Will Ferrell

29:30Yeah. But told the story of how, and I met Will. I was working at the Melrose Baking Company. And Will, I met, I was with my friend Patricia and brought Will in and said, this is Will and you said hi and like what can I get you and you said I will have a scone Molly delivering that story it like thunderous lap yes like that written down on a piece of paper is not funny but Molly delivering it I love what you said about her what did you say about her and like how her character felt like it was the beginning of a new chapter yeah I just uh I just to remember it was it was this moment when she first did Mary Catherine Gallagher it was our fourth show that we'd ever done uh for that new cast of the 95 96 season and you know very much finding our sea legs very much uh we're all pretty brand new it was eight new cast members and an entire new writing staff.

30:35Um, and so the audience is very leery and, um, and it was, it was that first moment she starts doing the character and I'm at the beginning of the sketch, but I have to run, this is during dress rehearsal. I have to run to go underneath the paint cans there, which is a section of the studio where you're underneath the bleachers there. and I'm doing a quick change for the next thing. And she starts doing Mary Catherine for the first time. And I can feel the stands shake. The audience is howling and screaming with laughter to the point where it almost, it felt emotional. It felt like, wait. A somatic thing was happening.

31:25Like there was a rumble in your stomach. One hundred percent. Yeah. And I literally, as I thought about things to talk about Molly in terms of knowing, I thought, oh, that she kind of saved the show in a way. It was that first thing for this new group where people were like, oh, my God, that character is very real and funny and an outsider and dark. Yeah. Yes. And super physical. And she throws herself into a stack of metal folding chairs with no visible padding on her at all. Like, it was like punk rock version of Lucille Ball. Yeah. And for a woman, you know, in comedy, it was like busting through the door, I think, in a way.

32:16And I just remember thinking, okay, they like, and it just created this momentum from that point on. Mm-hmm. You know, if anything, the show is, like, so cyclical. We've learned that, like, it's been said a million times, like, when somebody leaves the show, it'll never be the same. It's been on for 50 years. It's like, this cast is better than that cast or whatever. And I—you guys got bad reviews. Yeah. The show was, like, Saturday Night Dead. Yeah. Do you remember any of the bad reviews? I think Sherry was the only one who got good reviews. Sherry got a good— Yeah. Do you remember— Sherry had a great first show.

32:51Sherry was, I mean, Sherry was an amazing performer as well. Yeah, I was, my first show, I mean, I got, you know, it was, once again, I think it's part of another piece that informed the way I approach all of this. Because it was, it was like, good news and bad news. You're one of the only cast members mentioned by name, Will. Oh, that's pretty, it's got to be good. Here's the bad news. Most annoying newcomer right out of the gate from the first show. You don't have to say their name, but do you remember the writer's name? No. Okay. That's where you and I are different because I would like. No, I don't remember that, but I remember it was one of those, one of those entertainment magazines that doesn't exist anymore.

33:40Yeah. It was like Entertainment Weekly, but not entertainment. Maybe it was Entertainment Magazine. Remember that used to be. Or like Premiere or like something like that. Yes, it was something like that. And they were like. They were coming for you. They were really not happy. And so as we all know, we've all been hit with these moments where you're thinking, what do I, okay, do I just sit and wallow in this? And I don't know what it is about my DNA, but I just started cracking up going, you asked for it, buddy. Yeah. So then I just, back to sports, I just made it, I literally taped it to my wall.

34:16Yes. Most annoying newcomer. But this is what a captain does. And then the only thing I know how to do is I'm like, I'm just going to lean into it even more. Like if you think I'm annoying now, just wait. I'm going to push that overhead projector across your face, you know. Right. And so it just kind of fired me up. Yes. But there was no part of me that was like, what am I doing wrong? Oh, I better change things up. I don't have that move. People have very, very strong opinions about comedy. Same with music. They're very similar, which is like, I love that song. I hate that song. I love that singer.

34:54I hate their voice. Like everyone feels really like they own their feelings about things. I'm just envisioning you really pouring over and circling someone's name. There is a couple reviews. I got two reviews that I, like, I think, like, I whisper their names into my pillow every night, like Aria Stark. Like, I think about these two people, and I'm just like, someday we're going to see each other again. There used to be a writer for the L.A. Times. Kay Farrell would remember her name. Oh, Kay's got it written down. Will's mom. She had it so out for me that I saw, I opened up the LA Times to see a review of 40-Year-Old Virgin.

35:46Sure. And I remember on Hager, man, Correll talking about that premise. And we're all going, buddy, that is hilarious. He's like, yeah, I may, you know, try to see if I can get this going. Anyway, I see this. I'm like, oh, I want to see what they think of Steve. The first two paragraphs are how this woman hates me. Hates. There's no one. Yes. Goes off on Will Ferrell. Two solid paragraphs. Oh, delicious. Of how there's no one worse than him. He is unfunny. There's no, there's nothing redeemable about anything he does. that was that's the top of the article that's why when i watched steve carell i was so pleasantly surprised it's like what do i have to do with you're not even i guess because he was an anchor mate or oh sure she was like transitive theory the kind of guy that i laugh fat not this stupidity i it was like a hot it was like opening like it was like being in las vegas in your air conditioning room and you open up to a blast furnace of 110 degree heat it's like that serves you for going looking for going don't even read other people's movie reviews because they'll get you i mean but it wanted me to get i don't i know what it feeds you i wanted to wear a t-shirt of her name and just be photographed walking around town yeah i love that that is this that is that i think something that you and i share which is just like if there's a little bit of a tingle of like it must be the challenger in us but like some kind of like where it's like because it's kind of it's this thrilling thing where you realize like i'm gonna survive this i can't explain it other than like yeah the worst has happened somebody doesn't like me and somebody And it's like going to be like, I don't know, there's something there's I there's a mischievous quality about it.

37:53That's fun. Yeah. And it's you don't you just can't internalize it. Like, what are you going to do? It's like our most favorite review of Step Brothers was Roger Ebert, who said this is the end of Western civilization. And he went as far as to say, do not buy this on DVD when it comes out. Do not support movies like this because it will make other people think they should make movies similar to this. So please. It was like a call to action. Yeah. Incredible. Oh, God. You and McKay. Oh, that is so delicious. Only because we'd gotten enough filled up on the love side that we could handle the hate.

38:39Yeah.

38:47when you speak about molly saving the show i felt the same way about you in 2001 like i felt like we were i i was starting yeah you know we joked about it earlier but i was starting in a time when it was like new york was hurting comedy was over people were like we can't joke anymore we can't do yeah it was post your book like you had done bush we couldn't do any jokes You know, poor Forte had to play Bush during those years and it was like, what do we do? No one could kid about anything other than maybe pop culture. And even that everyone was like, not now. We're too sad. And so. Understandable.

39:24I remember when you came out in patriotic underwear. Speedo? Speedo underwear. Dolphin shorts. Dolphin running shorts. Okay. Tight shorts. Pulled way up. And you had just. For air, not for dress. dress, I kept them low. Live show. Don't peek at dress. As Tracy Morgan likes to say. Don't peek at dress. You hiked them for air. I also remember that you would just run, because you're a runner. You would just run a half marathon or something. The New York marathon. You also were very chafed. Yes. I forgot that part. You were like, I'm very chafed. Super chafed. And you did a guy who was trying to be patriotic at his office.

40:13And same thing, Will. I remember the audience laughing and being like, oh, we're going to be okay. Okay, comedy is going to be okay. The show is going to survive. I'm going to still have a job. I forgot about the chafing. You were chafed from running. Okay, I want to talk about some stuff that you've done. I'm so bad at transitions. By the way. Did you see how clunky that was? That was rough. I was like thank god I said okay stop okay stop but you know what I think that is a great transition it's super clear I said okay stop okay stop okay I want to talk about something else turn this page I'm gonna turn my page you know what I thought about Amy let me I'm gonna help muddle this transition too please I was thinking about your time and how then you became such a star yourself.

41:09But I'm not trying to kiss butt. This is a scientific analysis. Okay. But then you and Tina go on to do Update and to bring that like so far forward. But I was saying, God, Amy had to run around and do sketches and then do Update. Yeah. Yeah. You know what? It felt, it was so, um, I stayed very loose because I was always, you know, like nothing worse than having one line. Yep. Nothing worse. You didn't have to think about up because you're like. Totally. I would just be. Oh, here comes this fun. This is fun break right here. Totally. Wow. Okay. And I wasn't as stressed about getting sketches on because I knew I always knew I had update.

41:53And so I felt like very, very like getting eventually to the looseness that I wanted. Maya and I talk about it. Like we, we wanted like senioritis. That feeling of like half in, half out, like this is a dumb thing. This is a fun thing. But it's so hard to get there. And then you go, you leave SNL and then we'll, you have the biggest string of comedy hits. Like hit after hit, like Suitlander, like Elf, Old School, Anchorman, Step Brothers, Talladega. And it's like, like, first of all, I can't even, I should have done the research. Yeah. Like how, how many years did you, like, it seems like that was all done in like 10 or 15 years a movie a year at least right so many hits some pauses in between sure yeah but just you are you are the for so many people especially millennials i would say and maybe some gen x you are the face of their like five favorite comedy movies and you've been in some good movies and we know that's hard movies are hard good movies are hard good comedies are hard way harder than Than a drama, which is easy.

43:02Yeah. Dramas are easy. What are you going to do? I'm looking at all five cameras. Like drama. So easy. Is there one up here? Like you yell, they cry, like whatever. But I want to ask you about the ending. By the way, I don't know what your question is and I don't know how to answer. I don't know. Yeah. I don't know. It's such a run. Because. Such a run. I leave the show with no job no job the only thing Zoolander maybe had already come out oh right it'd come out while you were there that's right and if you recall that came out during came out 2001 yep tough time for comedy and didn't find its audience till much later yeah yeah um I had been in that last year, second, I'd filmed, no, that last year I was leaving because I was filming old school.

44:04Old school. That's right. You were going back and forth. So old school, but old school had been held onto, which is not usually a positive endorsement from the studio. They're like, they're like, this is great. Hold on. This is so good. Don't let anyone see it. Let's keep it on the back burner. It's too good. no it went from like a november release to like february of the next year and the only other thing that was big time development was elf i mean elf is such a good so we didn't even know we didn't even know and then yeah well let's talk about that for one second. Okay. It is the, I mean, it is a lot of people's comfort movie.

44:51It is definitely their favorite Christmas movie. It's so fucking funny. It's, it holds up so well. Yeah, thank you. Directed by Jon Favreau, who was like a Chicago improv guy that, you know, I came up with and it's so, what do you think? And it was interesting because Jon really wanted to make sure it had a timeless feel to it and John really wanted to and was 100 % right but I'm coming off of SNL I'm no I'm known yes there was like the cheerleaders and sketches like that but I'm also known for a PG-13 pushing our brand of humor uh and I'm sitting in my trailer in my elf tights looking in the mirror going what have you done i'm dressed as buddy and i mean this is early movie deals i'm in the double i'm in the double i was gonna say a picture you're really crowding this i'm in the space heater that's still built into the wall and it's we shoot the new york stuff first so i don't even know if i know who this character is yet.

46:07I'm walking around in yellow tights and oh my God. This could be it. This could be it. This could be like, what? That guy was so funny. And then he made this movie. We played a giant elf. Oh, poor. Oh, that's why, that's why it's so embarrassing. It's like, it could be like, he's a genius, classic Christmas movie forever. Or the tights were the thing that killed his guy. But I remember going, this is either going to be a home run or it's going to be a complete strikeout. Yeah. It's a very good example, too, of what you do so well, which is like the big and little of it all. Like you play big, but you're little or you're like you've got no power, but you're cockier than you should be.

46:50Like playing around with status, which you do in all your movies. Like Anchorman is a perfect example of that, like one of many things you made with McKay, which is just like this deeply stupid, hilarious person who is disconnected to the world. Right. But yet in charge. And who is why? Really, really mentally, mentally challenged. Problems. Really has a hard time with life. And it just gets worse, not better. Never changes. and all you guys did was just go for all of the funny and have the funniest people in it. Like Steve was here. We were talking about him in that movie and how he was just blown away by watching you work and being around all you guys.

47:38And like, and every single character in that movie is Koechner and Rudd are so funny. Yeah. You love playing Ron. Like you, you, you love doing him, right? What's fun about him? I still will trot. Well, we did a podcast with him, which was so fun. Just because Ron can say whatever he wants. Yeah. And he doesn't have to have the right facts. He doesn't have to. In fact, I just did Ron recently down in San Diego because Bill Curtis, longtime Chicago, who narrates the movie. Yeah. It was retiring from Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. Yeah. And I had gotten an email just asking would I send a video to congratulate Bill.

48:30And he's so proud of his connection to that movie. And he still has a standee in his house of Ron. And he's the sweetest guy. And I said, well, hold on. Where are you doing the show? He's like, well, we're doing it live. down in San Diego. I'm like, what if I come and surprise him? And so they were like, would you actually, I'm like, yeah, that I, we owe him so much. And so we surprised the audience. Oh, that's huge. It's also such a good name, Ron Burgundy. And, and also great that his suit was Burgundy. Yes. You know, costumes are so fun. You love them. I love a good costume. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

49:08You do. But Ron had other costumes too. He did. He had other suits. He didn't just have the one. It wasn't that crazy. No. But when you think about Ron, you think about him in his burgundy suit. But he had some delightful tans. I mean, he was, he was, had like a fisherman turtleneck at times. He had a baby blue, like a leisure suit. He had a gorgeous blue suit that would bring out his eyes. He was, he was a very handsome man. He was very handsome. Ron was very handsome. And then you and I did a movie. We did two movies together. We did Blades of Glory, which was so fun and you had to learn how to ice skate i had to learn or did you know a little bit i had to learn but you didn't love it if i recall i talked about it with greta lee on this pod a few weeks ago love it i didn't love it um i wasn't i i i i i think i thought you know like you sit down at the piano and you think you're gonna be able to play the piano like i thought I thought I'd be better at it.

50:06And I was like, fuck, I'm not. I remember us meeting the real, you know, performers and just being like, we're never ever going to look like we can do this. And you look, of all your movies, you look the tallest in Blades of Glory. You look so tall. Do you ice skate still? No. No. I need to. Yeah. I'm too nervous now. I let it. I let it. I have the skates. Yeah. Packed away somewhere. They were custom made skates. Yeah. You insisted on it. I have my costume. You do? Framed. You do? Yeah. But Viv. Will's wife. Yeah, sorry. It's hanging in the garage. You won't let it come into the house. She's like, I don't want it.

50:49I don't need it. I don't need it in the house. I don't not like it, but it's going to hang in the garage. And then we did The House together. Yes. Which was so fun to do with you. It was a dream come true to make a movie with you. Did not really resonate. Did not resonate at all. But yet, I still argue that movie's funny. My kids often tell me that that, like, they're like, Mom, that was 7 % on Rotten Tomatoes. Oh, I didn't realize it was that. And I was like, no way, 7%. Have they seen it? It's gone up. I just want you to know. Okay. I just checked today. 14? Did it double? It's 20%. Triple. We did it.

51:35We did it. But that was a really fun movie. It was a fun premise and a fun movie. How did that? Come on. I don't know, but I'm sorry. I feel like I flopped you. You spoke about Vivica. Vivica, your wife of now 25 years, probably? 25 going on 26. Damn. Such a formidable, cool, smart, interesting person. Such a perfect match for you, Will. Oh, yeah. And Swedish. Swedish. And that's what we have in common. My brother lives in Sweden. What are the stereotypes of Swedish people that are correct? I think the stereotype that Swedes aren't funny is not true. Agree. They are very sly, dry sense of humor.

52:20Yes. And as you know very well, and your brother knows, can also be, though, unintentionally direct. Yeah. Very direct. I think intentionally. Intentionally. Yeah. But they don't. But it's just a matter of fact. No, I'm just telling you. No, you look, you've got fats. Yeah. No, you were skinny and now you're fat. Someone is very tired. You look tired. Well, I don't think he would do well because he's ugly. What? He's ugly. or the polite version like it's they are a little bit ugly they're a little you're right that's the polite he's a little bit ugly my best story we this was when we were first taking trips there i didn't have an i didn't have a lot of swedish under my belt but i had i had some nouns you know and we were on one of these little tour but buses or it was a boat it It was a boat out to the archipelago and they had like a, you know, one of these outside decks.

53:33And I saw this group of tourists and they were looking and pointing. And then they sent a scout. You could tell they sent a scout to go check to see if it was really me. And so I say to Viv and we were with her cousin, Ava, and I was like, let's start. We should start speaking Swedish. I want to see. And so they started speaking and I just started going, ja, ja, uh-huh, ja, oh, shikling, which is just chicken. Ja, oh, skur, which is shoes. I'm just saying nouns. I'm just like, ja, shikling, yeah, chicken, yeah, shoes, yeah, hat, hmm, oh, bra, which is good. And I just would say these words. And he did this lap.

54:30And it was kind of, it was really fantastic bad movie acting. Did this lap where he did a slow look at me. And then he looked away. Then he looked back at the group and he just went. Not him. Not him. So I was like. So sad. So good. I mean, you could be sweet. You look Swedish, Will. Which the B side of that is Swedes listening to someone just go, chicken, shoe, shirt, good. And they'd be like, he's stupid. He's obviously stupid. They took him out for the boat ride. He's a little stupid. The other thing that's really annoying about the Swedes, and I'm sure Greg has encountered this, But the men all can either are gourmet cooks, can build a table.

55:26They're insane. Can repair the tire on your car. Yeah. Oh, the dishwasher's broken. Let us take a look. Well, the Floman valve is not working. Yes. And take it apart. Yes. Put it. Joran can fix it. They can do everything. Yes. They can do everything. They can do everything. And they're so tall and buff. and they're very, and also home a lot. Yeah. They're just like, they're pretty, yeah. And like, I sewed the button back on my shirt. I'm like, I can't sew a button. I should be able to, I'm 58. I should know how to sew a button. You would think? Yeah. Right? Yeah. But they're like, Matthias, we'll do it for you.

56:11Let us do it. Let us do it. Or if you start to do it, they're also very precise. So if you start to, oh, I'll do it. Let me do it. I don't want you to wreck it. That's okay. I'll do it. Code for it. You're going to break it. Let me do it. And then the last thing, well, last two things before we get to the Hawk. I just also, I love the film you made with Harper last year. It was such a beautiful, beautiful film, Will. Like, congrats on its success, on how it was received. Did you have people coming up to you still talking to you about it? Still to this day. What do they say when they... Just the gift that keeps on giving.

56:54Just thank you. And what a, you know, I love it. What a beautiful... But we've gotten stories that have ranged from... We watched with our trans child, and it was the first time we talked about it as a family. We, um, it, it, it's just run the gamut and, uh, and it might've been the most, once again, like surprising in the sense that we didn't know what we were going to make or have. I mean, it's a documentary. Yeah. But to have this thing where we literally got to the beach at Santa Monica and Josh yelled cut and we were like, oh my God, that was so much fun. But I don't think there's a movie there.

57:47We both said that. And then the first time we watched it, we're like, how did you do that? This is how did you build a narrative structure out of this whole thing? to then from the festivals and the press, it was, everything was just like the most fun year. Yeah. Yeah. And I love to hear that. That's awesome. The coolest thing ever. And, you know, Harper and I worked together at SNL and, you know, not only was it exactly, like, was it exactly about that, about like somebody's journey and, but it's just the journey of friendship. Like how, how do we allow people to change? How do we allow them to get more of themselves?

58:26What is so beautiful about the film is it like doesn't shy away from that middle space that allows not only Harper to talk about how she's feeling, but for you, like that middle space is kind of like treacherous. For sure. People get very afraid to stay there. They want to get on one side of the pool and they don't want to get it wrong. Right. And also same with Harper. Like Harper's like figuring out like where is she in this world, in this space? And the fact that you guys just kind of settled in there, it's such good storytelling. Because she gave permission. She was like, let's, you're going to make, ask me whatever.

59:07I'm going to make mistakes. You're going to make like, okay, okay. Are you sure? Okay. What about this? You know? And what a kind of wonderful piece about just friendship and just being an advocate for anyone who's going through anything. Totally. And that was kind of the universal takeaway as well. And you team up with Harper again on The Hawk. The Hawk, which is the name of your character, Lonnie Hawkins. Lonnie Hawkins. Lonnie the Hawk. Okay. Incredible. You have an incredible look in this show. Incredible. Always a little sunburned? Always. Got a little golf tan? Golf tan. The great Autumn Butler doing your makeup for that?

59:50Autumn Butler, craft, autumn pitch. Like, what if Lonnie, what if Lonnie had a little tan line? Like, and we carry it the whole series. Perfect. And I said, done and done. And Parnsey is in the show, right? Yes. Well, we talked to Parnell. Okay. Yeah, we did. We talked to him before this, before we started, because we always try to talk well behind someone's back and we try to get a question. And before we get to his question, let's talk about Parnell for a second. What a laser-focused performer. Yes. So funny. What was fun about working with him? And you guys have worked together on many things for a long time and shared an office at SNL.

1:00:37Yeah, Chris Parnell, comedically, yeah, he's so precise. He nails every performance, every nuance, everything. you give him a note um and he x he just executes everything in such a funny way and he's a really good actor yes really good actor and is so funny in this because he just plays wonderfully uptight yeah uh and gets so mad throughout we have him screeching at times literally screeching Jerry Collins is writing on the show too. Oh, nice. Your third roommate. And we were reminiscing how we had, we shared, the three of us shared an office at SNL. And for a good half of the season committed, I don't know if you remember this, committed to wearing short sleeve button down white shirts and dark tie.

1:01:27We dressed as NASA mission control guys. Do you remember that? Every writing Tuesday we would wear. I was ahead of my time, I think. Oh, you weren't there yet. I don't think I was there yet. That's right. Yeah. I missed the fun. It was Jerry's idea. Should we, every Tuesday night on the writing night, should we wear short-sleeved button-down shirts with black ties like we work for NASA? Yes, let's do that. Okay. But his question to you was, who were your comedy idols growing up? I loved staying up and watching The Tonight Show. And I would, if there was a comedian on, I would stay and watch the rest.

1:02:05If there wasn't, I, so I, that's where I would see Jerry Seinfeld for the first time. That's where, you know, Richard Pryor, you name it. That was, you know, before cable, that's the, that was one of the few outlets to get to see comedy. So I just kind of, and then I loved, I love those late seventies, early eighties sitcoms, like. Yes. Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, all of that stuff. I'm watching these actors be so funny, but then it felt real. And how are they doing that? Like Andy Kaufman and Taxi. So it's, I didn't have that one person that I could put on a poster in my room. Sure, yeah.

1:02:57Bob Newhart. Yeah, who you worked with in Elf. Yeah. Well, you bring up the fact that when we grew up, TV was kind of the only place like I didn't I didn't go to the theater. It was the only place to kind of find out or some like comedy records. And now, I mean, you have been like you've been on the front line of a lot of like new media, you know, you're like Funny or Die. And you like have, you know, Big Money Players, which is it's huge network of great podcasts, including Les Culturistas, which we love here. Like you, you've kind of like in our lifetime, the way people watch things and find people is so different than waiting for the one TV show at 1130 at night.

1:03:42Yeah. It's, do you, what do you get out of producing? I mean, you're always, you're always trying to encourage like young, fresh voices, new POVs. You're always doing that. What do you like? Probably the same thing that you've probably gotten out of it. Just being able to lend some currency to someone who, you know, has a fresh voice or you're just like, yeah, give them a shot. Yeah. Why not? You just, cause I think you like, I mean, it's been said about you, but you love to laugh. Like you're really, you really want to laugh. And I remember that when Jerry Seinfeld came to host SNL, he laughed so hard at every sketch.

1:04:25I was like, Jerry, do you really, you're like the most generous host I've ever seen. He's like, I just love comedy. And that was my, that was a slight Jerry Seinfeld. It was a light dusting. Yeah. If you want more, you got to pay through the paywall. Go to the paywall. Go to the Good Hang paywall and you'll hear full Seinfeld. Hair, makeup, everything. But not, you can't, you don't get this for free. It's going to blow you away. Yeah. That was just a little dash. I do regret, regret that little dash of Jerry Seinfeld. But keep it in. Keep it in. It was just a tiny. It was a tiny dash. It was so slight.

1:05:04It was so slight. Because he can't help it. Thank you. Because how do you talk about it without talking like this? But I do remember going, yeah, why? we should all laugh at each other. I mean, if we think it's funny. Yeah. We should all laugh. Or if it's not. Also, sometimes if it's not funny, it's the best thing in the world. And I'll finish with this, which is one of my favorite things ever was at SNL. We would look at sketches that bombed. And my most favorite sketch I've ever watched that bombed is your Gabe Kaplan sketch, which we've talked about. And for people under the age of 50, there was a gentleman named Gabe Kaplan on a show called Welcome Back, Cotter.

1:05:42Another 70s sitcom that I loved. And he was huge. He would be like, what would he be like now? It would be like. It was almost like equivalent of like a Larry David maybe in a way. Yeah, sure. If he was the teacher in a classroom with all these. Yep. A young John Travolta. Yes. Young John Travolta. Incredible. Anyway. Yeah. Will does a sketch where he plays a guy. When he has a very distinct look. Right. His look is like a very 70s. Very 70s. Big mustache. Curly hair. Curly hair, sideburns. And Will did a sketch that went into the SNL archives that we used to pull up, not only because, and this is going right back to the beginning, Will, because watching the captain fail makes you feel a lot better about yourself.

1:06:30But also the way in which everyone dug in deeper, the worse the sketch was going to me is like, that's true love. But Will plays a guy who, what's the premise? The premise is that I am a guy who works at an office. I think we made it an insurance company that Gabe Kaplan, the actor, is a client of. Okay. I look just like Gabe. I've cultivated. I'm such a fan of Gabe Kaplan. I've cultivated my look to look just like him. Right. And the sketch is, it's in the break room, and it's the day that Gabe Kaplan actually came into the office to sign some paperwork. And they're talking about how nice, it's John Goodman, it's Molly, it's Tim Meadows.

1:07:17John Goodman, Tim Meadows, and Molly. And they're talking about what a nice guy. He was so cool. He was so funny. I'm like, who are you guys talking about? Oh, Gabe Kaplan was here. I was like, what? Yeah. Why didn't you guys come and get me? Like, what do you mean? Like, you guys, that's the reason why I'm working at this company. And I lose it. And he starts to lose it. And there is not one laugh. I mean, there's not even a cough. No, there's the smallest laugh in the world, though, way up in the corner. You're at one point. So the audience, number one, you're screwed. They don't know who Gabe Kaplan is.

1:07:53They don't know who Gabe Kaplan is. They don't appreciate that you're dressed just like him. And they don't understand why you're mad. They don't understand why I'm mad. And I'm the whole, the thrust of the sketch is built off my tirade of why, why didn't anyone, I was in the bathroom. Why didn't anyone check the bathroom? Did you not think like, they're like, relax. We didn't think to check the bathroom. Like, why wouldn't you? And then know how much he means. I wanted to meet him. What happens is Molly and you and Tim Meadows play it like a drama. Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf or something.

1:08:26You play it like who's afraid of Virginia Woolf. And you're both and Molly's going, I'm sorry, I didn't tell you. And you're going, how could you do this to me? And it is the funniest and a lesson in commitment. But it's such a good example of how everyone is one thing away from bombing all the time. That's no matter who you are, like the bombing is so delicious. As I finish anything right now that you're like, do you watch comedy? Are you like, do you, is there anything you're watching right now that you love? No. I know.

1:09:02I ask this because I'm always looking. I was trying to search my brain. I'm always looking. I really was trying to come up with something clever. I mean, right now, I'm watching all the World Cup. Okay. I'm really into it. Okay. It's very exciting. We went to one of the games out in LA. Okay. So fun. And it was electric. I also love when, like, the best players play great. Yeah. It's like Messi is just playing so great. And Boppe. Boppe. That's just fun to say. Yeah. Mbappe. Mbappe. The M is not silent. It's not silent. No, no. You lean into it. Mbappe. Mbappe. Luxuriate in the M. Yeah. Will Ferrell, I think we did it.

1:09:44We so did it. I really do think we did it. We talked for a long time. We really did, yeah. Are these real plants? These are fake plants, fake food. Gotcha. Fake food, that's fake food. I didn't want the codependent responsibility of keeping these alive. Yeah, that's fine. The compliment is it looked real out of the side of my eye. That's the compliment. And I was like, oh, that's not real. So that's a compliment. You just want to be able to side it. Side eye. Is there any food over there that looks real? Side eye reality. That hamburger with the sesame seed buns. Okay, let's take a look at that before we go.

1:10:19The sesame seed drew my eye. So this is your typical. Take a look at that if you want to feel it. Is that a dog toy? Oh, no. It's got a good weight to it. And does it come apart? It's a, Will, is that? Nope. No, it doesn't. It's all glued together. It's a cheeseburger, like a rubber cheeseburger. Rubber cheeseburger. It looks good, right? Kind of looks appetizing. Yeah. Now be careful. Oh, I want to bite into it. Be careful. Don't do it. Will, thank you for being here. Thanks, Amy. Thanks for doing this. This is a pleasure. It's great to see you. I love spending time with you. I love that you're a power player in this space now.

1:10:55I love it. I mean, look at me. Can't you tell? Like every power player. Yep. Yep. That's what sets you apart right there. Thanks, buddy. Thanks for doing this. It was so fun. Thank you, Will Ferrell, for coming. You're the best. You're the king and the goat and the captain as far as I'm concerned. And it's so, so fun to have you here. And I could have talked about all of your comedic choices for a very long time, But I just want to end in this polar plunge by talking once again about Bobby and Marty Culp, the very religious singers who sing popular songs in their own special way. Do yourself a favor and go down memory lane and watch Anna Gasteyer and Will Ferrell play those two weirdos.

1:11:49And pay attention, please, to Will's bald cap, his outfits, and his gentleness. Because I think that people know Will as these characters that kind of yell and, you know, have these like giant bursts of energy. But Marty Culp is just, he's just very self-contained. And it's such a funny, weird performance. and one of my favorite characters among the many that Will have given us. So thank you for joining us, Will. Thank you for listening, whoever's listening. And we'll see you soon on the next one. Okay, bye. You've been listening to Good Hang. The executive producers for this show are Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss-Berman, and me, Amy Poehler.

1:12:36The 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.