Will Ferrell

Amy Poehler

Foreign.

Interviewer/Host

Hello, everyone. Welcome to another episode of Good Hang. So excited about our guest today. It is the one, the only Will Ferrell, a comedic giant on the Mount Rushmore of comedy. The captain. Oh, Captain, my captain, Will Ferrell. And we are going to get into so many things today. We're going to talk about SNL and all the great movies he was in. We're going to talk about how important makeup is in building a character. We're going to talk about the Mutual FL that we made together and how fun it was. We're going to talk about Swedish stereotypes and how some of them are true. We're going to talk about his new show, the Hawk, coming out this week on Netflix. Before we do that, we are going to talk to somebody who is also in the Hawk with him and also knows him from SNL and who is a comedy legend, and that is Chris Parnell. Chris, who you can also catch in Stop that Train, a movie that's out. We're going to check in with Chris. Chris is going to speak well behind Will's back. Give me a question to ask. You know how this works. Okay. Parnsi, are you there? This episode is presented by Allstate. Checking Allstate first could save you hundreds on car insurance. Not checking how long that recipe takes before you start cooking. Well, that's how you learn that simmer for four hours is buried halfway down the page. Yeah, checking first is a good idea. So check Allstate first for an auto quote. It could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Potential savings. Vary subjects to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate North American Insurance Company and affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois. What do you say? And I am the one who wants a really good.

Will Ferrell

Hey,

Interviewer/Host

Carnsy.

Amy Poehler

Hey, Amy. How are you? Hi. Oh, I haven't seen you in so long.

Interviewer/Host

I know. I was just trying to think about the last time, and it must have been at the 50th, but even then, I feel like we didn't get some good enough hang time there.

Amy Poehler

No, no, I saw Tina and waved at her, but that was kind of like the extent of it, too. That was the case for a lot of people.

Interviewer/Host

Tina has that restraining order against you, so you're not allowed to get close to her.

Amy Poehler

Yeah, I mean, I felt like she would have let me if I had made an effort, but. Yeah.

Interviewer/Host

Let's not get into this again.

Amy Poehler

I need to talk about it. Okay.

Interviewer/Host

Thanks for doing this. I'm talking to Will today and I, like, I don't think enough People know how long you and Will have been friends?

Amy Poehler

We met at the groundlings, gosh, 5:96. But it really, we really didn't connect until I started on snl and then we shared an office. He and I and Jerry Collins had an office. The gentleman's quarters.

Interviewer/Host

That's right. That was the name of the office. So you did not perform together at the Ground Links like you were in different time periods there?

Amy Poehler

Yeah, he was, he was a. He was ahead of me and I saw him perform and I think he actually saw me perform in one of my shows. But no, he was, he was a couple of years ahead of me, I think. And then, you know, got onto snl, I think three years before I got on, I think.

Interviewer/Host

What was it like to share an office together? What do you remember of those times in the late 90s, being at the show?

Amy Poehler

It was just so cool. It was so fun, you know, and after read throughs on Wednesday, we'd go back and we'd all have a little scotch. We kept a bottle in the office and that was a fun ritual. And sometimes we would kind of dress up a little bit in similar outfits. But it was a great, such a great. Welcome to the show. Will, you know, obviously in so many ways is so impressive, but I remember feeling insecure about being on the show and trying to get material on. And I remember asking us, I was looking for comfort assurance. And I said, do you, when you first started, you know, did it take you a while to get rolling and to get up to speed? He's like, nope, I just started right away. And I was like. And I was like, okay, all right. Well, that's cold comfort for me. But I knew it was true because I'd seen his first show.

Interviewer/Host

You know, I mean, SNL was like the perfect job for Will. He was really built for that show because he had the constitution. So much of it is handling the big feelings that come along with trying to get stuff on and, and just kind of competing with your friends in a weird way, but then also collaborating with them and all that stuff. And he just seemed to not let that get in his head.

Amy Poehler

It's true. I know. He also, he just, you know, has always come across as pretty fearless to me and just so confident, but, you know, never arrogant about it. You know, just like, this is so. I am, I got it. I'm confident, you know, I can do this.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah. What film and television have you guys done outside of SNL together?

Amy Poehler

Well, anchorman was the main thing. I think the hawk this upcoming Series.

Interviewer/Host

Who do you play in that show? Parnes.

Amy Poehler

I am on the PGA Tour board. I'm a PGA Tour board member. And I'm kind of. I don't care for Will's character. I don't care for the Hawk.

Interviewer/Host

Excellent.

Amy Poehler

I have quite a bit of animosity towards Will's character.

Interviewer/Host

Is your character the kind of guy that's, like, upset at how Hawk doesn't take the sport seriously?

Amy Poehler

Well, that's part of it, for sure. That is part of it. But it also has to do without giving anything away. It has to do with personality matter that happened between us many years ago.

Will Ferrell

Great.

Amy Poehler

And it sort of comes back to the surface again. And. Yeah, so I've got a personal grudge against him. And I'm also just really an uptight asshole, you know, which has come so naturally to me.

Interviewer/Host

You know, before we go, I just. You know, we do this to kind of talk well behind people's backs. And I think everybody knows that Will is, like, a uniquely confident performer and obviously kind of like for many on the Mount Rushmore of comedy, frankly. But what is so great about him as a person, because I find him to be a really wonderful person as well. What would you say?

Amy Poehler

He's a good laugher. You know, I think that says a lot about a person, too, when you can make people laugh as well as he does, but also be willing and free to laugh at other people really openly and. Yeah, I just think he's a sweet guy. I just think he's a sweet guy by nature. Yeah.

Interviewer/Host

Is there a question you have for me today to ask him? Anything that you're thinking of?

Amy Poehler

Sure.

Interviewer/Host

Oh, look at Parnes. He's so prepared.

Will Ferrell

Always.

Amy Poehler

Well, I was up for four hours thinking about this last night. I wrote a list of 50 questions, and I narrowed it down to 25 and down to 10 and the final five. I guess one question would be, who were your comedy idols, your heroes growing up? Who did you look up to, comedy wise? That would be one. And then the other one might be, have you always been so confident?

Interviewer/Host

Yeah, I. I think that's a good one. I. It feels like if stuff is going down, you would kind of turn to Will, like, what are we gonna do?

Amy Poehler

Right. Right.

Interviewer/Host

Well, the last thing I'll say, Parnes, is, I'll never forget. I've had so many moments with you, like where I've been next to you, where fun, weird things have happened. And a lot of people don't know that. Parnesy used to do a great sketch, probably not probably a sketch that probably wouldn't be able to happen today. Many, like many things. Well, it was a very gentle, nice guy called Merv the Pervasive. And he was. I loved him and. But Merv would just kind of show up to parties. How would you describe Merv?

Amy Poehler

Well, you know, the name came from Will, actually, because I was kind of doing a version of Merv at some party and he's like, oh, Merv the perv. I was like coming on to him as being something weird. And that's where the title came. That's where the name came from.

Interviewer/Host

And Merv would just come up to ladies and gentlemen, you know, just gently ask them if they'd like to party in his pants. And he'd have rip away, tear away pants like a nice perf. Well, I know, Parnsy, that Will is going to be so happy that we talked.

Amy Poehler

I'm so happy to get to contribute a little bit. So, yeah, thanks for asking.

Interviewer/Host

Of course. It's great to see you. Congrats on the new show and great to see you and, and hope you're doing great and. And I hope I see you soon. Bye.

Amy Poehler

Okay, take care.

Interviewer/Host

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Amy Poehler

Woohoo.

Will Ferrell

Hi.

Amy Poehler

Hi.

Will Ferrell

How are you?

Interviewer/Host

I was very excited about you coming today.

Will Ferrell

I was so excited to be here, to come here.

Interviewer/Host

How are you? But wait, I'm trying to remember, is today a big press day for you? Like, do you have to go do a bunch of things now?

Will Ferrell

We rolled this into we're going up to Connecticut. Tom, nice.

Interviewer/Host

Espn.

Will Ferrell

No.

Interviewer/Host

What's up there?

Will Ferrell

Travelers Insurance golf tournament, don't you know? Amy, come on.

Interviewer/Host

Well, we are going to talk about your new show, the Hawk, in which you play golfer.

Will Ferrell

And then we've been grabbing stuff for Lonnie's Instagram in character. So Lonnie. Lonnie walks around a lot and talks to people.

Interviewer/Host

Well, I was wondering if I was gonna be interviewing Lonnie today. But you love to. I do.

Will Ferrell

But then sometimes, as you know, with our comedy lives, you sometimes think of a really good idea, and then it just makes you tired.

Interviewer/Host

But I gotta say, of all the idea, of all the people that have to do ideas, you are probably and still remain one of the least tired.

Will Ferrell

I'm hanging in there.

Interviewer/Host

You are the least tired.

Will Ferrell

Yeah.

Interviewer/Host

Because you love to work. Will, you have worked really hard since I've known you.

Will Ferrell

Yes, I have. You have, but some of it is smoke and mirrors.

Interviewer/Host

Sure. But, like, you're also out there plugging and you get a kind of a pleasure. We've talked about this, about doing kind of stupid stuff to promote. Like, you don't mind that. You kind of like it. It kind of relaxes you.

Will Ferrell

Exactly.

Interviewer/Host

You like to be embarrassed.

Will Ferrell

And I always remember what you said. Like, what we do is embarrassing.

Interviewer/Host

Yes, but you don't seem ever seem embarrassed.

Will Ferrell

You remember saying that. You're like, comedy's embarrassing.

Interviewer/Host

Well, I. I hopefully quoted Ted Danson, because that was his quote. I hopefully gave him those props.

Will Ferrell

I think you said. I remember you said, I'm about to say something, and this is my quote and my quote only. And I remember thinking, okay, what's the big deal? But I want you to know, when you hear it, remember, I came up with it. I was like, fine, tell me what it is. Comedy is embarrassing. What we do is embarrassing.

Interviewer/Host

I was like, okay, that's kind of interesting.

Will Ferrell

Yeah. Yep.

Interviewer/Host

But Ted dancing, he said it in terms of acting, because we were. Him and I were in a. Were doing a scene one time, and somebody was acting, and he. In such a sweet way, he's such a nice guy, he said, oh, God, acting is embarrassing. And I said, it is. But you have a captain energy that I love. And, you know, for me, when I started snl, like, you were the captain I watched. And you still are in many ways. I watch how you navigate your life and this work and everything, and you have a captain energy. I mean, I think some of it might just be because you're tall.

Will Ferrell

I think a lot of it is. You're just, like, tallest guy in the room.

Amy Poehler

Yeah.

Interviewer/Host

And they're like, what are we gonna do, Will?

Will Ferrell

They're like, why is everyone looking at me? Don't look at me.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah. And I also think that, you know, being A good captain. Like, I feel like you have this thing where, you know, I've worked with you, I've got to work with you a lot, where I watch you kind of be the number one on the set. And you. You're always professional, always working hard, but you're not taking things too seriously or yourself too seriously ever.

Will Ferrell

No, no. I look back, and that was not intentional, But I just remember that what was intentional was reminding everyone, and I'm referring to working on Saturday Night Live in that environment, reminding everyone that this is supposed to be fun.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah. So we've won the jackpot.

Will Ferrell

We won the jackpot. It's a comedy show.

Interviewer/Host

That's right.

Will Ferrell

Let's have fun while we do it.

Interviewer/Host

That's right.

Will Ferrell

And let's make each other laugh.

Interviewer/Host

Yes.

Will Ferrell

And let's have moments where, like, no one's ever gonna see it's just for us.

Interviewer/Host

Yes. It makes everybody feel so relaxed. And that was the thing that I watched when I.

Will Ferrell

But you always seemed 100% relaxed.

Interviewer/Host

Well, I really did. I really did. I've told you this, but I really did watch. You know, our year overlapped. We only had one year together on the show, which is so weird, isn't it?

Will Ferrell

It's so weird. And was it the. Was it.

Interviewer/Host

It was 2001 1. A great year.

Will Ferrell

Great year for comedy.

Interviewer/Host

Great year. People were ready to laugh. Great time to start a job in comedy.

Will Ferrell

That's right.

Interviewer/Host

And it was, like, kind of coming into. Kind of coming into a school and seeing the cool senior and being like, oh, that senior is cool. Not only because they're talented, but they know how to, like, make people feel relaxed. Keep people, like, doing bits, like, reminding everybody that this is, like, life is a dream and, like, what are we doing? Like, all that stuff. Like, it was. It was really important. So. Okay, I'm gonna go back in time.

Will Ferrell

Okay.

Interviewer/Host

Get ready. So grab something just in case you faint.

Will Ferrell

A little fake hamburger.

Interviewer/Host

Are you, like. You were, like, a popular kid. Best personality you got.

Will Ferrell

I did.

Interviewer/Host

Congrats.

Will Ferrell

Yes. I got best personality.

Interviewer/Host

I mean, that could be a real curse. That can be a curse.

Will Ferrell

Did not lead to dating prowess.

Interviewer/Host

Okay, got it.

Will Ferrell

Or girlfriends or anything like that.

Interviewer/Host

Okay. Girls were like, will, oh, that was so funny.

Will Ferrell

But I don't like you.

Interviewer/Host

They were like, oh, my God, Will's so funny.

Will Ferrell

You're so funny.

Interviewer/Host

I've talked to him all day about my boyfriend.

Will Ferrell

What?

Interviewer/Host

What a funny joke.

Will Ferrell

No, no.

Interviewer/Host

Okay, that makes me feel better. So you were. God is fair. So you were, like, crushing it on the personality. Not on the ladies. What sports did you play in high school?

Will Ferrell

You name it, I played it. Shit.

Interviewer/Host

What was your best sport? What were you best at?

Will Ferrell

Well, I was captain of the basketball team. Dang.

Interviewer/Host

Captain.

Will Ferrell

But I averaged 1.2 points a game. Once again, not a joke.

Interviewer/Host

Okay, so you don't have a good shot or.

Will Ferrell

No, I just. I learned I had a pretty good shot, but I learned I stayed in the game longer by playing defense. Rebounding. Yeah. Setting screen, doing all the things that no one else wants to do.

Interviewer/Host

Fundamentals.

Will Ferrell

Fundamentals. Team player.

Interviewer/Host

Very sexy.

Will Ferrell

Captain. Very sexy.

Interviewer/Host

Very good at fundamentals. Yes. Yeah, right. Captain.

Will Ferrell

But I went, you know, I played baseball. I was. Football.

Interviewer/Host

Do you play football?

Will Ferrell

I was a kicker on the football team. Because I played a lot of soccer.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Will Ferrell

But I loved team sports.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah. And you, you know, your dad was working with the Righteous Brothers. And the best thing about SNL is I get to know. Get to know everybody's parents. I've met your parents so many times. They're so lovely. But you, like, kind of. I read somewhere that you were like, I don't really know about this idea of show business. Cause it's just very, very scary. Scary. Why did it seem scary at the time?

Will Ferrell

Because I just saw the. There was no stability in the life of a musician. And I would watch how. And I would sit and watch my dad play, going, this is the most talented. He was like my hero. Like, so funny and great piano player and like, who could be better than that? And so I never understood when he would have a nightclub gig that would. He'd come home and be like, well, I'm not gonna be playing there. I'm like, oh, what? He's like, nothing. They just decided gonna make a change. So I've gotta go out and I've gotta look for the next gig. And it was very impressionable to me. That was. Oh, that was rough. So I was committed to having what I thought in my little kid brain was a real job.

Interviewer/Host

Which. Do you remember what you thought going to be? But I knew.

Will Ferrell

But this is what I knew. These are the elements. You carry a briefcase.

Interviewer/Host

Absolutely.

Will Ferrell

You carry a briefcase.

Interviewer/Host

Of course.

Will Ferrell

You go into a building.

Interviewer/Host

Yes. It has to be inside a building.

Will Ferrell

You go into a building and you have either a cubicle or you have an office. And you go. You go for a period of time, you talk to people, then you walk home with your briefcase. I didn't have a car in my little kid frame.

Interviewer/Host

Did you have. Do you remember there used to Be like punch cards. That was a big look. I used to play secretary when I was a kid. Clock in, clock out, clock in. And I used to go down to my desk.

Will Ferrell

I think I was still. I think I was executive level in my little kid brain.

Interviewer/Host

You opened up a leather binder of some sort, signed something. Yeah.

Will Ferrell

So. Yeah, so that was the game plan, even though I don't know what that meant.

Interviewer/Host

So how do you then jump from, like, I'm gonna have a safe job with a briefcase? Cause you are. You're playing sports, you're tall, You're a white straight guy. Like, those guys go into briefcase jobs, right?

Will Ferrell

Briefcase jobs.

Interviewer/Host

Then you're gonna. Then how do you get to the ground links? How do you decide to take classes? What do you think it was?

Will Ferrell

It was death by a thousand cuts. I mean, it was literally just a little bit here. A little bit. Because I wasn't. I didn't entertain the. Any sort of performance.

Interviewer/Host

No plays in high school.

Will Ferrell

No plays in high school. And yet I remember our high school had a really good drama department. And I went with friends to go watch the show they were doing. And I forget what it was, but I remember watching, going, this is good and these kids are good. And that would be fun.

Interviewer/Host

But any comedy sneak out at all. Cause I think sometimes it just squirts out and you can't help it. Did you get up in front of the class? Were you funny?

Will Ferrell

I did. I did. What the kind of thing that kind of opened. Began the crack in the door.

Interviewer/Host

Opened the comedy briefcase.

Will Ferrell

Opened the comedy briefcase. And you know what's inside of the comedy? One of those snakes that pops out at you, right?

Interviewer/Host

Yeah. Hilarious.

Will Ferrell

Yes, hilarious. Were assemblies. School assemblies.

Interviewer/Host

Yes.

Will Ferrell

And a good buddy of mine, Bart, and I would write, basically, when I look back, they were sketches. And we wrote these performance pieces for the assemblies.

Interviewer/Host

Oh, yeah.

Will Ferrell

And we would imitate the teachers. We would do. We performed as the Schmenge brothers from sctv.

Amy Poehler

Wow.

Will Ferrell

No other kids knew who the Schmingus were, but thought, oh, I love when you guys do the Schmegadougals. How'd you make that up? I'm like, no, we're copying it from sctv. That was my first kind of. And we were also writing these morning announcements to sell senior class T shirts. That was our big fundraiser. So these were like little radio skits.

Amy Poehler

Yeah.

Will Ferrell

And. And the defining moment for me when I look back, was sitting at home. I knew we had. We do it like every other Tuesday or something. And one was due the Next day, and I have a mountain of homework and I'm sitting there. I spent three hours crafting this little dumb paragraph. And it was 11 o' clock and I'd started at 8 and it felt like 10 minutes.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah, yeah.

Will Ferrell

And even then, as like a senior in high school, I thought, hold on, hold on to this memory. Remember what this feels like. This does not feel like work.

Interviewer/Host

Did you have, like, job, like, fun, dumb jobs that you were, like, doing while you were trying to figure out? You were at usc, right?

Will Ferrell

Yeah.

Interviewer/Host

Were you?

Will Ferrell

I was. I parked cars. I worked one day at Disneyland.

Interviewer/Host

Did you get fired?

Will Ferrell

No.

Interviewer/Host

Just quietly not asked back?

Will Ferrell

No, no. I was too afraid. I had my friend John call and quit on my behalf, which was really funny.

Interviewer/Host

Pretend to be you or.

Will Ferrell

Yeah. For some reason, I was so embarrassed to call, I went. So I got a job. And you were paid for the Orientation day?

Interviewer/Host

Oh, yeah, sure.

Will Ferrell

To work at Disneyland. And I thought that I was going to be assigned to be one of the really fun jobs like the Jungle Cruise Operator or. And I find out, oh, no, those guys work there for eight years before they get. So they assign me one of the front kiosks for selling tickets. At the same time, I had a rival offer to work at a friend's surf shop. A friend who was managing a surf shop right down at Newport Beach. Exactly. Same pay, $5.50 an hour. But I was too embarrassed to call up Disney Disneyland. So my friend John called on my behalf and said, I will be quitting after one day. And. And they asked, okay, reason for leaving. And he said, I have a tryout with the Dallas Cowboys. And they went, thank you very much. So somewhere there's a file at Disney Corporate. It says, Will Ferrell worked for one day. Reason for leaving? Try it with the Dallas Cowboys football team.

Interviewer/Host

And they probably were like. They probably thought for a second they remembered you. And they were like, huh? What position? And someone was like, he's a kicker. And they were like, oh, that makes sense. Maybe a kicker.

Will Ferrell

Did he make the Cowboys? You wanna hear an interesting story? We just had someone call and cancel. They're not gonna work. They're gonna try out for the Dallas Cowboys. How good is that?

Interviewer/Host

Anyway, I wish them the best waiter ever.

Will Ferrell

No, never waiter. I knew I would.

Interviewer/Host

You knew?

Will Ferrell

I knew.

Interviewer/Host

When you started Groundlings, what year was that? Do you remember what year it was?

Will Ferrell

That was right after I graduated from usc.

Interviewer/Host

What was your degree in?

Will Ferrell

Sports information. So that was the. Trying to bridge the gap between real job and entertainment. So as I'M coming kind of in college, like you said, it's oozing out of me in places I still wasn't. Like, I still didn't join a college improv team. I still didn't audition for anything. It was more kind of what we were talking about. Getting out, doing bits, trying to make my friends laugh, pretending to be other people that I wasn't in order to make. So I would show up to a friend's class as I found, like, some overalls. And I would interrupt this friend's class as a maintenance worker and pretend to fix things or just come up, come in with, like, a lit cigarette out of my mouth and, like, a puke bucket. And the teacher be like, can I help you? And I'd look at him and just go, no one threw up in here. And he would say, no, I'm sorry. They called me from Physical Plant and they said, this is classroom B302, right? Yeah, I'm sorry about that. But, like, blowing smoke in his classroom. But, like, my heart is pounding in my chest, but it's finding it. It's thrilling. And I'm only making three people laugh.

Interviewer/Host

That, to me, is like free solo of comedy. It's like rock climbing where you're, like, doing it just kind of for yourself. No one's watching.

Will Ferrell

Totally.

Interviewer/Host

It feels quite dangerous. Cause everyone's like, what are you doing in here?

Will Ferrell

And I would have. I would have. I worked. My work study job was at the Human Audio Visual department. So occasionally I may have to push an overhead projector across campus. And I would tell my buddy, like, hey, are you guys all going to sit in the commons area? I may be pushing an overhead projector. At around 12:30, he's like, okay, good. And my friend Emil became my shill. And I would time it. I'd do a circuitous route, nowhere near where I needed to go, and I would just pull my. Just enough to have my butt crack show and just slowly push. And my friend Emo would be like, look at that guy. What an idiot. And people, like, they would gang on. He would get the crowd to go, yeah. And people who didn't know me would laugh in a mean way.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah.

Will Ferrell

Once again, I found it thrilling. Thrilling that these people had no idea that it was all. It was all actually jokes on them.

Interviewer/Host

It makes sense to me because. Jokes on them, Jokes on them.

Will Ferrell

You're the idiot. I walked around Scampus with my pants down.

Interviewer/Host

I knew my pants were down.

Will Ferrell

I knew it.

Interviewer/Host

I knew it. I pulled them down myself. But it makes Sense. Because what people love about you, Will, is it does feel like you're trying to make your friends laugh. Like, that's really what it feels like. It feels like. And they feel parasocially like your friends. Like, they're like, will is my friend and he makes me laugh. Like, I've been with you. When people come up to you and people. You invoke this, like, feeling of people where they're like. It's almost like, will, I knew I was gonna see you. You're my friend. You know, people feel really connected and it is.

Will Ferrell

And then they're let down when I'm not doing the bits.

Interviewer/Host

Well, I mean, there's nothing but a let down.

Will Ferrell

Oh, yeah, you've experienced.

Interviewer/Host

I mean, people are like, oh, wow, you're quiet and you're not telling jokes. You're so. Nor.

Will Ferrell

Oh, what am I going to do with that?

Interviewer/Host

Yeah, like, oh, are you sad today? It's like, no, I'm just. This is my normal. I'm not screaming. My shirt is on. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. When you got to Groundlings, who were your peeps there? What was your class? Who were.

Will Ferrell

Who were.

Interviewer/Host

Who was studying when you were there?

Amy Poehler

Who.

Will Ferrell

Let's see, my direct peeps. Kind of coming up in the same. At the same time through the school

Amy Poehler

were

Will Ferrell

Kattan and Sherry and I believe a little overlap with Chris Parnell. Oh, Jennifer Coolidge was kind of. She was actually ahead of us and did some shows with us as well.

Interviewer/Host

And then so many of you started at SNL around the same time or at the same time you and Cherry came in together.

Will Ferrell

Yeah. And then I'd known Molly from Molly sweetly. I saw. I was with Molly yesterday.

Interviewer/Host

I just saw her Hollywood Walk of Ink stars. So cool.

Will Ferrell

And of course, Molly gave the greatest speech of all time of just stream of consciousness, you know, but told the story of how and I met Will. I was working at the Melrose Baking Company, and Will I met. I was with my friend Patricia brought Will in and said, this is Will. And you said, hi. And like, what can I get you? And you said, I will have a scone. Molly delivering that story, it like thunderous laps.

Amy Poehler

Yes.

Will Ferrell

Like, that written down on a piece of paper is not funny. But Molly delivering it.

Interviewer/Host

I love what you said about her. What did you say about her and how her character felt like it was the beginning of a new chapter for the show.

Will Ferrell

I just remember it was this moment when she first did marry Katherine Gallagher. It was our fourth show that we'd ever done for that new cast of the 95, 96 season. And, you know, very much finding our sea legs, very much, were all pretty brand new. It was eight new cast members and an entire new writing staff. And so the audience is very leery. And it was that first moment she starts doing the character. And I'm at the beginning of the sketch, but I have to run. This is during dress rehearsal. I have to run to go underneath the paint cans there, which is a section of the studio where you're underneath the bleachers there. And I'm doing a quick change for the next thing. And she starts doing Mary Catherine for the first time. And I can feel the stands shake. The audience is howling and screaming with laughter to the point where it felt emotional.

Interviewer/Host

It felt like, wait, a somatic thing was happening. Like, there was a rumble in your stomach.

Will Ferrell

100%.

Amy Poehler

Yeah.

Will Ferrell

And I literally, as I thought about things, to talk about Molly, in terms of knowing, I thought, oh, that she kind of saved the show in a way. It was that first thing for this new group where people were like, oh, my God. That character is very real and funny and outsider and dark.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah. Yes. And super physical.

Will Ferrell

And she throws herself into a stack of metal folding chairs with no visible padding on her at all. It was like punk rock version of Lucille Ball.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah.

Will Ferrell

And for a woman to.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah.

Will Ferrell

You know, in comedy, like. Like, it was like busting through the door, I think, in a way. And I just remember thinking, okay, they. They, like. And it just created this momentum from that point on.

Interviewer/Host

You know, if anything, the show is, like, so cyclical. We've learned that, like, it's been said a million times, like, when somebody leaves the show, it'll never be the same. It's been on for 50 years. It's like, this cast is better than that cast or whatever. And I. You guys got bad reviews. Like, the show is like, Saturday Night Dead.

Amy Poehler

Yeah.

Interviewer/Host

Do you remember any of the bad reviews?

Will Ferrell

She was the only one who got good.

Interviewer/Host

Sherry got a good. Yeah. Do you remember Sherry?

Will Ferrell

We had a great first show. Sherry was. I mean, Cheri was amazing performer as well. Yeah, I was. My first show, I mean, I got. You know, it was. Once again, I think it's part of another piece that informed the way I approach all of this. Because there was, like, good news and bad news. You're one of the only cast members mentioned by name, Will. Oh, that's pretty. It's gotta be good. Here's the bad news. Most annoying newcomer right out of the gate from the first show.

Interviewer/Host

You don't have to say their name. But do you remember the writer's name?

Will Ferrell

No.

Interviewer/Host

Okay. That's where you and I are different. Because I would like.

Will Ferrell

No, I don't remember that, but I remember it was one of those. One of those entertainment magazines that doesn't exist anymore. Yeah, it was like Entertainment Weekly, but not Entertainment. Maybe it was Entertainment Mag.

Interviewer/Host

Remember, like, Premiere or like, something like that? And they were like, they were coming for you.

Will Ferrell

They were really not happy. And so, as we all know, we've all been hit with these moments where you're like, you're thinking, what do I. Okay, do I just sit and wallow in this? And I don't know what it is about my DNA, but I just started cracking up going, you asked for it, buddy.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah.

Will Ferrell

So then I just. Back to sports. I just made it. I literally taped it to my wall. Yes, most annoying newcomer, but this is

Interviewer/Host

what a captain does.

Will Ferrell

And then the only thing I know how to do is I'm like, I'm just gonna lean into it anymore. Even more. Like, if you think I'm annoying now, just wait. I'm gonna push that overhead projector across your face, you know?

Interviewer/Host

Right.

Will Ferrell

And so it just kind of fired me up. But there was no part of me that was like, what am I doing wrong? Oh, I better change things up. I don't have that move.

Interviewer/Host

People have very, very strong opinions about comedy. Same with music. They're very similar, which is like, I love that song. I hate that song. I love that singer. I hate their voice. Like, everyone really, like, they own their. Their feelings about things.

Will Ferrell

You know, just visioning.

Amy Poehler

You

Will Ferrell

really pouring over and circling someone's name.

Interviewer/Host

There is a couple reviews there. I got two reviews that I like. I. I think, like, I whisper their names into my pillow every night. Like Arya Stark. Like, I think about these two people and I'm just like, someday we're gonna see each other again.

Will Ferrell

There used to be a writer for the. There used to be a writer for the LA Times. Kay Farrell would remember her name.

Interviewer/Host

Oh, Kay's got it. Kay's got it written down.

Will Ferrell

Will's mom, she had it so out for me that I saw. I opened up the LA Times to see a review of 40 Year Old Virgin.

Interviewer/Host

Sure.

Will Ferrell

And I remember on Acreman and Karel talking about that premise, and we were all going, buddy, that is hilarious. He's like, yeah, I may try to see if I can get this going. Anyway, I see this. I'm like, oh, I want to see what they think of Steve. The first two paragraphs. Are how this woman hates me. Hates. There's no yes goes off on Will Ferrell. Two solid paragraphs.

Interviewer/Host

Oh, delicious.

Will Ferrell

Of how there's no one worse than him. He is unfunny. There's nothing redeemable about anything he does. That's the top of the article. That's why when I watched Steve Carell in four Year Old Ver, I was so pleasantly surprised. It's like, what do I have to do with. I guess because he was an anchorman or.

Interviewer/Host

Oh, sure. She was like. She was like, now this is the kind of guy that I laugh at, not this stupid idiot.

Will Ferrell

It was like a hot. It was like opening, like. It was like being in Las Vegas and you're in your air conditioning room and you open up to a blast furnace of 110 degree heat. It's like, that serves you for going looking. Don't even read other people's movie reviews because they'll get you. I mean, but it wanted me to get.

Interviewer/Host

I know we did. Feedback.

Will Ferrell

I wanted to wear a T shirt of her name and just be photographed walking around town. Yeah.

Interviewer/Host

I love that. That is, I think, something that you and I share, which is just like. There's a little bit of a tingle of, like, it must be the challenger in us, but like some kind of, like, where it's like. Because it's kind of. It's this thrilling thing where you realize, like, I'm gonna survive this. I can't explain it other than, like, the worst has happened. Somebody doesn't like me and somebod, and it's like, gonna be like. I don't know. There's something. There's a mischievous quality about it that's

Will Ferrell

fun

Interviewer/Host

and you just can't internalize it. What are you gonna do?

Will Ferrell

It's like. Our most favorite review of Step Brothers was Roger Ebert, who said, this is the end of Western civilization. And he went as far as to say, do not buy this on DVD when it comes out. Do not support movies like this because it will make other people think they should make movies similar to this. So please. It was like a call to action.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah. Incredible. Oh, God. You and McKay.

Will Ferrell

That is so delicious. Only because we'd gotten enough filled up on the love side that we could handle the hate.

Amy Poehler

Yeah.

Interviewer/Host

When you speak about Molly saving the show, I felt the same way about you in 2001. Like, I felt like we were. I was starting. You know, we joked about it earlier, but I was starting at a time when it was like New York was hurting, comedy was over. People Were like, we can't joke anymore. We can't do. Yeah, it was. Post your book. Like you had done Bush. We couldn't do any jokes. You know, Poor Forte had to play Bush during those years. And it was like, what do we do? No one could kid about anything other than maybe pop culture. And even that, everyone was like, not now. We're too sad. And so understandable. I remember when you came out in patriotic underwear. Speedo. Speedo underwear.

Will Ferrell

Dolphin shorts. Dolphin running shorts.

Interviewer/Host

Okay. Tight shorts pulled way up. And you had.

Will Ferrell

Just for air, not for dress. Dress. I kept them low.

Interviewer/Host

Live show, don't peek at dress. As Tracy Morgan likes to say, don't peek at dress, get dress. So you. You hiked him for air.

Will Ferrell

Hiked him for air.

Interviewer/Host

And I also remember that you had just run. Because you're a runner. You had just run, like, a half marathon.

Will Ferrell

The New York marathon.

Interviewer/Host

Oh, okay. So you'd run the New York marathon. So you also were very chafed.

Amy Poehler

Yes.

Interviewer/Host

You were really chafed.

Will Ferrell

I forgot that part.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah. And you were like, I'm very chafed.

Will Ferrell

Super chafed.

Interviewer/Host

And you did a patriot. A guy who was trying to be patriotic at his offense. His office. And. And same thing, Will. I remember the audience laughing and being like, oh, we're gonna be okay. Okay. Comedy's gonna be okay. The show's gonna survive. I'm gonna still have a job.

Will Ferrell

I forgot about the chafing.

Interviewer/Host

You were chafed from running. Okay, I wanna talk about some stuff that you've done. I'm so bad at transition, by the way. Did you see how clunky that was? Transition.

Will Ferrell

That was rough. I was like, thank God.

Interviewer/Host

I said, okay, stop.

Will Ferrell

Okay, stop. But you know what? I think that is a great transition. It's super clear.

Interviewer/Host

I said, okay, stop.

Will Ferrell

Okay, stop.

Interviewer/Host

Okay, I want to talk about something else.

Will Ferrell

I'm going to turn this page, and

Interviewer/Host

I gotta turn my page.

Will Ferrell

You know what I thought about Amy? Let me. I'm gonna help muddle this transition too.

Interviewer/Host

Please, please.

Will Ferrell

I was thinking about your time and how then you became such a star yourself. But I'm not trying to. I'm not trying to kiss butt. This is a scientific analysis. Okay, but then you and Tina go on to do update and to bring that so far forward. But I was thinking, God, Amy had to run around and do sketches and then do update.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah. But you know what? It felt. It was so I would stay very loose because I was always, you know, like. Nothing worse than having one line.

Will Ferrell

Yep.

Interviewer/Host

Nothing worse.

Will Ferrell

Think about update. Because you're like, totally. I would just be, oh, here comes this fun. This is a fun break right here in a wheelchair. Totally. Wow. Okay.

Interviewer/Host

And I wasn't as stressed about getting satches on because I knew. I always knew I had update. And so I felt like very, very, like getting eventually to the looseness that I wanted. Maya and I talk about it like we. We wanted, like, senioritis. That feeling of, like, half in, half out. Like, this is a dumb thing. This is a fun thing, but it's so hard to get there. And then you go, you leave snl and then you have the biggest string of comedy hits, like hit after hit, like Suitlander, I don't know, Elf, Old School, Anchorman, Stepbrothers, Hella Dick. And it's like, first of all, I should have done the research. How many years did you. It seems like that was all done in 10 or 15 years. A movie a year at least. So many hits.

Will Ferrell

Pauses in between.

Interviewer/Host

Sure, yeah. But just. You are. You are the. For so many people, especially millennials, I would say, and maybe some Gen X, you are the face of their, like, five favorite comedy movies. And you've been in some good comedy movies. And we know that's hard. Movies are hard. Good movies are hard. Good comedies are hard. Way harder than a drama, which is easy. Yeah, dramas are easy. What are you gonna do?

Will Ferrell

All three, all five cameras, like, drama.

Interviewer/Host

So easy.

Will Ferrell

Like one up here.

Interviewer/Host

Like, you yell, they cry like, whatever. But I. I want to ask you.

Will Ferrell

I don't know, by the way, I. I don't know what your question is. And I don't know how the answer. I don't know.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah, it's such a run. Because such a run.

Will Ferrell

I leave the show with no job. No job. The only thing Zoolander maybe had already come out.

Interviewer/Host

Oh, right. It had come out while you were there. That's right.

Will Ferrell

And if you recall, that came out during.

Interviewer/Host

Came out during 2001.

Will Ferrell

Yep. Tough time for comedy and didn't find its audience till much later.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah, yeah.

Will Ferrell

I had been in that last year. Second, I'd filmed. No, that last year. I was leaving. Cause I was filming old school.

Interviewer/Host

Old school. That's right. You were going back and forth.

Will Ferrell

So old school. But Old school had been held onto, which is not usually a positive endorsement from the studio.

Interviewer/Host

They're like, this is great. Hold on.

Will Ferrell

This is so good.

Interviewer/Host

Don't let it go.

Will Ferrell

Let's keep it on the back burner. It's too good. No, it went from, like, a November release to, like, February of the next year. And the only other thing that was big time development was Elf.

Interviewer/Host

I mean, Elf is such a good.

Will Ferrell

So we didn't even know. We didn't even know. And then.

Interviewer/Host

Will, let's talk about Elf for one second.

Will Ferrell

Okay.

Interviewer/Host

It is the. I mean, it is a lot of people's comfort movie. It is definitely their favorite Christmas movie. It's so fucking fun. It holds up so well.

Will Ferrell

Thank you.

Interviewer/Host

Directed by John, who was like a Chicago improv guy that I came up with. And it's. So what do you think?

Will Ferrell

It was interesting because John really wanted to make sure it had a timeless feel to it. And John really wanted to and was 100% right. But I'm coming off of SNL. I'm known. Yes, there was like the cheerleaders and sketches like that, but I'm also known for a PG13 pushing our brand of humor. And I'm sitting in my trailer in my Elf tights, looking in the mirror, going, what have you done? I'm dressed as Buddy and I'm in. This is early movie deals. I'm in the double. I'm in the double.

Interviewer/Host

I was gonna say. I picture you really crowding this chair.

Will Ferrell

I'm here with the spaces that's still built into the wall. And it's. We shoot the New York stuff first. So I don't even know if I know who this character is yet. I'm walking around in yellow tights and, oh, my God. What? This could be it.

Interviewer/Host

This could be it.

Will Ferrell

This could be like, what? That guy was so funny. And then he made this movie where he played a giant elf. Oh, poor.

Interviewer/Host

Oh, that's why it's so embarrassing. It's like, it could be like, he's a genius, classic Christmas movie forever. Or tights were the thing that killed his kids.

Will Ferrell

I just remember, but I remember going, this is either going to be a home run or it's going to be a complete strikeout.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah, it's a very good example too, of what you do so well, which is like the big and little of it all. Like, you play big, but you're little, or you're like, you've got no power, but you're cockier than you should be. Like playing around with status, which you do in all your movies. Like Anchorman is a perfect example of that. Like one of many things you made with McKay, which is just like this deeply stupid, hilarious person who is disconnected to the world but yet in charge and who is why really, really mentally, mentally challenged problems, really has a hard time with life. And it just Gets worse, not better. Never changes. And all you guys did was just go from all of the funny and have the funniest people in it. Like, Steve was here. We were talking about him in that movie and how he was just blown away by watching you work and being around all you guys. And every single character in that movie is Keckner and Rudd are so funny. You love playing Ron. You love doing him, right? What's fun about him?

Will Ferrell

I still will trot him. Well, we did a podcast with him, which was so fun. Just because Ron can say whatever he wants and he doesn't have to have the right facts. He doesn't have to. In fact, I just did Ron recently down in San Diego because Bill Curtis, longtime Chicago, who narrates the movie, was retiring from. Wait, wait, don't tell me.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah.

Will Ferrell

And I had gotten a email just asking would I send a video to congratulate Bill? And he's so proud of his connection to that movie. And he still has a standee in his house of Ron, and he's the sweetest guy. And I said, well, hold on. Where are you doing the show? He's like, we're doing it live down in San Diego. I'm like, what if I come and surprise him?

Interviewer/Host

I will.

Will Ferrell

They were like, would you actually. I'm like, yeah. We owe him so much. And so we surprised the audience.

Interviewer/Host

Oh, that's huge. It's also such a good name, Ron Burgundy. And also great that his suit was Burgundy.

Will Ferrell

Yes.

Interviewer/Host

You know, costumes are so fun. You love them.

Will Ferrell

I love a good costume.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah. Yeah, you do.

Will Ferrell

But Ron had other costumes, too.

Amy Poehler

He did.

Interviewer/Host

He had other suits.

Will Ferrell

He didn't just have the one. He wasn't that crazy.

Interviewer/Host

No. But when you think about Ron, you think about him in his burgundy suit,

Will Ferrell

but he had some delightful tans.

Interviewer/Host

I mean, he had, like, a fisherman turtleneck.

Will Ferrell

Fisherman turtleneck. He had baby blue, like, leisure suit.

Interviewer/Host

He had a gorgeous blue suit that would bring out his eyes. He was a very handsome man.

Will Ferrell

He was very handsome.

Interviewer/Host

Roland was very handsome. And then you and I did a movie. We did two movies together. We did Blades of Glory, which was so fun. And you had to learn how to ice skate.

Will Ferrell

I had to learn.

Interviewer/Host

Or did you know a little bit. I had to learn.

Will Ferrell

But you didn't love it.

Interviewer/Host

If I recall, I talked about it with Greta Lee on this pod a few weeks ago.

Will Ferrell

I didn't love it.

Interviewer/Host

I didn't love it. I wasn't. I think I thought, you know, like, you sit down at the piano, and you Think you're gonna be able to play the piano? Like, I thought I'd be better at it. And I was like, fuck, I'm not. But I remember us meeting the real performers and just being like, we're never ever gonna look like we can do this.

Will Ferrell

Exactly.

Interviewer/Host

And you look. Of all your movies, you look the tallest in Blades of Glory. You look so tall. Do you ice skate still?

Will Ferrell

No.

Amy Poehler

No.

Will Ferrell

I need to.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah. I'm too nervous now.

Will Ferrell

I let it. I let it. I have the skates packed away somewhere. They were custom made skates.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah, you insisted on it.

Will Ferrell

I have my costume.

Interviewer/Host

You do?

Will Ferrell

Framed.

Interviewer/Host

You do.

Will Ferrell

Yeah.

Interviewer/Host

But Viv, Will's wife.

Will Ferrell

Yeah. Sorry. It's hanging in the garage. She won't let it come into the house.

Interviewer/Host

She's like, I don't want it, I don't need it.

Will Ferrell

I don't need it. I don't not like it. But it's gonna hang in the garage.

Interviewer/Host

And then we did the house together.

Will Ferrell

Yes.

Interviewer/Host

Which was so fun to do. It was a dream come true to make a movie with you. Did not really resonate.

Will Ferrell

Did not resonate at all. Yet kind of a flop. I would argue that movie's funny.

Interviewer/Host

My kids often tell me that. That, like, they're like, mom, that was 7% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Will Ferrell

Oh, I didn't realize. Was that.

Interviewer/Host

And I was like, no way. Seven percent.

Will Ferrell

Have they seen.

Interviewer/Host

It's gone up. I just want you to know. Okay, I just checked today. 14, 20%, triple. We did it. We did it.

Will Ferrell

But that was a fun premise, fun movie. How did that come on?

Interviewer/Host

I don't know, but I'm sorry, I feel like I flopped. You. You spoke about Vivica. Vivica, your wife of now 25 years.

Will Ferrell

Probably 25, going on 26.

Interviewer/Host

Damn. Such a formidable, cool, smart, interesting person. So such a perfect match for you, Will. And Swedish.

Will Ferrell

Swedish.

Interviewer/Host

And that's what we have in common. My brother lives in Sweden. What are the stereotypes of Swedish people that are correct?

Will Ferrell

I think the stereotype that Swedes aren't funny is not true.

Interviewer/Host

Agree.

Will Ferrell

They are very sly, dry sense of humor.

Interviewer/Host

Yes.

Will Ferrell

And as you know very well and your brother knows, can also be, though unintentionally direct.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah, very direct. I think intentionally.

Will Ferrell

Intentionally. But they don't. But it's just. It's just a matter of fact. No, I'm just telling you.

Interviewer/Host

No, you got fat.

Will Ferrell

Yeah.

Interviewer/Host

No, you were skinny and now you're fat.

Will Ferrell

Someone is very tired. You look tired.

Interviewer/Host

Well, I don't think he would do well because he's ugly.

Will Ferrell

What?

Interviewer/Host

He's ugly.

Will Ferrell

Or the polite version is like. It's. They are a little bit ugly.

Interviewer/Host

They're. You're right.

Will Ferrell

That's the polite version.

Interviewer/Host

It's a little bit ugly.

Will Ferrell

My best story, we. This was when we were first taking trips there. I didn't have an. I didn't have a lot of Swedish under my belt, but I had. I had some nouns, you know? And we were on one of these little tour buses. Buses. Or. It was a boat. It was a boat out to the archipelago. And they had one of these outside decks. And I saw this group of tourists, and they were looking and pointing. And then they sent a scout. You could tell they sent a scout to go check to see if it was really me. And so I say to Viv, and we were with her cousin Eva, and I was like, let's start. We should start speaking Swedish. I want to see. And so they started speaking, and I just started going, yeah. Huh? Oh, shikkling, which is just chicken. Yo. Oh, skoor, which is shoes. I'm just saying nouns, and I'm just like, yo, Shickling. Yeah. Chicken. Yeah. Shoes.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah.

Will Ferrell

Hat. Oh, bra. Which is good. And I just would say these words. And he did this lap, and it was kind of. It was really fantastic. Bad movie acting. Did this lap where he did a slow look at me, and then he looked away and he looked back at the group and he just went,

Interviewer/Host

not him.

Will Ferrell

Not him. So I was like, so sad.

Interviewer/Host

So good. I mean, you could be Swedish. You look Swedish, Will.

Will Ferrell

Which. The. The B side of that is Swedes. Listening to someone just go, chicken, shoe, shirt.

Amy Poehler

Good.

Interviewer/Host

And they'd be like, he's stupid. He's obviously stupid.

Will Ferrell

They took him out for the boat ride.

Interviewer/Host

He's a little stupid.

Will Ferrell

The other thing that's really annoy about the Swedes.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah.

Will Ferrell

And I'm sure Greg has encountered this. But the men all can. Either are gourmet cooks. Can build a table.

Interviewer/Host

They're insane.

Will Ferrell

Can repair the tire on your car.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah, yeah.

Will Ferrell

Oh, the dishwasher's. But let us take a look. Well, the Flumen valve is not working. And take it apart.

Interviewer/Host

Put it like, Yuran can fix it.

Will Ferrell

Yes, they can do everything. Yes, they can do.

Interviewer/Host

They can do everything. And they're so tall and buff and they're very. And also home a lot. Yeah, they're just like. They're. They're. Yeah, they're pretty. Yeah.

Will Ferrell

And like, I sewed the button back on my shirt. I'm like, I can't Sew a button. I should. I should be able to. I'm 58. I should know how to sew a button. You would think, yeah, right?

Interviewer/Host

Yeah. But they're like, matthias, we'll do it for you.

Will Ferrell

Let us do it.

Interviewer/Host

Let us do it.

Will Ferrell

Or if you start to do it, they're also very precise. So if you start to. Oh, I'll do, like, let me do it. I don't want you to wreck it. That's okay. I'll do it. Code for it. You're gonna break it. Let me do it.

Interviewer/Host

And then the last thing. Well, last two things before we get to the Hawk. I just also. I love the film you made with Harper last year. It was such a beautiful, beautiful film. Will, congrats on success, on how it was received. Do you have people coming up to you still talking to you about it

Will Ferrell

still to this day?

Interviewer/Host

What do they say when they.

Will Ferrell

The gift that keeps on giving. Just thank you. And what a. You know, I love it. What a beautiful. But we've gotten stories that have ranged from. We watched with our trans child, and it was the first time we talked about it as a family. We. It's just run the gamut. And it might have been the most. Once again, surprising in the sense that we didn't know what we were going to make or have. I mean, it's a documentary, but to have this thing where we literally. We got to the beach at Santa Monica and Josh yelled, cut. And we were like, oh, my God, that was so much fun. But I don't think there's a movie there. We both said that. And then the first time we watched it, and we're like, how did you do that? How did you build a narrative structure out of this whole thing to then from the festivals and the press, everything was just like, the most fun years. Yeah. Yeah.

Interviewer/Host

I love to hear that. That's awesome.

Will Ferrell

The coolest thing ever.

Interviewer/Host

And, you know, Harper and I worked together at snl and, you know, not only was it exact, like, was it exactly about that, about, like, somebody's journey and. But just the journey of friendship. Like, how. How do we allow people to change? How do we allow them to get more themselves? What is so beautiful about the film is it, like, doesn't shy away from that middle, middle space that allows not only Harper to talk about how she's feeling, but for you, like, that middle space is kind of, like, treacherous, for sure. People get very afraid to stay there. They want to get on one side of the pool, and they don't want to get it wrong. And also, same with Harper. Like, Harper's figuring out where is she in this world, in this space? And the fact that you guys just kind of settled in there. It's such good storytelling.

Will Ferrell

She gave permission. She was like, let's. You're going to make. Ask me whatever. I'm going to make mistakes. You're going to make like. Okay, okay. Are you sure? Okay, what about this? And what a kind of wonderful piece about just friendship and just being an advocate for anyone who's going through anything.

Interviewer/Host

Totally.

Will Ferrell

And that was kind of the universal takeaway as well.

Interviewer/Host

And you team up with Harper again on the Hawk. The Hawk, which is the name of your character. Lonnie Hawk.

Will Ferrell

Lonnie Hawkins. Lonnie the Hawk.

Interviewer/Host

Oh, Hawkins. Okay. Incredible. You have an incredible look in this show. Yeah, incredible. Always a little sunburned. Always got a little golf tan.

Will Ferrell

Golf tan.

Interviewer/Host

The great autumn Butler.

Will Ferrell

Doing your makeup for that Autumn Butler craft. Autumn pitch. Like what if line. What if Lonnie had a little tan line? And we carry it the whole series.

Interviewer/Host

Perfect.

Will Ferrell

And I said, done and done.

Interviewer/Host

And Parnse is in the show, right?

Will Ferrell

Yes, yes.

Interviewer/Host

Well, we talked to Parnell. Okay. Yeah, we did. We talked to him before this, before we started because we always try to talk well behind someone's back and we try to get a question. And before we get to his question, let's talk about Parnell for a second. What a laser focused performer. So funny. What was fun about working with him? And you guys have worked together on many things for a long time. And Sheridan, Office and snl.

Will Ferrell

Chris Parnell, comedically.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah.

Will Ferrell

He's so precise. He nails every performance, every nuance, everything. You give him a note and he just executes everything in such a funny way.

Interviewer/Host

I mean, he's a really good actor.

Will Ferrell

Yes, really good actor. And is so funny in this because he just plays wonderfully uptight and gets so mad throughout. We have him screeching at times, literally screeching. Jerry Collins is writing on the show too.

Interviewer/Host

Oh, nice. Your third roommate.

Will Ferrell

And we were reminiscing how we had. The three of us shared an office at SNL and for a good half of the season, committed. I don't know if you remember this. Committed to wearing short sleeve, button down, white shirts and dark. We dressed as NASA mission control guys. Do you remember that? Every riding Tuesday we would wear.

Interviewer/Host

I was ahead of my time, I think.

Will Ferrell

Oh, but you weren't there yet.

Interviewer/Host

I don't think I was there yet.

Will Ferrell

That's right.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah. I missed the fun.

Will Ferrell

It Was Jerry's idea. Should we. Every Tuesday night, on the riding night, should we wear short sleeve button down shirts with black ties like we work for NASA? Yes, let's do that.

Interviewer/Host

Okay. But his question to you was, who were your comedy idols?

Will Ferrell

Growing up, I loved staying up and watching the Tonight show and I would. If there was a comedian on, I would stay and watch the rest. If there wasn't, I'd. So I. That's where I would see Jerry Seinfeld for the first time. That's where, you know, Richard Pryor, you name it. That was, you know, before cable. That was one of the few outlets to get to see comedy. So I just kind of. And then I loved, I loved those late 70s, early 80s sitcoms, like, yes, Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, all of that stuff. I'm watching these actors be so funny, but then it felt real. And how are they doing that?

Interviewer/Host

And

Will Ferrell

like Andy Kaufman and Taxi. So I didn't have that one person that I could put on a poster in my room. Bob Newhart. Yeah.

Interviewer/Host

Who you worked with an elf. Well, you bring up the fact that when we grew up, TV was kind of the only place, like, I didn't go to the theater. It was the only place to kind of find out or some like, comedy record. And now, I mean, you have been like, you've been on the front line of a lot of like, new media. You know, you're like, funny or die. And you, like, have, you know, big money players, which is this huge network of great podcasts, including Las Culturistas, which we love here. Like, you've kind of like in our lifetime, the way people.

Will Ferrell

Crazy. Yeah.

Interviewer/Host

Watch things and find people is so different. So different than waiting for the One TV show at 11:38 night. Yeah, it's. Do you. What do you get out of producing? I mean, you're always, you're always trying to encourage, like, young, fresh voices, new POVs. You're always doing that. What do you like?

Will Ferrell

It's probably the same thing that you've probably gotten out of it. Just being able to lend some currency to someone who, you know, has a fresh voice or you're just like, yeah, give them a shot. Yeah, why not you.

Interviewer/Host

Just because I think you like. I mean, it's been said about you, but you love to laugh. Like, you're a really. You really want to laugh.

Will Ferrell

And I remember that when Jerry Seinfeld came to host snl, he laughed so hard at every sketch. I was like, jerry, do you really. You're like the most Generous host I've ever seen. He's like. He's like, I just love comedy. And that was my. That was a slight Jerry. So I thought.

Amy Poehler

I didn't want to.

Will Ferrell

It was a light dust.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah.

Amy Poehler

If.

Interviewer/Host

If you want more, you gotta. You gotta pay through the paywall.

Will Ferrell

Go to the paywall.

Interviewer/Host

Go to the good hang paywall and you'll see full. Full Seinfeld hair, makeup, everything. But not. You can't. You don't get this.

Will Ferrell

It's gonna blow you away. Yeah, that was just a little dash. I do regret, regret that little dash of Jerry Seinfeld. But keep it in. Keep it in.

Interviewer/Host

It was just a tiny, tiny dash. A tiny. It was so slight because again, because. How do you tell someone like this?

Will Ferrell

But I do remember going, yeah.

Interviewer/Host

Why?

Will Ferrell

We should all laugh at each. I mean, if we think it's funny. Yeah, we should all laugh at it.

Interviewer/Host

Or if it's not also, sometimes if it's not funny, it's the best thing in the world. And I'll finish with this, which is one of my favorite things ever was at snl. We would look at sketches that bombed. And my most favorite sketch I've ever watched that bombed is your Gabe Kaplan sketch, which we've talked about. About. And for people under the age of 50, there was a gentleman named Gabe Kaplan on a show called welcome back Cotter.

Will Ferrell

Another 70 sitcom.

Interviewer/Host

70s sitcom. And he was. He was huge. He would be like. Who would he be like now? It would be like.

Will Ferrell

He's kind of like a. It was almost like equivalent of like a Larry David, maybe, in a way. If he was the teacher in a classroom with all these. And a young John Travolta.

Interviewer/Host

Yes, young John Travolta. Incredible. Anyway, Will does a sketch where he plays a guy.

Will Ferrell

Oh. And he has a very distinct look.

Interviewer/Host

Right. His look is like very 70s.

Will Ferrell

Very 70s. Big mustache, curly hair. Curly hair, sideburns.

Interviewer/Host

And Will did a sketch that went into the SNL archives that we used to pull up. Not only because. And this is going right back to the beginning, Will. Because watching the Captain fail makes you feel a lot better about yourself. But also the way in which everyone dug in deeper the worse the sketch was going to me is like, that's true love. But Will plays a guy who. What's the premise?

Will Ferrell

Premise is that I am a guy who works at an office. I think we made it an insurance company that Gabe Kaplan, the actor, is a client of. Okay. I look just like Gabe. I've cultivated. I'm such a fan of Gabe Kaplan. I've cultivated my look to look just like him, right? And the sketches. It's in the break room, and it's the day that Gabe Kaplan actually came into the office to sign some paperwork. And they're talking about how nice. It's John Goodman, it's Molly, It's Tim Meadows.

Interviewer/Host

John Goodman, Tim Meadows and Molly.

Will Ferrell

They're talking about what a nice guy he was. So cool. He was so funny. I'm like, who you guys talking about? Oh, Gabe Kaplan was here. I was like, what? What? Yeah, why don't you guys come and get me? Like, what do you mean? Like, you guys, that's the reason why I'm working at this company, and I lose it, and I'm like.

Interviewer/Host

And he starts to lose it, and there is not one. One laugh. I mean, there's not even a cough. No.

Will Ferrell

There's the smallest laugh in the world, though. Way up in the corner, you're at

Interviewer/Host

one point, so the audience, number one, you're screwed. They don't know who Gabe Klaun.

Will Ferrell

They don't know who Gabe Kaplan is.

Interviewer/Host

They don't appreciate that you're dressed just like you. And they don't understand why you're mad.

Will Ferrell

They don't understand why I'm mad. And the whole. The thrust of the sketch is built off my tirade of why. Why didn't anyone. I was in the bathroom. Why didn't anyone check the bathroom? Did you not. They were like. They're like, relax. We didn't think to check the bathroom. Like, why wouldn't you. I didn't know how much he means. I wanted to meet him.

Interviewer/Host

What happens is Molly and you and Tim Meadows play it like a drama

Will Ferrell

you're in like, who's Afraid of Virginia Wool?

Interviewer/Host

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

Will Ferrell

No.

Interviewer/Host

I know I ask this because I'm always looking.

Will Ferrell

I really was trying to come up with something clever. I mean, right now, I'm watching all the World Cup.

Interviewer/Host

Okay?

Will Ferrell

I'm really into. It's very exciting. We went to one of the games out in la.

Interviewer/Host

Okay.

Will Ferrell

And it was so electric.

Interviewer/Host

I also love when, like, the best players play great. It's like Messi is just playing so great.

Will Ferrell

That's just fun to say.

Interviewer/Host

Yeah. The M is not silent.

Will Ferrell

It's not silent.

Interviewer/Host

No, no.

Will Ferrell

You lean into it. Luxuriate in the M. Yeah.

Interviewer/Host

Will Ferrell, I. I think we did it.

Will Ferrell

We so did it.

Interviewer/Host

I really do think we did it. We talked for a long time.

Will Ferrell

We really did. Yeah.

Interviewer/Host

And are these real plants? These are fake. Fake plants. Fake food.

Will Ferrell

Gotcha.

Interviewer/Host

Fake plants, fake food. I didn't want the, like, codependent responsibility of keeping these alive.

Will Ferrell

That's fine. And I felt like, because it looked real out of the side of my eye, that's the compliment. And I was like, oh, that's not real. So that's a. That's a compliment.

Interviewer/Host

You just want to be able to side it.

Will Ferrell

Side eye.

Interviewer/Host

Is there any food over there that

Will Ferrell

lets you sidey in reality? That hamburger with the sesame. The sesame seed buns.

Interviewer/Host

Okay, let's just. Let's take a look at that before we go.

Will Ferrell

The sesame seeds. He drew my eye.

Interviewer/Host

So this is a. This is your typical. Take a look at that if you want to feel it.

Will Ferrell

Is that a dog toy?

Interviewer/Host

Oh, no.

Will Ferrell

It's got good weight to it.

Interviewer/Host

And does it come apart? It's a Will is a. Nope.

Will Ferrell

No, it doesn't.

Interviewer/Host

It's all glued together. It's cheeseburger with, like, a rubber cheeseburger. But it's looks good, right?

Will Ferrell

Kind of looks. Appetite. Yeah.

Interviewer/Host

Now be careful.

Will Ferrell

Oh, I want to bite into it.

Interviewer/Host

Don't do it. Well, thank you for being here. Thanks for doing this.

Will Ferrell

It's been a pleasure. Pleasure.

Interviewer/Host

It's great to see you. I love spending time with you.

Will Ferrell

I love that you're a power player in this space now.

Interviewer/Host

I mean, look at me. Can't you tell, like, every power player?

Will Ferrell

Yep. That's what sets you apart right there.

Interviewer/Host

Thanks, buddy. Thanks for doing this.

Will Ferrell

It's so fun.

Interviewer/Host

Thank you, Will Ferrell, for coming. You're the best. You're the king and the goat and the captain, as far as I'm concerned. And it's so, so fun to have. And I could have talked about all of your comedic choices for a very long time, but I just want to end in this polar plunge by talking once again about Bobby and Marty Culp, the very religious singers who sing popular songs in their own special way. Do yourself a favor and go down memory lane and watch Anna Gasteyer and Will Ferrell play those two weirdos. And pay attention please to Will's bald

Will Ferrell

cap,

Interviewer/Host

his outfits and his gentleness because I think that people know Will as these characters that kind of yell and, you know, have these like giant bursts of energy. But Marty Culp is just, he's just very self contained and it's such a funny, weird performance and one of my favorite characters among the many that Will have given us. So thank you for joining us, Will. Thank you for listening, whoever's listening, and we'll see you soon on the next one. Okay, bye. You've been listening to good hang. The executive producers for this show are Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss Berman and me, Amy Poehler. The show is produced by the Ringer and Paper Kite for the Ringer, production by Jack Wilson, Cat Spillane, Kaia McMullen and Alaya Zaneris. For Paper Kite, production by Sam Green, Joel Lovell and Jenna Weiss Berman. Original music by Amy Miller.