? And then people have ghost stories And I did that with Julia Roberts And Tom Hanks And these people at this Shakespearean comedy thing Wait, what's that? What is that? Tom would have You would go on and you would do Shakespeare But you could do it any way you wanted So I was just doing it It's like, hey, how you doing Shakespeare? And it's a big charity event he does And this was 10 years ago So then Julia Roberts and all these actors And we're all around the table And it's a little bit of like that small talk Well, I think so, you too And I go, have you guys ever seen a ghost or any supernatural thing?

57:06Dana Carvey:And then everyone has a story. So, Molly Shannon. That's great. I ask you. Yeah, do you have encountered something you couldn't explain that kind of freaked you out? I lived in this apartment in Hollywood that Man Ray used to live in. I like your question, Dana. And when I was a struggling actress with my roommate, Brian Donovan, and it had cathedral ceilings. And it was across an El Pollo Loco on the corner of Fountain and Vine. and I had just like a laugh I love that that's scary over there yeah a little scary I love that old Hollywood Franklin Hotel or something yeah yeah it's a it's a bit sketch though and and we lived there together and I remember I had we had a party and this guy this like guy who was at the party was like them's ghosts in here and I I said really where was he from he was from Arkansas does that scare you though about ghosts that would scare me no because I didn't really believe But I would have dreams at night.

58:03I don't know if it was sleep paralysis, but I would have a dream where I was being held down only in that apartment. Have you ever had that day night?

58:10Dana Carvey:I've had it at San Ysidro Ranch, which I made my wife. We left the hotel in the middle of the night. I had it twice. And I'm like, what the fuck is this? But that's a push down, like a feeling? It's from nightmares. The feeling of a horse lying down on you. And then I had the house we have up in Northern California. It's from 1909. I had it in there. Also a white noise I had in there, too. Interesting. Why is everyone sleeping? When I was talking, I went, what the? Where's that coming from? Yeah. You're only those two things. Your brain's on a friend. But I'm not afraid of anything anymore, really, at this age.

58:42Dana Carvey:That's so good. But what happened? So he says, ghost, did you meet the ghost? Yeah, that's all. No, but I would just feel like I was being held down, or I would feel like there was somebody at the edge of the bed holding my feet down, and then I would wake up, and it was only in that apartment when I left, it never happened again. Isn't that weird? But we got a call. We got to get Dan Aykroyd on this podcast. He loves this stuff. He does? He's into it. Wow, that's so cool. He would really be fascinated by that. Oh, my God. But you wouldn't, I would be scared shitless. Yeah, I was a little scared.

59:09When I hear any noises, I'm scared. And I had another scary thing at that apartment, too, where there was in my bedroom a peeping Tom in the alley like I saw a head while I was changing. And I was like, peeping Tom. And so then I ran out to the front and called the security guard. I was like, Andrew, Andrew, come here, come here. Hurry, hurry. And he came into the door And I almost have to get up and demonstrate But I don't want to go away from the microphone Walked in and he came in What, what, what? And then while he was in the door He got in and then he slammed the door shut with his foot And it was within seconds that I realized Oh no, that was him And now I just let him into my apartment Oh, wow Isn't that scary?

59:51He was like, I'm going to demonstrate He was like, what, what, what?

59:54Dana Carvey:Molly's standing up He's kicking her foot back That's scary. Wow. And now you lock him in the room with you. Then he was in the room with him. But I did quickly get him out because I just was like, oh my God. There's a killer in the alley. Then you realize he's the killer in the alley. Hell, I didn't see anything anymore. You can go now. Yeah, I was like, oh. Why do you think there's a killer in the alley? Here's what you should have done, Molly. He should have closed the door while you were behind him. And he should have gone, he's not in the alley anymore. And then he goes, he's in your room and turned to you.

1:00:28and then you would have gone, oh my God. Oh my God. Did you ever see that movie When a Stranger Calls? Calls come from inside the house? Don't do that to me. I can't.

1:00:37Dana Carvey:I can't. You can't. You can't. You can't live alone in a 19 ,000 square foot house with no securities. Are you, David? Well, I definitely haven't seen any scary movies. I would not see it. You wouldn't see it or film in this place. I didn't see any of the biggies. No. No. Why am I inviting? I have enough nightmares. I want to add. I want to add. No. No. Exactly. It's too stressful.

1:01:03All right, Molly, let's get Molly out of here. She's been great. Molly Shannon. We have one final question. Yes. She's the greatest guest ever. What did you eat for breakfast? Dana first. Jesus. Dana first.

1:01:17Dana Carvey:Dana first. The same thing I have every day, Molly. I had one egg and one egg white. What a pig. I had some avocado I sliced up. Yum. I had a half piece of sourdough. You're gay. Toast. You're gay. You're gay. That's the name of the episode. So avocado toast and those two things. And then my wife made a thing she calls a green drink, a little bit of pear and spinach and stuff like that. That sounds so good. What did you have? That sounds exactly like the kind of breakfast. Yeah. I had a Gelson's half a chicken. No. I just had a smoothie. I had a banana almond milk smoothie right before I came.

1:01:59David, what did you have? You know, the big story is when you said that about Gelson's, when I moved out here to stay with the funny boys to do stand up, I had no money. Yeah. And I just had change. Yeah. And he goes, you can keep the, there's change up on the counter if you want it. So I felt so embarrassed. But when I went to do stuff, I would scrape the change and I went to Ralph's on Fountain Way down there. Yeah. It was Ralph's or something And then I went And I got the rotisserie chicken And the thing Same thing And just took it Because this is a lot of food I was like Cujo I ate it And they come home I go Cujo Cujo I really went at it Because I haven't eaten all day And then I know If I get a spot of the improv You get a free Pineapple chicken Where it's like a little breast With a pineapple circle on top Woofed Yeah Because that was it You don't know where the next one is And so But this morning Eggs Oh eggs Egg scram.

1:02:52I don't always have scram. The only interesting thing, I have well done bacon. That's not that interesting. And then I have a little plain oatmeal, sir. A little plain oatmeal. No bread. Yes. Don't want to. I try not to eat too much wheat now. God, we're so old. Okay, good.

1:03:07Dana Carvey:Sourdough. It's the most benign. Come on. It's Joe Biden. It's sourdough. Okay. I don't want to. It's inflation. I'm doing Biden. It's inflation. It's inflation. It's the Pirates of the Caribbean. Is it a joke or is it no joke? It's no joke. It's no joke. Oh, I'm not getting around here. Biden's always saying it's no joke. Molly, final question. Yes. Oh, we're getting the last one on her. The decks are clear. The kids are great. Everything. What's a Molly super day? Like your mental health day. This is Molly's day off. Okay. I like that question. I definitely like to exercise because it relaxes me.

1:03:41Dana Carvey:Do you go for a hike? Run. Run. You run? Yeah, run. That's great. I ran this morning because it calms me down. That's great. I just can't do it anymore. I hike, though. Well, hiking is so good. It has to go up a hill, though. That's amazing. So you start out with a run. Running, and I would listen to a good podcast or a good interview or, you know, the daily or NPR or books on tape. So I'll do that while I'm running. Oh, okay. And then I also like swimming. So a good day would be to swim for one hour. Wow. Yes. You're my hero. That's what I want to do. It makes me feel so happy. I've been starting to attempt to do it because they have a little pool at this one house.

1:04:21Oh, that's so nice.

1:04:23Dana Carvey:So where do you swim? I swim. We have a pool in our backyard. So it's like 40 feet or 30 feet, 40 feet? I'm not sure. Yeah, maybe. So you go back and forth. Are you switching strokes? You wear goggles? No, I just do the breaststroke the whole time. And I also listen to interviews when I'm swimming. Do you get your hair wet? So how do you do that? I just have a speaker. You're not getting electrocuted. I just have a speaker. I don't have the earpods, but I just have a speaker. So I'm really like, you know. Oh, you're kind of like this, and it's on the side of the pool. So you come out. What gets you more just zen down, the run or the swim, or is it just the two together?

1:04:55Dana Carvey:That's a really good question. I would say, what do you think? I'm just coming on to the idea of swimming. So I feel like, especially if it's deprivation where you have earplugs and it's like people come out of the pool like, whoa. In my olden times, my other times, I think hard cardiovascular, breaking a sweat. Yeah. But basically, let's put it this way. Your perfect day is 10 a.m. and you're basically blasted in a good way. Exactly. After your run and your hour swim feels good. After my run is so relaxed. So you're just like this. Now what do you do? Exactly. Then I guess if it's like a perfect day too, I might go to a steam, get a nice steam or sauna.

1:05:29And it makes me so relaxed. So now you're super relaxed. Yeah, really relaxed. Well, you're asking me like a really fun day. No, I love this. This would be while my kids are in school if I have a little bit of free time.

1:05:39Dana Carvey:Yeah, the decks are cleared. Then I would maybe, I mean, if it's a dream day, maybe I would, I mean, I haven't done this for a while, but I would love to go to a pretty park in nature and sit and do creative visualization if you're asking for a dream day. Like a meditative visualization. Yeah, meditative kind of writing. Yeah, because we know some part of these things you do all the time, but now it's loaded into one day. Yeah, loaded into one day. But then, let's see. Did you go out to dinner with your husband? Oh, my God. Well, that's later, say, after I pick up the kids. Later, yeah. My husband likes to stay in and cook I love that about him I love going out for dinner with friends But he likes to cook dinner and stay in And of course my ideal My favorite thing is just spending time with my children So they're 17 and 18 And I'm going to pick my son up today at school And my daughter and I are going to get acupuncture today So I like stuff like that Stuff that makes your body feel good Everything to make you feel better Do you watch movies?

1:06:35Dana Carvey:Do you watch dramas? Yes, I just finished watching the Dropout Mike Showalter show with Amanda Seyfried. I loved it. That was so good. And my husband and I love documentaries. We're watching Love on the Spectrum right now on Netflix. Oh, Rosie's watching that. We're getting some high fives in the room. Love on the Spectrum. Just watch Pam and Tommy. Did you watch? It was so funny. Tommy's son's bought my old house in Encino. Really? That's so cool. They're in my recording studio and in my pool. Oh, my God. But I'm happy for them. Go ahead. Yeah, but no, yeah, my husband and I love documentaries.

1:07:12That's our favorite.

1:07:13Dana Carvey:Yeah. So watching TV with your husband, hanging with your kids. Hanging with my kids. Sauna, jacuzzi, meditation, be it apart, relaxing. Steam. Yes, that type of thing. Okay, I love that answer. Yeah, exactly. I'm relaxed just hearing that. Oh, good. And just hanging out in the house is so fun with my kids. There's nothing that makes me happier. than just having a free day where you could just stay in your house and do whatever you want. I love that. Yeah. I love being a dad. I love hanging out with my kids. Isn't it? It's the greatest. Yeah, me too. It's mine. Well, Molly Shannon is her. Tell me your book.

1:07:47It's called Hello, Molly. Yes. A great title. Yeah.

1:07:50Dana Carvey:Because it says you can never forget it. I love Molly. Don't you think? It's just so clean. It's not like my journey to the thing. What was the name of your book, David? It wasn't very good. It's stupid. It's not Hello, Molly. Mine's harder to deal with. What was it called? I think it was called Oh one of them was called This is a good one A Polaroid Guy in a Snapchat World But That's a good word A Polaroid Guy in a Snapchat Well it's a cool name A Polaroid Guy in a Snapchat World Because I talk about How the difference is When I grew up Now it is now Everything's different I like that title So it makes you I like it But Hello Molly So clean and simple And it's off the title You can sing it That's what's good And you're also I love that for you Hello Molly She's won award You've worked consistently Ever since you left SNL It seems like you're always doing stuff with Will And they're hiring you for this and that Now you're in this show Life is good You're healthy You can run You can swim We learned Yes Breast stroke only But you do or you don't get your hair wet That's what other people want to know If I have a I know I like that That you're asking David If it's a nice blowout I would probably toss it up Because I wouldn't want to ruin it I'm sure And then you're going above the water Yeah above And just a very meditative Back and forth Yes With some good reading material Maybe I would listen to a New Yorker article on Autumn, the hour.

1:09:04I do love that about modern digital technology.

1:09:07Dana Carvey:Isn't it the best? Just you're driving and you can listen to World War II books. And like, so Hitler decided it was too late. You know what I mean? I just can't get enough of that stuff. Is that right, Dana? Oh, I love documentaries too. I kind of like everything. If wife wants to watch The Crown, I love The Crown. And I like 2001. I see that every year when she's not around, you know? Yeah, yeah. So I like all of it, but I mostly like dramas and adventures and stuff. Yeah, exactly. Did you see the original Staircase documentary? It's on Netflix now. That's excellent. About the guy who maybe pushed his wife down the stairs?

1:09:43Dana Carvey:Yes. Yes. That's a good one. You know what? Those things. If you want to look for dysfunction, Cow Sills. Ooh. About a 60s pop band, family band. It's about their dysfunctional family. Very reminiscent of mine in some ways, but it's also their fame and their trajectory. The Cow Sales I think it's called on Netflix oh that sounds good I'm Ted Sarandas' cousin yeah wow so I also support Netflix on this podcast or my special on Netflix hot Ted call us alright bye guys nice to meet you okay good yay part two yay hey guys if you're loving this podcast which you are be sure to click follow on your favorite podcast app give us a review five star rating and maybe you can share an episode that you've loved with a friend.

1:10:28If you're watching this episode on YouTube, please subscribe. We're on video now. Fly on the Wall is presented by Odyssey, an executive produced by Danny Carvey and David Spade, Heather Santoro and Greg Holtzman, Maddie Sprung-Kaiser and Leah Reese Dennis of Odyssey.

1:10:44Dana Carvey:Our senior producer is Greg Holtzman and the show is produced and edited by Phil Sweetech. Booking by Cultivated Entertainment. Special thanks to Patrick Fogarty, Evan Cox, Maura Curran, Melissa Wester, Hillary Shuff, Eric Donnelly, Colin Gaynor, Sean Cherry, Kirk Courtney, and Lauren Vieira. Reach out with us. Any questions to be asked and answered on the show, you can email us at flyonthewallatodyssey.com. That's A-U-D-A-C-Y dot com.