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 gonna talk about so much stuff. We're gonna talk about SNL, of course. We're gonna talk about how we don't like taking physical risks.

This episode is presented by Allstate. Checking Allstate first could save you hundreds on car insurance. That's smart. Not checking that the fake roast chicken is, in fact, a fake roast chicken before chomping into a wing? Rookie mistake.

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 I could say the same for Europe.

And we can talk about Fred forever, but I just wanna talk about you for a second. I was a fan of yours w long before I met you. And I just remember saying to Fred, like, Wait a way, wait, wait, wait, wait, Carrie from Sleeter Kenny, like Wait, that carry? Like

Yes, I well, I mean

Yeah.

Yeah. You're right, that wasn't a question, but I will My retort 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 with a lot of people I met 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. 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. Um so it is just a seamless like kind of loving, like heart to heart. but platonic, you know, friendship, but it it feels like family.

How did you two 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. Slater Kinney were playing at Irving Plaza in New York. So we weren't able to go to see SNL. He invited me and 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 uh Jennifer Garner and Beck.

Yeah, and with Portlandia, did you guys go in and pitch Lauren at Broadway Video?

Well we did uh eventually we did. I think it was um Fred's manager who then became mine, Tim Sarkis, who said, Hey, you guys are really developing this chemistry. There's a whole sensibility here in this 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 gonna look at this and say like, okay, good luck.

Both you and Fred were musicians and performers. 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 S N L. Like he He uh showed up at the show and I wanna talk to him about it, but you know, his he was doing he was interviewing bands as a character. That's how he made up he made his own show basically, uh playing like a

Sure. He is almost like the Swiss Army knife in this way where you know what the sort of familiar elements are of a Swiss Army knife, but he uses them in ways that surprise you. And I just, I can't believe all that he's capable of. I still, I'll be watching something and I'm like, there's Fred. When did he do this?

Thank you so much.

He's everywhere and he can do so many things. Like when when he'll 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. I mean, I really do think Fred is a genius, a 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.

He and it there's just a little bit of a little bit of a little

This like

kindness and generosity. I think because he can be His taste is actually kind of esoteric, but he makes the audience feel like they don't need to know that stuff. You know, it's there's something alienating about it. So when he makes a decision, a choice, as 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

Yes. He has a specific taste, but he's not a snob.

not a snob and he doesn't he really is averse to that.

And 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 want it to be done behind your back. And the hopes that but Fred can do impressions of people to them and they feel seen, but it's got it's it's just it's fascinating. Like he he can do that.

Fred's impression of me, he he tells me he can't do my voice, but so what he does is he And I didn't realize until Fred did an impression of me that I'm a trudger. I trudge. It's a weird. It's a but it it was inoffensive. And I there's also something very loving about it. Like you're like, yeah, I 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 question. It's a kind of like a suspicious question. It's like a little but it I it delights me. Like when he does it, I just feel so like, hee hee, 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 in your is he's pointing out intelligence. Like that that's very flattering. You're like, yeah, I guess I am smart and ask really good questions. Thank you for noticing.

Okay.

Okay.

Bye.

So I asked my um my uh first guest to give me give a question for my second guest. And I was wondering, you probably know so much about Fred. What would 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?

touched on this, you know, with just the like the music stuff. So I guess my question is Would want him to describe the way that one of his musical heroes Humor, sensibility, playfulness, informed his own comedy. That is something I'm actually curious about.

Such a good question.

I just can't wait to to hear your talk with Fred. So I just wanna

Carrie, you're the best. Thank you so much for doing this. I really want us to d deep dive soon together. I cannot wait for those live shows. I definitely want to go. That sounds so fun. And um 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 twenty five dollars a month, taxes and fees included.

Oh my god, you

Ed and I

Oh my god.

Butter khaki on.

That is really funny.

Kind of a well, I'm dressing today like one of your my favorite characters of yours, Nicholas Fain.

But I think like we're all starting to dress like

That. I I feel like we men and women are all dressing the same and we're all dressing the same way. Yeah.

I forgot what store I went to, but there was like sort of a department store where all the guys clothes were stuff that 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 kinda buttoned up and kinda like

So

Fred Armiston is here and we're we're we're we both have similar colors on today.

Amy, I I can't even begin. I mean Thank you so much for this. I love this I'm gonna call it a show. Yeah. But I love it. And I can't believe it's happening. I also, I mean, you know this everyone I like, we could talk forever.

I know. Yeah. I know. I was just like, I have notes and I we were going over and I was like, I I feel like we could we could talk about We could talk about talking on podcasts for a i for an hour and a half.

Like the tone peop'cause people's tones do change a little bit.

Fred, you are you're probably talked about more than almost anybody on this podcast. I I don't know if you've heard how well you've been spoken of here.

Really and I

Yeah.

And it makes you very happy. It's f flattering. It's the nicest thing it's all. People who I love and respect.

And you were on the first uh Zoom that Drachi couldn't get her headphones on. You were nice enough to do that. Thank you. One of a mil 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 that's easy because everything you're working on, uh it just seems like oh of course that's gonna be great.

But not everybody is like that. I mean, I we're I wanna talk about it today, but I feel like I learn 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.

Uh y thank you. But it's f it's for stuff that I want to do. So that's what m that's like most of the, you know, the battle of being there.

But I don't even know how to start this conversation because I love it so much. I'm so excited. But okay, I feel like you are a comedic genius. And of all the funny people of which we know the funniest people, everybody loves you the most and says you're the funniest. And Martin Short.

Well, first of all, thank you for those uh really kind words and

We need you to live up to it.

Yeah, wait I'll wait wait till you see what I do on this. I memorized all these bits, did you? I it is a like uh it's gonna sound like it it is a mutual thing. Yeah. Like it's a very like I don't if when I'm around Martin Schrott, I'm not like, hey, I'm gonna 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 t the Tony McCartney thing, I thought for sure I thought he knew it just by me talking about it that I was joking.

But did he he actually get fooled for a second?

Four yeah. 'Cause I guess it was a very heightened moment. It's like the end that was after good nights of the fiftieth. And so it w might might have just been a moment where he thought it it really happened.

But I feel like 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 um fun. Like I feel like if shit went down. I wanna turn to you, Fred, because I feel like if someone's yelling or if someone's like if something um 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 a gauge of like, this is what's really happening. There is one thing you told me when I I was thinking of leaving SNL. I think I'd already decided that I was leaving SNL. And you said, I didn't even ask you, but you were 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 y And you just know like the thing to say.

How many years were you on SL?

Eleven.

Oh wow.

Yeah. And I remember right at the end I was just sort of like you know, trying to decide and you had already left. 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 Feridum.

Very done.

Very dense.

That's my given name.

Very done. Yeah.

Very done.

Your father's name. Yep. And it is a Iranian name. Yep. But he is German and Korean. 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 uh Persian workers in Germany at the time. And, you know, even though it wasn't his baby, she was like, What should I call this kid? And he was like, He he came up with that name.

You have German descent, Korean descent.

Venezuelan.

Mom is from Venezuela, like and you have an Iranian name, even though you don't have any Persian. Like it that is that's you in a nutshell. That's crazy. I know. And so then you you were just called Fred from when you were a little kid?

Yeah, and my dad was as well. When I say it was crazy, I'm not I'm not talking about myself like I'm like amazed, 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. Th you know, the things are just more complex than I ever learned.

Right.

originally or that there was racism against Koreans in 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 or that his relatives were Japanese. Yeah. And you found out they were Korean.

Yeah. It was I 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 um Irish white. It's not gonna go well. I mean there's no surprise.

You'll be surprised.

Yes, I will be surprised. And it I mean they just it's never gonna go back to something.

Full blooded Canadian.

And people would be I'd be like, No way. My relatives were from Canada. Like but when you were growing up, you have German and Korean dad, what you thought was Japanese, but Korean, you have Venezuelan mom. How did you identify what culturally?

Venezuelan. Uh my dad's from East Germany, which means that it was communist Germany at the time, so we had no relatives around us. And with Venezuela, the relatives were over all the time. We were gro traveling there, so it was a 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 speaks Spanish in the home.

That was a lucky thing. Yeah. Because at the time I didn't appreciate it. Of course. Why do we have to what is this? Yeah. And then now it's just like

And also like, you know, a lot of like first you know, uh first generation like m didn't always speak their they wanted to speak English in the home to try to but your mom spoke but

Both. She did. Yeah. And she kept it going. 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 she's helped me a lot lot of SNL stuff, a lot of cold opens and stuff.

Mm. 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.

My dad my parents are such fans of Fred Armson.

I'm a fan of there.

We we always had our relatives there and like we were always hosting family and it's like you would go to sit at the table and your mom, who I have such warm feelings for when I think about, is you guys look a lot alike. Yeah. Like really She ki you kind of have her face. Yeah. But you so okay, so Freddie, little Freddie, growing up in

Uh Long Island a little bit and then Brazil a little bit. Right. For a couple of years.

Yeah. How old when you went to Brazil?

Uh I was uh that was like s first, second uh second and third grade.

Okay, so do you remember what it was like oh yeah arriving in Brazil? What it was it like?

I just wanted to be ho I was homesick. Yeah. So now I can color the story with like, oh, it was so exotic and 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'd be like, this food.

Weird.

Ha ha

I hate this place.

Tell me.

It 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 were you like had you gotten used to it?

I had gotten 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 art.

Yeah, that took a while. That that was more like went back to uh um Long Island, went to c uh 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 that why is it a common way to get in a band is to go to art school? You just want 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

Did you think you were gonna be like did was it like a medium that you were into working with? Like did you were you painting or

You know what? 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 that.

Oh my God, everything I say on this podcast. To be honest.

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 I'd be like, why are we actually talking about this? They would talk about editing and I'm like, we're supposed to get good grades, but we're not supposed to like And that's the difference in in like. a passion for doing something. I thought it 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 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 gonna 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 called Entrench mouth is like what, nineteen eighty eight Chicago? That's right.

Right. Eighty nine ninety.

Okay, okay.

Really took took um shape.

So let's just for the heck of it, let's listen a little bit.

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 a VW in front of a VW van and just being like I don't even know how we got here.

Loved being on tour.

Okay.

Valeu.

What was it like playing, like was that feeling?

The feeling was like It's like a campaign. Like we're gonna do it. We're gonna drop our jobs. We're gonna do it. Th this band did it, this band did it. Go. What what's the gig? Uh Des Moines, Iowa? Great. Mm-hmm. No money? Fine. Go, go, go. Fill the tank, you know, like we kept the the van running and clean and right. Uh it was like being uh Boy Scouts and you know

Energy.

Energy of

Uh.

Yeah.

How'd you like that? They were awesome. Let's do it. Let's exchange information with them. Didn't like that band so much. That's okay. They're lame. I don't want to be like them. A lot of like uh looking up to bands, like that's the way to go.

Who were you looking up to at the time?

Young Fish, No Means No, Fugazi, Jawbox uh nation of Ulysses. We looked up at these we uh like we they'cause they were also really like possessed. They're p possessed with with this thing. How much longer can we be on the road? Go, go. It was just this and then playing, as you hear with this music, everything come on There's a change here and another change. And louder. And and everything was kind of mathematical. Mm. This wasn't like jam out music.

Right.

How about something there is no groove?

I love you.

I laugh and I love the like the 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 Yeah talking about it. And it was so important. And it was so important. Uh and like just the energy of getting everything right. Did you guys have like Oh yeah? Were you an arguing band?

A l uh 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, it everything's getting dark and we're still like, but that's not that's not what punk is then. Or if by your definition, that's not what it is. Well that's not what I'm saying.

Yes, and very like I mean, so much of it I feel like in your twenties 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 gonna be that person.

Absolutely.

I always find that interesting that like bands have to keep reinvesting in the band like every couple of years. Like and I can relate'cause it felt that way with like sketch, like you were in a group and you were like, No, let's and then

It's exactly that. That's so funny. So you went through the same thing.

C C B because we had to you know, we were like t you know, we were like doing shows and people were trying to, you know, cherry pick us or like and you had to just keep like you had to just keep like renewing the contract.

Yeah, uh renewing the goal.

Yeah, renewing it.

Well, now as long as we're this. Now if we get on this label or whatever.

And we were in Chicago at the same time, like all that like smashing pumpkin's lizard, like, uh, 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.

Ha ha ha.

Well, you know, I have to give credit to my wife at the time, Sally. Um, she's in this band, the Meekons, and she was kind of a little bit like If you're gonna 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 were you just drumming for the audition, is that all? Did you have to do anything else?

I was drumming and they were like uh the other 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'll you know, you do a fill and it's like uh a resolve is very predictable. They're like, make it a little which is kind of like what trench mouth was like anyway. It was a little Jagged. So then I I got it. Then they they had a a series of drummers, different rotations of bands.

Yeah.

And it was like my first Showbiz Paycheck.

What was it like like how d was it like a Broadway run you had to be performing all the time? Did you you rotated?

I rotated. So there was a full time drummer and I would I would play like two or three shows a week or something out of whatever, eight. What was it like? It was fantastic.

What was your favorite part? I've never I never saw the blue man group, but I was they were such a big Let's pull it up. Let's pull it up. Is there footage of you in the Blue Man group? I wonder. I wonder. But what was your favorite part of the show? You know how like it's always like, oh, I like that song. Oh, I like that moment. I like when the

Opa the opening. So like uh the opening, like the first there's just three blue men uh on these paint drums and they do their own thing. And then the band kicks in when they're done and it's it was great'cause it we were lit by blue you know, those black light. Yeah. And so we had like stick figure d drawings on us, on our costumes and Uh there's a stick player, a zither player. So we'd start playing and that was just like it really felt like a big a proper beginning of a show. Very loud.

Really?

Yeah, I went through training for it. I trained a little bit in Boston, in New York, and uh it made my drumming better. It was really frenetic and crazy and I really loved it. I I learned a lot.

The dumb question, but like is like what was the makeup app application and removal like? Well

For me.

For people who don't remember, you had to paint yourself blue. Yeah.

Uh but the band didn't. The band we were had we had like we painted like stick, yeah, like sort of You know, on our hands and like

Easy to get off.

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, then blue paint. Wow. And they had a lot. They had like blue gloves on. They they 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, they're like all kind of I would say like juggler, performance artist, athlete, those types.

Okay, so then you do that. And then there's so much that happens after that, but you create this video um series that pre-SNL that is a version of a character that you played interviewing musicians. Uh and you kind of play this like hilarious German interviewer who knows nothing about the bands.

Yeah, or is very mean to bear.

Yeah.

experienced it all the time. And I don't think they meant to be mean. I think they just that's their way they are, is that they would always tell us how poorly we were doing. You know, they'd always say, like, oh your group is not so good. Uh uh Fugazi was here a week ago and it was very crowded and that's not so crowded today. And it was just based on that.

This is 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 was so fun is watching all these musicians who And 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. Yeah.

Steve Albini did it, uh a bunch of people, um Bob from Pavement. Yeah, it got it was I just put a a video together in

It I mean that was back when you just like filmed it and made a I don't even know.

Yeah.

So thank you. And then that's that's what exists.

I mean to to like age us. I don't know if this was like it when you started in 2003, but in 2001 at SNL, there was still when we wanted to do an impression, you'd have to go Get a VHS tape.

Can you 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 And you put in a PCR and you'd watch like six minutes of whatever thing that they had and they'd have tapes and tapes of of people that you were impersonating. This is

So funny talking to you about all this'cause I've You don't need to put this in, but like I've known you for so long. I know. And the talk about Blue Man group actually makes me like it jumps like a a track in my head love of like, oh yeah, we've never talked about Blue Man Group.

We've never talked about it. We talked about it very briefly, but everybody's road to where they get is so circuitous. Like one difference. One different change and we're not where we are. But I would say, Freddie, more than anyone I know, you know that every day. Like you really know every day, like I can't believe I got here. Like you say it, yeah, you live your life that way. Yeah. Like like what like what are we doing here?

Every bit of it.

Yeah.

Standing on that stage, uh auditioning for S N L A that already felt like this is insane. But whatever from Blue Man Group to be here in front of Tina.

Yeah. How do you get the audition?

Through um Marcy Klein.

Yeah, she found a producer on the show.

She found a video Uh of like all the stuff that I'd done. Yeah. And she showed she made Lauren watch it. And then they called me in.

Wow.

Insane.

And you were like, you know Uh thirty what when you understand? And I was thirty when I got the show and I I just wonder like There's something about having a little bit of life before that really helped.

I appreciated it so much because also'cause I'd been through being in the band.

Well.

Right. For so long so that I s I I I mean it. Like it all felt like icing. The whole thing felt like, ah, this is I was just in the van, you know? Like

Yeah.

Whatever, maybe five years before that. It felt very like, oh, this is all f uh e even with like the money part of it. Yeah. 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 it felt like a million dollars.

Yeah.

and it was a million dollars

And it was a million dollars. Fred insisted on a million dollars a week and it almost took the show down.

I asked but I asked really nicely. I was like, please come on, come on. Give me a break.

Come on, man. Come on. Lauren, give me a break.

Come on, it's just me.

It's me, your friend Fred.

Body.

Ha ha ha.

And it was 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 SNF. was I watched it all the time.

Yeah.

But I really connected to the B fifty twos and Devo and Talking Heads. Like and I'm not saying it in a way that's like uh hey, 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.

Ooh, have you ever told Mike Myers that?

I think I might have told him. Yeah.

That's a good way to put it.

Sprockets.

Yeah.

was 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 S and L you you like some of my most fun memories of being on that show

That's the the b I have a 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 justice.

I just I knew I was gonna describe all your bits and that was like it's like inside jokey

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 and what I love about and always loved about playing around with you is And I'm just gonna say it, Freddie. I do think that you and I share this, which is we definitely liked. Um 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 and all of the other hard stuff. We don't love a complainer.

No

You and I do not love a complainer.

A real crime.

If SNL is a microcosm of life, you can spend your whole life figuring out what you don't have. You can s you can t it doesn't matter how much you have, you can focus on what you don't have.

Yeah, sure.

And the more you talk about what you don't have, like the more you

It's wild. I've met some real complainers and it's really Shocking.

It isn't really interesting when I'm complaining, because it we always we all complain, but when I find myself complaining, I'm like, ooh, something's off. Something's off. Like not other people. I'm off.

I'm trying to get better at spotting it'cause sometimes you fool yourself into You you th like this isn't really a complaint. And like, well that might actually be a complaint.

But I don't think of you I th I don't think of you as 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 is light the light aren't working the way you want them to work and you don't 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 a very intense light show and you're like, here's how the lights go, and then you've run it and the lights aren't working, and you're like, Okay, and then okay, I'm just gonna kin uh talk out this talk this thought experiment. And then the show hap and you're like, just make sure that the blues come up at the right time. They don't. What do you do? Oh.

Hour to hour, day to day, it's gone. It's I really do feel treat it like a page that's turned. I'm like, oh, that didn't work out. But to your point, let's say if I'm being asked too much, you okay?

See, we're very

You know, and I'm like How do you tell someone?

I know exactly'cause I've done it. This is where Fred and I are a little different. I've said, I notice you're asking me a lot. I pr this if Fred hates this. This this this is where because I've you hate I don't think you like this con 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 Fred so uncomfortably. I I've I've said like okay. I think about it like when I'm in like I'm getting my um let's say you're getting your hair like I'm getting my hair done for a scene.

I just sort of I know that it's I know that it's temporary and I think, well, the next tour that person isn'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.

Shame.

I just sort of Gently. If if it's like on water, like the little boat just goes the other way.

And he goes, shh.

I'm okay. Now I'm okay. And then they then they're off. But I'm like I can get my own things. I can get my water.

Yes.

But uh now now that sounded like complaining. That was very complainy of me.

No, that was not complaining of you. You I you never ever complain. 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?

Can you have a complaint?

A job in show business?

Mm-hmm.

And there's a problem of some kind?

God, it's true though. And that's what's fun about working at a place like SNL is you have someone come through. Every week is a new guest. They're really vulnerable. When people are vulnerable, they're kind of they're 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. And it's like And also often they're often they're great.

You don't have to put this in. Uh you probably won't. But you your reaction to some hosts, oh my God. It's delicious. It's the best thing in the world. Like you really

I just I'm like

You've said this not even like actually and you're not insulting to them. You just put it in a in a way that is so good. You're like then I don't know. And I'm like, oh, that's exactly what's happening.

I mean people are audacious. Outrageous.

All right. And people ask it like in interviews like who's been the worst, who's the best and I I

Yeah. Same. I would

Well I'm

Yeah, but it's the most low hanging.

Like.

Yeah, why would I ever say that? But I have a lot of thought. I have a lot of thoughts. And I do. I I mean I've actually tried to work on it'cause I like that's my stuff is like I like to be like paying attention to like detective y like You know, like mm, like I hate that part of myself that's very like You did it right, you did it wrong. But

No, little

I pay attention. And I and I won't for like I remember I'm I remember that you were not very nice, or I remember that you were very late. Oh Tina Teen that's teen and I that we're like yummy food.

Yes.

That's our favorite food. 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 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.

It's like telepathy. And and it's almost like everyone's waiting for the moment to be done. Like everyone's like, let this f finish up until they're going to.

Electricity. And no one's looking at each other. Everyone's like Uhhuh. And you're just like I'm just trying to remember every moment. Yeah. So I can move I know.

And try to have like a face that's like, Oh

And then I know, but I've but in general, like, and I think you d would say the same thing, like every I found people to be awesome to work with. And like incredible. 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.

Do do you mean like uh hosts?

Anyone, hosts or people that came in to do a bit or old cast members. Oh like for example, I'll I'll give you one right now. Like I didn't really know Lorraine Newman that well. Um Fuck, 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.

He's my language.

Uh that's okay. Um Lorne?

Yes!

Uh

You and Lauren had a really you have a very sweet relationship. How would you define it?

I would just say that. Both fans, I think he's a fan as well. He you know how 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 w I mean there's there was that amazing Questlove um doc about all the musical guests. If you can remember like who were like the f you know, I I'm thinking of like Elvis Costello's performance.

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

Why was it?

I'm from Long Island, you know. So we were like Long Island and everyone had kinda like longer hair and these guys with these these little suits and crew cuts. this like energetic band running off the stage when they were done. I that really

Hold on. I I wanna watch it again with you right now. I have a laptop.

I've watched it so much. There's a song called Gangsters at the I wonder if you'll find it because

Yeah.

Look at the drummer. It's like

Did you like drummers that played like this?

Yeah, I like Clem Burke was that way. Really good really good posture.

Clemberg.

Uh from Blondie. Uh. The Blondie drummer. My favorite drummer ever. Really? Oh yeah. Yeah. And really like my suit. I think he had a turtleneck on SNL, uh, just really like, you know. Placed on the drum throne. Loved it. And Blondie was great on SNL, Divo, um, and the B fifty twos 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 at the SL 50th, you get to play with the B52s and D.Va. Diva. What was that like?

It was like the top like the very crystallized top of 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 heart attack.

It felt that way. I was like, that that's all right. That is the very like you know, that shows at Radio City Music Hall. I had seen Devo when I was fourteen. at Radio City Music Hall. I'd paid for wow tickets to see them and and also getting to meet them. They're great people. Mm being friends with them. It's like it really Yeah, those two. That was unreal. And on also on S and L, not at some gig not some show somewhere like hey I got up on SNL

Yeah.

It's it's everything at once.

Yeah.

I can't believe it.

Yeah. Okay. So now I wanna just get on to um A new section, but the person that will help us get to this section is Carrie Brownstein. Oh. 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 it's it's like how do you define your relationship with her?

She's funny. 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 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. It uh I I'm completely stripped of being worried if I'm boring or or talking too much or anything. I'm completely, completely myself around her.

It's so it like remains like it it has such a life, Portlandia. And um those characters in Portlandia are so fun, are so specific. And therefore so universal.

It was the best we I got to hang out with her all the time. We could she's a great writer. She's such a not that you need me to tell you that, but so funny, brilliant. And she came up with like A lot of those ideas that are now sort of things that people repeat, put a bird on it and all that stuff is like that's okay.

Okay. Carrie said, describe the way one of your musical heroes informed your comedy.

Oh, that's easy. uh David Byrne, the way that Direct a movie and then sort of choreograph part of his show, like the way that he presented everything. That really informed like You know what? a 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 like wasn't trying to be cool at all.

No.

But he was very cool.

Yeah. Just the way like for no reason you know I have a fuzzy suit or something.

So I'm gonna do a uh rapid fire. Tell me what you think about these things or what you remember. You can be as fast or 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. I there's something about it. That there's something about Texas that has so much varying personality. Yes. That uh Oh we that does exceed my expectations.

So with that in mind, can you please do someone from Houston and someone from Dallas?

I feel like it's got a whisper to it. Uh Houston, um I've some people I know from there uh 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. Uh I I I I hear'em on planes on a conference call. I I had been uh at uh I was on a layover. Uh We know someone from Beaumont and that's kind of Beaumont's the buggest I've ever heard. I can't imagine. They're like the little why before imagining. Imagine.

Longest word.

Yeah, love right

Countries.

Um

Can you do is we

Iceland, Iceland, Iceland

Iceland, Iceland.

But um uh Iceland uh has uh uh a hushed uh you're pushing to the throat, I think.

It's a

And uh I I feel like Sweden is so devoid of accent that I hear people from Sweden and they sound almost like they're American. They sound like I don't love that the door's closing right now. There's like there's this thing where they no longer are Swedish people.

Yes, you're right.

It's like thing where they're like so casual with English that I actually feel like I'm talking to someone.

You know what gives the Swedes away is the

Yeah.

That is the Swedish thing people don't know is, you know, instead of going, Uhhuh, uhhuh, uhhuh, Swedes go

Yeah.

You hear them on the phone and you just always think they're getting the worst news. Yeah. You're like

Ha ha ha ha!

But they're just saying uh uh uh

Yeah.

That is-

Yeah, ca'cause their face doesn't change.

Um, okay. What do you like to do when you travel?

Wake up early, have breakfast, coffee, alone, just down in the ground. Restaurants?

Yes?

Not room service.

Okay.

love then I really feel like I'm in a country. So I've like landed somewhere. That's my I can't wait for breakfast.

Breakfast.

Oh I love it.

And then you wanna then do you tr like let's say you're doing a show in another country, do you walk during the

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

Ha ha ha.

I try not to.

But sometimes you do.

Sometimes you ha uh sometimes you have to. But no, I'm pretty good about it. I I I travel pretty light. Um but I I did a a tour recently and I had did have to bring some equipment.

Yeah. Okay. Got it. Um, Broad City.

Oh yeah.

That was so fun.

Amy?

That's a good thing.

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. They think they're like, I'm actually a real fan.

Yeah.

Which is great. Yeah. But, oh my god.

Fred came and did the first episode of Broad City, which was a huge get for us and

I see people dressed up as it as Halloween.

As the baby. Yep. I'm just a baby.

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 hell.

For real. Thank you for that. That was like that really kept on going.

Okay, dogs or cats. Interesting. I didn't know that. No doubt like just no thank you to Dots.

first met, I the first thing I told you I was like cats. Mm-hmm. I just met Lauren. Cats. You know that, right? Uh cat I love cats.

That makes sense that you would that you're a cat person. I feel like you're more of a cat you're per you're more of a cat than a dog as a person, I would say. Although you have a lot of dog qualities because you're very loyal and friendly, but you are cat.

I like how that they they don't ask anything and they sort of It's their own yeah, their own b business.

Yeah. Um, sweet or salty.

That you say that regret?

I wish I wish it wasn't that way

Malty's not good either.

I don't believe that

I don't either. I think salty is better.

I I think when people Say that salt causes health problems. I never believe it. But it does. I know, but I'm like, why?

What is it?

It's just a little bit more than a little bit.

High blood pressure. I know what you mean

But whenever they're like there there was too much salt in it, I'm like, I don't think that's gonna be the thing.

No, no. You never like like salt your chocolate chip cookies or

Oh, I see what you mean. If there's uh a chocolate bar that has salt in it, great, I like

Yeah, you like that. Okay.

But uh I love sweet. I mean I love chocolate so much. Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Are you trying to cut down or like you have to cut down?

I'm always like, Oh, there's a cookie, there's a

We love a little cookie treat.

Oh, it's the best. Yeah. You guys had

I have a hard time I have a harder time with sugar'cause I had get on a real ride and I ha crash pretty hard after sugar. Like I do I have big sugar crashes. Oh yeah.

Yeah.

But salty. Perfect. Um do you like to be scared?

Yeah. I like horror movies and 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?

Um you know, the usual. Um hi.

That's right, Freddy.

I couldn't do a taping of this because of it. 'Cause you were like it's on the whatever phone. Can't do it.

That's right. In New York. May we speak of that? Is that okay? We record in at uh and and Spotify in New York and it's a really, really high floor and Fred was like Nope.

Yeah.

And uh I totally forgot about that.

Yeah. But I t I told you about that I think one time we were at a hotel and you guys were so nice'cause I w we I just went up to your hotel

Thank you.

Me, you, and Tina went up to you. 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. Because it's too like it's not real. Like buildings are built well for There's never been like, hey, watch out going up in buildings. That one fell. I've never seen that in the news, you know.

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

We're happy so high.

Yeah.

But there's so much engineering that's gone into it. Yeah. An engineer would would actually be insulted by that. Like, do you have any idea? We studied.

Hundreds and thousands of people going to build it millions of people going to build.

Around the world.

Yeah.

Everywhere.

Yeah. But y could you ever like climb a tree or like is it that kinda height too? Like you could a ladder, um a um would you be able to get like

love it but I you know I do try to like A bit. A bit. A bit. A bit.

Have you ever done any kind of like a bungee or nothing like that? No. I like that about you, Freddie. I feel like we're very similar. We don't I don't like I don't like one of my in insane. Like I don't like taking risks. No, no.

No, no, no. None of that. I'm not interested. No. I'm also not interested interested in watching it. I'm not like or stories about it, like all that.

No, like if you're gonna free if you're gonna free climb. You know. I don't want to know about it.

Oh no.

Yeah.

I don't wanna know but I don't want to.

I'm oddly not impressed. Yeah. Of all things. The thing that you want me to be. I'm like

I'm like, whatever.

Yeah.

I don't know. Not you.

What is free climbing?

Do the like no?

No.

With no ropes. And just like you just crevice and crev and just thumb and foot.

Yeah, and then like one more. No. And then you get what happens? You get to the

If you had to do that by accident, if you if you were stuck somewhere and you did it, I'd I want to know everything about your story. If you do that

I was chased and I I saw this mountain and I was like, there's nowhere to go.

Yeah.

Get out of here. And then the person couldn't they were like They were like duh and then

Yeah. And then you stayed on there.

Bad because if someone's watching

I don't feel bad for people who recreationally free climb. What's wrong with you? What's what is wrong with you? I think there's something wrong with them. I'm gonna say it.

Wow.

With no ropes? No one's making you do it?

What if it's your job?

It's nice.

And they that's a they fill out the application. They're like, I guess I have to

No way.

There's no way. Monday. I hate this job.

You're right. There might be a few people that's their

It's just the world.

their job and they and I'm sorry for those people. I'm sorry. And then last question what are 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 most re uh 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 those moments that you're like, that was pretty great.

Oh God, I could talk forever. I know we've ended this. But I but I just want to say I do feel like we you and I, I think we've played this game before. It's like a 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 a minute you can seem like an expert on almost

Yeah, I think so. You have to memorize a couple things, a couple terms.

There'll be a word or something where people will go, Huh? Uhhuh. She doesn't know what she's talking about. But I think almost anything

It's reachable.

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 in for one minute. Okay. Okay. I'm gonna set Um I'm gonna say um the uh Alaskan pipeline.

The Alaskan pipeline.

Yeah, ready? So with with me today is a expert, um, Fred Armison, um, who uh 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 uh misnomer is Alaskan. So Uh uh many many people do know this that it's the originally the Siberian pipeline. Why is it the Siberian pipeline? Oh, because it goes through Siberia. No, because the the shipping magnates shipped oil through there from Siberia and through Russia. and the only people who benefited from it were people from Canada. You'd think it would be Alaska, since Alaska was not yet a state and the pipeline uh was built nineteen fifty-one.

And that's a minute. Fantastic. Uh answering your own question. But you did it. I don't know if any of that's true when you said 1951.

I have not.

Yeah, no idea. Um, thank you, Fred. Love you. Thank you so much for doing

I love you. Thank you so much for.

I'm glad we met. Thank you so much, Fred Armison. coming and being on the pod. I love talking to you. 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. Cool things. But I just wanna um shout out Fred's new record that he made with Drag City called A Hundred Sound Effects.