Kristen Wiig

10:37Amy Poehler:I was like, yeah, where did that, was there ever a moment early days where it, was that learned and honed or did that, did she just come out?

10:46Bill Hader:That's a great question. Thanks, Bill. I know Chris is going to be so psyched. We talked today. Thank you so much for doing it. All right. Thank you, guys. Thanks, buddy. Talk to you soon. Bye. This episode is brought to you by Wayfair, who are all about making your home into a happy place. And trust me, I know. Look, we used Wayfair to outfit our green room here. We have a little extra room next to us where people wait to get ready to come on good hang. They get psyched up. They get pepped up. They do their vocal exercises, whatever they need to do. and Wayfair has outfitted it. I mean, we have chairs and tables and couches and everything, you know, makes it comfortable and nice.

11:24Bill Hader:And the overall experience has just been wonderful. So why not find something that makes your home your happy place? Head over to wayfair.com and find something that's just your style today. That's W-A-Y-F-A-I-R.com. Wayfair. Every style, every home. Hi, bud. Thank you for doing this. You know, I know you don't do a lot of interviews. I feel very, I feel honored.

11:50Kristen Wiig:I mean, you know, you do what you need to do for work.

11:53Bill Hader:Exactly. But you, and you follow through with your obligations with that. Oh, yes. But you're not. Yes. I do my job. Yes. Yes. But you don't love to, you know, you want to kind of keep your life private.

12:08Kristen Wiig:Yeah. Yeah. And like, if I'm promoting something, I'm happy to talk about that. Sure. but you know there's such a the line is so blurred now I'm happy to discuss anything with you because you're my friend but you know I know it's it's when it's someone that you don't know and they're asking you certain personal things you're a little bit like I don't know I know and also I learned something from you many years ago that I think about all the time which is

12:33Bill Hader:also I mean I what I love about how you interact with your work is like you put it out there but You don't necessarily, you kind of just like put it out there and it's out there. And then I run away. I didn't run away. Like, was it okay to say it? And you get under the blanket. That's basically what it is.

12:49Kristen Wiig:But you but you. I don't want to know. I know. And it's such a great, it's very healthy. Because it doesn't matter. I know. I know. It doesn't. And actually, I remember Sandberg telling me a long time ago, like during SNL, you can read a million reviews and you can quote the bad ones like word for word. like I can remember things people said about me oh yeah so I like I just happened having this movie come out this kid's movie and I texted my publicist and I was like don't send me anything yeah like I will probably call her at some point and say did they hate it do they like it but I don't want to be sent because it just gets in your brain and it's not what your experience is I don't know.

13:35Kristen Wiig:I'm sensitive too. Same.

13:38Bill Hader:And you said something to me that I think about all the time, which is I had like an evening where I was, whatever, wore an outfit, felt good in it, had a good time, and then went home and saw the picture of it and just was like, like just felt really sad. And you were like, oh, I don't like, I don't do that. I don't look at pictures after an event or something. Like I trust that where, you know, like I just kind of Like remember the feeling of it. And I'm working with great people. And I, when I head out the door, I feel good. And I like, like leave it at that. And I think about it all the time because bigger than like how we look, it's just like the idea of like the world weighing in on your mental health.

14:15Kristen Wiig:And believe me, I got there because I would go and look, and then I would just feel horrible. I'm like, but wait, why do I feel bad? I know. I thought I liked it. And then in my mind, I'm like, well now did I? I just, yeah. I know.

14:27Bill Hader:So I think about you all the time when I try not to look at pictures of myself. But we are going to change our faces into cats for this. Oh, great. We're going to put a cat filter on. I want filters. Yeah, we're going to put – I'm going to have flames coming out. It's going to be babies. This is good hang babies, and we're going to –

14:46Kristen Wiig:I want to look 30 years younger.

14:49Bill Hader:But naturally, guys.

14:50Kristen Wiig:You look incredible. You look incredible.

14:52Bill Hader:And I do feel like you are – I wouldn't consider you an introvert, But I do think you're probably more introverted than people would assume, right? I would agree with that. And I find people are often disappointed.

15:03Kristen Wiig:No, but it's true. I think also because our people know us, our origins into the public life is comedy. So people think if you're at a dinner table and someone says, Kristen, tell that story. And 14 people look at you. That's my nightmare. I'm so bad at it. I'm really bad. And I was talking to my husband. I was like, I'm really bad at like telling stories. And he's like, yeah. He's like, I've noticed. You are. And I was a little shocked, but then it made me realize that like, it's true. I don't like that. I don't. Yeah. I'm not good at it. Halfway through, I realize everyone's looking at me. And then I'm like, how did this, how does this end?

15:47Kristen Wiig:I'm like, I'm not. And some people are so good at it.

15:52Bill Hader:Oh, yeah. And some people, when they go in to tell a story, they like settle in, like, here we go, like a warm sweater. And I'm all in. And I'm like, don't stop because I don't want people to ask me to tell a story. I know because it is like, I mean, there's so much to talk to you about today. And like, I don't even know where to start because there's so much good stuff to talk about. I want to talk about Groundlings. And I want to talk about the beginnings of things because I feel like I don't think a lot of people know your beginnings of things. Like, what were you like as a kid? Were you...

16:25Bill Hader:I don't know. You said that you didn't know. You said you had no, like, big plans to be an actor or a performer at all. No.

16:32Kristen Wiig:No. I mean, I would, like, watch movies and be like, oh, yeah, I want to do that. But I think that's, like, everybody wanted to, like...

16:40Bill Hader:Were you ever, like, in a school play or, you know? No. I mean, I...

16:45Kristen Wiig:An attention seeker in any way back then? I think maybe a little bit just from... like my parents getting divorced and being like I'm gonna cause trouble oh you became a little bit of a troublemaker yes I did exciting I did and I don't know if that turned into like but you caused a little problem I did and I'm not bragging about it I feel terrible especially now that I'm a parent well but what kind can you share any I mean I was got detention a lot I was suspended a handful of times i've had police come to my house for like a prank prank phone calling stuff okay but still they came yeah um and that was scary but i was i think because and i and i i'm bringing it back to like parents divorce which don't turn this off it's gonna be funny um it really affected my life yeah and I think I went into like my friend group which I think happens a lot where if things are like uncertain at home like your friends become your family and I was just always with my friends and always sleeping over at other people's houses and some of the people I was hanging out with were like uh troublemakers I guess yeah and I just kind of like got in with a little bit of the wrong crowd, I think young.

18:11Kristen Wiig:And then I moved when my mom moved to Rochester and I moved with her. And at the time I was like, I don't want to move. These are my friends. But thank God that like saved my life. Yeah. It really saved my life.

18:21Bill Hader:It is true. Like especially now that you have kids, you know, we know that like it, that whoever you're around, the proximity of who you're around can really dictate what kind of choices you make. Yeah. I know. And it's hard as a parent. I know. I mean, my kids are five, so I'm not, I can't totally. But even when my kids were five, you'd see other five-year-olds, you'd be like, you got to stay away from them. I know.

18:43Kristen Wiig:You're like, do you really want to have a play date with them? Really? No. Be like, are you sure? I don't know. I mean, they seem nice, but.

18:51Bill Hader:And then you just pick up, you just hold the phone upside down and you're like, I just called their mom and they're not home. They've moved. They'll be at school Monday, but they've moved. Their mom said no more play dates. Okay. So you, but where do you grow up? Where's hometown? I was in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

19:05Kristen Wiig:Right. And then Rochester. Yes, like Amish town. Yeah.

19:09Bill Hader:Which also probably added to a little bit of the mischief.

19:12Kristen Wiig:Like, yeah, because there wasn't a lot to do, you know, like playing down at the creek. And running through the cornfields. I really was. But yeah, I don't know. I don't know if it's the place or just who I was hanging out with. I don't know.

19:29Bill Hader:Yeah. And then is it really true that a psychic told you that you were being an actress? Okay. Let me just clarify this story.

19:37Kristen Wiig:Okay. Is that a fake story? Because it's not totally fake. I'll give you like the short version. But I was living in Arizona. I was going to school there. I was at the University of Arizona in Tucson. And I did not really want to be there. Yeah. And I just felt like I was supposed to be somewhere else. I was an art major and I just I wasn't like I wasn't connecting with something. I did take an acting class. It was like acting 101. I think that's what it's called. And I was terrified to do it because I hated speaking in front of the class, like would skip school, which is always the worst thing, because then you have to come back on a different day and do the book report when everyone else is like, we did this last week.

20:23Kristen Wiig:It's just even more awkward. but I hated speaking in front of the class like I would just get anxiety so I didn't want to take this class I took it I loved it and I was like I don't want to be here I'm not supposed to be here and I do have this theory that if you ask yourself questions in the mirror you cannot lie to yourself and it's very uh oh yes that's deep like looking in the mirror and just being like where what do you want to do and it was like I want to move to LA and try to be an actor and then I'd kind of never come out of my mouth before it just seemed like something so far. I'm not, I just didn't seem like anything that would ever happen.

21:16So, and at this time in

21:18Kristen Wiig:Arizona, I was like, you know, going to like spiritual bookstores as we do in our twenties. Getting crystals. Oh my God. Pendulums. Yes. Of course. Like I was like really in, in like a nice, like healthy way. Yeah. Um, and I wasn't like doing voodoo or anything. and I went into this bookstore and there was a sign that was like I swear it said like psychic Mike it was like a dollar a minute and I was like I'm gonna go see that guy and I went in and I sat down and he was like oh give me your ring and he was like holding my ring and he was like he's like what are you doing here he's like why are you here he's like you should have been in LA like a year ago no way just out of the blue my life love it he could have said that to every person and walked in there.

22:07Kristen Wiig:He's like, what are you doing here? That's what he says to every person. And they're just like, because no one knows. You don't go into a psychic because you know what you're doing here. Right, exactly. But I, I like went home and packed up my car. Whoa. Because my roommate at the time lived in LA. And I was like, can I come stay with you? Didn't tell my parents. Packed up my car. Bad girl. Drugged my cat. Drove to LA and just, And quit. Quit school? Quit school. Dang, you are a rebel, Wig. Yes, you are a rebel. It was very, I think because I knew someone. Sure. It was less scary. But yeah, to like get an apartment and got a job.

22:57Bill Hader:I mean, back then it was, you only needed to know like one person to make a humongous career and life change. It was like, I'll just go. Same thing with me. I knew someone who had graduated from college who was my old roommate who was living in Chicago. So I was like, all right, I'll just move to Chicago. Like, she's there. Like, that's all you needed was one person.

23:14Kristen Wiig:And we didn't have, like, phones or anything like that. We just drove. We just drove with, like, a map.

23:22Bill Hader:And a cat and a map. And we were just like—and then we just looked at—and then the signs were just arrows. It just said Hollywood. Yeah. It just said success, Hollywood, acting town. And you just—and you pulled up. So you go to Groundlings. What year do you get in Groundlings? What year do you start Groundlings?

23:40Kristen Wiig:I waited a couple years because once I got to L.A., I was like, I've never acted before. Oh, so you didn't start right away. No, I was like, what? This town is full of every person here is trying to do that. And I got freaked out. And I worked at like a hot dog restaurant. And then I worked at Anthropologie. And I was like doing all these like odd jobs. And then a friend of mine that I was working for when I was doing like painting, I'd had a million jobs. He was like, have you ever been to the Groundlings? And I was like, no, what is it? And he's like, you should go. He's like, I just think you'd like it.

24:19Kristen Wiig:And yeah, that first show, I'd never seen improv. I'd never seen like live sketch, but it was like Jen Coolidge, Michael Hitchcock. uh and I was just like this is what I want to do wow yeah this is it oh my god they're just making stuff up I was like I don't have to like read and say a line a certain way that's like

24:43Bill Hader:right or wrong I could just like do that and it was like nine it was that it was the 90s so you're doing sketch and improv and like like everybody like hoping to get on SNL yeah just like that was the goal. Yeah. It was like, and you're watching people go and get on SNL.

24:59Kristen Wiig:Yeah. And then Mad TV came out and that was the thing. And a lot of people were auditioning for that. Right. Right. Cause that was happening out here.

25:06Bill Hader:I remember there was that time when it was like, you can audition for Mad TV and SNL. Like you, like it was very like one or the other, like choose now. And it was like, babe, no one's offering me either job. You're like having imaginary conversations in your head about like, if Mad TV asks, I'm going to say no. It's like, they're not asking.

25:26Kristen Wiig:Wait, did you do sketch in college?

25:28Bill Hader:Yeah, I did like improv and like an improv group in college. And we did like sketches at the end of the show. And it was, and you know, it was, I loved my improv group. It was called My Mother's Fleabag, which is like, sure. And, you know, I love an improv group name. And My Mother's Fleabag had been around forever, you know. And it was like a little frat for like a little nerdy frat or sorority. And we had all these rituals and customs. And at the end of our show, we would go, it's, it's, it's my mother's fleabag. Like as if it was like live from, you know, like we were doing some like version of SNL and we would do sketches and improv.

26:06Kristen Wiig:Oh, that's so cute.

26:07Bill Hader:But you didn't do any sketch or improv in University of Arizona. No, no, no, no, no, no. Interesting. Amazing. So then you go, can you, I mean, your audition for SNL is, it is weird to like have auditions out in the world. I don't know. Did you watch any of the 50th stuff when they were showing?

26:27Kristen Wiig:I haven't watched that yet.

26:29Bill Hader:See, you don't watch. It's good.

26:30Kristen Wiig:And I've never seen my audition. I never want to ever see it. Because I did two. Okay. You auditioned. Twice. And then what happened? Well, okay, you auditioned once and then you got it and you turned it down. I turned it down because Mad TV was coming back. No, I auditioned and then I didn't hear anything. And then the season started. And then you're like, I'm not on. Okay. I'm not there. And then, oh, wait, no, how did it go? Maybe, no, no, maybe that's wrong. I auditioned. No, that's not right. I auditioned, didn't hear anything. Then they asked me to audition again. And I was like, I did everything.

27:15Kristen Wiig:Oh, that's a nightmare. Okay. I don't even know what was in that second audition. and then and then I didn't hear anything and then the season started and that's when I was like I didn't get it no but then they called me and they were like can you you we'd love we have a spot for you whatever I forget the wording can you come in like two weeks I'm finding that out that they hired you after the season had started yeah you guys had done three shows and then they were like come watch uh i i literally got there on like uh friday i came i watched lance armstrong's show and then comedian comedies lance armstrong but i remember being like what because to watch a show from the floor yeah no matter what is intense but knowing that i was starting on monday and nobody no no one knew because nobody told anyone No, because SNL is notoriously not good at onboarding.

28:15Kristen Wiig:No, no. They're not good at onboarding. And then I just showed up on Monday, but yeah. But I do remember going to the party and going outside and calling my friend and like sobbing. Because I was like, what? I was so overwhelmed. I didn't like know anybody. And I'm like in, I was like in New York. You know what I mean? I didn't, I didn't know the city. and I was so scared. Yeah. Because I knew no matter what, I was going to be on and I just didn't know what, like how do you get there? Yeah. From never even being on the floor to like eight days later or whatever, like being on the show.

28:54Bill Hader:I mean, the only thing I can compare it to, and I know it sounds kind of cheesy, but it feels like it is like an emergency room where someone's like, you're going to have to save people's lives. Just watch what we're doing now. Like that was how it felt. You were like, and again, it's not saving people's lives, what we did, but like, it's like this really well run emergency room where everyone knows what they're doing and they have a part and you're just like in everyone's way.

29:16Kristen Wiig:Do you need a scalpel? No. Totally.

29:20Bill Hader:And they're like, you have to know how to do this. Like no one's going to teach you.

29:24Kristen Wiig:Yeah. Or like, you know, we have a meeting in 10 minutes. It's like, no,

29:28Bill Hader:no one told me. Did that happen when you were there? Oh my God. I mean I started at 9-11 so they were that was your first show that's right when when when cut to commercial when Rudy Giuliani yeah you can go to this cam and just cut to commercial um yeah when Rudy Giuliani said like why be funny and Lauren Lauren said can we be funny and Rudy Giuliani said why start now and the first responders were on stage that was my first show and it was like, and everyone was like, I think comedy's over. And, and, you know, and I remember thinking, well, maybe like hang in there for six more months. So I can just tell my parents that I did the show.

30:11Bill Hader:Yeah, that was, and that was, and talk about no, no, not, not, no one told you where the meeting was, but people were like fleeing the building because there was anthrax in it. So, um, there was anthrax sent to 30 Rock and like two or three weeks in people were, running out of the building. And I was like, where's everyone going? And they're like, we're leaving because there's anthrax in the building. I was like, so we should go, we should leave then. I don't want to get in trouble. Um, so yeah, so you and I both had, it's so, there was no, you know, there was obviously Shoemaker being one of them, like great producers who took us aside and said like, make sure you do this, whatever.

30:50Bill Hader:But it was, you were really thrown to the wolves, which I guess is kind of like how the show is.

30:54Kristen Wiig:And I think that's why it's great. Yeah, I know.

30:58Bill Hader:But, but wig from the minute you started and I did watch your audition and it's so good. And it's, it's every single character. Oh, I think every single character in your audition ends up being a fully realized character on the show, which is amazing. I don't, that can't be true. I think it's true. And you're so like, you arrive at that show, in my opinion, ready and confident to try what is the job, which is like to try your dumb ideas. Do you think it was the, it was, it was Groundlings that got you ready for that? Like, do you think that's what?

31:31Kristen Wiig:I think Groundlings helped me realize what I do and my voice, like as a writer and as a performer. So I was kind of like, I'm going to do that. And if that doesn't work, then I know I'm not going to like work here. So I remember that first, like Tuesday, no, Wednesday, um, read through. Yeah. Oh my God. Um, I was like, if they don't get it. Like this, this is where I know if like, it doesn't translate beyond that theater on Melrose and that like, I'm in a different place.

32:04Bill Hader:Do you know what I mean? Yes. But that's, that's, you know, okay. So we do this thing on the show where we talk to, we talk well behind people's backs. We talked to Bill Hader today and your brother and, um, and, and Hader and I were talking about you and how great you are. And we were saying that there's this feeling that we always got from you, which is exactly that, which is like, you were putting up stuff that made you laugh and you were like, well, this is what I enjoy. It was, you know, there wasn't that feeling of like, let me try to get something that might get on, or let me try to get something that might please the host or whatever.

32:39Bill Hader:It was always like your confidence in your idea. And his question for you is the one that like, I feel like I'm asking right now, which is like, when, how did you get the confidence in your own ideas where did it come from I it's weird because I don't see it as

32:57Kristen Wiig:confidence um I think I just kind of I don't know I'm just talking I've never really answered this but I think I kind of wanted to know where I was in the world as far as like my uh point of view and like the more I would put up that I thought was funny the more I could kind of like hone what what kind of works and what doesn't does that make sense yeah but I do remember Forte telling me once in his office me saying something like I don't know if Lorne would like this or and he was like don't do that he's like never write for if you think someone else is gonna think this is funny he's like right if like you think it's funny and I like I always carried

33:47Bill Hader:that with me um I mean you and Will Forte share that you guys both share that feeling of like when it comes from either one of you there's no doubt that the two of you have been laughing

33:59Kristen Wiig:about it and like it like you find it the funniest just die a slow death but I love those times too Yes, same. Writing those, I remember you and I wrote something that to this day, like James and I quote, when we were like performers in like a cafe. Oh, and it died a terrible day. It died. And I remember we were like describing the way someone looked as a pencil because they had a yellow outfit on and like a pink hat or something. We just said they look like a pencil. I don't know. Well, it didn't work here either. maybe the way James, but there was something about it that when you're doing it and you know that little moment where like, this is the little hook where the audience laughs.

34:49Kristen Wiig:And when they don't, and you have like four more minutes. Oh, I know it's exquisite though. It's like a sweat

34:55Bill Hader:that if you get through the fever of it, then you feel like you, your immune system is like

35:01Kristen Wiig:yeah stronger also you were seeing your heroes i'm sorry for me you included everyone's doing their best and everyone has stuff sometimes it doesn't work yeah and you're like oh okay this happens to everybody yeah but the cool thing about it is when you show up and there's like 50 sketches to read the people people think that they're gonna work and you just never know i know

35:26Bill Hader:It's so weird. So much of your stuff worked. Like, crushed. I don't know about that. I mean, it's like, okay, well, you've talked about this, and I've heard you talk about it, and it really made me laugh. For the first sketch you were in at SNL was when you, right?

35:44Kristen Wiig:Yeah. Were pregnant in the butt. My character was pregnant. Your character. But it's funny because back it up even to, like, my first pitch. because that was J.B. Smoove. Right. The great writer and performer J.B. Smoove. The great everything with the best pitcher. Incredible. And he pitched this thing where you were pregnant in the butt and everyone was laughing and I didn't know that like he just does like funny pitches. Right. And he wrote it.

36:11Bill Hader:I think.

36:12Kristen Wiig:And it got on. And he often,

36:13Bill Hader:he often, J.B., I think you often pitch stuff that maybe you weren't going to write. Yes. You know what I mean? I always pitch stuff I wasn't going to write. Saying that was kind of the thing on Monday night you would be like, um, and you just kind of bullshit your way to get a laugh. And then you'd be like, okay, now I really have to buckle down. But I think because the response was so funny, JB was like, I gotta write this.

36:31Kristen Wiig:That's the other thing. And you're like, I wasn't really going to write that thing. Yeah. It was my very first sketch. Jason Lee. Jason Lee was those. Foo Fighters. Yes. Foo Fighters. Foo Fighters. I did say that. Foo Fighters.

36:48Bill Hader:I'm so happy that was my first sketch. That was your first sketch. And do you remember the first, like, I mean, the first character, you have so many, but do you remember the first one that was a recurring that you thought, was it Target Lady? Like, where you felt like, oh, I'm going to get to do this again. Like, I have some kind of.

37:04Kristen Wiig:I don't know.

37:05Bill Hader:I know. It might have, was it A-Holes with Sudeikis?

37:08Kristen Wiig:It was either A-Holes or Target Lady. Yeah.

37:11Bill Hader:I mean, for people who don't remember, you know, Kristen has done so many characters. I mean, we could talk about them all day. but there was a there was target lady who was of course very very excited about things getting improved yes and had an incredible haircut great wigs um incredible wig and then another great wig and another character was a-holes which is sudeikis jason sudeikis and you and you guys were kind of like just like the worst people to show up anywhere yeah yeah yeah and you did a great move where you would play with your hair and chew gum. Real simple. So there you are. You're at SNL crushing it.

37:50Bill Hader:Bridesmaids comes out. Bridesmaids comes out while you're on the show. Yes. I don't think people understand that. I mean, I don't think I did either. The timeline of that, you were still on the show when the gigantic, incredible explosion that is Bridesmaids happens and you're still, and you know, a lot of people have to kind of launch and then figure out their way after they leave the show. You're kind of having this moment while you're still having a full-time job on the show. What was that like? Was it hard to balance like going back and forth or shooting or press or any of that stuff? Or do you remember it being kind of smooth?

38:26Kristen Wiig:I don't really think I knew how well it was doing until like later. Yeah. Until I was off the show.

38:32Bill Hader:Yeah. You had some more perspective on it? I think so. And you and Annie Mamalo who wrote it together, like, did you guys get to have a moment where you said, looked at each other and said like, holy shit.

38:43Kristen Wiig:Later. Cause I remember after opening weekend, they were like, well, we tried. And we were like, sorry. Really? Why? Cause you know, opening weekend was always the thing and it was a comedy and it didn't make a certain thing. And we were like, oh, well, okay. We just thought like, that was it. Wow. And then I think just more and more people kept seeing it. And then it was a grower. It kind of happened later. Yeah, it was a grower.

39:11Bill Hader:Wow. That's so cool. I mean, it's still, we're talking about stuff from 20 years ago, but it still remains a lot of people's favorite comedy. And it's still a speck for what it looks like to have like a bunch of women in a film together, writing their own material. Like what a hard, well done, mostly female comedy. Like, it's still such a superior piece of work. Thank you. Wig. Thank you, Amy. You're welcome. No question. I got to commercial.

39:43Kristen Wiig:I got to commercial.

39:53Bill Hader:There's so many funny characters that I want to talk about, but I won't embarrass you by going through them. But I've said this to you before. My favorite character is the surprise lady. thanks that's one of my favorites i love her i i love her for a million reasons i love her because the the the way you play her is so funny i love her wig fantastic wig oh always in a turtleneck always well she had died in it she had died in it that's right that's right did you did you write that was in the script that we like that we pulled it over yes and when i when i say that

40:31Kristen Wiig:That was one of my favorites. That comes from doing it. Yeah. Like I, I like being, I like being in a sketch where there's a lot of people and there are moments where everyone is looking around. Like what is going on? I love that moment. Yes. I love a cut to Kenan. Just like, we got to get out of here.

40:53Bill Hader:Like this lady is nuts. We got to get out of here. It's my favorite thing. That actually would be a really good way to sum up a lot of your characters. Oh yeah.

41:00Kristen Wiig:Most of my sketches, if you go back and look, I'm like, no, you've got to cut to people being weirded out by me to remind the audience that.

41:08Bill Hader:But why I love the surprise lady so much is because there's a lot of wig in it, I think, because she is nervous, but excited. And she loves a party. And she cannot wait to deliver that good news. She can't wait. and the physicality of her and the way so funny god i just watch clips of it all the time i love it so much it's so funny and stupid funny and stupid yes which is the best we know is the highest praise in comedy agree like the the more people go oh oh that's so that's so dumb and you're like, yay, I did it. Okay. Speaking of like hilarious, funny and physical, can you just talk for a minute about what it's like to work with Carol Burnett on your season is coming out.

42:05Bill Hader:Season two is coming out in November. Okay.

42:07Kristen Wiig:Yes.

42:07Bill Hader:Palm Royale.

42:08Kristen Wiig:Um, so many things I could say about Carol. When I met her, I just fully cried and I was not expecting it. And I don't, that is never, except for when my kids were born and I saw them and I cried. I can't remember a time when I just, I didn't think I was going to cry. And then they just, it just like burst out of my eyes. I wasn't expecting it. I, I watched her as a kid. There's, uh, she's, as you know, she's just the greatest person. She was very important to us. Yes. So important to us and the fact that she just did it as a woman yeah during that time and so many

42:51Bill Hader:people said no it makes perfect sense that you guys are working together because you definitely have I mean you have that thing that she has um which is you're able to enter a scene and just dominate in that way in a hilarious joyful and confident way but you also like tiny small and Congraded. Thanks, too. I think you have a lot of other interests. Yes, I do. Like, I actually think, like, for people who don't know, you're an artist. You love to, and you're a musician. What's your relationship to music and singing and making music?

43:28Kristen Wiig:Well, music is definitely the thing that I need to create anything else. Like, if I'm going to draw, I have to have music on. Or if I'm writing something, it's always to like music that I am picturing will be in this part of the thing. I think it like opens up that part of my brain that allows me to go in and be like, what do you really think? Because if I just sit there, I think like, oh, what will they think? Does that make sense? Yeah, for sure. And then, I mean, I've always sang, like I sang in like, you know, the choir when I was a kid. have you ever thought about wanting to sing sing sing yeah like i mean you do sing sing but like

44:11Bill Hader:but i would love to do like a help like i know do a record record i would love to do that you should you should i don't even know how to like get started just this just you just can you weigh in on the comments on this guys how does christine get started how do you get into the music business it also feels like you could do you could dip your toe into some version of it where it didn't have to feel so like yeah like like a thing yeah like you could join someone's band whose band should you join again weigh in if you've got a band

44:51Kristen Wiig:just take them in a new direction just quieter it's just a little bit quieter Just calling them up. Be like, guys, I know you have your thing. And your thing works great. You've been doing them a long time. And we think, what if you just.

45:05Bill Hader:And your fans would love to sit down. And I've got the music for it. Your fans would love to put their arms down. Do you still go to rock shows anymore? Because when we were young and out and about, we did it up. We did it up.

45:19Kristen Wiig:That's why those, honestly, the best years of my life. Like being in New York and on. And being young and. We did it up. and now i do not do it no don't do it the thought of going to a concert the thought of

45:33Bill Hader:getting ready to go out at 11 o 'clock which is what i used to do oh my god never can you imagine

45:40Kristen Wiig:i go out to dinner with my friends at six o 'clock okay let's talk about sleep p.m because i want to

45:46Bill Hader:be home love to eat dinner at 6 p.m me too what's your ideal bedtime well you mean sleep or get in the bed. Great question. Because those are different from ours. I would say, what is your ideal time to be in bed? When do you try to get in bed?

46:04Kristen Wiig:Like 8.30, 9 o 'clock. Love it. Asleep by 10.30. Yeah. Because I do like waking up early. Yes. When everyone else is asleep so I can have my little quiet time. Yeah.

46:17Bill Hader:Because you have little ones and you have to kind of get ready for that because morning is intense. Morning's tough. Yeah. Now that I have teenagers, it's really funny. Now like my mornings are, I have five hours before us people wake up. I'm like,

46:30Kristen Wiig:it's 1030. You have to get up. Yeah. But don't they say it's like a brain thing? Yeah. You're supposed to let them sleep. Like a teenager wrote that. I was like, mom, here, I heard it was a brain thing article i'm supposed to sleep the scientist said

46:48Bill Hader:um okay we're gonna get to gabby's dollhouse which just came out okay so cute is it fun to play a villain you've played i know that character looks so funny and fun well my kids love gabby's

47:01Kristen Wiig:dollhouse okay and so i knew that this was gonna be this was gonna go a long way for me at home

47:07Bill Hader:Yeah.

47:08Kristen Wiig:And then the script happened to be really cute. And Ryan Crago, the director's dream. Awesome. Yeah. And it was just really fun. And we had the premiere on Saturday and I got like a little emotional watching it because it's so positive. it is so it's got such a great message and you know when you're in a theater just with other people having the same experience and like you're just completely blocked out from what's going on in the world there was just something so like oh this is going to go out in the world and it's like really nice yeah I feel

47:48Bill Hader:you man it's like the world is rough right now and it's like anything that's like some kind of like funny or peaceful or I guess just like anything that just can like take you away.

47:59Kristen Wiig:I can't do anything dark right now.

48:00Bill Hader:No, no, I can't. It's already, everything is already so dark. I mean, that's why I ask my guests this and I'll ask you this is like, what, what's making you laugh? Like I'm asking people all the time, like, what do you, what do you watch on? We got a fly. We got a fly. Oh, we got a fly. Let's get it. I was told there'd be no flies in here.

48:23Kristen Wiig:I have a sweet before I got here.

48:24Bill Hader:I have a fake, I have fake, I have fake bread that has a quarter in it let's see we can catch the fly why is there a quarter i don't know i think

48:32Kristen Wiig:because you need to have something in there right yeah it's a fake roll bad for the and then it's

48:36Bill Hader:ceramic and yeah and there's there's change in it do you have that thing sometimes where you feel bad for inanimate objects yes so do i have you seen julio torres's stuff um uh he does a bunch of stuff about with inanimate objects he's a stand-up he's hilarious that's like a thing and it is a very um where I look at things and I feel like oh he's lonely yes yeah I do that happens to me yeah how does it manifest for you how do you see it I remember so specifically

49:05Kristen Wiig:I was in the bathroom and you know how you have like um it's like a pill thing and maybe it's like I don't know if it was like allergy pills and you pop them through and there's like two right and I needed two but there was one left over and so I grabbed that one and then one from the other one and my dad was like why didn't you just get two from this one I was like well that one's been by itself for so long and I feel like he thought that was cute but I wonder if he was like oh no yes I remember thinking well clearly I wouldn't just these two have been together the whole time this one's been by itself now I sound crazy no I completely relate but I do like when you're a kid stuffed animals you have to make sure that they can breathe

49:49Bill Hader:why are you laughing? yes and I often rotate because I think well you've had a good view for a while and this one has been back I feel bad when I'm like this one has been behind the other one or in a door and I'm like that one has been in the dark for too long yes I totally do that and same with just random objects and I wonder if there is some kind of like what's the we're anthropomorphizing things we're making them feel like they're human but there must be some kind of connection to like our or maybe we don't want to be left alone cut to commercial cut to commercial cut to a slow commercial is that lip gloss cut to cut to a

50:34Kristen Wiig:sad lip gloss commercial do you know how much money a makeup that would be so smart would be smart Just having people put their makeup on, but everyone's sad. And they're crying. Because people will be like, did you see that commercial? You're right. That's a great idea. Because everyone's so happy, like, putting on their makeup. What if people are just bummed out? You're so right. If they're bummed and tears are coming down and they would be like, I remember that. I'm buying that.

50:59Bill Hader:Or they come home after a long night and they're like, they throw up and then they put their makeup back on.

51:03Kristen Wiig:Yes, and then they put it back on. You're so right. Yeah. Clinique.

51:12Bill Hader:um so what are you listening to watching do you watch comedy and no i know it's hard right i can't do it it's hard i have a hard time watching it's not hard but as a kid i think

51:26Kristen Wiig:what made me fall in love with tv and film is that i would get completely lost in it now i'm like oh they shot this at night did they eat before like is this the beginning of the night shoot you know what i mean hair is different oh his hair is different they shot this out of order

51:45Bill Hader:i noticed that stuff and it drives me insane me too and my kids sometimes you know i'll be like this isn't in canada they'll be like mom i'm like it's not canada i totally noticed that too the

51:57Kristen Wiig:trees and they're just like mom stop i totally do that too okay so i i do watch reality oh and i What kind are we at? I'm not ashamed. You shouldn't be. Oh, I'm a Bravo gal for sure. Okay. Who are you?

52:11Bill Hader:Every, all. Have you done Andy Cohen and talked about Watch Your Life? Have you done that and talked about the hospice? Who are your faves? Who do you love? So many.

52:23Kristen Wiig:I mean, it depends. Like, different cities have different. I'm about to. Salt Lake just started. A new season? Yes, a new season of Salt Lake, which is one of my favorite cities. Okay. Do we have Salt Lake? Do we have a lady? We got a mm-hmm back then. Jenna just said mm-hmm.

52:38Bill Hader:What makes Salt Lake so good for people like myself that don't know?

52:41Kristen Wiig:It's just bonkers. Great. Everything that makes the fashion, the ladies, they're just, I love it so much. I have noticed like at night it probably isn't the best thing to watch before I go to sleep. Because it gives you nightmares? Just because of the yelling and the brightness. Yeah. Like all the things you're not supposed to have before you go to sleep. Right. The yelling and the brain. But I love watching non-acting. Yes. It helps my brain not. It helps me turn it off a little bit.

53:21Bill Hader:Now, I get a little embarrassed for people and stressed for them.

53:25Kristen Wiig:Watching what? Reality. Oh, reality. Yes.

53:28Bill Hader:Oh, yes. But what is it about watching non-acting that like relaxes you? because I've heard that quite a bit from people who watch it. It's like, it's weirdly relaxing, even though there's like conflict and all that stuff. Can you, do you know why?

53:44Kristen Wiig:Well, I think with acting, you're watching someone who has looked at a scene, studied a scene, they're doing the scene, they've edited it. It's the best version. There's effort there. There's so many people working on it. And then with reality, it's just like, this just happened. These two people are talking and this lady said that thing. And oh my God. and I just I don't know I like just being out in the world and seeing these people yes walk around and just their parties and their outfit there's so many parties I love these women so much they

54:19Bill Hader:are my family can we watch a clip from Salt Lake that you would if you were to if I've never I've never watched Salt Lake oh oh my god I know this is hard but what would be one I guess maybe what

54:30Kristen Wiig:What about when the van, when Jen Shaw gets... I would say Jen Shaw... Yes. Sprinter van. Sprinter van. You can't just write Sprinter van because you will get every franchise.

54:43Bill Hader:They're always in a Sprinter van going somewhere. I genuinely don't know what I'm going to see here.

54:49Kristen Wiig:Okay, should I give you some context? Please. Please. So Jen Shaw is currently, right? Did she get out? Incarcerated? She's incarcerated. Okay. She's incarcerated with Elizabeth Holmes. They're in the same. And they're buddies. One can help. One can help. They were going on a trip. And the FBI. There's so much exciting laughter. Are you laughing because this is what I'm taking my time up to talk about? No, I love it. The FBI was raiding her. I'm just looking at you, Jenna. Raiding her house. Yeah. So she like didn't show up. and it's all the girls on the van realizing what is happening. I'm not selling it as well.

55:33Kristen Wiig:You have to. So, okay, when the FBI shows up, it's this. Yeah, maybe that's it.

55:41Bill Hader:There's a couple here. But the police are looking for.

55:45Kristen Wiig:Oh, but it's when she's on. Oh, this is what it is. She's on the van. And she's like, oh, okay. She finds out. And she leaves saying that her husband's in the hospital.

55:57Bill Hader:Oh, is that the clip where she goes on a long rant about my husband's in the hospital? No, that's not Jen Show. No, no. Okay. Okay, here we go. Let's see what this is. This is incredible.

56:10Kristen Wiig:What if she's on the run? Like, get a head start.

56:15Bill Hader:Yeah, that's true.

56:17Kristen Wiig:I don't want her to tell me. I don't want her to tell me. I don't want her to tell me. I don't want her to tell me. I don't want her to tell you. I'm sure I'm looking for a good job.

56:22Bill Hader:they're all on the phone

56:32Bill Hader:okay they're all on the phone in the sprinter van all with sunglasses on no one's taking their sunglasses off

56:41Kristen Wiig:Amy this is that was one minute

56:43Bill Hader:okay of an entire episode almost I can't recommend it enough I gotta tell you when you explain it it does sound fun I mean there is something about Real Housewives which is like if you didn't get on board it's like I don't even know where to start. I can tell you what season to start with any city because there are seasons to miss. Okay okay that's good to know. I wouldn't mind that because I have heard I mean Las Culturistas, Bowen, they're obsessed and they talk a lot about Salt Lake. Yes. And I do feel like now might be the time to start if there's a new season starting.

57:14Kristen Wiig:If you have 3 ,000 hours to kill.

57:21Kristen Wiig:Now is the time. Now is the time. You know, the holidays are coming. You're going to be all smuggled.

57:28Bill Hader:But I kind of get it. It's like with the world being like, so there's so much like that. These stakes are relative. I mean, she did go to jail.

57:36Kristen Wiig:She did.

57:37Bill Hader:She went to jail. And not one person took their sunglasses off the whole time. No, Amy, they can't.

57:47Bill Hader:amazing amazing oh my god all right i love you wig i'm so grateful you came and did this i hope you had a good time i had the best time is it over is there anything i've i asked you about hater is there anything else we need to ask thank and thank you to bill for doing this that was really sweet bill i know love that guy i know and you guys are so good in skeleton twins by the way I mean, so many, you've done so many great things. Like, but the, the, the way in which you naturally, like, it's just very brother, sister stuff there. Totally. It's so natural there. Do you believe in past lives before we go?

58:24Bill Hader:Yes. You do? Oh my God. Yes. And do you feel like there are people in your life that you've known before?

58:28Kristen Wiig:Oh yeah.

58:29Bill Hader:Hopefully.

58:30Kristen Wiig:I think especially people in your inner circle have been there before. Yes. For sure.

58:37Bill Hader:Yes. I do too. Like you meet someone and there is something about you and Bill in that film that feels very familial.

58:44Kristen Wiig:Oh, I love that.

58:45Bill Hader:Maybe. Yeah, I wonder. I wonder. I believe in all that stuff. You do? Oh, yes. What's the most woo-woo thing you believe in? Do you believe in, um... Yes. I mean, I probably do. Do you believe in ghosts? Yes. Have you seen a ghost?

59:05Kristen Wiig:no I haven't seen one but I've felt them there have been times when I've gone into I can when I go into a place sometimes I can you can feel the energy especially if like maybe someone died

59:16Bill Hader:there do you believe in astral projection like people visiting each other in dreams yes you do yes my great aunt visited me in a dream after she died wow yes totally what was that like what was

59:29Kristen Wiig:I woke up and I sobbed and I was like 14, but I knew she was there. Wow. Yeah. Wow. I believe in all that stuff. I know.

59:40Bill Hader:What do we know? What do we know? I'm trying to be less. So much of it is like science based. Yeah. I'm trying to be more open. And it's actually a goal of mine is like to try to be like less of a detective when it comes to that stuff and just kind of like open it up into my life. I don't want any ghosts. I don't want to see any.

59:58Kristen Wiig:I don't want to have anything to do with any of those things. I love ghosts. I respect them.

1:00:03Bill Hader:I just don't want to see them. No.

1:00:04Kristen Wiig:I have had my house ghost busted, though.

1:00:10Kristen Wiig:Yes.

1:00:11Bill Hader:A professional ghost buster? Online, yes. Okay.

1:00:16Kristen Wiig:Online! I need to explain. No, my friend had her house.

1:00:20Bill Hader:Ghost busted. Ghost busted.

1:00:22Kristen Wiig:And she was telling the story. She's like, I don't know. I call her. She lives in New Mexico. I was like, that's crazy. what's her number because she told me things that had happened after post bust and i was like oh

1:00:35Bill Hader:this is interesting and we've learned from psychic mike that you will pack up if somebody tells you to pack i will get out of there yeah and i did it and i swear to god my house felt different

1:00:50Kristen Wiig:she did it online i love her though that's great i love you wait thanks for doing this so much

1:00:56Bill Hader:It meant so much to you did it. Thank you. Thank you so much, Kristen. You are awesome. You're just, it was so fun to have you here. And like, I really do count myself lucky that I got to be on the same timeline as you, let alone the same show as you. And for this Polar Plunge, you know, I didn't even know where to start to talk about the hilarious comedy that Kristen has given us over the years. So I just, I want to take this time to just remind everybody of all of the ridiculous, hilarious characters that Kristen has given to us over the years. Denise from The Lawrence Welk Show and Gilly and Penelope and who else?

1:01:40Bill Hader:God, so many. Target Lady and we talked about the lady who couldn't wait to, you know, ruin a surprise. And Judy Grimes and, oh my God. And Shanna, the like sexy lady at the office and the Hollywood dish lady who spits her water out and Mindy Grayson, the woman who can't get password. I mean, I can't stop and won't stop. But anyway, just do yourself a favor and look those all up. I mean, honestly, if you're looking for something to make you laugh, any clip from Wig anytime is going to do that. So thank you so much for coming and doing the show, Wig. Appreciate it. And thanks so much for listening and check us out again soon.

1:02:29Bill Hader:Bye. You've been listening to Good Hang. The executive producers for this show are Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss-Berman, and me, Amy Poehler. The show is produced by The Ringer and Paper Kite. For The Ringer, production by Jack Wilson, Kat Spillane, Kaya McMullen, and Alaya Zanaris. For Paper Kite, production by Sam Green, Joel Lovell, and Jenna Weiss-Berman. Original Music by Amy Miles

1:03:20Bill Hader:Now they holes in price.