Fred Armisen

Hello everyone, welcome to another episode of Good Hang.

“So excited that my old friend, my dear friend, Fred Armison,”

is joining me today and it's always the best to talk to Fred.

And we're going to talk about so much stuff. We're going to talk about SNL, of course. We're going to talk about how we don't like taking physical risks. We're going to talk about our different conflict styles. And we're going to talk about Wednesday, the big hit show on Netflix,

that he is a part of, um, we're going to discuss the past, the present, the future. But we have a great guest joining us to discuss Fred and how wonderful Fred is. A person who is here to talk well behind his back and give me a question to ask Fred. That person is Carrie Brownstein. She is the star of Portlandia, Slyter Kenny.

She's an actor, director, writer, and just all around cool, awesome person. Carrie, thank you for joining us. Hi. This episode is presented by all state. Checking all state first could save you hundreds on car insurance.

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You're in good hands with all state. Potential savings varies, subject to terms, conditions, and availability. All state North American insurance company and affiliates. North Brook, Illinois. Carrie, Hi. Hi.

Nice to see you. How are you? I'm great. It's so good to see you. Look at how nice your, um, background is. Well, I could say the same for years. What we're talking to Fred today, and we can talk about Fred forever, but I just want to talk

about you for a second. I was a fan of yours long before I met you. And I just remember saying to Fred, like, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Carrie from Slyter Kenny, like, wait, that Carrie, like, I can remember this feeling of, oh my god, I might get a chance to meet you.

But me to you is so important to me because I thought you were so cool. I loved you. I loved your band. I loved your music, and then to find out that you are so deeply, funny, talented, prolific, interesting, um, yeah. I mean, I don't have a question here.

I just want to say, remember that? Yes, I, well, I mean, yeah, uh, you're right. That wasn't a question, but I will, my report will be that I felt the same. I, I mean, I was such a big fan of yours.

“And I think Fred did, I, there were a lot of people in that through Fred, obviously, like, so many”

people from SNL that I already admired. You and Fred are such partners in so many different, how do you define your relationship? How do you describe your relationship with each other? Now, I was thinking about this because it's not romantic.

And we've never had that kind of relationship, but there is something that is deeply loving

in a slightly romantic way. And I mean that because it's kind of heightened in the way that romance is heightened. And so it is just a seamless, like, kind of loving, like, heart to heart, a platonic, you know, friendship, but it feels like family. How did you to meet?

We differ on this slightly. The one that we definitely agree on where we hung out was he was on SNL at this point. Later, can you were playing at Irving Plaza in New York? So we weren't able to go to CSNL. He invited me in the rest of my band to the show. But because, you know, we had this conflict, he said, okay, we'll just come to the after party.

And it was 2003. It was Jennifer Garner and Beck, who are the, you know, host and musical guest.

And we went to this after party and Fred came up in the way that he's always been

gaminist and friendly and he was wearing a little button with my face on it. Which is, you know, from someone else that might be weird, you know, you're like, "Hi, nice to meet you. Oh, there I am on your shirt." But with Fred, it's just he wears both his heart and his fandom on his sleeves.

“Totally, you know, kind of literally and figuratively, I think that's why he,”

people just want to be around him because he's just not cynical in that way. So anyway, we hung out that night and then started to just talk about collaborating. I assumed he'd want to do music and instead he had all these little comedic shorts he wanted to start making with me, which was very surprising and surreal, but just completely based on our friendship. It was very organic. It wasn't like, let's pitch this or let's try to do something,

And we did that for years before Porlandia. Yeah. And with Porlandia, did you guys go in and

“pitch Lauren a Broadway video? Well, we did, eventually we did. I think it was Fred's manager,”

who then became mine, Tim Sarkis, who said, "Hey, you guys have really developing this chemistry. There's a whole sensibility here in the series of videos that you've done." And then you kind of have to pitch to Lauren if you're on SNL and Fred thought there's no way. You know, Lauren's just going to look at this and say like, "Okay, good luck. Thank you, no." And instead Lauren and Andrew Singer Broadway videos said, "Yeah, we'd love to be part of this.

We got really lucky." And Fred was still on SNL for like the first four seasons of the show.

So we made a pilot super quickly and we basically, we said, "I've seen, like, you either pick this up now or we just don't do it because he's got to get back to SNL in September." Both you and Fred were musicians and reformers, you're a writer, you're a director, you're an actor,

“you're also, you know, you go back on tour, like this idea that you have to be the one thing,”

felt like Fred was the embodiment of that at SNL. Like he showed up at the show and I want to talk to him about it, but you know, he was interviewing bands as a character. That's how he made up. He made his own show, basically, playing like a very kind of rude German interviewer who didn't

understand, you know, social protocol. And he would let any would, any would interview musicians.

And but he also was in the blue man group before he was like, he has, yeah, there's like kind of like nothing. He doesn't want to try and by being around him, you feel really comfortable trying things too. Sure, he is almost like the Swiss army knife in this way where you know what the sort of familiar elements are of Swiss army knife, but he uses them in ways that surprise you. And I just, I can't believe all of these capable of. I still I'll be watching something and I'm like,

there's Fred, when did he do this? Like he's just, he's everywhere and he can do so many things. It's like, when he, when he goes on a show and just decides to do an accent from every 50 states,

then you're like, oh, I didn't like, he surprises me all the time. You're right. And I kind of want

to talk to him about that, too, because why I think that bit is genius. And I mean, I really do think Fred is a genius at comedic genius. But why that bit is especially genius,

“speaks, I think to the bigger way that Fred participates in his work. Is he's just making a choice?”

Like whether or not it's the best choice or the most, like he's just deciding that that's how people talk from that state. And the comfort that you get knowing that Fred has made a choice is what is funny. It's, and it's the same way with any impression that he does or any comedic choice that he makes. He's just in the moment deciding, I'm going to do it like this, and it's very relaxing. Oh, we're relaxing. And there's just this like kindness and generosity.

I think because he can be his tastes is actually kind of esoteric, but he makes the audience feel like they don't need to know that stuff. You know, it's something alienating about it. So when he makes a decision, a choice is you're saying to like, pick an accent for Alabama, it doesn't matter. People just think like, oh, that's something I trust this because you're just making me feel okay to believe it. You know, he's just, and Fred just really believes in a he believes in comedy,

he believes in like connecting with people. That's very comforting. Yes, he has, he has a specific taste, but he's not a snob. He's not a snob. And he doesn't, he really is a verse to that. And he's one of the few people in my life that like he can do an impression of me to me, and it doesn't hurt my feelings. Yes, a lot of impressions, a lot of impressions are like the things that you don't want to hear people doing, that you wanted to be done behind your back and those that, but

Fred can do impressions of people to them, and they feel seen, but it's just, it's just as fascinating. Like he can do that. Fred's impression of me. He tells me he can't do my voice, but so what he does is he walks. And I didn't realize until Fred did an impression of me that I'm a treasure. I tried to, it's a weird, but it was inoffensive. And there's also something very loving about it. Like you're like, yeah, you, you notice something about me that someone else doesn't. What's his

impression of you? His impression of me is like asking kind of the leading questions. Is it kind of like a suspicious question? It's like a little, but it, it delights me. Like, when he does it, I just feel so like, he, that's me, like, you got it or whatever. Yeah, because what he's pointing out is just that you're curious, and you're, is he's pointing on intelligence. Like, that's very flattering.

Okay, so I asked my, my first guest to give, give a question for my second guest. And I was wondering

“you probably know so much about Fred. What do you think would be a question maybe he'd want to”

answer you'd want to know or that people listening might want to know? We touched on this, you know, it's just the like, the music stuff. So I guess my question is, I would want him to describe the way that one of his musical heroes humor, sensibility, faithfulness, informed his own comedy, but it's something I'm actually curious about. Such a good question. I just can't wait to hear your talk with Fred. So I just want to carry the best. Thank you so much for doing this. I really

want us to deep dive soon together. I cannot wait for those live shows. I definitely want to go. That sounds so fun. And I just love spending time with you. Thank you so much for this time. Thank you, Amy. Take care. Good to see you. You too. Bye, Carrie. This episode is brought to you by visible. Let's be honest, wireless can feel like a world of traps, expensive bills, hidden fees and promises that just don't hold up. You start to feel stuck.

Don't fall for the trap. Escape to visible. The ultimate wireless hack. Get unlimited data and hotspot powered by Verizon. One line all for just $25 a month. Taxes and fees included. You heard that right? Just $25 a month. Get great coverage and a reliable connection with visible. Switch today at visible.com and start saving on wireless. Terms apply. See visible.com for plant features and network management details. Oh my god. My god. Red and I. Oh my god. We got our

khaki on. That is really funny. I'm dressing today like one of your my favorite characters of yours,

“Nicholas Faye. Oh, but I think we're all starting to dress like that. I feel like we”

men and women are all dressing the same and we're all dressing the same way. Yeah, I forgot what story went to, but there's a sort of a department store where all the guys close were stuff like all the colors I would like. Yeah. So it's very, it felt very like. And I like to dress pretty mask in general. Like I feel safe when I'm kind of buttoned up and kind of like. So. And our mission is here. And we're we're we both have similar colors on today. Yeah. Amy, I can't even begin.

I mean, thank you so much for this. I love this. I'm going to call this show. But I love it. And I can't believe it's happening. I also, I mean, you know this everyone like we could talk forever. I know. I don't even know what we're going to talk about. Yeah. It's. I know. I was just like I have notes, you know, we were going over and I was like, I feel like we could we could talk about. We could talk about talking on podcasts for an hour and a half. We could like the

tone because people's tones do change a little bit. Fred, you are you're probably talked about more than almost anybody on this podcast. I don't know if you've heard how well you've been spoken of. It's really. It makes you very happy. It's flattering. It's the nicest thing. It's all people who I love and respect. Same. It's the best. And you were on the first zoom that

Dratchee could get her headphones on. You're nice enough to do that. Thank you. One of a million times

you have come through and helped me out and been and not ever been like, what is this? No, but that's that's easy because everything you're working on, it just seems like, of course, that's going to be great. But not everybody is like that. I mean, I want to talk about it today, but I feel like I learned a lot from the way you approach saying yes to things. And when you're actually there, you're actually there. You're actually a present person, which is pretty hard to be.

Thank you. But it's for it's for stuff that I want to do. So that's like most of the, you know, the battle of being there. But I don't even know how to set this conversation because I love it so much. I'm so excited. But okay, I feel like you are comedic genius. And of all the funny people of which we know the funniest people, everybody loves you, the most ancestor of the funniest. And Martin Short told a really sweet anecdote on this where he

made him laugh in the moment when you told him that you tricked him in the making that he said, Tony McCartney said a bomb McCartney when he introduced Paul McCartney at the SNL 50.

“Yeah. I guess what is it like to like make your heroes laugh?”

Well, first of all, thank you for those really kind words. We need you to live up.

Yeah, wait, wait, wait, what do you see what I do unless? I remember I thought he's

like, I don't, when I'm around Martin Short, I'm not like, hey, I'm going to, it's just like,

“it really does feel like he's so funny. Let's just goof around. It really does feel that way.”

Yeah. And with the Tony McCartney thing, I thought for sure, I thought he knew it just by me talking about it that I was joking. But do he actually get fooled? Because I guess it was a very heightened moment. It's like the end, those after good nights of the 50th. And so my, might have just been a moment where he thought it really happened. But that's the thing I love about

working with you and knowing you is there's like a impish like playful side to you that never feels

mean, but feels very fun. Like, I feel like if shit went down, I want to turn to you for it. Because I feel like if someone's yelling or if someone's like, if something uncomfortable is happening, it's fun to turn to you. And when something, if something great is happening, it's fun to turn to you. Yeah. Likewise. But I, but I feel like I lean on you, though, because you have a gauge of like, this is what's really happening. There's one thing you told me when

I was thinking of leaving SNL. I've got already decided that I was leaving SNL. And you said, I didn't even ask you, but you're like, don't worry, Lauren always stays in your life.

“That's what I mean. It's a bigger, it's like a, it's a map. It's like a little further away. And”

you just know like the thing to say, how many years were you on SNL? 11. Oh, wow. Yeah. And I remember right at the end, I was just sort of like, you know, trying to decide and you'd already left. So yeah, I looked to you as like, what is this? I was just, I mean, there's so many things to talk about. One thing I learned today is, is this true or is the internet wrong? That your full name is Faradum. Faradum. Faradum. Yeah. That's my given name. Faradum. Yeah. Faradum. And it is your father's name.

And it is a Iranian name. Yep. But he is German. Yes. And Korean. Yes. Why does he have an Iranian name? Because his mom in Germany was dating a Persian man at the time when she got pregnant, not by him. So she gave her child her boyfriend's name. Yeah. He or he chimed in on what his name should be. There were there were Persian workers in Germany at the time. And you know, even though it wasn't

“his baby. Yeah. She was like, what should I call this kid? And he's like, he came and put that name.”

You have German descent, Korean descent, you're Venezuelan. Mom is from Venezuela. And you have an Iranian name even though you don't have any Persian. That is that's you in a nutshell. That's crazy. I know. And so then you were just called Farad from when you were a little kid. Yeah. And my dad was as well. Okay. It was crazy. I'm not talking about myself. Like, I'm like, a maze like, yeah, it's crazy. I mean, more that learning the history of what I thought

Germany was like, that there were immigrants there. And foreign workers, you know, that things are just more complex than I ever learned originally or that there was racism against Koreans in Japan. Right. I had no idea. And much like Andy Sandberg, who was on here talking

about how he did his roots. When you did your roots, you found out that you always thought that

your dad was Japanese and you found out that his relatives were Japanese. Yeah. You found out they were Korean. Yeah. It was in this room for four hours, you know, as they're opening these books and, and it really feels at first, it is disbelief. Like, this cannot be true. Have you done it? No, because I'm Irish white. It's not going to go well. I mean, there's no way. You're surprised. You'll be surprised. And that's like, that's also like, yes, I will be surprised.

I mean, I mean, it's just, it's never going to go back to that old blooded Canadian. And people would be, I'd be like, no way. My relatives are from Canada. Like, but when you were growing up, you have German and Korean dad, what you thought was Japanese, Korean. You have Venezuelan mom. Yeah. How did you identify what culturely Venezuelan is because my dad's from East Germany, which means that it was communist Germany at the time. So we had no relatives around us. Right.

And with Venezuela, the relatives are over all the time. Right. We got traveling there. So it was a distant relationship with Germany. And you could speak, you were like, could speak Spanish from when you were young. Like, you just learned your mom's Spanish and the home. That was a lucky thing. Yeah. Because at the time, I didn't appreciate it. Of course. What is this? Yeah.

And then now it's just like, it's also like, you know, a lot of like first, you know,

to try to, but your mom spoke both. She did. Yeah. And she kept it going. Yeah. Thankfully.

“And I still write to her, like, if there are things that I'm like, what is the Spanish word for this?”

It's great. She's just how a lot of SNL stuff. A lot of cold opens and stuff. Mm-hmm. One of the nice things about working at SNL is like, you just meet people's parents because it over the years, like, they come to the show. Like, you're just like, you see, like,

when you were talking about the name polar, I pictured your dad. And he's always like, he's got, like, a

smirk. Oh, my god. He's like, my dad, my parents are such fans of Fred Armison. I'm a fan of there. And we, we always had our relatives there and like, we're always hosting family and like, you would go to sit at the table and your mom, who I have such warm feelings for. I want to think about is you guys look a lot alike. Yeah. Like, really, you kind of have her face. Yeah. But you said, okay, so Freddy, little Freddy growing up in a long island a little bit and then Brazil a little bit.

“Right, for a couple of years. Couple of years in Brazil. Yeah. How old when you went to Brazil?”

Uh, I was like, first second, second and third grade. Okay. So do you remember what it was like, oh, yeah. Arriving in Brazil. What it was like? I just wanted to be, I was homesick. Yeah. So now I can color the story with like, oh, it was so exotic. Yeah. There were drums everywhere, but at the time, I just wanted to like, I just wanted to be with my friends back in Long Island.

It's so true though, you're right. Like, we look back at stuff. And we're like, it was such an amazing

experience. And like, when when I would travel, I'm like, this food is weird. I think this place, the word hate got used so much. I hate it. I hate it. I must have said that most of the time. I hate it here. Were you sad when you had to move back? Or like, had you gotten used to it? I got used to it, but I don't know if I was sad. I think I was okay moving back. You're ready to go back. Yeah. So then you go back to Long Island. Then you think about going to college for visual arts.

Yeah. That took a while. That there's more like my back to Long Island went to high school there. Yeah. And then I really had it in my head that I wanted to be in a band. So the common

“way to go is to go to art school. So then why is it a common way to get an band to go to art school?”

Just going to be around artists and just like, yeah, like, all my favorites. That was talking

heads, the Beatles, all like art school. I don't know what it is. Like, but I'm glad I did it. I mean, did you think you were going to be like, was it like a medium that you were into working with? Like, did you, were you painting or you know what? The jogger? It was, it was, I went for film. Yeah. And to be honest. Oh, people say it to be honest so much. I hate that I just said, oh my god, everything I say in this podcast to be honest. I don't think I was really drawn to it.

Because I went to school with like filmmakers. Yeah. And they would talk about it so much. And they'd be like, why are we actually talking about this? They were talking about editing and I'm like, we're supposed to get good grades, but we're not supposed to like talk all day about this stuff. And that's the difference in like a passion for doing something. I thought I was like, no, we're just going to art school to be in art school. And that's so true. That's such a good distinction.

Yeah. As you realize, you don't have a passion for something when you see other people wanting to spend all day every day doing it. And you're like, we're going to do other things, right? Yeah. That was exactly that. And so then you meet your bandmates at art school. Yes. And you're in a band, call. Transmout. And Transmout is like, what, 1988 Chicago? That's right. More like, 89, 90, when it was when it was really, it took, took shape. So let's just for the heck of it.

Let's listen a little, let's go back. Let's go back. Do you still remember how to play this? Yeah. This photo of you guys is so of this era. You guys are all in front of your V-dop, and for V-dop, and for V-dop, and I'm just being like, yeah. I don't even know how we got here. We loved being on tour. Okay. What was it like playing? Like, was that feeling? The feeling was like, it's like a campaign. Like, we're going to do it. We're going to drop our jobs. We're going to do it. This band did it. This band did it. Go. What's the gig? Did one Iowa? Great. No money? Fine.

Go, go, go. Fill the tank. You know, we kept the the van running and clean, and it was like being Boy Scouts. And, you know, packing up the drums. Come on. Come on. Well, lifting and putting things on. What time are we going on? Let's all dress in black for this. Great. Let's all dress in white. Great. Everything energy, like energy of, it's us. Yeah. How do you like that? They were awesome.

lame. I don't want to be like them. A lot of like looking up to bands. Like, that's the way to go.

Who are you looking up to at the time? Long fish. No means no. Fugazzy, job box, nation of Ulysses. We looked up with these. Like, we think because they were also really like possessed. There was possessed with this thing. How much longer can we be on the road? Go. Go. It was just this, and then playing as you hear what this music, everything. Come on. There's a change here. There's another change. And louder. And everything was kind of mathematical. This wasn't like

jam out music. Right. What a joy. How about something there was no groove? I love and I love that

“like the feelings that I remember in that at that age where you would argue about like something”

for hours. Like, you had the luxury of time. Like you just would just like, you know, I remember thinking about like jokes, we would write or whatever. And would we just spend hours talking about it. And it was so important. And it was so important. And like just the energy of getting everything right. God, that did you guys have like, were you arguing band? You know, a couple normal arguments, but what you're talking about about those discussions, they would go into the night.

Well, as it's getting dark as we're driving, everything's getting dark and we're still like, but that's not, that's all punk is then. Or by your definition, that's all what it is. Well, that's all what I'm saying. And then silence. And then the endless, endless. And into, you know, I get like the feeling that's giving you now of like, I remember like, it's like you have a flag in

“your head. You're like, no, this is the way it's got to be. Yes. And very like, I mean,”

so much of it, I feel like in your 20s is like rejecting some version that you think if you're not careful, you'll turn into. Yes. And playing punk is such a true expression of that of like,

being like, I'm not going to be that person. Absolutely. I always find that interesting that like bands

have to keep reinvesting in the band, like every couple years, like, and I can relate, because it felt that way with like sketch, like you were in a group. And you were like, no, let's, and then, you know, certain people would like get opportunities. And you'd have to say, like, no, I'm doubling down. I'm staying with the band. And then you'd see other success happening, you know, think like, it's because we're not like, it was like, we need to be more committed for that success

to happen. But sometimes that isn't always the case. It's so it's exactly that. It's not funny. So you went through the same thing. Do you see because we had to, you know, we were like, you know, we were like, doing shows and people were trying to, you know, cherry pick us or like, and yet it's just keep like, it's just keep like renewing the contract. Yeah, and are renewing the goal. Yeah, renewing the goal. And now as long as we're this, now we got on this label or whatever.

And we were in Chicago at the same time, like, all that, like, smashing punk is lose fair, like, ah, so cool. So cool. Okay, so you're there. You're in the band. You're like, we're close, but we're not quite there yet. Then you, how does joining blue man group happen? Oh, well, you know, I have to give credit to my wife at the time. Sally, she's in this band and me cons. And she was kind of a little bit like, if you're going to do stuff,

“you have to sort of open up to not just being in this one band. They were coming to Chicago.”

And I auditioned. I went to this rehearsal space. What was it, we just drumming for the audition? Is that all? Did you have to do anything else? I was drumming. And they were like, ah, there were other musicians there kind of playing. And they were, they did a thing where they're like, do a fill, but don't end on the one. So usually, you know, you know, you do a fill. And it's like a resolve that's very predictable. They're like, make it a little, which is kind of like,

where a trench mouth was like, anyway, it was a little jagged. So then I got it. Then they, they had a series of drummers, different rotations of bands. Yeah. And it was like my first show is Peter. What was it like, like, how was it like a Broadway run? You had to be performing all the time. Did you rotate it? I rotated. So there was a full-time drummer. And I would play like two or three shows a week or some out of whatever. Eight. What was it like? It was fantastic.

What was your favorite part? I've never saw the blue man group. But I was there with such a big,

oh, you mungus. Pull it up. Let's pull it up. Is your footage of you in the blue man group? I wonder. Oh, I wonder. But what was your favorite part of the show? You know how like it's so I was like, oh, I like that song. Oh, I like that. But the opening. So like the opening, like the first there's just three blue men on these paint drums. And we do their own thing. And then the band kicks in when

light. Yeah. And so we had like stick figure drawings on us on our costumes. And there's a stick player as they're player. So we'd start playing. And that was just like it really felt like a big proper beginning of a show. Very loud. The huge drum kit. Huge. Really? Yeah, I went through training for it. I trained a little bit in Boston in New York. And it made my drumming better. It was really frenetic and crazy. And I really loved it. I learned a lot. And the dumb question, but like, is like, what was to

make up of application and removal like? Well, for me, people who don't remember you had to paint yourself blue. Yeah, but the band didn't. The band we had, we had like, we hated like stick. Yeah, like sort of, you know, on our hands. And like, but easy to get off. Easy to get off with with water. The blue men had like a bald cap that went over their ears and layers of like glow in the dark paint than blue paint. Wow. And they had a lot. They had like blue gloves on. That was a real

ordeal. And then the rest of the time they would walk around with like, they'd always have a little

blue in their nose and ears. And they were like, interesting people. You know, like all kind of, I would say like juggler, performance artist, athlete, those types like those perfect, you know, like, perfectly fit people. Yes. You also drummed. So they were really great to be around. Okay. So then you do that. And then there's so much that happens after that. But you create this video series that pre-SNL that is a version of a character that you played interviewing musicians

and you kind of play this like hilarious German interviewer who knows nothing about the bands. Yeah, or is very mean to be. Because we're experienced it all the time. And I don't think they

“meant to be mean. I think they just, that's their where they are. It's that they would always”

tell us how poorly we're doing. And now they'd always say like, oh, your group is not so good.

Fugazi was here a week ago. And they was very crowded. And that's not so crowded today. And it was just based on that. It was so genius because it didn't, it didn't expect much of the musicians. Like the musicians could just kind of play it real. And you were steering like, you were doing the comedy basically. But what we're so fun is watching all these musicians who and realizing that a lot of them were very naturally funny. That like, like, that was so fun

is watching them make choices with your character. Yes. Steve Albini did it a bunch of people bought from pavement. Yeah, I got it was, I just put a video together. And I mean, that was back when you just like filmed it and made a ask someone to edit it. Can you edit this? No, comes up. I don't even know. You know, just like, can you do it? Yeah, I mean, they did it.

“And then they give it back to you. And you carried it around. Thank you. And then that's that's what”

existed. I mean, to like, ages, I don't know if this was like, when you started in 2003, but in 2001 at SNL, there were still, when we wanted to do an impression, you'd have to go VHS. Get a VHS tape. Yep. And believe it. No. And they'd tape it off the today show or TV. And then you'd get a big bulky tape that you would put in a piece of yarn. You watch like six minutes of whatever thing that they had. And they'd have tapes and tapes of people that you were impersonating. This is so funny

talking to you about all this because I, you don't need to put this in, but like, I've known you for so long. I know. And to talk about Blooming Group actually makes me like, it jumps like a track in my head,

love of like, oh, yeah, we've never talked about Blooming Group. We've never talked about it.

And we talked about it very briefly, but everybody's road to where they get is so circuitous, like one different, one different change, and we're not where we are. But I would say, Freddy, more than anyone, I know you know that every day. Like you really know every day. I can't

“believe I got here. You say it. Yeah. You live your life that way. Yeah. Like, like, what are we doing here?”

Every bit of it. Yeah. Staining on that stage, auditioning for SNL are that already felt like this is insane, but whatever from Blooming Group, it should be here in front of Tina. Yeah. How do you get the audition? Through, um, Marcie Klein. Yeah. She found her. She found the show or anything. Yeah. She found a video of like all the stuff that had done. Yeah. And she shook. She made Lauren watch it. And then they called me in. Wow. Insane. And you were like, you know,

30, what when you audition? Three, 32. Yeah. From 33. And I was 30 when I got the show. And I,

I appreciated it. So much because also because I've been through being in the band for so long,

“so that I, I mean it, like, it all felt like icing. The whole thing felt like, uh, this is,”

I was just in the van, you know, like, whatever, maybe five years before that, it felt very like, uh, this is all, uh, even with, like, the money part of it. Yeah. Where some people would say, like, that's not a lot to get paid for your first year. I was like, are you kidding me? To me, it was so much money. Yeah. To me, I felt like a million dollars. Yeah. Yeah. And it wasn't $9. And it was a million dollars, Fred insisted on a million dollars a week. And if we're almost

took the show down. I asked, but I asked really nice, he was like, please, come on, come on. Give me a break. Good. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. It's just me. It's me. Your friend, Fred. Good. Good. Good. Good to spend it. Come on. Lauren, look at me. Body. They were like, all right. I feel like a lot of people that got on SNL have, like, evidence when they were younger of, like, see you on SNL or, like, writing in their journals,

“like, was it a dream growing up? Did you watch the show and think I want to be on it?”

The relationship I had to ask it out was I watched it all the time. Yeah. But I really connected to the B-52s and Devo and talking heads. Like, and I'm not saying it in a way that's, like, uh, I just only like the bands. I'm saying that like, Lauren was communicating with me these bands that he had on. I did feel like I, there's something I understood about the show. And then, like, Mr. Bill and, and every, like, the sketches, but also, like, the bands on there.

I was like, that must be fun. Yeah. That's kind of was like, and then as the years went on, when Mike Myers was on was more of a, like, I felt like that was a direct message of, like, it's got to be some way to the, I felt like we were speaking the same language. Oh, have you ever told Mike Myers that? I think I'm kind of told them. Yeah. Um, but it's a good way to put it. Yeah. Like, that sketch. Sprockets. Yeah. Was a, a, a favorite sketch of mine before I'd even

seen it. Someone described it and I was like, what is going on over there? So then you make, you're on us and I'll, you, like, some of my most fun memories of being on that show is doing bits with you when we weren't on, when we weren't on camera. And the in-betweenness of that job,

like, I'll never have anything like it. The talk about luxury of time, like, just the amount of time

wasted, not even wasted amount of time. The amount of time, like, thinking about sketches and talking about stuff and fucking around, basically, which is like the most, which is like, that was the preciousness of it. Oh, that's the, the, I have a million memories of it too. And of you, it's for me to even describe bits you've done. It doesn't do it just because I just, I knew I was going to describe all your bits and that was like, it's like inside joking. Yeah, it's like too

“difficult to even, but I remember like voices and faces you've done who knows where in some dressing”

room somewhere for no reason. And it's the funniest times of my life. Same. And what I love about and

always loved about playing around with you is, and I'm just going to say it Freddy, I do think

that you and I share this, which is we definitely liked. We wanted to not forget that we were having a good time. Like, we really, it matters to us. It matters to us that we don't forget the joy part in all of the art that hard stuff. We don't love a complainer. No. You and I do love a complainer. A real crime. If SNL's a microcosm of life, you can spend your whole life figuring out what you don't have. You can, you can tell, it doesn't matter how much you have. You can focus on what you

don't have. You sure can. And the more you talk about what you don't have, like the more you it's wild. I know. I've met some real complainers and it's really shocking. It isn't really

interesting. When I'm complaining, because we always, we all complain. But when I find myself

complaining and like, oh, something's off. Yes. Something's off. Like, not other people. I'm off. I'm trying to get better at spotting it. Because sometimes you fool yourself into, you, this isn't really a complaint. And that might actually be a complaint. But I don't think if you, I don't think if you was conflict diverse, but you don't love conflict. No. So let's say you're doing, let's say you're getting ready for your tour. And like, the light, the light aren't working the way you want

them to work. And you're like, hey, can we adjust the lights? And it still isn't working. What do you do next? Um, I, let's say. So Fred, you have a very intense light show. And you're like,

okay, and then, okay, I'm just going to talk out this talk, this thought experiment. And then the

show happened. And you're like, just make sure that the blues come up at the right time. They don't. What do you do? Oh, well, if it's hour to hour, day to day, it's gone. It's, I really do feel treated like a page that's turned. I'm like, I didn't work out. But to your point, let's say, if I'm being asked too much, you okay? Oh, good. See, we're great. You know, and I'm like, how do you tell someone? I know exactly, because I've done it. This is where Fred and I are

a little different. I've said, I'm noticed you're asking me a lot. I, this is Fred hates this. This is where I, because I, you hate, I don't think you like this, this direct conflict. I had, I envy it. I wish I could do it. I wish I could be a little less direct, because sometimes I feel like it comes on too strong. But I would say, I'm noticing that you're asking

“you, Fred, so uncomfortable. I'm just like, okay, I think about it like when I'm in, like,”

in getting my, let's say you're getting your hair. Like, I'm getting my hair done for a scene. And, you know, if you're doing like, if you're doing a couple days in a new show, in new people, they don't exactly know what you like and they're trying to like, you know, figure out like, or they're giving you a hairdo or whatever, I've had very nice people be like, just checking in, do you like, is this working? You know, and I'll say, I notice that you're

asking a lot. I promise you, I won't suffer if I don't like something you'll know. If I don't like something, I'll let you know. But I have to nip it in the bud, because it makes me insane, because are you okay? Are you okay? Are you mad? Are you okay? It makes me nuts. It makes you nuts, too. But what do you do instead for me? I just sort of, I know that I know that it's temporary. And I think, well, the next tour, that person doesn't, they'll be on, they'll be doing that to somebody else.

And maybe that other person loves it. I'm not saying that the way that I do it is correct. Same. I just sort of gently, like, if it's like, on water, like, the little boat just goes the other way much. Any more. I'm okay. Now I'm okay. And then they, they're off. Yeah. But I'm like, I can get my own things. I can get my water. I can get. Yes. To be asked, if, you know, yeah. But now that's not like complaining. That was very complaining of me. No,

that was not complaining of you. You never ever complained. That would be a funny sketch.

“You should have done where you were like the head of the complaint department. And you were like,”

what? Are you joking? You have a complaint. This is like somebody's job in show business. And there's a problem of some kind. God, it's true, though. And that's what's fun about working out of place, like, yes, and now as you have someone come through every week as a new guest, they're really vulnerable when people are vulnerable. They're kind of like, like, a lot of stuff comes up. And when people are scared, they get, they act all different kinds of ways.

And you kind of see like this very human moment where people feel vulnerable. And sometimes they misbehave. Oh, yes. And it's like, woo, woo. And also often they're often they're great. Often they don't have to put this in. And you probably walk, but you, you're reaction to some hosts. Oh God, it's delicious. It's the best thing in the world. Like, you really like, I'm like,

you said the stuff. I'm not even like actually, and you're not insulting to them. You're never

in a way that is so good. You're like, you know, and I'm like, oh, that's exactly what's happening. I mean, people are audacious. Yeah. I'll break just. All right. I mean, and people ask it like an interview is like, who's been the worst host of the best? And I always keep it. Same. I would

“know, that's what I'm going to do. Yeah, that's the most low hanging. Like, why? Yeah, why would I ever”

say that? But I have a lot of thoughts. Yeah, I have a lot of thoughts. And I do, I mean, I've actually tried to work on it because I like that's my stuff. I was like, I like to be like paying attention to like detectively, like, you know, like, I hate that part of myself. That's very, like, you did it right. You did it wrong. But I can't attention. Yeah, yeah, you did it right. And I, and I won't, like, I remember, I'm like, I remember, I think you were not very nice or, I remember

that you were very late. Tina has a good memory for that. Tina, Tina, that's Tina and I that that were like yummy food. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,

Oh, we love it so much and that's what I mean is bad behavior is sometimes kind of fun because I'm like holy shit. My favorite feeling sometimes in the world is when someone's acting badly and you can feel everybody else like watching them and just like I can't wait to talk about this.

Everyone's like, let this finish on the electricity and no one's looking at each other.

Everyone's like, I'm just like, I'm trying to remember every moment so I can, I know.

“I'm trying to have like a face that's like, oh, I know, but I, but in general, like, and I think you would say the same thing.”

Like every, I found people to be awesome to work with and like, who did you meet on SNL that like, you just think about now and you're just like, they just met what you thought they'd be like. Like you just, you think about them in love, you do me like hosts. Anyone hosts or people that came in to do a bit or old cast members. Oh, look, for example, I'll, I'll give you one right now.

Like I didn't really know the rain knew man that well. It's great. And hung out with her at the 50th. Fuck, she's so cool. She's so cool.

I knew she would be cool and I didn't really get a chance very much to talk to her over the years. And she's the fucking coolest. She is the coolest. She's my language. That's okay.

Lauren? Yes. Um, you and Lauren had a really, you have a very sweet relationship. How would you define it? How would you both fans?

I think he's a fan as well. Whenever you describe, because I grill him all the time on musical guests, he is, you know, some people are like, I don't know what you're talking about. Yeah. He knows what I'm talking about.

Mm-hmm. Who do you talk like, I mean, there's, there was an amazing, quest love, um, doc about all the musical guests. Yeah. But if you can remember, like, who were like the, you know, I'm thinking of, like, Elvis Costello's

wonderful. Oh, the special.

“The specials was the best thing I've ever seen.”

Oh, what? Why was it?

Because for me, from Long Island, you know, so we were like, Long Island, and I never had

to kind of like, longer hair. And these guys with these little suits and crew cuts, this, like, energetic band, running off the stage when they were done. I, that really, I, I want to watch it again with you right now. I have a laptop.

It, I watched it so much. There's a song called Gangsters that, I wonder if you'll find it. It's right here. Look at the drummer. It's like, back straight.

Jumping around. Holy, machine gun. Yeah. Yeah, they're so cool. Did you like drummers at played like this?

Yeah, I like, Climberg was that way. Really good, really good posture. Climberg from Blondie, the Blondie drummer, my favorite drummer ever. Really? Oh, yeah.

And really, like, my suit, I think I had a turtleneck on SNL, just really, like, you know, placed on the drum firm, loved it. And Blondie was great on SNL, Divo, and the B-52s, really, like, that was, like,

“I remember that was the first moment of like, oh, there are weirdos in the world.”

Yes. And, like, talk about full circle, the SNO-50th, you get to play with B-52s, and Divo. What was that, like? It was like the top, like, the very crystallized top of a mountain, like, I, it's almost scary because I was like, that's it.

Yeah, you're like, I'm gonna have a hard time. Yeah. It felt that way last time. Yeah. That is the very, like, you know, that shows that radio city musical, I had seen Divo

when I was 14 at radio city musical. I paid for tickets to see them, and also getting to meet them, they're great people, being friends with them. It's like, it really, yeah, those two, that was unreal. And also on SNL, not at some gig, not at some show somewhere, like, hey, I got up.

On SNL. Yeah. It's everything at once. Yeah. I can't believe it.

Yeah. Okay, so now I wanna just get on to a new section, but the person that will help us get to this section is Carrie Brownstein, because we talked to her today. You did? Yes.

You know, I was saying this to Carrie, but maybe you can speak to this too. Like, your relationship with Carrie is very special. It's, it's, how do you define your relationship with her? She's, like, she's my soulmate. She is a person who I feel like, I've known forever. I don't mean to speak in those terms.

I know that, you know, those, like, sort of spiritual terms, but it does feel spiritual. And it's immediate. It's just a feeling I had as soon as I met her, and every time I talked to her, it feels the same. And I'm completely stripped of being worried if I'm boring or talking too much or anything.

I'm completely, completely myself, and it's always been that way.

When I watch her play guitar, I'm like, there's nothing better than watching her play guitar

“and sing, and then getting, she's so smart and so funny that I feel like getting to do”

that show with her, it was just, that was a lucky thing, but it keeps going. We just keep, it's so, it, like, remains like, it has such a life, Portlandia. And those characters in Portlandia are so fun, are so specific, and therefore, it feels so universal. God, it was the best way.

I got to hang out with her all the time. She's a great writer. She's such a tough man.

You need me to tell you that, but so funny, brilliant.

And she came up with a lot of those ideas that are, who now sort of things that people repeat, put a bird on it, and all that stuff is like, that's all caring. Okay, Carrie said, describe the way one of your musical heroes informed your comedy. Oh, that's easy. David Burnne, the way that he would direct a movie and then sort of choreograph part of his show, like the way that he presented everything to me was like,

that really informed like, you know, what, a comedian can be, like there was a way that he was like, not exactly making a joke, but also not being totally serious, that whatever that was. Right. Really, I was like, that's a really great way to be.

Like, like a playfulness, and he kind of also, he was also, like, I guess not afraid to, he was like, wasn't trying to be cool at all. Nope. But he was very cool. Yeah, just to be like, for no reason, you know, I have a fuzzy suit or something.

So I'm going to do a rapid fire. Tell me what you think about these things or what you remember. You can be as fast as slow as you want. Um, Freddie, you do many accents really well. And one of the things I love about you is you can do accents from anywhere.

“What are some of your favorite state or countries like that you like hearing?”

I really love how Texas just really, it just changes from city to city. Yeah. There's something about it that there's something about Texas has so much varying personality.

Yes, that, uh, always that does exceed my expectations.

So with that in mind, can you please do someone from Houston and someone from Dallas? I feel like I just got a whisper to it, uh, Houston, um, some people I know from there are going through some personal growth, personal growth, uh, Dallas. I always, my idea about them is that, uh, they're kind of business like, um, uh, here are my planes on a conference call.

I had been, uh, uh, I was on a layover, uh, we know someone from Beaumont and that's kind of Beaumont's the baguess. I've had a heart, I can't, I can't imagine. They're like there's a little why before I imagine it. The longest word.

Yeah, love. And then countries, um, can you do Iceland? - We, Iceland, Iceland, Iceland, Iceland. - Iceland, Iceland, Iceland, Iceland. - Iceland has a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a,

Uh, Iceland has uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh like so casual with English that I actually feel like I'm talking to somebody.

But you know what gives the Swedes away? Is that? Yeah. That is the Swedish thing people don't know is you know instead of going, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh, Swedes go. Yeah, it's true. And you hear them on the phone. You just always think they're getting the worst news. Yeah. But they're just saying, uh-huh, uh-huh. Yeah. That is... [laughs] Because their face doesn't change. No. Okay. What do you like to do when you travel? Oh, wake up early, have breakfast coffee alone, just down in the restaurant? Yes. Not room service. Okay. I love, then I really feel like I'm in a country. So I've landed somewhere, uh, it's my, I can't wait for breakfast.

“Breakfast. Oh, I love it. And then you want it, then do you, like, let's say you're doing a show in another country. Do you walk during it?”

Not that much. I kind of stick around, like hotel. It's a little store of some kind. I'm not a big, like I'm gonna go explore this side of the city. I'm a little bit like, I get the, by the way, this is an ignorant thing to say, and I'm sorry, but I just kind of like, this seems like Berlin. [laughs]

But sometimes you do. Sometimes you have, uh, sometimes you have to. But no, I'm pretty good about it. Yeah. I travel pretty light. Got it. Um, but I, I did a tour recently, and I had, did I have to bring some equipment? Yeah. Okay. Got it. Um, broad city. Oh, yeah. That was so fun. Amy. That's cool. And parks. I mean, we just people talk to me about broad city all the time, all the time. When I, everywhere I go, someone brings it up. Some people do it as a deep cut.

“I think they're like, I'm actually a real fan. Yeah. Which is great. Yeah. But, oh, my gosh.”

Fred came into the first episode of broad city, which was a huge get for us. And I think people dressed up as it as the baby. That's the baby. Yep. I'm just a baby. Oh, mustache. Yeah. Thanks for that. Thank you very much for that. You're so welcome that I could put you in a diaper and make you a. That's a real. Thank you for that. That was like that really kept on going. Okay. Dogs or cats. Cats. Interesting. And I didn't know that. No doubt. Like, just nothing you did. The first thing I told you is a cat.

If I, I just meant more cats. You know that, right? I mean, it makes sense that you would, that you're a cat person. I feel like you're a more of a cat. You're a, you're a more of a cat than a dog as a person. I would say, okay, you have a lot of dog qualities because you're very loyal and friendly, but you are cat. I like how they, they don't ask anything and they sort of, they don't let's throw in. Yeah, they're on business. Yeah. Sweet or salty. Sweet. Did that you say that? I wish I wish it wasn't that way. Salt is not good either. I don't believe that. I don't either. I think salt is better.

“I think when people say that salt costs, I never believe it. But I know, but I'm like, why?”

What is it? It's just so blood pressure. I know you're right, but I know what you mean. But whenever they're like, there was too much salt in it. I'm like, I don't think that's going to be the thing.

That's the ignorance. Do you ever put salt on anything? No, no. You never like, like, salt your chocolate chip cookies or.

Oh, I see what you mean. If there's a chocolate bar that has salt in it, great. I like that. You like that. Okay. But I love sweet. I mean, I love chocolate so much. Yeah, too much. Do you think? Yeah. I do much. Are you trying to cut down or like you have to do to depend on it at the end of the day, especially after a show. I'm like, there's a cookie. There's a cookie. I love a little cookie treat. Oh, it's the best. Yeah. You guys have great.

I have a hard time. I have a harder time with sugar because I had get a real ride and I had crash pretty hard after sugar. Like I have a big sugar crashes. Oh, yeah. But salty. Perfect. Do you like to be scared? Yeah. I like horror movies and all that stuff I do.

“But I don't like to be scared in real life like on a flight. Have you ever been scared on a flight?”

You know, the usual. I'm not afraid of flying. Do you have any phobias? Oh, heights. That's right. I couldn't do a taping of this because of it.

Yeah. Because you were like, it's on them. I've never flown on a plane. I can't do it. That's right. In New York. May we speak of that? Is that okay?

Okay. We record in and Spotify in New York and it's a really, really high floor and Fred was like, nope. Yeah. And I totally forgot about that. Yeah. But I told you about that. I think one time we were to hotel. And you guys were so nice. Because I was, I just went up to your hotel. Me, you and Tina went up to your hotel. And it was, um, I told you, and you guys were so nice. You just closed the blinds. And, but I did it. I wasn't like, I'm not going up there.

Yeah. But you don't like it. I don't like it. And I don't like that. I don't like it. How come? Because it's too like, it's not real. Like, buildings are built well for centuries.

There's never been like, yeah, watch how come we're building. I've never seen that in the New York.

You know, like, oh, New York, don't go like, this is what we're gonna fall on. That's. I actually never even think about heights until I'm reminded that when someone who's afraid of heights, and then you go like, whoa, wait. That is weird. That would be so high. But there's so much engineering that's gone into it. And engineering, but actually being salted by that. Like, you have any idea. Like, we studied like hundreds and hundreds of people going to build it millions of people going to build everything.

Around the world. Yeah. Well, everywhere. Yeah. But could you ever, like, climb a tree or, like, is it that kind of height, too? Like, you could ladder. Um, a, um, would you be able to get like, I don't love it. But I, you know, I do try to, like, - Exclusion. - It's a little just so I'm--

- Have you ever done any kind of like a bungee or-- - No, no, nothing. - Nothing like that. - I like that about you, Freddie.

We don't like, I don't like--

- No, I don't like-- - Like, I'm like, I'm like, insane. I don't like taking risks. - No, no, no, no, no. None of that, I'm not interested.

- No.

“- I'm also not interested in watching it.”

I'm not like the stories about it, like all that, I'm not. - No, like if you're gonna free, if you're gonna free climb, you know, I don't wanna know about it. - I don't wanna know, I don't wanna know about it. - I don't wanna know about it.

- I don't wanna see it. - I'm oddly not impressed. - Yeah. - Of all the other thing, you want me to be, I'm like--

- I'm like, whatever. - Yeah. - I don't know. - Yeah, yeah. - What is free climb?

That's what you do, there's free climb. - Yeah, when you do it. - Yeah, when you do it, no, no, with no ropes. And just like, just crevus and crevus and just thumb and foot. - Yeah, and then like, what was, and then--

- No. - And then you get, what happens? You get to do that. - If you had to do that by accident, if you were stuck somewhere and you did it,

I wanna know everything about your story. - If you do that for me. - That happened for you last. - I was chased, and I saw this mountain, I was like, "This is where to go."

And I was like, "Dude, here." And then the person couldn't, they were like, they were like, "Dude, and then you stayed on there." - I feel bad 'cause if someone's watching-- - I don't feel bad for people who

recreationally free climb, what's wrong with you? What's wrong with you?

“I think there's something wrong with them.”

(laughs) I'm gonna say it. - Wow. - With no ropes, no one's making you do it. - What if it's your job?

Some people are on-- - It's nine. - And they, they fill out the application. They're like, "I guess I have to-- - No, okay, there's no one, there's no one."

- There's no one. Monday, gonna, I hate this job. - You're right, there might be a few people that's their job. - That's just the world's--

- That's their job. - And then, I'm sorry for those people. I'm sorry. And then last question, what do you, like, what kind of stuff do you watch read,

go to, to make you laugh? Like, what comedy, comedy are you watching? Who are you watching? Like anything you'd recommend. - Wow. For real, the thing that I'm most religious about

of like actually catching is SNL. - Yeah. - It's the one, it's the one thing that I'm like, I watch it when it's live. And you know that there's moments that you're like,

that was pretty great. - Oh God, I could talk forever. I know we've ended this, but I just wanna say, I do feel like we, you and I, I think we've played this game before.

It's like an improv game of experts, but I think I talked to you about this.

I always wanted to do like a fake TED talk,

like a fake, you know, kind of like experts, symposium, where you just can talk about anything for like a minute, a minute, you can seem like an expert on almost any. - Yeah, I think so. You have to memorize a couple things.

- And then there'll be a word or something where people will go, huh? - She doesn't know what she's talking about. - But I think it almost anything. - It's readable.

- It's reachable, it's a fun. So on our way out, I'm gonna give you something that I want you to pretend to be an expert and for one minute. - Okay.

- I'm gonna set the timer. - I'm gonna say the Alaskan Pipeline. - The Alaskan Pipeline. - Yeah, ready? - So with me today is an expert Fred Armison,

who has been studying the Alaskan Pipeline and is here to talk to us about it.

“Fred, what should we know about the Alaskan Pipeline?”

- Well, the first misnomer is Alaskan.

So many people do know this that is the, originally the Siberian Pipeline. Why is it the Siberian Pipeline? Because it goes through Siberia. No, because the shipping magnets shipped oil

through there from Siberia and through Russia. And the only people who benefited from it were people from Canada. You think it would be Alaskan, since Alaskan was not yet a state and the pipeline was built in 1951.

(laughing) Canadians were the first to benefit it, but they didn't have oil refineries. Why didn't they have oil refineries? Because of oil war, too.

(laughing) And as we knew, Canada to be a series of provinces, they did not have the capacity to have these refineries. Ah, who comes in then, by Mexico? - And that's a minute fantastic.

(laughing) The answer in your own question, you did it. I don't know if any of that's your, when you said 1951. - I have no idea. - No idea.

- Thank you Fred, love you. Thank you so much for doing it. - I love you, thank you so much for... - You're the best, I'm glad you addressed it. I like, we did.

(clapping) - Thank you so much Fred, Armasin. Thank you for coming and being on the pod.

And, you know, for this polar plunge,

“we like to go deep on something that we talked about.”

And there's so many things that we could go deep on. We could talk about.

David Byrne, we could talk about the specials.

We could talk about Lorraine Newman, all cool things. But I just wanna shout out Fred's new record that he made with drag city called 100 Sound Effects.

“But in this case, I believe he does 101 spoiler alert.”

Check out his record and everything that Fred does all the time and yeah, and go back and look at old performances of all the music on us and now it's an incredible, impressive,

“gigantic mix of culture, all in one place.”

Thanks so much for listening to Good Hang.

Thank you always for tuning in

and checking us out, and we'll see you soon, bye. (clapping) - You've been listening to Good Hang. The executive producers for this show are Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss-Berman and me, Amy Poler.

The show is produced by The Wringer and Paper Cite. For The Wringer, production by Jack Wilson, Kat Spelaine, Kaya McMillan, NLA as a nearest. For Paper Cite, production by Sam Greene, Joel Lovell, and Jenna Weiss-Berman, original music by Amy Miles.

(upbeat music)