In short · Summary by AI
In this SmartLess episode, hosts Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett interview Seth Meyers about his path from Northwestern and Chicago improv to Second City, SNL, Update, and late night. The conversation is loose and comedic, with the hosts also promoting their Hollywood Bowl show on October 17th.
- The hosts promote their Hollywood Bowl show on October 17th, with tickets available at smartlist.com/live and a double guest offer.
- Meyers recounts studying film at Northwestern, then discovering improv through Mee-Ow and realizing comedy was his goal.
- He describes working in Amsterdam at Boom Chicago with friend Peter Grosz, which he says he would never have done on his own.
- Meyers says he was hired at SNL as a cast member, struggled to find his footing, and was encouraged by producer Mike Shoemaker to write group sketches.
- He recalls hosting Weekend Update alone for the first time after Amy Poehler went into labor, and Shoemaker's advice to play delighted rather than frustrated.
- Meyers says he got his late-night start by sticking with the job for about 18 months before moving the show to the desk.
- The episode closes with lighthearted banter about tipping, family, sports fandom, and Meyers saying he has no backup plan.
Show Intro and Promo
0:05You know, I've heard this for years, uh, being in the Hollywood business, that for every 100 auditions, you'll book one job. So, just [music] keep going and keep going. And I thought, gosh, for every 100 episodes of Smartless, there's always [music] one good one. So, we got about three in the can. Welcome to Smartless.
0:24>> Smartless.
0:31Smart glass. [music] Smart less. >> Guys, guess what's coming up in a couple days? >> Yeah, I know. We got to mention We got to mention the Hollywood Bowl. We're going to be at the Hollywood Bowl October 17th. >> And not just there, like not hanging out, actually doing a show at >> the We're going to be on the stage.
0:55>> Yeah. Yeah, we're not. And if you don't have tickets yet, you you go to smartlist.com/live. Is that right? >> Wait, what's it? What is it? >> Smartlist.com/live. >> Oh my gosh, that's pretty easy. And And for that, they're going to they're going to get a double guest. Is that right? >> Yeah. >> Two guests.
1:11>> And we got some fun We got some fun surprises. >> Oh yeah. >> Really? >> Yeah, we got some fun surprises. >> All for the price of one ticket. >> Yeah. All for the price. >> And a nice beautiful October October 17th, right? A fall night out there under the stars. It's going to be gorgeous. And and you Yeah, you you buy a ticket and you can't you can't put a price tag on a smile.
1:30>> What a great sell. You know, [laughter] >> Will, you're the best. >> Anyway, it's going to be a great night. Hopefully as great >> as this next guest coming up. Guys, let's get to the episode. >> You can hear me now. >> There he is. >> Listener and guest. You've just spent you spent all night on your computer in incognito mode for we don't know why, >> but we just >> I had to change all my settings, all my usernames.
Pre-Show Banter and Secrets
1:59>> Sorry. >> Um, >> if you got hacked, it would be the most boring hack for a hacker. It would just be all baseball stats >> and list of list of like movie stuff. >> Yeah. And I, you know, and I get all the the cookie alerts, you know, would you like to reject all cookies or whatnot? And I and I and I I do I do reject them.
2:20I know. Sean, you >> quick question. Sean, have you ever >> Yeah, I [laughter] beat you. Um but um >> but um I don't have any I don't have any secrets and you know so like my my my instinct is to accept the cookies because then I don't get ads for things that I don't need, you know, like uh right >> um you know skin skin rashes and things like that.
2:45I I I get I get ads for >> JB. But you you don't have secrets, but you used to be you there was a time where you were just built on secrets. [laughter] >> Yeah. Well, I No, I think I was I was I I was do I was doing things at a time when we didn't have uh phones and things to photograph us. And even then, I wasn't do I was I was never a bad boy.
3:08So boring. Even my bad days were boring. When you say bad boy, like the idea of you like [laughter] >> like in a leather jacket and then you flip the collar up, you know? >> Yeah. Or like could you imagine me ever trying to like mix it up with like a paparazzi guy that gets too close to my face and I take a swing at him I'm like Sean Penn and then I just get my ass beaten, you know, repeatedly.
3:28>> I could see I could actually see that. Wait, have you ever owned a leather jacket quickly? Either of you? >> Of course. Yeah, I have. But they were they were they were soft soft and suede. They weren't even like manly. Lamb skin. Mine was lambkin back in the 80s or 90s. >> No, no. I'm saying leather jacket.
3:45>> Yeah. >> Oh, I see. Okay. [laughter] >> Okay. >> I think I had like a ve skin uh vest. [laughter] >> Velcro closers on it. >> Uh tonight we got a beautiful ve skin. Uh [laughter] what else have we got? Chef is preparing a beautiful ve skin. >> Yeah. Um, now, uh, will, uh, I feel like it's been a while since we've had an update on your, uh, on your love life and domestic life.
4:11[laughter] >> What's going on there? >> We always talk about Sean and I's personal life. What about what's going on with your personal life? Well, >> it's going it's going really well. >> Oh, that's really well. Yeah. >> What's happening? >> What's First of all, talk about secrets. >> Talk about secrets.
4:29>> Yeah. What are the deeds on that? >> Both of you know exactly what's happening. And this is just I'm not going to walk into your trap. >> You're happy. Let's suffice to say you're happy. >> I'm very happy. Very happy. >> Things are going great. >> Things are going great. You know, >> things are trending.
4:41Hold on. Let me lead the witness. Things are trending north. Yeah. >> You know, the relationship is still ascendant. >> Yes. Yes. >> Yes. Okay. And if that were to continue to go on the course that it's going at the angle it is currently currently headed, uh where does that go? Uh >> yeah. >> Well, [laughter] first of all, why are you leading?
5:01Why am I in court? Why are you leaving me? What is that? >> Please answer the question, sir. [laughter] >> Permission to treat the witness as hostile. >> Yeah. I mean, look, it will be a perfect world in 5 years. What What does this relationship look like? >> I can I be honest with you? If I [ __ ] knew what five years I I am now at at 56, I have learned a little bit in the last two years especially to let go of whatever ideas that I think it's going to go or it's going to happen.
5:28I have we, as we know, you get dealt so many [ __ ] curve balls. And so I'm I'm I'm in a place now where I'm really trying my best to just deal with what's in front of me and try to take the next best. I >> But you don't want to be fully reactive to everything in your life. You do like to be proactive in some areas, right?
5:49And be kind of have the the car moving in a particular direction. >> For for me, that has been in the last couple years, as both of you know, trying my best to lay a great foundation. I'm I surround myself with great people. I'm I'm in a you know great programs with people. I've done some work on myself to try to do it in a way so that whatever does come my way I handle it >> hopefully better than I have historically.
6:12>> Yeah. Prosecution rest. >> Hey, you know what? Let's get to our guest. Huh. >> Okay. [laughter] >> Dr. Ruth Westimer is on the show today to walk will see. He might have a Dr. Ruth. He might have an opinion on Dr. Ruth. I don't know. He's got opinions on lots of stuff and I like his opinions on most of stuff.
Introducing Seth Meyers
6:30He lands on the right side of virtually every issue I think I've ever had a conversation with him about. >> Right. Meaning correct. >> Correct. Funny. [laughter] Uh insightful and and and and well he's he's well educated. He's super smart. He's got 35 Emmy nominations to back it up. >> He's hosted the Golden Globes.
6:48He's he's hosted the Emmys. He's produced shows. Uh he was a cast member of SNL for 13 years. He was the co-host of Weekend Update for eight years with my ex-wife and our old friend Amy Polar. You guys >> Seth Meyers. >> Seth Meers. [cheering] Hello, gentlemen. [laughter] >> This is our Seth. Seth isn't digging in.
7:13He's been taking I thank you for clarifying the right side of every issue. [laughter] I was like, "Okay, well, hold that means >> this was thrilling." Just the pre-show banter. And [laughter] I, you know, again, anybody who listens to the show hears the pre-show banter, but I bet that again, I'm now new to the podcast game compared to you guys.
7:33>> It's dead easy. >> It's thrilling to find out the tech doesn't get sorted out. >> I mean, if you guys could hear the three of them try to get ready for a podcast they've done over 300. I was googling how many episodes you were doing over the course of >> should I shut down or or reset? Should I should I reboot?
7:51>> At one point you said, "Can I hear me?" You asked the [laughter] other two guys, >> "Can I hear me?" [laughter] >> That's our new t-shirt and our swag. >> I'm just I can't wait to tell the Lonely Island guys it does not get easier. It does not get smoother. >> We're all dingdongs. [laughter] >> If anything, it gets harder.
8:08What? My my favorite thing about when Jason when he has to reboot and when it's not working and he can't hear the headphones is his face cuz he's in so he's not aware of his face. So he's looking and he's it's like my dad with the remote and somebody has changed the input. >> Forget it. >> And somehow we feel like if we get closer to the object that's troubling us, it'll become fixed.
8:28Just get your face closer to it. >> Yeah. >> We're all the age now where at certain angles we look like uh 70-year-old aunts. Yeah. [laughter] >> You know what I mean? And it's usually when we're trying to figure out uh again we're all it's like in the cheater zone I'm there too. We're just certain angles.
8:50>> Somehow I always seem to have my my jaw somewhat separated and uh people say they take these pictures of me. Will is guilty of this. My wife a lot taking pictures of me with my and and Jimmy Kimmel and and Molly. my mouth's just slightly open and I'm staring off into [laughter] space or I'm laughing with my mouth sort of a gape.
9:10So, yeah, it's sort of uh it's it's a sign of old age coming in. I think >> I also I do think I've crossed the threshold with my wife where if I see her taken on her phone to take a picture of me, it means that something's gone terribly wrong. [laughter] >> Yeah. Something's not right on my face. >> No, it's You just reach the point where it's not like I need pictures of my husband looking handsome or good.
9:30>> No, it's something they can send to their friends and laugh at. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There's so many. >> Seth, dude, uh this has been so long overdue. I feel like we talked about this last fall. >> So happy to be here. >> I we talked about it last I ran into you during uh trick-or-treating last fall in New York uh in the middle of mayhem in the West Village.
9:50>> Wait, how did that that that that's how does that go? That's just purely that's just elevator riding, correct? >> It was really exciting. We had two great runins in the course of like three months. One was just West Village, packed West Village. >> Perfect place to take your kids trick-or-treating in New York City.
10:07[laughter] >> But otherwise, otherwise it's >> generally like >> it's in apartment buildings usually though, right? I mean, you going up and down. >> This is people. No, this is now people sitting on brownstone steps >> and uh and it's they close down the streets and it is a real great >> community vibe.
10:22It is. Uh, you know, my kids I I we saw uh Will, we saw uh Alec Baldwin in half a Teletubby costume [laughter] >> with like four of his four of his six kids and just kind of like trying to get >> and and were Were you guys dressed up? >> Matthew Brderick. >> I love Matthew. >> Uh what's that? We were I was not dressed up.
10:42Will, I don't think we were we were uh Yeah. No, we were >> we wanted we still wanted to be recognized as for our work. [laughter] >> We were trying to draw attention to IP that we didn't own. >> [laughter] >> I was wearing a t-shirt. I said I think that said ask me if I'm Will Arnette. Is that right?
10:57Was that >> Wait. [laughter] And then and then and then we were in we were I was in London having dinner with with Laura Durn and Mark Chapel and Rashidita walked by. >> Rashidita Jones. >> Rashidita Jones. And she was like, "Hey guys." And we were in the front. And she goes, "I'm here with Seth." And I went back and you were sitting by yourself and I said, "We're over here."
11:18And you guys came and joined us. And we had a very fun impromptu night at a restaurant in London. >> Guys, >> it was great. It uh you're you're selling yourself short because you uh you first came over and I was uh you know, Rashidita had had gone uh to use the restroom so I was just looking at my phone like everybody would do and you came over to take my order and so I had a moment where that's funny.
11:37[laughter] It was a it was a it was jarring and then and then lovely. >> Well, because you didn't you didn't you you hadn't seen me since since Halloween. You're like in that time he's now working at the Dover in London. >> Yeah. >> And >> and like I said, you never know what life's going to throw at you, >> right?
Waiting Tables and Tipping
11:56Yeah. >> Cuz I said on Halloween, I'm like, "What are you up to now?" And you're like, "I've got some irons in the fire." [laughter]
12:05>> Um, did you guys ever go through a table waiting uh period of your lives? >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. I was at the Twisted Lizard in Chicago, which which closed in the last five years, but I was um yeah, that was in my early improv days. And I remember the most memorable moment was I it was a down you took stairs down and I remember once getting no tip and chasing a guy out and asking why he didn't leave me a tip and he said because you're a bad waiter.
12:31[laughter] >> No way. >> He said that, >> which is basically historically what that means. And I yet I needed to I mean needed to make him tell me twice. I'll bet in your defense, you probably said, "Fair enough." And you >> I was Yeah, I did not I did not fight it after that. I was like, "Oh, I I thought it was an oversight."
12:47>> It's tough. I mean, it's it's tough to argue. I mean, you can I mean, you theoretically you could have said, "Well, in what in what way?" You know what I mean? But at that point is there's no point. >> I think also as soon as he said that, I looked back and saw about six or seven things I could have done differently.
13:02>> Right [laughter] now, let me ask you guys this. I'm not sure if this is the most relatable part of this interview, but in in Europe, fellas, um you're not supposed to leave a tip. Is that correct? I always get tripped up on this. >> Uh >> it's changed. It's it's kind of a change. >> What is it now?
13:20>> You do. >> You do leave a But is it like >> you do, but you don't have >> If you're American, you do. >> If you're Yeah. >> The hope is you you think about how much of your work has gone uh international. Yes. and whether or not they'll be able to word of mouth will be able to get out that you're a bad [laughter] >> I used to be I used to be a runner.
13:39Remember the restaurant red in LA? >> You remember that? >> No. No. >> Oh, it was on the corner on Beverly. I was a restaurant I was a runner there and I >> was it in parenthesis? >> No, it was bright red on the outside. It was called red. And there were they had great turkey meatloaf. But anyway, they I so I would run I would I would be a runner, not even a waiter.
13:56And I had the one joke ready at every single table. They would say, you know, I'd have three plates and be like, great, blah, blah, blah. And and inevitably, I'd put it down in front of somebody and they'd go, "Well, that looks fantastic." And I'd point to my shirt and I'd say, "Thanks. I just got it."
14:09[laughter] And >> what a joke. So, wait, a runner is the person that brings the plates doesn't food. Runs the food. Got it. >> Yeah. Couldn't I wasn't read in parentheses. Isn't red in parenthesis Bono's like humanitarian? Okay, there you go. >> You see how old I'm getting? >> It's also a nice burn on Sean.
14:24You're like, "Were you the one that was the [laughter] humanitarian one?" Okay. Yeah. No, not at all. Yeah, but I got yelled at all the time like, "Uh, do you know where you're going? Do you know which table you're going?" I'm like, "No, I just look at the And then you had to memorize the seats where everybody was sitting, not only the 70 tables."
14:43>> I'm just I'm just curious. Look, how how long did you work there, Sean? >> About a year. >> Okay. And And it was just the one joke. >> Just the [laughter] one joke. Yeah. >> Like you never you never decided to punch it up or just >> No, he [laughter] kept refining it. >> Yeah. Yeah. And they never and they never gave you the promotion up a level [laughter] runner.
15:02>> No, I asked too to be a waiter, but I couldn't. >> Oh, look at you [clears throat] now. >> I had more stress dreams about being a waiter than I did for >> Yeah. There's too much. Remember Squirrel? Remember the program called Squirrel >> on the computer with they which they would punch in. The waiters would punch it in.
15:17>> Oh, right. Right. >> Anybody? No. Okay. >> Okay. Great. And you slide the your card in to open it >> on the on the on the squirrel in parenthesis. [laughter] >> No. No. Uh, all right, Seth, speaking of starting out, let's talk about how you started out. We got to go. We got to go down the >> Yeah, cue the music.
15:34You're from New Hampshire, but [clears throat] we all know you're a Steelers fan, and we don't need to get into that. We know, right? Fine. If you want to fine one second here, >> I don't I will just tell you this real quick. the yesterday my 10-year-old son was on the phone with my 78-year-old father talking about uh the Steelers first preseason game and it I genuinely wanted to just go sit in a corner and so it made me so happy like [laughter] just like cuz it's just empty nonsense
16:03no calorie conversation but the connection is real >> and it was just like my my son saying things like I think Jeremy Bernard is probably our third best receiver and I'm like great that's all [laughter] I can do >> but now Aaron Rogers is the quarterback again, correct? >> Yes. Aaron Rogers is is uh the star >> and he's also the chief scientist, I think, isn't he?
16:23>> He is. He's taken over science [laughter] for most of Pittsburgh, I think. >> Yeah. >> And does he get to eat earlier because he's a senior or or does he eat with the rest of the team? [laughter] >> Oh, that's a good question. I believe he does. There's still certain places. >> Wait, how old is Aaron Le?
16:39>> 43 years old. That's very old for football. >> Yeah. live. Yeah. Young for podcasts, but true. >> You [laughter] bet your ass. >> You know what I will say though, I connect with my dad. I'm a long-suffering Toronto Maple Leafs fan. And I, my dad and I often, we, you know, he's about to be 88. And we talk about the Leafs.
17:00That's our sort of point. We talk about lots of other stuff, too. But that is the thing that we can talk about on a daily basis. >> You know, we can just sort of have a, hey, they looked terrible last night. what's going on, all that kind of stuff. And it keeps us connected in that way. As you say, it's it's light on calories, but uh it's very filling.
17:21>> So, Seth, so [laughter] wait. So, Seth So, Seth, you come out of you're fighting out of New Hampshire and you decide what is the thing? How do you You went You went to Northwestern. Is that where you started writing andor performing comedy or were you doing it before in New York? >> I was softly doing it in college.
17:38I'm sorry. In high school, we I remember we did a comedy night in high school where we sort of wrote sketches. We were doing, you know, uh uh Bminus impressions of teachers and stuff, but it was really fun. But I was I went to college to be a film major. Thought I wanted to write and direct movies. And Northwestern has this >> Yeah.
Northwestern, Improv, and Chicago
17:56>> very famous. >> So many people go I know that go there. >> Yeah. And then it's Meow is this very I think the first improv troop at any college and uh it's been around forever. And that was immediately what I wanted to do. I saw them my first week. Did you do any Second City while you were in Chicago?
18:10>> After college, I that was my goal. I I did I only did Meow for one year, but that was all I wanted to do was to do uh Second City. And I had seen a lot of Second City. My parents went to Northwestern. They'd seen a lot of Second City. I remember when we went looked at Northwestern. >> My dad brought me to Second City and we saw young Carell, young Coar on stage together.
18:30>> Wow. Yeah. >> And so that's all I wanted to do. So that was uh post college that was waiting tables at the twisted lizard and there was that weird thing of you just kind of improvised. I was doing stuff at uh Improv Olympic now called IO but waiting for that sort of bianual audition where everybody would go in and audition for Second City but that's all I was looking at was that right >> and we will be right back and now back to the show.
19:03So you saw those guys like Carell and those guys when you went as you said with your dad and then once you got to improv Olympic a post college who were the people because there's so many different classes right of people who were kind of in [clears throat] and around so many names we all know right you included who came through that Chicago thing who who were the people who were sort of your contemporaries at the time >> well it's so nuts because it was genuinely we were we I was present
Chicago Contemporaries and Amsterdam
19:30during a scene like I'm not being part of it, but it was like, oh, this is what like a scene is like where everybody you knew you were in the right place because there had been this wave of people were just leaving uh you know like Brian Stack and Brian McCann like to go do Conan stuff Dorf. >> Uh so they were the slightly older and then there was you know uh in John Glazer and then there was you know Tina and Amy and Horatio and Dr.
19:53Uh, so that was all the people that you would either go see at Second City or sometimes they would just pop in to improv Olympic. You guys know that game, the dream where uh you bring somebody up and you ask about their day and then you improvise a dream about it. I remember just once being in the audience.
20:10The first time I talked to Amy, she was she brought me on stage and she asked me about my day [laughter] >> and then that like her cohort did a basically improvised you know a sketch about uh my what my dream would be based on the day I had. [laughter] So it was really amazing to feel uh very confident not in how it was going to turn out but very confident this is the right place to be at this moment if you want to be in comedy.
20:34But did that did the the did the the confidence you feel about um well I kind of would like to do this more than uh your film um goals uh did you did you go all in on that as far as what your career and and path to making a living would be or did or were you studying something else simultaneously to you know mitigate your your risk?
20:56you know, I got I immediately my takeaway on film class was, "Oh my god, this is so scientific and I don't think I have the, you know, where I just don't think I have the attention span for this and and the amount of lighting and, you know, the 180°ree rule and lenses." I was like, "Whoa, this is a snooze."
21:16Um, [laughter] and so I I started there was a there was a creative writing for the media sort of sub major and I was doing that but you know half I would say most of those people as soon as they graduated went out to LA they wrote spec scripts and they went to LA where you know Sean you know there's a you know a ton of Northwestern people out there and and certainly you know when I graduated in the in the you know mid 90s like there was just this you know northwestern mafia out there and so
21:45>> there were plenty of connections but I by the time I graduated I wanted to improvise and do comedy more than I wanted to make or write films. >> But you had no backup career aside from I mean you were confident that the entertainment industry was going to be something you were going to be able to make a living in.
22:00>> No backup. Correct. I got a weird I got a weird job like a weird early tech job right out of college where I worked for two months for a friend of mine who had started uh it was the idea was it was a you would get free minutes uh for your uh phone long distance but you would have to listen to a commercial before you placed an ad sorry before you placed a call.
22:20It's not a bad idea. Like it's basically like what >> Wait a second. Keep selling me. Keep selling me. [laughter] >> I'm sure you're interested. Uh but I worked for two months there. I was like the seventh hire and uh I remember he came in one day he's like so uh nobody thinks you want to be here and I [laughter] was like and I was like you know what I don't and he's like yeah that's kind of what we thought but they I will say I had really my friend group at Northwestern which were not all uh
22:46comedy or theater people >> they were all really supportive. Everybody was like yeah I mean don't you should just try that. That's all you seem to be interested But you know, you know, it brings up I I was having this conversation with somebody the other day, which was like I think you know, every once in a while somebody will call you and say like, "Hey, my son is graduating college or they're trying to get into entertainment.
23:05Can they call you?" We've all had those calls over the right and so and so you end up talking to people and I always think like there's no >> what kind of advice can you give somebody? There's really no plan for it. It's not like law school where you say finish law school here and then try to go and work for so there's not but but I I I I remember the other day I saying to somebody like you you kind of can't have a backup plan.
23:28Yes. >> You have to be all in. It has to be that's the risk is is the thing. And it's because when when you don't have anything to fall back on, it forces you to try to do whatever you can to to get a job. And you're not going to hit necessarily. is very rare that somebody hits it out of the park on their first job and you're going to take a lot of [ __ ] jobs and you're going to do, >> I don't know, work background or you're going to do whatever it is that you're going to do, but you have to be all in.
23:56I think >> it is nice though that it that that that pursuing the entertainment industry at its early stage does lend itself to the schedule whereby you can hold down a job that can pay your rent and and and and feed you, you know, allow waiting tables or whatever it is. That's that's help. But it is like that I think when people talk about a plan B you realize you know like you can have a plan D you know right [laughter] which is like waiting tables but like when you talk about a
24:23plan B like what are you talking about because you know ultimately anybody whose plan A is your plan B is going to be so far ahead of you by the time you decide like that's what you want to do. Yeah. >> Uh, it is. I mean, man, it is so nice to hear you say that, Will, because I the amount I feel like I am wasting everyone's time when they sit you down or get you on the phone with somebody who wants to talk about this business.
24:44And the only thing you could say is like is if you you have to only want to do it. >> Yes. >> Like that. That's the only way. If you're on the fence about like this in med school, I'd go to med school. >> You know what I mean? Like I'm I'm like, "Yeah, don't look at me. I hop I I pasted this thing together with with with scotch tape and rubber bands to get here.
25:02[laughter] >> I don't know how, you know. And >> now what was Seth? What was Josh doing at this? Was he was he kind like on a similar track? >> Yeah. So the exact same track also Northwestern, also Meow. And then I had gotten >> He's two years, three years younger. >> Two years behind me in school. Yeah.
25:18Two years exactly. And uh we >> So then I got hired for this job in Amsterdam called Boom Chicago. So, these uh Chicago guys, Northwestern guys, started basically a Second City type theater in Amsterdam. And >> uh that was a thing I would never have done on my own. Uh Sean's uh uh co-star, Peter Gross.
25:40>> Peter Gross, one of the funniest people alive >> on Broadway in uh in Good Night Oscar. Yes. He was my friend and he was uh we had done uh improv together. we were improvising uh in Chicago together and he was the one who said, "Hey, there's this theater in Amsterdam and they're having auditions and I just to this day am so lucky to have had a friend who was willing to take a big swing like that because I never would have even gone to that audition."
26:03But the fact that I had a friend who was down for that kind of adventure and we both auditioned for that and then we both ended up moving to Amsterdam. Uh I was there for two years. >> Am I Am I right? Did Did Sedake go to Boom Chicago after you? Is that right? >> Yeah. So, Sedakus, it was a crazy I mean, that was another time where I felt that thing of like being >> I feel like we had another guest on this show that went to Amsterdam.
26:26Um, >> I mean, it could have been Sedas, Jordan Peele, Ike Baron Holtz. >> Oh, I think it was Ike. >> Um, that's right. That was Ike. >> It was Ike. >> And uh, but it was another time where you're like, "Oh, we're we're part of a scene." Like you just where you look around and you're like, "This is the place to be right now."
26:43And the hardest part about leaving to go do it was there was this idea that you were in line in Chicago. Whether you were or you weren't, you thought like, oh my god, you know, I'm just going to spend 6 months getting closer to the kind of person that they'll hire for Second City and then I'll be a part of that uh organization.
27:00And so the the risk we all had to do was leave and go do uh uh this show in Amsterdam. Once you got there, you were performing way more than you would in Chicago and you were living in [ __ ] Amsterdam and it was incredible. It was just the best time be >> because it's about time on stage. You need to have the hours and we're getting to >> Yeah.
27:23And so Lauren, by the way, Lauren, the reason I was in London was, you know, they started us and Okay. And I had dinner with Lauren and Lauren wanted me to go over there just to like it was before the show started just to like sort of sit and talk to him. He goes, "You know what? think you're the right one because you know Amsterdam and I'm like from 25 years ago.
27:39[laughter] >> I'm like but also >> Lauren they don't even use the same money as when I [laughter] live. >> But by the way but by the way what's kind of sweet about it is is that he has these associations. He remembers that you came out of Amsterdam. Do you know what I mean? >> Yeah. Uh, and he by the way it like I think like the thing Lauren is so he gives way too much credit to uh I tra living abroad and uh athletes like the amount people would audition for the show give like the flattest audition and
28:10Lauren would be like you know he played college baseball [laughter] so you know he'll get it like >> why? But then so Seth, so if if if if everything went perfectly and one got recruited to Second City, is is the is the next logical, you know, home run step after Second City, Saturday Night Live. Is that was is that the trajectory?
28:31So that was the that was the observable pipeline from the people that were you know so in I mean it was Jerry Miner you know before that was Tim Meadows but I didn't really know him but like Jerry Miner uh Horatio Dr. Tina and then uh you just sort of thought like this Adam McKay you know had gone there and so that is I think why everybody wanted to be right >> at Second City and so then I spent two years in Amsterdam I came back once again my expectation was I'll get back in line you know maybe it's the end of
29:00the line but this is still what I want >> and then I had uh this crazy stroke of good fortune which is this uh woman I Cohen who worked in the SNL talent department came to this tiny little improv festival where my partner and and I were doing a twoperson show and uh basically I I got to audition for SNL based off that and that's ultimately >> and did you have any were you in any sports that Lauren recognized?
29:25[laughter] >> I mean >> did you play sports or No, >> no. >> No. Okay. No. All right. >> I w desperately wanted to and uh it was not it was not to be. [snorts] talk to me about um how you became more interested uh motivated, fulfilled, I'm assuming, with the writing track as opposed to the performing track.
29:42When did that start to take hold? >> Well, I mean, I would love to tell you that it was my uh instinct, but I I think ultimately, and again, it worked out career-wise, so no regrets. Lauren made a mistake and should have hired me as a writer from the beginning, [laughter] but he hired me he hired me as a cast member and uh I was then I mean again I was just it was a huge struggle for me to uh find purchase and it only got worse.
30:15I mean, it was fine to be like, "All right, you know, I'm not obviously, you know, Will Frell, Tracy Morgan, Chris Katan, you know, the people who are in the cast who are older than me. Like, nobody expected me to be better than them." But then, >> you know, the next wave of people that came in, you know, then it's like Sedakus, Hater, uh, Fred and Will, uh, Bill and Andy, and you're like, uh, oh no, like they're they're like the younger cast members, but they're, uh, you know, demonstrabably better at
30:40sketch comedy than I am. And so I was sort of writing uh I always loved writing but at the time I was writing to stay alive more than anything else. >> Writing for yourself. Writing for yourself. >> Writing for myself. But Shoemaker, uh, Mike Shoemaker, the producer on the show, he was, he gave great advice where he's like, "Look, >> you what you should do is you should try to think of group scenes where you can score, uh, but it's not like a Seth sketch, you know, it's a >> it's five people and and it will get on
31:08the show and you will, you know, have a a fifth of the laughs, but that'll be better than you." you know, I was cuz early on I would I would write things that were good enough to get to dress, but then I didn't have the uh I don't know the charisma or or skill to carry it. So, I was getting so many things cut at dress >> uh on the you know, again, they it was a it was a accomplishment to make it to dress, but then it just felt like a failure.
31:31That's that's first of all it's great that you had Shu and obviously I want to get into you guys have managed to have an incredible sort of partnership if you will going forward and that he gave you that advice at that time and I want to get into that but I first I want to know what's your favorite sketch that got cut at Dress that never made it to air that [laughter] you to this day you're like this would have killed.
31:50Do you have one? >> I don't know. Well, I mean I we I remember uh cuz we did this thing we started doing this thing at our show called Second Chance Theater where we would do sketches that had gotten cut at SNL and then we would mount them on late night. But they were usually like crazy forte sketches, snake sketches.
32:04Will Frell, we did the Gabe Kaplan Will Ferrell sketch, which I'm sure you [laughter] at some point Will had seen the dress of. And I remember one time Schumaker was like, "We should do one of yours." And I was the only thing I liked about it was it was the beginning of a holiday ad which it was like what do you get for a man who has everything a second penis [laughter] and then it was just and it was always I took it like basically submitted it all three December shows for like my first five
32:32years on the show and uh never once uh went because it just ultimately and I remember Shoemaker's like we should do it and then I got a copy of it and Shoemaker read it. He's like I actually don't think we should even do it. [laughter] So, wait. What What was the thing that always made it a non-candidate?
32:46>> Was it? >> I just think it got it immediately became No, it wasn't too graphic. It was too much a sketch about a sketch where it was about how it was just the actual apparatus that the um psychic >> was clumsy. It was about how it was like it was a clumsy strap device [laughter] >> which is amazing.
33:02And they were and they were I remember Parnell was the host of it and there were three testimonials and at the end he goes so it seems like he goes so one for one against and one in the middle. [laughter] >> I couldn't even get three strong testimonials. >> I mean can we just can we just sideline and say how great Chris Parnell is cons world class.
33:23This that dude [ __ ] me man. Uh-huh. >> Well, there was again when I I was so lucky to be a writer >> at a time on that show where just the toolbox was nuts, you know, and I think like certainly people who uh wrote for Phil Hartman had that same thing, but Chris Parnell was just a metronomic >> uh delivery system >> for information >> that he would do in a way that it felt like as though there was no it was so dry that it became hilarious.
33:53But there was no effort or certainly no observable effort that he was like reaching for the laugh. He would just kind of get it. >> He was just ah I I I always remember every time I think of Parnell now I think of that that scene. There's a scene in in 30 Rock where he plays that Dr. Spemon and uh we're doing this scene and he goes they go you got he's got to give somebody a shot and he goes okay.
34:17He takes the kneel and he goes okay ew ew ew. [laughter] revolted at the idea of giving somebody a shot and nobody else could do it the way he did it. It was just amazing. [laughter] Um, so that's man. So then you so shoemaker is like, "All right, you got to start writing. You got to start doing this stuff."
34:34And then and then you start writing more and then update happens. There's a there's a kind of a um a swift there's a there's an empty chair. Tina leaves. >> Yes. and to do 30 Rock and and and the the big thing is who's going to take over the seat. >> Yes. Well, it was the second time it had happened, right?
34:56Because first uh Jimmy had left. Oh, yes. And >> and you know, in my head, I always if I if there was anybody at SNL whose path I thought I could maybe try to follow, it was Tina's, right? I always saw I was like, "Oh, that's somebody who is a really good writer and also a good performer, but uh you know what I like she she built her way to performer on the like strength of her writing.
35:16And so whereas you know again when you know when you're next to Will Ferrell or you know Amy and there's just like this charisma coming out of their pores that like is not not available to you. You're like all right we're going to write our way into this. With that said when you know Lauren decided to go with Amy and Tina it wasn't like I thought he had made a bad choice.
35:36You know my best chance was that Amy didn't want to do it. >> [laughter] >> I I wasn't like what are they thinking? And so but then yeah when it was uh you know when it was Amy in an open chair and uh my recollection of it was it was the end of that year and so I had done one year where Lauren had promoted me to writing supervisor.
36:00So he had taken me as a cast member and I think at this point he was admitting [laughter] his mistake. He's like, "I'd love you to, you know, basically cuz Tina was gone a lot that year working." >> Amsterdam, notwithstanding. I think them, >> you know, I'd like I think you, you know, in Amsterdam, they they [laughter] like clowns.
36:18Um, >> you know what though? You were so great on Update. I remember I remember um when Wig and Armison played those two characters where they they're singers and they make albums, but of course they're improvising. Yeah. Gar and Cat. And they're singing, making up in the moment clearly. and you you got as big of laughs as they did asking the dumbest obvious questions and it's it's hard to do that and you you just so excelled at that.
36:42I thought it was hilarious. >> Thank you. It is uh to this day they always would they would ask to sing another song and they would say please Mr. Miners. They kept calling me Mr. Miners and [laughter] >> my my wife will still say will refer to me as Mr. Miners when she wants me to [laughter] do something.
36:58I know knowing how well knowing how well you guys all knew each other and knowing how legitimately >> you were authentically delighted by so many of those players, watching other people come up, you and Amy doing Update was phenomenal in and of itself, but watching how delighted you would be when like Fred would come out or or Wig and watching you be legit like you know people say like always are they faking laughing like no No, no, no.
37:27Seth can't control himself cuz Fred is killing him right now, >> right? And they're killing each other. [laughter] >> And just Fred, well, Fred and Wig and Bobby Moyahan. >> They also just never, by the way, never tanked Dress. They just always saved like three moves for air, which is I would never have the confidence to not give >> like press so hard at Dragon [laughter] >> whereas they're like I've got it like I'm not going to do it all now.
37:57It was interesting though because uh when Amy left um you know and I was doing it alone, my initial instinct, which is a bad one cuz all Update guests are doing a bad job executing what you the anchor tell the audience they're going to do. Like for example, like Stefan, the city correspondent was a terrible city correspondent, right?
38:21>> And so my my first instinct as an actor was to be frustrated and mad, >> right? And again, uh, not to continue to, uh, give him the credit he deserves, but Shoemaker was like, I think the audience doesn't like that you don't like them, >> right? >> You know, he was basically like, I think just I think you should try to play this as as sort of patient and delighted.
38:43>> And it was such a good note because of course that, you know, to to to sort of confirm what you're saying, Will, like I was delighted. So like, why hide it from the audience? Like it just seemed like uh you know this >> cuz again I think maybe just from like I don't know what it was like what comedy you watch growing up but like there's that straight man thing of like now you hold on here you were supposed to be talking about this you know >> and that's just like not joyful to do or
39:09watch. >> Right. Right. Right. >> We'll be right back. And back to the show. when Amy left uh and and because she chose our son over you when she [laughter] >> when Archie [snorts] was a fine young man and you know what he's a fine young man and I'm I'm finally willing to concede [laughter] >> the right choice.
39:35>> It's almost 18 years but uh and he's by the way he's still asleep. He's in the other he's in his room right now. He's still asleep. Yeah. Yeah. But but when when when you were now on the desk by yourself, uh what was that like that first time? Do you remember that first show being out there? >> Well, I mean because the first time was crazy cuz uh didn't wasn't Archie Bourne on a Friday.
40:02>> Well, of course. Yeah, of course. >> Yeah. >> No, you did that you did that night by yourself. that I think Saturday morning I woke up from a a text from Amy being like so >> she was in labor Saturday on your own. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. She was like, "You're on your own." And uh I But it was crazy. And it was also not the most confident I've ever felt.
40:24Lauren was [laughter] my >> Lauren had a lot of ideas of like, "But what if you did it with this person just for tonight?" [laughter] And uh and I'm not I will say I'm not someone who uh advocates particularly well uh for myself. Uh but that was I remember just saying >> I really I think if you don't let me do it alone tonight you're it will just look like you don't think I can do it alone.
40:52>> Right. >> Right. Right. >> And and the eyes were on you guys had had an amazing fall because it was the presidential race that year. It had been you guys were every week crushing it. Yeah. >> Well, I think maybe the I mean the LA probably just based on uh I remember uh you know her silhouette. It must have been her last update before Archie was the the rap to Sarah Palin, right?
41:12So that's >> so it is also I mean I do I get that Lauren is like So here's the thing. You going on alone without the woman who just hardcore wrapped to Sarah Palin like nine and a half months pregnant. Like I think he was looking out for me like genuinely like I don't think it he was probably like let's just try to like >> have give you a little help out there but I think ultimately what we and what ultimately my era of uh solo hosting update was was let's just do a lot of features you know what I mean like four
41:41jokes Fred four jokes >> I will I will tell you something I'll tell you something really cool too which well not but I I think it's cool is we of course you know this very well because you were texting in contact Amy and Archie and I and he was watched that episode live from the hospital. >> That was the first show Archie ever saw.
41:57>> It was it was incredible, man. It was uh and and it was very emotional for her and for you guys and for us and for me and and and and Maya sang that song. Uh >> yeah, Kenan and and Maya. Titi and Mario, which was a first time with you, Jason. >> Uh that was Tit and Mario Soul Sers. >> I'm going to help him.
42:17You and Amy. Uh, you're on like a bare skin rug in front of >> you. We're selling We're selling like a K cake K >> on the show. On the show. Not the time you guys went away to talk. [laughter] >> Yes. Yes. Yes. >> Oh, you almost stepped in it. I did not lead you down a helpful path. Um, that was they we sing those songs all the time.
42:36Uh, which is they were very short, very inappropriate soul songs. They [laughter] were kind of like an Ashford and Simpson. And one of the songs, the entirety of one of the songs was, "Let me put it in a little bit. Just a tip." [laughter] >> Yeah. Just a tip. >> They were very short songs. >> Oh, yeah.
42:52And then like like like a smash zoom with the camera. Just a tab. Like right [laughter] in on her face. >> Yeah. >> Shaky shaky. But that was uh so TT Mario were where sang uh >> Yeah. >> sang a song to Arch. >> Archie. Yeah. It was amazing. Um >> so cool. So, so but then you go so then now you're on your own and and you end up and however you got it off the ground really well is you know behind the scenes Lauren as you said was maybe a little bit nervous and whatever we'll see but you end up now in a way do you
43:26think that that prepared you for ultimately doing late night because you kind of grew in confidence you you handled it so well that the audience never sensed that and I don't think that and and there's no obviously You and Amy were great, but you you really owned that era of doing it yourself and you took that into late night.
43:44Do you do you feel like that experience helped you? >> I think it I mean I think it helped people see me as somebody who could do late night which is ultimately like the bigger problem as far as the jobs we want is you need the people who give those jobs out to see it. >> And uh so that was uh great but again I had no ide.
44:05>> Yeah. And uh and it by the way I owe great credit to the fact that it worked for that Jimmy made it work uh late night because I think you know ultimately the complete lack of originality in um network thinking led them to like what if that the other update guy >> was did did Conan precede Fallon?
44:24>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. But it was Yeah. It was Conan and and Jimmy and then and then it was Jay Conan and Jimmy and then it was a lot of it was it was a fun time. >> But the How many years have you done the Late Show? like 12. >> It started in 2014. >> Yeah, it's February will be 12 years. No, February will be 13 years.
44:43Uh, it's nuts. But it was I will say a lot of the update stuff actually I think worked against uh figuring out the show because of you know one thing was so much of update was about me and the best cast one of the best casts in the history of SNL and then you're like now it's you without any of that and >> but but maybe without the cast but and we go back to Shoemaker a guy who had worked closely with you in the writing pro first of all it encouraged you and then you guys really partnered and you
45:12guys went and did it together you had a really Great. Solid. You guys knew each other. That's a That's such a cheat because often I think when you start late night, not that I know, you're you're really you're you're hoping it works out. You're hoping the dynamic works out. You guys had years of working together.
45:30>> We had a shortorthhand. We had a agreement about what I was good at and what I hadn't been good at. And we had also been there together while I had tried all the stuff that had had not worked about like I'm going to be a regular sketch cast player on SNL and uh we'd kind of watched that uh fail to you know bear any fruit.
45:47And so but the the thing that frustrates me so much and I say this with love. I remember Lauren said it'll take you 18 months to figure it out. And I had the confidence to be like going to take me 18 months. And then 18 months into the show is when I was like I'm going to stop doing a standing monologue and I'm going to start the show at the desk.
46:02And wow, >> I remember I didn't even realize it had been 18 months, but the minute I did that, I'm like, "Oh, this is it." And then I'm like, "Oh, fuck." [laughter] He was right >> then. So, but on on SNL, were you How much of the of the weren't you you were leading the writing process? Were you not?
46:18Were you Were you headwriter either in name or in in in practicality? >> I was headwriter. I was I was headwriter for uh basically the the con the end of my run on the show. Like I was update and headwriter. And I will say to this day, like probably the the title, if if it's not too silly to be proud of titles, the thing I'm proudest of is the fact that I was the headwriter in SNL.
46:39>> Yeah, you should be. >> And uh but again, like it's you mostly, you know, the hardest or the most Utah I was is bringing notes from Lauren to the writing staff. Like I worked >> that writing staff would have been fine uh without me. They were just absolute top tobottom bangers. It was an incredible group of people.
47:00>> You then basically by by obviously by default and title become head head writer on your own show. Um and how compare those those two um workloads uh positions levels of responsibility. So, it's actually uh Alex Bae, who was the head writer at Weekend Update, was the one person I poached uh when I left.
47:23And the one person as soon as I got the job, the first thing uh Lauren said was, "You can't have Baze." Like, even Lauren knew how good he was. He's he's the greatest living joke writer. He's incredible. And so, he's our headwriter. And the job the I still do a ton of writing on my show, but I only rewrite like so much of my time at SNL was that like open on you know like the worst part of writing just blank page and like >> uh I remember Jo in his office like had a he like to this day I'll go in cuz
47:51it's my old office and he has the names of all the cast like just printed just like and that thing of like sometimes you just want to look at names and hope that like just anything to get you started [laughter] like who like who who does what, right? Um and uh and so it is it is lovely to have uh transitioned to to a part of my career where I'm uh rewriting more than writing because uh just I mean I went I think I went back and hosted in 2017.
48:15I'd only been gone three years and I had this you know grand plan. I'm like >> I'm going to get back. I want to crack my knuckles, write a couple of old old school sketches and I just it felt like somebody trying to It was remember when Mark Spitz came back and tried to swim in the Olympics [laughter] and you saw like a picture of him and you're like he still looks good and then he just got in the pool and you're like no [laughter] no like that's that's how it felt.
48:39>> The hours have got to be similar or better or worse. >> No no it's this is unbelievable. My hours now compared to the I don't know is better or worse >> how so right now it's the best. I don't know how I could have had a family with SNL hours in the way that I do now. I mean, we tape >> our show at 4 in the afternoon.
48:56And we don't do a postmortem. Again, Shoemaker, his thing was like, look, >> we if there's something you're mad about tomorrow, let's have a meeting. But >> if you go home, I bet you'll come in tomorrow and be more concerned about tonight's show and you'll realize that with the thing you're mad about, everybody noticed that it went wrong and >> nobody will want it to go wrong again.
49:19and and ultimately let's save ourselves, you know, 90 minutes. >> That's so interesting. That's >> because again, you're just churning them out one after the other. And uh and not in a bad way. I don't mean that in a negative way, but it does really force you to um look to the future and just try to slowly bring up.
49:35>> But it is daily, right? Except um uh instead of weekly. Um, even though the daily workload on SNL from from my limited view of it, um, does seem pretty rigorous, um, I would imagine on your show currently it is much more involved. >> It's I mean, again, I I get there first thing in the morning and um, I I'm working the whole day.
49:58like there's no there's no downtime, but it's not boring because it's all, you know, you're all churning towards this really exciting >> uh release and and you know, the the uh adrenaline rush of walking out into a studio where, you know, 180 people are there to watch it. >> That's so cool. Do you feel do you feel like you have to consciously because of because it is so it is daily and and you do deal with you know topical uh things do you feel the need to like [ __ ] I I got to plow through every newspaper this
50:29morning I need to I need to be up on every No, >> I sometimes feel like I get my news from the first draft. >> Yeah. Right. [laughter] >> They send me >> uh and I'm like that's also fine. I mean like you know again like it's not like I'm not uh looking at social media and scrolling through Twitter and seeing like what's happening in the world.
50:44So, I'm not like caught flatfooted, but I don't, you know, I on Sunday, do I uh, you know, think it's important to watch, you know, a lot of the, you know, Sunday news shows. Um, yeah, but like I'm not I don't feel like I'm some, you know, uh, uh, insatable news junkie uh, for the purpose of my show.
51:04>> Um, which is which is nice. >> You could always just call Baitman. You could just call Baitman. >> Yeah, I'll plug in. >> Yeah. [laughter] >> Do you ever get Do you ever get tired of it though? I mean, do you ever get like need a break? uh you know uh we're on you know uh we're we're talking during a hiatus.
51:18I think maybe when this airs we we'll be back on. I can't wait to be back on. Like genuinely I love uh the people I work with. I I also you know it's a very hopefully it's a cathartic show to watch and it's very cathartic to do. So I my mental health is a lot uh more uh locked in uh when I have the show as a way to sort of like you know anxiety dump.
51:42What do you look forward to doing? Sorry, Willie. On the when you guys are powered down during the summer, what is the thing you look most forward to doing with the family each year? Is it is it just is it like is it travel? Is it doing nothing? Is it just playing house? >> You know, we got we got we got beach kids.
51:59Uh I got a father-in-law with a boat. Highly recommend having a father-in-law with a boat. Just a little just a little motorboat. Just uh you know, but uh that's a that's a good uh good good thing to do with your kids. I got >> um but in general there they're also you know they're 10 eight and um my daughter's almost five just good company right now for the first time where I'm I'm really like you know what >> you're all a lot less boring.
52:25>> Yeah. [laughter] And they're much more self-sufficient at that age right >> well that's the curse right like the minute they're not boring they like are they're like hey I'm I'm meeting other people. I'm like yeah >> I know you watch I know you watch a lot you historically you've watched a lot of films.
52:40You watch a lot of shows like you you enjoy uh absorbing all sorts of art if you will. What are the thing what's the thing that And you watch a lot of sports. You say you don't play but you you do you >> Yes. >> watch a ton of sports. What's the thing? What is the thing that you do? Are you watching Below Deck like JB and me or [snorts] you anything like that?
53:01>> Widows Bay. That was my the last show that I really love. >> Watches that. >> Matthew Reese is great. >> That dude >> really good. Uh a very good dude. That's the last thing I feel like I >> Do you ever watch documentaries like true crime documentaries? >> Not with much uh consistency on them. >> Yeah.
53:18And then what is the go-to sport? Is it's football. It's Steelers football. >> It depends on I will say like if you have if your baseball team is any good. It's very fun in the summer to care about baseball. But I would say like >> and what is your team? Socks. >> The Red Sox. And then also just my dad's from Pittsburgh.
53:36So the Pirates to a smaller degree. And then but the Steelers 100% and uh and I that I do feel like I'm gearing up for that emotional roller coaster. >> Not in a way. >> I mean are anybody like are you guys fans of sports teams outside of where you grew up? >> Yeah. >> No. >> Um well you didn't grow up in Boston.
53:55Uh Seth, right? >> Well New Hampshire is you know we got the Boston sports channel. >> [ __ ] right next to it, dude. It's like [laughter] right next to Although I tell a story like uh Peter I was at a charity event once and and Wahlberg I won't say which one [laughter] like uh he was like are you from Boston and I said I'm from New Hampshire and he said uh so no [laughter]
Solo Weekend Update Hosting
54:24I was like that is the perfect [laughter] sort of provincial rudeness of someone who like gets the Boston Globe. I'm like, I'm within the window of the Boston Globe getting delivered. [laughter] >> Home delivery. Yes. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Well, could you imagine ever being called the the New England Red Sox?
54:39I mean, that that would give you an excuse then, right? >> But they don't. Yeah. The New England Patriots do it. But it is it's so funny because like I uh you know, I got my start in Chicago. Chicago totally owns me. My dad's from Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh totally owns me. Boston just kind of in the middle.
54:59>> Never the Cubs. >> You know what I mean? Never the Cubs. >> They're pretty agnostic. Never the Cubs. >> Never the Never the White Socks. No. >> No. >> And never the Bears. >> Right. >> No. Okay. >> I just didn't care. I had a I had a true love and I didn't need more. >> Got it. >> Sure. [laughter] Sure.
55:14[snorts] >> Uh what do you think I Everybody asks this all the time. What do you think >> is going to happen in the Middle East? >> Well, don't get me started. Listen, the straight straight of her is open. Okay, by the way, in case you didn't know, it's open for business. open. >> And by the way, it doesn't matter how far we're uh recording this based on when it comes out.
55:34It's going [laughter] to stay open. >> It's still open. >> It's never been closed. >> Uh what what what Last thing, what are the next five years for you if you had to look cuz we were talking about like what do you want to do in in the preamble in our coffee chat as JB calls it? What where do you see it going?
Future Plans and Closing
55:49What do you What do you want to do? What do you want? >> I don't know. Uh I would love to say in 5 years from now, I'm still doing late night. I I have no I'm not tired of it at all. I really really enjoy it. But, you know, I do think more than maybe even the the things I learned at SNL helped me figure out late night.
56:07Like I think like what I've done at late night will be stuff that will help me figure out a great many things. And ultimately the problem or the fear I had leaving SNL was like ah I'm so worried my next job is going to be boring and this one isn't. So I think the the key is just to find something where you're just not bored.
56:22>> Well, I don't think you have to worry. You you you've got a a you're a great comedy mind. You're a great mind. You're People love watching you, including me. You're super super funny and whatever you >> wonderful talent set. >> Yeah. You're going to find >> So, this was so much fun. >> You got And you got no plan B.
56:35And you've got no plan B. That's the good news. >> Plan B. Not even all these years later, not [laughter] plan B. >> So, so you're going to be just fine. Yeah. >> Yeah. And hey, Jason, I know I know you couldn't, but I can hear you. >> Thank wow. >> Thank you. >> And you see me. >> I can hear you. >> And you see me?
56:53>> Yeah, I can see you, too. Um, we love you, Seth Meers. >> Love you, Seth. Thank you for coming, dude. What a delight. >> Thank you for doing this. >> All right, guys. I'll see you soon. >> Thanks, Seth. >> All right. Bye. >> Bye, Seth. Thank you. >> Uh, the great Seth Myers. >> You know what? You can tell he's a great writer and a great um person of comedy just because of his natural wit.
57:13Like, he's so funny naturally just speaking. >> So, witty. Well, I love he's so conversational in in his show on his show and and and as you said and so witty >> and >> so fast. >> Yeah. >> Like crazy fast. >> Fasil. >> Yeah. I mean, we've all done his show, right? We've all been on his show and he's I don't know how you do that every single day where you're just on on on and he's so natural at it.
57:40Anyway, he's one of the best. >> Yeah. Super smooth. always so kind and gregarious and he's just a uh >> so smart. So smart. >> Yeah, he's a he is a perfect host. For sure. >> Really is. God. >> And and I feel like is that the first time he's been on the show? >> Yeah. Isn't that crazy? >> What is the deal?
58:02>> I don't know. And then I ran into him last year. We've been trying to put this together for almost a year uh just with dates and stuff and uh cuz I was like, how did we how did we not >> Yeah. I mean, he was he's definitely >> Oh, boy. >> You know, he's Why do I see you coming [laughter] from around the corner >> every time >> like he chokes the puppy.
58:24I think he literally grabs a microphone idea. Sean, what is it? >> Well, I just want to say he was he wasn't he wasn't on today um by accident. He was on today. >> No, he wasn't on today. Still rolling. >> I don't know. Jesus a >> he was on today cuz he was purposefully on today. He wasn't on but by accident.
58:50[laughter] >> I mean less committ. I mean >> will you got anything? >> No. >> You know I'm sorry. I'm sorry Sean but I don't. Bye [laughter] bye. >> There we go. Bye >> bye. [music] Smartless.
59:09Smart less. [music] Smartless is 100% organic and artisally handcrafted by Rob [music] Armjarf, Bennett Barbco, and Michael Grant Terry. [music] Smart less.
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