Inside Comedy (2012) s02e02 Episode Script

- SO LET'S HAVE THE SARAH PALIN MOMENT.
- SURE.
- RIGHT.
- DID YOU THINK OF YOURSELF AS-- "WELL, I LOOK A LITTLE LIKE HER IN SOME WAY"? 'CAUSE YOU DON'T REALLY, BUT-- - I DON'T REALLY - NO.
- EXCEPT IN THE MOST BASIC, YOU KNOW LIKE, IF YOU HAD TO MAKE AN ICON FOR, LIKE, A RESTROOM DOOR.
- [laughs.]
- IT'S, LIKE, BROWN HAIR, AND I'VE GOT TWO EYES, UM, AND GLASSES.
I GUESS I HAD TO ACKNOWLEDGE A LITTLE BIT THAT THERE WAS A VAGUE RESEMBLANCE 'CAUSE MY-- I MEAN, MY HUSBAND SORT OF, LIKE, "YEAH, I THINK YOU DO KIND OF LOOK LIKE HER.
" BUT I THINK THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WHO LOOK - YEAH.
- MORE LIKE HER, BUT I THINK BECAUSE PEOPLE ASSOCIATE IT WITH ME, WITH SNL, AND MAYBE DID NOT EVEN PARTICULARLY NOTICE THAT I HAD LEFT - [laughs.]
RIGHT.
- OR NOTICED WHAT I DID THERE WHEN I DID, 'CAUSE I DIDN'T REALLY DO SKETCHES.
BUT IT WAS THAT KIND OF THING THAT, UH - YOU JUST DID THE UPDATES, REALLY.
- I JUST DID UPDATE, ALMOST ALWAYS JUST-- - THIS WAS THE F-- I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST SKETCH-Y THING THAT YOU DID.
- YEAH, I MEAN, OCCASIONALLY I HAD DONE A FEW THINGS HERE AND THERE, BUT THAT WAS NOT REALLY - RIGHT.
- MY STRENGTH AT ALL, UM - DID YOU ANTICIPATE THIS KIND OF RESPONSE TO IT, ANYWAY? - UH, NO, I DID NOT.
AT THE TIME, I KIND OF REALIZED, LIKE, "OH, I GUESS WE'RE GONNA TRY THIS, OKAY.
" I REALLY, UM--AND HAVING WORKED AT SNL SO LONG, YOU GET USED TO GETTING KIND OF BEAT UP.
- YES.
- PEOPLE BEING LIKE, "WELL, THAT STUNK.
I HATE--" SO I WAS READY FOR IT TO BE LIKE, "WELL, I WAS RIGHT.
IT HASN'T BEEN FUNNY SINCE THE '70s.
" I WAS READY AND THICK-SKINNED.
READY FOR PEOPLE TO HATE IT, BUT I THINK IT WAS JUST SORT OF A PERFECT STORM IN THAT SETH WAS WRITING THESE REALLY GOOD PIECES, AND PEOPLE JUST COULDN'T GET ENOUGH OF GOVERNOR PALIN.
SHE IS A FASCINATING AMERICAN.
- YES.
RIGHT.
AND IT WAS JUST SORT OF AN ICONIC COMEDY MOMENT, IN A WAY.
- IT WAS--IT WAS EXCITING TO BE A PART OF IT.
I HAVE TO ADMIT, YEAH.
- SURE.
SO, JUDD, YOU KNOW, IT'S AMAZING WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE THIS COMMUNITY, COMEDY COMMUNITY THAT YOU WORK WITH, VERY MUCH LIKE PRESTON STURGES, WHO USED THE SAME PEOPLE OVER AND OVER AGAIN - MM-HMM.
YES.
- AND ALL THAT.
WERE YOU INFLUENCED BY HIM IN SOME WAY OR ANY OTHER MOVIE DIRECTORS? - WELL, FOR ME, IN TERMS OF WORKING WITH THE SAME PEOPLE, I JUST--YOU KNOW, YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH THE COMEDIANS AND THE WRITERS AND THE DIRECTORS, AND YOU JUST THINK TO YOURSELF, "WHY WOULD I NOT WANT TO CONTINUE TO HANG OUT WITH THEM?" AND IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT, 'CAUSE IT'S LIKE, "WOW, THAT'S A NICE PERSON.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING NEXT WEEK?" AND SO I ALSO COME FROM TELEVISION WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE INTENTION IS TO TRY TO WORK WITH THE SAME PEOPLE FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AND WHEN I DID TELEVISION ON SHOWS LIKE THE BEN STILLER SHOW AND FREAKS AND GEEKS, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALWAYS CANCELED VERY QUICKLY, AND I FELT LIKE, "WASN'T THIS SUPPOSED TO LAST FOR HALF A DECADE?" AND IT WOULD LAST, LIKE, SIX MONTHS.
SO, WITH MOVIES, IT WAS A WAY TO PRETEND THAT THE TV SHOWS WEREN'T CANCELED.
- YEAH.
- SO I--YOU KNOW, I WOULD THINK, "ALL RIGHT, WELL, I'M STILL MAKING SOMETHING WITH SETH ROGEN AND JASON SEGEL AND JAMES FRANCO AND--" - YEAH.
- SO, IN MY HEAD, THESE WERE ALL JUST ELABORATE FREAKS AND GEEKS EPISODES.
- RIGHT.
YES.
- IT'S ALSO THE--THE ANGER OF BEING TOLD THAT YOUR SHOW WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH TO SURVIVE.
BY MAKING EVERYONE SUCCESSFUL, IT IS LIKE A-- IT'S A REALLY DEMENTED "FUCK YOU" TO THE PEOPLE WHO CANCELED YOU.
LIKE, "I'M SO MAD YOU CANCELED ME, "I'M GONNA SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE PROVING YOU ARE AN IDIOT.
" - IT--IT'S THE-- IT'S THE OPPOSITE OF DEMENTED.
IT'S NOT DEMENTED AT ALL.
IT'S--IT'S LOGICAL IN EVERY WAY.
- HAD YOU SEEN SECOND CITY? HOW DID YOU BECOME AWARE OF IT? - UH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I SOMEHOW BECAME AWARE OF IT BY BEING A COMEDY NERD AND BEING A FAN OF SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE - MM-HMM.
- AND SOMEHOW KNOWING THAT A LOT OF THOSE ACTORS HAD COME FROM CHICAGO, COME FROM SECOND CITY.
AND THEN ALSO I WAS AN SCTV FAN, 'CAUSE IT USED TO COME ON EVERY OTHER-- EVERY WEEK THAT IT WASN'T WRESTLING.
AFTER SNL WOULD BE SCTV - RIGHT.
- AND IT WAS ALWAYS CRUSHING DISAPPOINTMENT WHEN IT WAS, IN FACT, WRESTLING - [laughs.]
YEAH, RIGHT.
- INSTEAD OF SCTV.
- YEAH.
YEAH.
- SO I KNEW PROBABLY FROM THAT.
- SO YOU WATCHED SCTV.
- MM-HMM.
- THEY WERE AMAZING.
- YES.
- YEAH.
THE SCTV GROUP WERE IN A SHOW IN TORONTO CALLED THE DAVID STEINBERG SHOW - YES! - I PUT THEM TOGETHER.
- AND THEN THEY-- WHAT DID THEY DO? DID THEY KICK YOU OUT? [laughter.]
WE DID A YEAR.
WE DID A YEAR OF SHOWS, AND THEN WE DIDN'T GET PICKED UP.
AND THEY WERE NOW A LITTLE GROUP.
- RIGHT.
- AND--BUT ONE DAY I CAME IN AND MARTY SHORT WAS DOING ME.
- YEAH.
[laughs.]
- AND NO ONE HAD EVER DONE ME EVER, SO IT WAS-- AND PEOPLE ARE GOING NUT-- - THAT WOULD BE TERRIFYING.
- AND MY HIGH-PITCHED VOICE-- HE GOT THE TIMBRE AND ALL OF THAT.
AND HE HAD PUT ON A BLACK WIG LIKE MY HAIR.
- UH-HUH.
- AND--AND THAT-- THAT WAS THE START OF SCTV, WHERE THEY--THEY DIDN'T REALLY GET THE VOICES OF EVERYONE OR-- IT WAS THE ESSENCE, SOME LOOK OF THEM.
YES.
I PARTICIPATED IN SOMETHING THAT WAS SORT OF AMAZING ONCE WITH MARTIN SHORT.
HE DID JIMINY GLICK ON WEEKEND UPDATE ONE TIME, AND HE WANTED TO INTERVIEW LORNE AS JIMINY GLICK.
AND LORNE DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO-- BECAUSE HE WANTED TO DO IT IN FLASHBACK.
IT WAS MARTIN SHORT AS '70s JIMINY GLICK IN A BOWL CUT, WHICH WAS HILARIOUS.
- MM-HMM.
YEAH.
- AND LORNE WAS LIKE, "OH, I DON'T WANT TO DO IT.
" I THINK HE DIDN'T WANT TO GET INTO A YOUTH GETUP HIMSELF.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, NO ONE WANTS TO WEAR A COSTUME OF THEIR YOUNGER SELF.
I WOULDN'T WANT TO DO THAT.
WHAT AM I SAYING? I DO IT ALL THE TIME HERE.
AND SO AT THE LAST MINUTE, WE GRABBED WILL FORTE BECAUSE HE BEARS A RESEMBLANCE TO LORNE IN THE '70s.
- UH-HUH.
- BUT WILL FORTE IS POSSIBLY THE ONLY PERSON TO EVER WORK AT SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE WHO DOES NOT DO AN IMPRESSION OF LORNE.
AND WE KIND OF THREW HIM OUT THERE AND PRE-TAPED IT.
AND I THINK THEY ENDED UP-- WE USED, LIKE, MAYBE A MINUTE AND A HALF OF IT, BUT SOMEWHERE THERE IS, LIKE, A 19--"SOMEWHERE.
" AT MY HOUSE.
- RIGHT.
[laughter.]
- 19-MINUTE VERSION OF IT.
- REALLY? - AND MARTIN SHORT IS, LIKE-- ESPECIALLY AS JIMINY GLICK IS SO IN A ZONE OF SORTS - YES.
- AND IS SO VICIOUSLY MEAN.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE MORE HE-- I DON'T KNOW HIM VERY WELL BUT THE MORE HE KNOWS AND LOVES SOMEONE, THE MEANER-- - THE MEANER HE GETS.
THAT'S TRUE.
- AND IT WAS ALL THESE THINGS THAT HAVE TAKEN THEM-- AND WILL WAS, LIKE, STRUGGLING TO IMPROVISE AS LORNE.
ONE, HE LITERALLY HAD BEEN GIVEN, LIKE, 15 MINUTES' NOTICE.
- UH-HUH.
- SO HE DIDN'T-- HE WOULD ASK HIM QUESTIONS AS LORNE THAT WILL FORTE GENUINELY DID NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO, LIKE "WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?" HE DIDN'T KNOW.
- SO FAR, WHO'S BEEN THE STINKIEST HOST, THE HOST THAT'S JUST BORED YOU? - WELL, I LIKE TO THINK THAT EACH HOST HAS SOMETHING TO OFFER.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I COULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
- [sighs.]
- THEY'RE ALL GREAT IN THEIR OWN WAY.
- WHY ARE YOU SO BORING? [laughter.]
- WELL, I-- - I HAVE A SHOW TO DO, AND YOU ARE JUST SO BAD.
- OH.
- YOU'RE EXPECTED TO ENTERTAIN AND SAY SOMETHING.
LISTEN TO WHAT I AM SAYING, MR.
BRAND-NEW IN SHOW BUSINESS, MR.
SIX MONTH--WHO, BY THE WAY, THIS SHOW WILL NOT LAST.
THERE IS NO WAY IT WILL.
IT CAN'T, NOT WITH YOU AT THE HELM.
YOU'LL BE BACK.
YOU'LL BE SLOGGING-- KILLING BEAVERS OR WHATEVER YOU CANADIANS DO [laughter.]
SOMETIMES IN NEWFOUNDLAND.
YOU'RE JUST HITTING THEM WITH YOUR FIST.
FISTING THEM IS WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING.
AND YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED TO DO THAT TO A BEAVER.
- THAT'S YOUR OPINION.
- MOTHER! - THE BEN STILLER SHOW WAS SORT OF A GROUNDBREAKING SHOW.
I MEAN, IT WAS REAL-- TOTALLY UNIQUE AND NOT-- NOTHING LIKE IT OUT THERE, AND JUST-- - I MEAN, BEN WAS ALWAYS A FAN OF ALL THOSE ALBERT BROOKS FILMS FROM SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, AND WE WERE ALL OBSESSED WITH SECOND CITY TV.
- MM-HMM.
- AND SO THE BASIC IDEA THAT BEN WAS ALWAYS PROMOTING WAS, "WHAT IF SECOND CITY HAD MONEY? WHAT IF THEY COULD SHOOT THOSE SKETCHES ON FILM?" - OH, THAT'S GREAT.
- AND BEN WAS THE FIRST PERSON REALLY TO DO THOSE SHOT-FOR-SHOT CINEMATIC PARODIES.
- THAT'S GREAT.
RIGHT.
- AND WHEN I WAS A KID, YOU KNOW, SECOND CITY TV WOULD COME ON AFTER SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, AND IT WAS THIS WEIRD THING THAT NO ONE EVEN COULD STAY AWAKE LONG ENOUGH TO GET TO - YEAH.
- OF MY FRIENDS.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALL 12, 13, 14.
BUT IF YOU COULD MAKE IT TO 1:00 A.
M.
- [laughs.]
YEAH.
- I MEAN, IT WAS LITERALLY LIKE, YOUR EYES ARE HALF CLOSED, AND THEN SUDDENLY THERE'D BE, YOU KNOW, THEIR PARODY OF, LIKE, GEORGE CARLIN IN DEATH OF A SALESMAN.
- YES, YEAH.
- AND YOU FELT LIKE YOU WERE PART OF SOME CLUB THAT YOU FOUND THIS REALLY COOL THING THAT NO ONE KNEW ABOUT.
- THESE ARE MY SONS.
[laughs.]
YOU SEE, BIFF AND HAPPY, YOUR FATHER IS DOING ALL RIGHT.
[laughter.]
THE CLOCKS ARE SELLING LIKE DEEP-ROASTED COFFEE BEANS.
MM.
AND CORDOBA DOES MAKE A FINE WATCH-- SMOOTH LINES AND RICH CORINTHIAN LEATHER.
YES, I-I LIKE WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO MY CLOCKS.
- DAD! DAD! SNAP OUT OF IT! IT'S HIS BRAIN, BIFF.
IT'S HIS BRAIN.
THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH HIS BRAIN.
- IT'S NO WONDER, WITH ALL THE CAFFEINE IN HIS SYSTEM.
HE'S JUST NOT FEELING WELL.
- FEELING WELL! FEELING WELL.
HOW DO YOU FEEL WELL? I CAN FEEL MY ARM.
I CAN FEEL MY HAIR.
BUT HOW DO YOU FEEL WELL? [laughter.]
"HOW DO YOU FEEL?" "I FEEL WELL.
" - SHUT UP! - YOU KNOW, WE WERE VERY INSPIRED BY THAT WHEN WE DID THE BEN STILLER SHOW PILOT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE SKETCH "CAPE MUNSTER," WHICH WAS CAPE FEAR WITH THE MUNSTERS, SO WE DEFINITELY WERE HIGHLY INFLUENCED.
- SATIRICAL THINGS ARE VERY HARD TO PULL OFF, BECAUSE - YEAH.
- IN SATIRE, YOU CAN'T PRESUME THAT YOU AND THE AUDIENCE HATE THE SAME THING.
- EXACTLY.
I MEAN, ME AND BEN STILLER WOULD WRITE SKETCHES, AND SOMETIMES WHEN WE WERE PARODYING THINGS ON THE BEN STILLER SHOW, IT WOULD BE SO CLOSE TO THE THING THAT WE WERE PARODYING, WE DIDN'T KNOW IF PEOPLE ACTUALLY KNEW THAT WE WERE MAKING FUN OF IT OR WHAT THE JOKE WAS, BECAUSE IT GOT SO RIGHT ON IT.
- AND THEN THE GARRY SH-- THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW WAS ANOTHER SHOW THAT YOU WERE INVOLVED WITH WHICH WAS A LANDMARK, REMARKABLE SHOW.
- WELL, THAT--YOU KNOW, WORKING FOR GARRY AT THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW, THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME, YOU KNOW, I WORKED SOMEWHERE WHERE THERE WAS STORY INVOLVED.
AND SO THE--SO THAT SHOW STARTED THE SAME SEASON AS THE BEN STILLER SHOW.
AND GARRY AND I WERE FRIENDS, AND THEN WHEN AND THEN WHEN THE BEN STILLER SHOW WAS CANCELED, HE SAID, "DO YOU WANT TO COME OVER TO LARRY SANDERS? YOU'RE GONNA LEARN A LOT.
" HE GOES, "REALLY, YOU'RE GONNA LEARN A LOT," WHICH I LOOK BACK, AND I THINK, HE NEVER SAID, LIKE, "YOU'RE GONNA BE REALLY HELPFUL.
" - RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.
- IT WAS A GREAT--LIKE, GARRY JUST WANTED TO TEACH ME HOW TO DO IT.
- RIGHT.
- AND SO I WORKED THERE ON AND OFF IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES FOR FIVE SEASONS, AND I REALLY-- EVERYTHING I KNOW HOW TO DO I REALLY LEARNED FROM WATCHING HOW GARRY WROTE AND EDITED THOSE STORIES.
- TELL ME SOMETHING THAT HE DID THAT YOU HADN'T SEEN BEFORE AS A WRITER.
WHAT DID HE DO THAT WAS HIS SKILL? BECAUSE HE'S A MARVELOUS WRITER.
- YOU KNOW, IT WAS SOMETIMES VERY SIMPLE.
YOU KNOW, WE WOULD BE JUST STUCK IN THE ROOM ON SOMETHING, AND HE WOULD JUST GO, "BUT WHAT WOULD YOU DO?" - RIGHT.
- "WHAT WOULD YOU REALLY DO?" LIKE, "LET'S NOT BE CLEVER.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY THERE?" - RIGHT.
START WITH REAL, AND THEN-- - YEAH, SO IT WAS ALL ABOUT GETTING TO, LIKE, THE CORE OF PEOPLE'S EMOTIONS, AND WHO THEY REALLY WERE.
BUT GARRY HAD A THEORY ABOUT THE SHOW, WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW-- HE SAID, YOU KNOW, "THE SHOW IS ABOUT PEOPLE "WHO LOVE EACH OTHER, BUT SHOW BUSINESS GETS IN THE WAY.
" - MM-HMM.
- AND I JUST THOUGHT, "WOW, THAT'S--" - RIGHT.
- I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT ANYTHING IN THOSE TERMS.
- RIGHT, RIGHT.
- AND THAT--THAT, YOU KNOW, COMPLETELY ROCKED ME.
AND IN A WAY, YOU COULD APPLY THAT THEORY TO ANY STORY.
- YES.
RIGHT.
- PEOPLE WHO LOVE EACH OTHER OR WANT TO CONNECT, AND CIRCUMSTANCES - GET IN THE WAY.
- PREVENT IT.
AND THAT OPENED ME UP TO A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT COMEDY AND PEOPLE AND SEEING HOW GARRY WOULD, YOU KNOW, SHIFT REAL-LIFE EVENTS INTO STORY HAD A BIG IMPACT ON ME.
- TINA, WHAT NATIONALITY ARE YOU? WHAT IS "TINA"? IS THAT ITALIAN? - IT'S GREEK.
- GREEK, OH.
- IT COMES FROM STAMATINA, WHICH IS ITALIAN FOR "THIS MORNING," BUT IT IS MY GRAND-- MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER.
MY MOM'S GREEK-AMERICAN, AND MY DAD IS, LIKE, SCOTCH-GERMAN.
- BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF GREEKS--GREEK-- - I GREW UP IN A VERY GREEK NEIGHBORHOOD, WHERE I WAS, LIKE, VERY WHITE IN COMPARISON TO THE - RIGHT.
- TO THE FULL-BLOODED GREEK CHILDREN.
- WHAT-- - I GOT TO BE MARY IN THE CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVERY YEAR BECAUSE I LOOKED LESS GREEK.
[laughter.]
- WAS THERE ANYONE IN YOUR FAMILY THAT WAS FUNNY OR HUMOROUS? DID SOMEONE INFLUENCE YOU? - YEAH, WELL, MY-- MOSTLY WE'RE BIG COMEDY FANS.
- MM-HMM.
- AND THERE--I THINK PEOPLE WHO COME FROM CITIES WITH ANY KIND OF ETHNIC POPULATION, IF YOU GROW UP WITH ITALIANS OR JEWISH PEOPLE OR WHATEVER, THERE'S A SENSE OF HUMOR, FOR WHATEVER REASON.
- HUMOR, ALWAYS COMING THROUGH.
- YEAH.
- IF YOU HAD TO PICK AN INFLUENCE, IS THERE SOME ONE INFLUENCE THAT SORT OF LOOMS? - I DON'T KNOW.
I FEEL LIKE THERE'S SO MANY, BECAUSE THERE WAS--I WANTED TO SEE ANYTHING THAT WAS - FUNNY.
- RELATED TO COMEDY.
ANYTHING THAT WAS FUNNY.
- RIGHT.
YES.
- ANY--YOU KNOW, IN THE '80s, ANY-- IF I WAS GOING BY-- WELL, I GUESS IN THE '80s, WE WERE DOING IT LIKE THIS.
IF I WAS GOING BY THE CHANNELS AND I SAW A FAKE BRICK WALL, I WAS IN.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ANYBODY IN FRONT OF THAT, UH-- - IN GENERAL, YOU SORT OF CREATED YOURSELF JUST AS YOU WENT ALONG, IN A WAY.
- I GUESS.
AND ALSO, YOU-- THEN YOU KIND OF-- YOU CAN ADMIRE PEOPLE, BUT THEN IF YOU REALIZE THAT DOESN'T REALLY FALL WITHIN YOUR OWN SKILL SET-- I USED TO SAY, LIKE, EVERY GIRL, TO USE THE SECOND CITY TERM - YEAH.
- WANTS TO BE GILDA, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? SOME OF US ARE JANE.
- YES, RIGHT.
- AND YOU NEED JANE ALSO, AND I WAS LIKE, "I'M JANE.
" LIKE, I'M A GOOD STRAIGHT PERSON AND END UP ON THE NEWS-- - RIGHT, AND I'LL BE GILDA.
- YEAH, RIGHT.
- SO THERE AREN'T A LOT OF WOMEN WRITERS WHO WRITE IN COMEDY, AND, YOU KNOW NOW THERE'S STARTING TO BE MORE.
- I GUESS SO.
I MEAN, I DO THINK IT KEEPS-- IT CONTINUES TO CHANGE.
- IT'S CHANGING NOW.
- JUST FROM WHEN I STARTED IN CHICAGO-- YOU JUST SEE MORE GIRLS TAKING CLASS AND - RIGHT, RIGHT.
- AND AT SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, I'M-- I FEEL LIKE THE WOMEN IN THE CAST JUST SO DOMINATED.
YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A CERTAIN ERA THAT ONCE WILL FERRELL LEFT, I MEAN, IT WAS JUST--IT'S JUST BEEN AMY AND MAYA AND KRISTEN.
- RIGHT.
GREAT WOMEN.
- YEAH.
- YEAH, RIGHT.
I KEEP THINKING ABOUT NICHOLS AND MAY, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME SIMILARITY BETWEEN YOU AND ELAINE MAY.
- I WISH.
- THERE IS.
I MEAN, THERE IS.
I MEAN, SHE'S--SHE WAS A WRITER AND VERY SHARP AND DID YOU EVER HEAR ANY OF THEIR STUFF-- THE NICHOLS AND MAY STUFF? - YES, YEAH.
IT'S REALLY FUNNY.
- 'CAUSE YOU COULDN'T BE MY AGE, OR ANYONE COMING UP IN THE '60s, AND NOT REALIZE THAT THEY CHANGED THE WAY PEOPLE THOUGHT ABOUT COMEDY.
- MM-HMM.
- THEY SORT OF INVENTED THIS SORT OF SECOND CITY SMART COMEDY THAT WE DO, THAT YOU'RE DOING NOW HERE.
- OH, THANKS.
- GOOD AFTERNOON.
- GOOD AFTERNOON.
- WELCOME TO LAWNDUST.
CAN I HELP YOU? - YES, I-I READ YOUR AD.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THE $65 FUNERAL.
- I SEE.
[light laughter.]
WAS THAT FOR YOURSELF? [laughter.]
- NO.
- FOR ANOTHER? YES.
WELL, CHARLIE, THAT WILL BE $65.
- YES, THANK YOU.
I HAVE THE CHECK ALL MADE OUT.
- FINE.
OH, BEFORE YOU GO, I WAS JUST WONDERING, WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN SOME EXTRAS FOR THE LOVED ONE? - WHAT KIND OF EXTRAS? - WELL, HOW ABOUT A COFFIN? [laughter and applause.]
- ISN'T THAT INCLUDED IN THE FUNERAL? - NO.
- WELL, WE HAVE TO HAVE A COFFIN.
- OH, YES, YEAH.
IT LOOKS BETTER.
[laughter.]
- WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOUR BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF IS-- AS A WRITER, AS A PERFORMER? - I, FOR A LONG TIME, REALLY JUST THOUGHT OF MYSELF MOSTLY AS AN IMPROVISER, BECAUSE THAT WAS JUST THE WAY OF WORKING THAT REALLY MADE SENSE TO ME.
BUT NOW I HAVEN'T-- I MEAN, I IMPROVISED WITH STEVE CARELL SOME IN THIS MOVIE THAT WE DID, BUT IT WAS-- IT'S A DIFFERENT KIND OF-- IT'S NOT REALLY PURE IMPROVISATION, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW-- - NO, 'CAUSE YOU'RE REPEATING THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
- RIGHT, UM, SO I GUESS NOW I THINK OF MYSELF MORE AS A WRITER.
- AS A WRITER.
- MM-HMM.
- WERE YOU EVER SELF-CONSCIOUS ABOUT USING LESLIE IN THE MOVIE? DID YOU THINK, "WELL, IT'S MY WIFE.
MAYBE" - YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN, YOU KNOW, THE DEBATE, YOU KNOW, ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER IS, HOW WEIRD IS IT FOR PEOPLE TO WORK TOGETHER? AT WHAT POINT DO WE BECOME THE JACKSONS? [laughter.]
WHERE DOES IT GO WRONG? YOU KNOW? UH, SO LATELY WHAT I'VE-- I'VE BEEN THINKING IS, IT GIVES US A DISTANCE TO LOOK AT OUR LIVES AND SEE HUMANITY AND THE COMEDY IN ALL OF THE STRESS THAT WE DEAL WITH.
YOU KNOW, JUST--MODERN LIFE IS SO STRANGE AND DIFFICULT, AND THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON THAT-- BY THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WRITING AND THINKING ABOUT IT AS IT HAPPENS, IT'S A WAY TO TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF THE STRESS OUT OF IT, BECAUSE WHEN SOMETHING STRESSFUL HAPPENS, WE'RE LIKE, "WE COULD USE THAT.
" AS OPPOSED TO SAYING, "FUCK YOU," YOU KNOW? YOU'RE LIKE, "WOW, THIS IS A FUNNY FIGHT.
" AND THEN WE DON'T FIGHT, 'CAUSE I GOT TO GO GET A PAD AND WRITE DOWN-- THE STRESS HAS BEGUN ON THAT FIGHT.
AND SO, ACTUALLY, I'VE NOTICED LATELY, LIKE, WE'RE MUCH HAPPIER WHEN WE'RE IN THAT MODE - OF COURSE.
- BECAUSE ALL STRESS IS GRIST FOR THE MILL.
- YOU'RE DEFUSING EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME - YEAH.
- BY HUMOR AND BY TALENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WORKS FOR PEOPLE WATCHING IT.
- I THINK SO.
I MEAN, I-- AT SOME POINT, WHAT I REALIZED WAS THAT THE WORST MOMENTS WAS WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE.
AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE-- MAYBE LESLIE--WOULD SAY, "LOOK, WHY DON'T YOU SHOW, LIKE, MORE OF THE HAPPY MOMENTS.
" I'M LIKE, "WHO WANTS TO WATCH THAT?" YOU WANT TO WATCH TWO PEOPLE GET ALONG? YOU WANT TO WATCH, LIKE, HOW PEOPLE DEAL WITH WHEN THINGS FALL APART.
- YEAH.
YEAH.
- SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN LESLIE AND I WERE GOING TO THE GYNECOLOGIST ONCE, WE GOT INTO SOME CRAZY FIGHT OVER NOTHING, AND SHE'S LIKE, "GET OUT OF THE CAR.
GET OUT OF THE CAR.
" AND THEN SHE DROVE TO THE GYNECOLOGIST, AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF LA BREA, WALKING TO THE GYNECOLOGIST.
- RIGHT.
[laughter.]
- AND, UH YOU KNOW, AND THEN, LIKE, TWO YEARS LATER, YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, IN BED, AND I'M LIKE, "HONEY, YOU THINK IT'D BE COOL TO PUT THAT IN A MOVIE?" AND YOU DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S GONNA BE MAD, LIKE, "THAT MAKES ME LOOK NUTS.
" OR IS SHE--OR WHAT SHE DID DO, WHICH WAS LIKE, "OH, THAT'S SO FUNNY.
" - RIGHT.
- AND IT CONNECTS YOU, YOU KNOW.
YOU BOND OVER IT, 'CAUSE EVERYONE'S CRAZY - SURE, SURE.
- AT SOME POINT.
- YOU KNOW, I HEARD A STORY ABOUT WALTER MATTHAU AND HIS WIFE CAROL, WHO USED TO FIGHT ALL THE TIME.
- AND THEY WERE JUST, YOU KNOW, ADORABLE PEOPLE.
WALTER WAS VERY FUNNY, AND THEY'D JUST FIGHT.
THEY WOULD GO OUT, AND THEY WOULD JUST GET INTO A FIGHT.
AND THEY WEREN'T AFRAID TO FIGHT ALL THE TIME.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S THE SIGN OF A HEALTHY MARRIAGE WITH SOMEONE.
- YES.
- AND THEY WENT TO A-- THEY DID A TOUR OF EUROPE.
- MM-HMM.
- AND THEY WENT TO AUSCHWITZ.
- MM-HMM.
- AND THEY GOT INTO A FIGHT - YES.
- ON THE WAY TO AUSCHWITZ.
AND THEY--AND THROUGH AUSCHWITZ, ON THE BUS BACK, WALTER SAYS, "YOU RUINED AUSCHWITZ FOR ME!" [laughter.]
SO - OH, THAT'S FUNNY.
- FIGHTING AND FINDING THAT-- AND ALSO, THE AUDIENCE SO IDENTIFIES.
THE CLOSER YOU GET TO THE BONE, THE BETTER IT IS FOR HOW WIDE THE AUDIENCE BECOMES.
AND THEN FROM SECOND CITY, HOW DID YOU GET TO SNL? - SNL HAD SCOUTED AT, UM PERFORMERS AT SECOND CITY A COUPLE TIMES WHEN I WAS THERE, AND THERE WAS DEFINITELY NO INTEREST IN ME IN THAT WAY.
SO I CALLED ADAM MCKAY WHO HAD BEEN AT SECOND CITY AND WAS NOW HEAD WRITER AT SATURDAY NIGHT AND ASKED HIM HOW TO SUBMIT AND JUST SENT IN A SUBMISSION PACKET, AND IT WAS, LIKE, FIVE OR SIX SKETCHES.
AND THE ONLY THING ADAM SAID TO ME WAS, YOU KNOW, "KEEP 'EM ABOUT TEN PAGES OR UNDER AND WRITE-- WRITE WHAT YOU WOULD WANT TO DO, NOT WHAT YOU THINK THE SHOW IS.
" - MM-HMM.
THAT'S GOOD ADVICE.
- IT'S GOOD ADVICE.
AND SO I WENT, AND I DID END UP GETTING THE JOB, AND I HAD ABOUT A WEEK'S NOTICE TO DO MY LAST SHOW AT SECOND CITY AND PACK UP AND MOVE TO NEW YORK.
- WOW.
THAT HAPPENED FAST.
- IT WAS VERY FAST, YEAH.
- BUT THEN YOU BECAME ONE OF THE-- YOU BECAME HEAD WRITER.
- AND SO, YEAH, A COUPLE-- TWO OR THREE YEARS IN, I STARTED DOING THE HEAD-WRITING STUFF WITH A GUY, DENNIS MCNICHOLAS, BUT BECAUSE HE WASN'T A WOMAN, PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT TO WRITE ARTICLES ABOUT IT.
- WERE YOU-- - HE WAS VERY PRETTY.
- BUT IT DIDN'T MATTER.
- HE COULD HAVE PASSED.
- SO YOU WERE THE FIRST WOMAN WHO WAS A HEAD WRITER ON SNL.
- YES, BUT I WILL ALSO SAY THAT THERE REALLY HAD ONLY BEEN ABOUT THREE HEAD WRITERS.
IT WASN'T LIKE, YOU KNOW-- - RIGHT.
AND WERE THE HOURS BRUTAL WHEN YOU'RE WRITING FOR A LIVE SHOW LIKE THAT? - I USED TO THINK SO UNTIL I STARTED WRITING FOR A SINGLE-CAMERA SHOW, WHICH IS THE STUPIDEST ENDEAVOR ANY HUMAN BEING CAN UNDERTAKE.
- RIGHT.
- UM - WHAT--WHAT--TELL ME SOME-- TELL ME WHAT THE DIFFERENCES ARE, IN TERMS OF JUST WRITING THE SHOWS THEMSELVES.
- WELL, AT SNL, YOU WOULD WORK FOR TWO OR THREE WEEKS, THEN YOU'D HAVE A REAL HIATUS WEEK.
BUT HERE, IT'S--BECAUSE WE'RE ON SORT OF A FILM SCHEDULE TO SHOOT HERE AT 30 ROCK, WHENEVER WE DO HAVE-- EVERY FIVE OR SIX WEEKS, WE HAVE A SHOOTING HIATUS, WE ARE STILL WRITING TO TRY TO STAY AHEAD OF THE 22 SCRIPTS THAT WE NEED-- - 22 SCRIPTS IS THE HARDEST THING TO DO.
- 22 IS EXACTLY 8 TOO MANY.
- YES, YES.
YOU KNOW, I--RIGHT.
- IT'S 9 TOO MANY.
- AND YOUR OLDEST DAUGHTER GREW UP WITH THE SHOW.
- MM-HMM.
- AND SO DOES SHE COME HERE? - SHE DOES COME HERE.
I LIKE HER TO COME HERE.
BUT I ALSO FEEL REALLY AWARE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE HAVE KIDS, AND SO I DON'T WANT HER-- YOU KNOW, TO BE SLOWING-- LIKE, HAVING THEM GET HOME LATER BECAUSE I HELD UP THE SET BECAUSE MY SHITTY LITTLE KID WAS HERE.
[laughter.]
SHE'S NOT A SHITTY LITTLE KID - NO, I DON'T-- - BUT THAT'S HOW SHE WOULD BE PERCEIVED IF I WAS LIKE, YEAH, LIKE, HOLDING THE SET FOR HER TO WRITE ON MY FACE WITH CRAYONS.
[laughter.]
- BUT, YEAH, SHE LIKES TO COME HERE.
SHE SEEMS OVERTLY DISAPPOINTED IN ME THAT I'M NOT THE DIRECTOR.
SHE KEEPS SAYING LIKE, "WHY ARE YOU NOT THE DIRECTOR?" I WAS LIKE, "WELL, I--I'M NOT--" - SHE KNOWS WHAT THE DIRECTOR DOES? - YEAH, BECAUSE DON SCARDINO, OUR HOUSE DIRECTOR-- HE LETS HER YELL, UH, "ACTION" AND "CUT.
" - "ACTION" AND--THAT'S GOOD.
- SO SHE LIKES THAT.
- YEAH.
- AND SHE THINKS I'M KIND OF A FAILURE 'CAUSE I'M NOT THE DIRECTOR.
- SHE DOESN'T SEE YOU DOING ANYTHING EXCEPT, YOU KNOW, JUST TALKING TO PEOPLE ALL THE TIME.
- IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU IN MY CORNER.
- HEY, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS GOT YOUR BACK.
- UH, LEMON, WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS? - REALISTICALLY? UM, TEACHING IMPROV ON CRUISE SHIPS.
- LEMON, I'M PROMOTING YOU TO HEAD OF EAST COAST TELEVISION AND MICROWAVE OVEN PROGRAMMING.
- WHAT? WHEN DID YOU GET MICROWAVES BACK? - YOU'RE GOING TO BE MY SUCCESSOR.
- NO! NO, NO, I'M NOT AN EXECUTIVE.
EXECUTIVES ARE LIKE, "HUR HUR HUR," AND I'M LIKE, "HA LA LA LA LA.
" I MEAN, I'M-- I'M THE CREATIVE PERSON.
SURE, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN MY JOB IS FRUSTRATING, LIKE WHEN LUTZ CALLS IN SICK WITH "MARCH MADNESS," BUT I MOSTLY LOVE IT.
- THIS IS THE STARTING SALARY.
- HOW DID YOU AND ADAM SANDLER GET TO BE ROOMMATES AT ONE POINT? HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? - WHEN I WAS JUST OUT OF COLLEGE, THERE WAS SOME MAGAZINE OR, LIKE, A POSTER THEY WOULD HANG IN EVERY COLLEGE DORM IN AMERICA, AND THERE WAS ADVERTISING ON IT.
LIKE CAMPUS LIFE OR SOMETHING.
- MM-HMM.
- AND SOMEONE SAID TO ME, "HEY, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT PUTTING YOU ON THIS POSTER," WHICH IS A BIG DEAL.
I'M TRYING TO GET JOBS AS A COMEDIAN--ANY PRESS IS GOOD.
AND THEY SAY, "IT'S BETWEEN YOU AND THIS KID ADAM SANDLER.
" AND THEN THEY SAID, "YEAH, YOU GOT IT.
" AND I SAID, "WELL, WHAT HAPPENED?" THEY GO, "ADAM SANDLER DIDN'T CALL US BACK.
" HE DIDN'T GIVE A SHIT.
[laughter.]
AND THAT'S WHY HE'S A BIG STAR, AND I'M NOT.
- YOU CARED TOO MUCH.
- EXACTLY, I'M LIKE, [silly voice.]
"I'M ON THE POSTER.
" YOU KNOW.
[laughter.]
BUT--SO, A FEW YEARS LATER, HE MOVED TO CALIFORNIA, AND I MET HIM LITERALLY THE FIRST DAY HE WORKED AT THE IMPROV - MM-HMM.
- IN CALIFORNIA, 'CAUSE I WAS EMCEEING FOUR OR FIVE NIGHTS A WEEK.
- UH-HUH.
- AND WE JUST BECAME FAST FRIENDS.
- UH-HUH.
- AND SOME OF HIS ROOMMATES WERE NOT KEEPING UP WITH THE RENT, AND SO HE MOVED IN WITH ME, AND WE LIVED TOGETHER FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, BEFORE HE WENT TO SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.
- AND HE WAS DOING STAND-UP AT THE TIME--ADAM? HE WAS AT THE IMPROV AND-- ANYWHERE HE COULD.
- HE WAS DOING STAND-UP AND WAS JUST RIDICULOUSLY FUNNY.
- YEAH.
- AND YOU DO HEAR ABOUT THOSE GUYS WHERE EVERYONE KNOWS THEY'RE GONNA BE A BIG STAR.
THEY JUST DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S GONNA HAPPEN OR WHEN IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
- MM-HMM.
- AND I BELIEVE--YOU KNOW, SEEN THAT A FEW TIMES.
BUT CERTAINLY, THE MOMENT YOU SAW ADAM, YOU JUST THOUGHT - YEAH.
- "THIS IS--THIS IS INEVITABLE.
" - SO THE MOVIE FUNNY PEOPLE HAD A LOT OF YOU IN IT.
- YES.
- RIGHT.
IT'S ALMOST AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL IN SOME WAY, RIGHT? - YOU KNOW, IT'S PERSONAL IN A WAY THAT'S SO EMBARRASSING.
LIKE, WHEN-- - YEAH.
- EVEN IF SCENES AREN'T TRUE, THERE'S-- YOU MEAN THEM SO MUCH - YES.
- THAT SHOWING THE MOVIE IS LIKE BEING NAKED.
- YES.
- AND YOU SO WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH PEOPLE ABOUT IT.
LIKE, YOU MAKE THE MOVIE HOPING THAT IT'LL REALLY ENGAGE PEOPLE.
- MM-HMM.
- BUT THERE'S SOMETHING KIND OF PAINFUL WHEN YOU GO ALL THE WAY, YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR FEELINGS AND YOUR STORY, BECAUSE IT IS LIKE, "HERE'S REALLY WHAT I'M LIKE.
DO YOU LIKE ME?" - RIGHT, RIGHT.
- 'CAUSE THAT IS--YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, COMEDIANS, YOU KNOW-- WHY DO WE WANT TO MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH? - MM-HMM.
- BECAUSE IT'S AN INSTANT WAY TO KNOW, LIKE - YOU'RE LIKED.
- YOU THINK I'M OKAY.
- YES, THAT'S VERY-- - SO I'M OKAY WITH YOU.
WHAT ABOUT THAT GUY? - YEAH.
- AND, YOU KNOW, THE MORE OF AN EGOMANIAC YOU ARE, THE MORE THAT HAS TO TURN INTO, "I GOT AMERICA.
DO THEY LIKE ME IN BRITAIN?" - YES, YES, YES.
- IT NEVER ENDS.
- YEAH, RIGHT.
- BUT FOR ME, IT WAS, YOU KNOW-- THESE PEOPLE WHO SAY, "YOU KNOW, I HAVE SOMETHING TO EXPRESS" - YEAH.
- AND IT ISN'T ALL ABOUT PLEASING YOU.
- YEAH.
- AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT.
- YEAH.
- AND, YOU KNOW, I TRY TO FIND THE COURAGE TO DO THAT HERE AND THERE.
GOT TO KEEP THE SHIP MOVING.
[laughter.]
- MORE HERE THAN THERE.
IT'S JUST--IT'S GREAT.
YEAH.
THANKS, JUDD.
GREAT TALKING TO YOU.
- THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DAVID.
[applause.]
- THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS, TINA.
- SURE.
MY PLEASURE.
- NOW I KNOW WHERE "TINA" COMES FROM, WHICH IS GREEK.
- YES, STAMATINA.
- GOOD.
THANKS VERY MUCH.
- THANK YOU.