"Rode Hard And Put Away Wet" (w/ Will Ferrell & Harper Steele)

Hey everybody, it's me Matt Rogers, letting you know. Tickets are on sale now to see me on tour, the Prince of Christmas Tour, that is, I'm doing my whole album have you Heard of Christmas? Plus a lot more with the whole band all throughout December. Go to www dot Matt rodgersofficial dot com to see me in a city near you and now lost Coach drums.

Look mare, Oh, I see you my own look over there is that culture?

Yes, goodness, lost ding Dong, lost Cluesa's calling. I just whipped out an expression. You love this expression? I do. I say it often. I was road hard and put away wet, and I kind of used it in this way to say like, we're old dogs, We're broken into this podcast, right. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, we we just we're withered and weathered, withered, weathered, road hard and put away wet. A front nunner for title of that.

Yeah? You're wearing now.

People don't know about this, but Matt Rogers, being the Long Island King, he is as a huge fan of Prince is a huge fan of the New York Mets. Major major So you're wearing a Mets T shirt and is that a baseball cap a Mets baseball cat.

I'm flipping around to reveal it is actually a Pride themed Mets cab that I got when I threw out the first pitch. I threw out the first pitch last year at the at the Mets Pride game, and I gotta tell you it was a strike when I threw it.

You knew this.

I went from the mound because you have to understand, my dad is a sports That's right, he's baseball. They really should have gone the extra mile there, but it was it was a streamer. Yeah, I know exactly what Cat was famous for doing in the rainbow balls. Wow already right. Anyway, So it's a huge week for the New York Mets. Explain So I really can't, but I know that it's a big week. In fact, I texted

A little cable knit card.

Again, it is the second day of fall at the time of recording.

We did it.

We beat it.

I have to be beat summer. It feels even better than the end of Labor Day weekend, which I famously said was.

At the end of summer, but you were corrected summarily.

It was controversy, yes, and we caught a lot of controversy on this podcast, and now no one can say anything to me. It's fucking over.

Stu season, Stoop season.

What is the stew you're gonna make this week?

I'm gonna make a beauco, which is a Vietnamese beef stew, lemon grass down, bitch, Oh my god, I'm doing it on Sunday.

We're back at work.

You know, the top really jumps out when you talk about stew.

The top.

Yeah, I've really been looking forward to this episode. I saw one of our guests at seth Myers. I had the privilege and honor of doing Second Chance Theater. Our guest remounted his legendary sketch called Mister Cotter, where he plays someone who has basically just rear ranged his life to look like his favorite actor, Gabe Kaplan from the sitcom Welcome Back Cotter.

And no one knows what you're talking about.

People loved Volta. Yeah, and so it's been on six times, been on six times, hilarious.

We gave him the jacket hilarious, and.

I stopped our guest.

I said, you and Harper have to come on when the doc comes out Rave reviews at Sun Dance.

I mean, come on, you know, one hundred percent I'm nottten tomatoes. That's all the percent. That's literally every percent you could get and not for nothing. But you watch it and it works on every level. I mean, it's an incredible story of friendship, of resilience. I mean, you'll learn, you will laugh. It's just got all the greats in it. And I really feel like I had so many emotions watching it. It's one of those like true feats of

Yeah, Yeah, it's incredible. Will and Harper. It's not on Netflix September twenty seventh. You simply must watch. We're simply so happy.

Yeah that our guests.

Are here, give it up. Alphabetical, alphabetical, last Nattie, here we go. Welcome and see your ears Welfare on Harper Seal. Now, Yes, welcome to the show.

Did you drive here?

Yeah?

Did you? Yeah? I love driving in New York.

Oh my god, it's so easy today too. Today there's some events going on and I don't think it's Mariah Garry.

It's art carry.

She's performing at the UN General Assembly, which.

Is also okay.

I always come to Manhattan during the UN General Assembly. And I stay in Midtown in the un area. Oh yeah, do you ever try, you ever try to get it. I've tried a couple of times as a foreign diplomat, you know, and I'm tackled to the ground. Yeah.

Yah, yeah. I was surprised they didn't let y'all into the White House because I feel like when you pointed to your face and said this is how we're getting in to see Big Joe, I thought this might work.

No, no, no, no.

I feel like you're gonna get pushback, Will, because I think that one of the first things that said in the film is you say hi, I'm Will Ferrell, one of the greatest actors of all time. And then Matt and I were like, well, yeah, truly you.

Made it a joke and we think it's true.

I don't like this. Are you listening to this? I'm not.

I can't hear anything.

No, thank you. I so appreciate that.

Is this a matter of distup between the two of you.

Well, it's been at that's a point of contention.

What is your greatest role?

Thank you God, I love this. This is the greatest podcast ever. I'm what is my greatest role? Human being? Human being?

Human being like you the way you the way the way.

Yeah, I think people do think you're great, and I think people need to know that there's work. There's just work to be done. We can improve every day.

Of work in progress. I'm a work in progress.

Yes, well, yeah, absolutely, I feel I'm progressing.

Yeah, you're progressing every day. I'm almost there. Complete. Oh you feel yeah, you feel pretty good like you're Yeah.

I think I think, Okay, what is the greatest role?

What is my greatest role? Yeah? Human being?

I started stopping because this emotional immediately I didn't want I did want to ask about So in the beginning of the documentary, you talk about your beginnings at SNL. You really felt you were a flop. You didn't think people were getting it at first.

Well, I kind of have to warm up to the room, I will be. Yeah, I'm not a guns of blazing at least back the like Cherio Terry was doing.

You were confident. Yeah, I was, but it wasn't very subdued human beings.

There were already clicks that had formed. People were way more like just really felt like they had been there the whole time. I'm like, wow, it just was overwhelming and yeah, but but it's funny to hear. It was funny to hear after like, you know, a couple of ris We're like, yeah, everyone just thought you were like you seemed nice, but yeah, he's not that funny. I don't know what he's gonna do on the like, who is that guy? Right? Why is he here?

Even though it was the same start week for both of you, Yeah, we both started, but I had kind of come in with the John Stewart Show, so I had.

A little clique, a little group of my own, and so yeah, I wasn't.

I wasn't.

And then Steve had already sort of gotten good with in with the Second City people because Cindy capan Era they were best friends. So I kind of had a little bit in and then I just would get asked every once in a while. We were all sort of sizing up talent.

And I was also on the other side. My office was behind the page. Oh yeah, that wasn't part of the No Man's Land, And I walk over to that to the writer's room table side, and it was gales of laughter down.

Gale Gale's bit Scalore, everyone doing it a bit, and I.

Was laid on the bit and I didn't already understand the inside joke, and I go back to my Yeah.

Not a good feeling to be outside of the bit.

Well, also, he just wasn't enough for like bidding for.

Do some longstance phone calls.

Yeah, on the phone, doing your own bit.

And then I was like, I have touess I'll go to Ikea and my apartment. I don't know what else to do. They brought us in so early.

Too, yeah, like really early early, like into August.

Oh wow.

Yeah.

It was fun though, because there's no pressure at that point, so the show is not happening for a long time, and you're like, I can't wait for the show to start, which obviously we know that's not really fun.

Well, you two came, I think, and it's documented in the documentary YouTube. Came on a on a read through day, I remember, and you both came down and just say hi everybody.

It was so lovely. We'd heard the scuttle about that the doc was starting. Was Travis Kelcey, the host, Travis Kelcey.

That was the week. Yeah, we were so. We were once again overwhelmed because that was not really read through in the studio. It was so foreign to us totally.

It was a little yeah, you know what, we're recording this right before the first week back, and by the time this comes out, I'll know whether or not we're back on seven to seven.

I think Louren that's the mission Lorn wants.

It's such an intimate, such a better well. I mean, we can't. I can't compare because I didn't fit through a read through on this, but what I saw it looked sort of hollow. You get up there on seventeen. It's intimate and there's lots of yeah, the laughter you can hear and or when I wrote sketches often you couldn't hear the yeah acoustically. It's better up yeah.

But by the time, when did the bits start of you walking around? And was it that you were Lisa Kudro's brother, like you were playing or you were playing someone's brother.

You were like I was a Chip coudraise brother. There was no character by the way.

You had glasses on.

I had the same vocal intonation I wore, Yeah, I wore your greatest.

Human you kind of a least, I think, but you kind of dumbed Chip down.

A little bit. Chip Kudrow said, really.

One line we He would sit at read through and we would all be going over the sketch and Chip would just go, I would invert that.

That's all Chip would be at the rewrite there was super affable. Yeah sure, and then would just sit there smiling and yeah, give them something. And then somewhat Higgins or some we go, Chip, do you have? I would invert it.

I would do the funny part the beginning, and then end on the I don't know.

Wait, well, so then what would happen? Where would Chip be? Like where would Will be?

When Chip was kind of just holding just being in.

The room like Superman.

And there was no distinguishing physical thing either. That's even better than the whole car Kent Bulls.

But at what point was there the comfort to broach Chip? Because that huge That was at least it was not the first year. It was probably second or third year. Yeah, it's not bad. It takes people a couple a couple.

Of seasons to to show themselves.

But that's the other place harpurn I bonded just constantly reminding ourselves and everyone else with the show that like we're doing comedy, let's not take it too seriously. We're going to fail. We know that failing is kind of yeah liberator, right, if you don't get Gabe Kaplan.

But that ended up being such a triumph by the end.

Well but sure it's funny.

But you know, all it needed was someone to show a picture of what Gabe Kaplan looked like. And then when the reveal is that you look like him, it's funny.

Can I bring up or you should talk about Box of Ship?

Now talk about Oh I don't know.

Okay, yeah, well no, no, no, I'm very proud of Box of Ship.

Yeah, the first two seasons, that's a rural culture. At number eighty, I'm really proud of a box of shit.

The first few seasons of the SNL, I would compile a viewing party called the Box of Ship. It was the worst sketches of the year, good and I had to you have to include one of your own because it's you know, you can't.

Kiss imagine we all we all had shitty sketches.

Yeah, some people weren't invited to the Box of Ship viewing party because they didn't have the same attitude.

Yeah, so you have to be careful there.

But if you're thinking what eye on the Box of Ship?

Yes, you were, yeah, you have to be able to roll in the box of ship.

Yeah, but it became a point of pride of course, Box of ship. Yeah.

And we had this one sketch and I'm not going to name who it was. It was a commercial parody, but there was a laugh on it that was from maybe forty second Street.

It was the only laugh.

It was so far away from the building and so and we just analyzed it over and over again.

Was it a laugh?

Where did it come from? But it was silent, a commercial parody that was silent.

Yeah.

Yeah, Like and the phantom laugh is just a s fuzz of static.

It was like.

Forty second Street.

You were like, oh, that's just someone out on forty seconds.

Can you do that again? That's very you sound.

People get out your equipment.

Yeah, No, they're gonna do what they're gonna do it. Yeah, they're they're open the pods.

Yes, Is that the right terminology? Really? Okay?

You always think, you always think whenever you go into like a studio or something, that there's going to be knobs like this everywhere. Nowadays, very few.

Knobs like.

Yeah, you know what, I'm doing this too, As if there's like one one the glamour of recording one one one pod. This is hanging off for the other side and you sort of slide the nob and go, Yeah, that's it. Turn the games up. I don't know what a single one are actually, thank you. I have some experience. I'm near some knobs. Now, this is very antiquated. You need to email somebody.

Face the screen.

Yeah, that's that's not where you should be facing.

Having been said, what if I touch this, I wouldn't do nothing. If you touch that, nothing, don't do it. Don't you don't produce this podcast? Do you want us to go down and flames?

It's the only good thing we had.

I thought about the joy of producing.

Well, can I say something because I don't think people will knows how much do you evolved?

He is producing?

He was under the table here working wires this morning.

I got in here, and what about I was a little bit late. So I got in here at six thirty. I'm sure here at five thirty. Yeah, and I was real I was making sure the board was hooked up.

Yeah, totally.

I got the sony.

Yeah that's for him. You know.

I line these up and I make sure the coffee machine was working. Did you get did you.

Get this really cold coffee for everyone.

Getting?

Yeah, Harbor, you're not a fan of cold coffee. You want it hot.

I wanted a hot coffee, but it wasn't gonna happen.

So it can't always happen because the thing about hot coffee is it can become cold, whereas cold coffee. Yeah, become warm, but it.

Can't ever become right, Yeah, of course, of course. Yeah.

Well you know, if you don't expect anything, you're not were disappointed.

Yeah, pull out a paperback novel, right exactly.

I think that one of my favorite parts of the doc was seeing you guys all interact with you know, Tina and Seth and Colin and everyone together, And I wonder, like, what is that like to go into the room with all those people, And of course there's going to be the bits, but there is this very real thing of this transformation and this change. Yeah, what were those emotions that were going through your mind?

Well, very family like because and I know, Bo, when you're there now, you probably hate everyone there, of course you do, but but he'll.

Never say the truth.

But but I guarantee you in ten years that's your high school, you will love those people. So much so when I came out, the email got out to these various people that I worked with at Saturday Life, they were so supportive, so sweet. So walking into that room was just really sweet and yeah, felt like a family. I mean, I just was so happy to see every one of them except for Colin Joe's.

And no one wants.

Did Tim actually respond thinking it was a bit? Or was that a bit?

Uh?

I didn't respond that aggressively that a bit? I think, yeah, he he got the news from an old friend of ours, Marci Klein, and I think it came to Tim. And there's a way to tell someone that they've transitioned, and then there's a way maybe not to but I hope.

You don't feel that your way was not the right way because it was completely personal and oh yeah.

Yeah no, and I and I know, I mean, it was again everyone, which to me is the laughable thing. We have a friend who came out on the Ellen Show, but they were working at Ellen for like ten years before they had the courage to come out this game, and You're like, how is that possible? And I have that feeling like why was I so afraid in the world of entertainment? Is ridiculous.

I feel like that's sort of well outside of it.

But one thing that I that doesn't really come up in the documentary, but that I was thinking about is I was thinking back to that time and even when we were really coming up in comedy, like It's funny. The other day there was a piece on Bowen and we talk about the sketch that we wrote many years ago. Was that first sketch that Bowen ever performed.

In our I wrote it.

It was called it was about Joan from man Man. I wrote it, and we were talking about it and I was like kind of reminiscing, and then I went back to those sketches and I was like looking in twenty thirteen at some of the sketches and I opened one up. Yeah, and in the very first line there's a transphobic joke. And we were queer, we felt very progressive, and I actually had to sit back in my chair and I was like, wow, it flew out in the

Oh definitely things I not would not write again at all.

Of course.

Yeah, to know that you were dealing with this in the midst of that, was that a rub or did you find yourself participating in that type of comedy writing, because that's just kind of what you did.

I think I got so good at disassociating that it just was and not paying attention to how anxious or how miserable. I was not paying attention to that side, just letting this thing keep going, and just making sure that the train state on the track, always doing the job, just constantly, just and I love the job and I love the people. So it's like one of these kind

Do you think I was saying, do you think that disassociation led to I mean, you're a funny person. But do you think comedy was a way to not.

Oh, without a doubt. No, I mean when I was a kid, Yeah, exactly. I mean I became a class clown for a reason.

You know, I had to distract.

You, flourish, but also hide.

Yeah, of course, of course. Yeah.

You know, I think a lot of comedians it's not being trans, are being queer or anything. There's a lot of things people are hiding in a comedy room, and yeah, I think I you know, it's just a very disassociated kind of world.

Really. Yeah.

I mean there's a moment in the dock that's really beautiful where it's YouTube with Forte on a hot air balloon.

Yeah.

I love that, man, I love that.

What a beautiful man to get to that shoot.

Belfte went through thirty different Yeah, and probably another hot air balloon.

He interrupted, like a ski vacation, yeah, or something to meet us on because we knew we were hitting Albuquerque at a certain date and like most people, Oh, I'm busy, I can't no, no, got out of there. Yeah.

There's a thing that Harper says where she where you say? You know, sometimes I wish I had come out sooner. But if I had then I might not have met you guys, and I might not have had a comedy job. And I wanted to ask about this, what you feel about this, Like temporal aspect to being a trans person, You've always been a transperson, Yain. But then the moment of coming out or of transition, which are also two

Yeah, because I try to kind of reconcile it with the sort of transness of my whole life.

Yeah.

So, like a lot of the transness seep through in so many great ways. And that's just that thing inside me fighting me the whole time and finally winning. And that's a really joyous thing to think about. Like I thought it so hard for so long, or when I say, ah, this is all complicated, but yes, I tried to keep this thing down and it just kept fighting back.

So yes, on the other side of it, it's.

Like to come out in nineteen seventy nine, I mean, which I wish I could have done. I wish I could have come out in nineteen seventy nine. I'm not I would have been as beautiful as Hunter's Shafer, but oh my god, but if I could have come out, then that would have been wonderful. I just don't know if the world would have been the same. And to get to Lorne Michaels wouldn't have hired a trans woman in nineteen ninety six. I mean, I'm sure lorn Oh, no,

All that aside, though, it is I think pretty incredible that snel Like has already had a transhad writer.

Oh I love it. I love it.

I'm looking at the cast and the crew and the writers now and it's it's just like, yes, thank you, I'm.

Talking about I'm talking about you. Like anytime you ask me like, oh, what's it like with this? You know, oh, of course for your sensibility that's broken in, I'm like, well, I don't think it's broken. I think it's always been there, like there's.

A second female head writer. I mean, yeah, yeah, goddam girl boss about that that you didn't need.

That much way? When is it enough? Gorgeously? Did you not see that I was a woman?

You seen that?

This is Tina's fault.

Yeah, Tina impressed me to get ahead.

That.

People magazines coming for you. One thing that really blew me away is, and it always bows me away, is when someone has a passion for solo road trips through the middle of the country. And one thing that this is part of the ride that I was on and watching the documentary, was how I was checking in with my body, like when you guys go into those bars, those hole in the wall bars. I had like a

Own road switching today with you like.

This, I didn't, but like any think, the reason I even owned this shirt is because I had it a long time ago. But just the ability to go into those spaces is now one that you have to think about in a different way. And I think, were you actively nervous those whole times? Did you feel protected by the cameras and by Will's presence and so was that Yeah? I mean I guess yeah.

I mean I wasn't as nervous. I mean that bar going in by myself was a weird experience. I mean, I'm looking around at people I grew up with. I knew that world a little bit. That felt weird. But I also had a camera crew and my buddy Will was outside, Yeah, and I knew he was going to come in. So whenever I was traveling with Will, I

It's safety, right.

And I grew up in Iowa, and I know what y'all means, and I've said it, but every time I see it now, I'm like, aren't.

You proud to be out Harper Steel?

Why you don't need to say y'all?

Y'all?

Well, I still do a little bit.

Oh what do you mean? What's what's scary about y'all? Or what's what is it?

Just I'm just trying to connect with these people in a way I am code switching. I'm trying to connect with them and like, don't hurt me basically totally.

And I but I think there's I don't know where how this nests together.

But I feel like.

There's there's code switching, and then there's also like I would consider the y'all a signal just and like a pretty you know what.

I take that back, You're right.

I code switching has become a kind of a dirty word, and it's actually just a to communicate sometimes with people. And I'm a hard of myself. But when you do a great bro, what do you mean I've seen I've heard your bro, you do a really good very.

I heard yeah, so yeah, so believe me you can code switch. Wow, you haven't seen this guy do his brother? Look at him? Whatever? Yeah, I don't.

I don't like attention, bro.

This is the thing. This is the thing about like straight straight guys can.

Like, you know, wink at each other and be a little bit whatever. I'll say this. I went to a straight wedding recently. I went to a straight wedding recently. But I don't know. God, I'm just like, yeah, so you get away with it.

But I would never do anyway here.

But here's the thing. I went to a straight wedding recently, and the straight men who are so comfortable with themselves are touching are all over me. I think that they wanted it more than any games because game man are so aloof yeah, and they're so like like everyone wants to be like the one, whereas these straight guys are like whether they're gonna go there because it's something intrinsic that they don't know about or like whatever. I feel vibes with them, and I am a I know vibes.

I know.

If I know anything, I think it's because of the code switching.

Okay, I know what it means to.

Be repressed or press or pressed, and then when something feels open, like it's like a certain openness, Yeah, they're interested, like I don't know what it is, and.

It's married guys.

Yeah, so I'm just saying there's there's no.

But this is a person who's very comfortable in his skin, skin, and I envied I always envy that right in people.

You know. Uh, that was so nice. That was a lovely compliment. Did you write Mark Spitz?

I did not write the Mark Spitz, okay, but that was.

A lovely moment in the dock.

But also study was telling me last night, was Robert Gulay that was your last season? Was that all in the last season? Probably okay, but it was like it was, it was towards the end. I feel like, Harper, your tenure on the show is pretty expansive, like you're obviously there when Will was there.

Yeah, I was there and Amy and all. He's really wonderful great, I mean, not to mention, really fostered so many voices at Funnier Die Harper was like, go to office, creative director. Yeah, and you'd stop by her office to get an idea or get a note, and she would she was.

Like, I mean, I'm kind of a genius.

Not see not kind of genius.

You threw it away, but it's true. Oops. I crapped my pants when you came out with that shirt. I flashed all the way back. That was one of the like I do I think I downloaded like that. I was gonna say kaza like Napster, but not you weren't going to go to prison for it.

Albert nine Stein didn't speak until he was six years old. When did you first speak? No, I spoke as soon as I came How are you so much? Talk with my sexuality?

And then they did, and then they did, is there a unicycle nearby?

So that that was completely random that was no, there's.

Nothing, there's nothing composed documentary and and that was very strange.

And the and the therapist at the Grand Canyon was like trying to make amends for Yeah, for.

Those who haven't seen it, he hasn't come out yet. There are a couple of moments in here where you're talking about how you would unicycle around your neighborhood.

Your child in front of your childhood home, and.

Then a unicyclist just and you get on the unicycle and.

In that was which bad form I'm going to say for all unicycles out there, for the unicyclist press, that's gonna do, like the review.

A new one, they're gonna rip the way you went up that hill too. You had to maneuver some terrain, the course strength. It was impressive.

That's gotten every screening, that's gotten an applause break when she gets.

It's the don't rain on my parade of the year, And there's always one every year, there's.

Always be one. Let's start nineteen ten.

There's you know what I mean, I think there is some buzz starting about. I mean, obviously the a unicycle parade, the unicycle parade that's starting up and I think that's I think don't.

Please, don't please, don't make me go in the.

Bow is hitting at buzz.

For the docks, for the dock, but also a buzz for and this is a little bit of a spoiler, but.

Started though Kristen has a song, Kristin Wig rights. So the running bit of like the Chekhov's gun at the beginning of like, write us a song and then you almost think it's not gonna happen, and then it happens.

And when it happens it is like the final release for me emotionally.

I just wonderful. She's just like and that was a surprise to us. We didn't know that it was happening.

We did the bit and we just called her and actually hadn't heard anything. We just thought I went checking with.

Josh, well did she write and and the direct Yeah, and Josh Josh, Josh.

He's like, Josh is like, when do you guys come up? I made a few more little edits or try I'd like you guys to just watch the movie one more time, like okay, sure we come in And then he he revealed at the end, Wow did Barbon star? Yes?

Yes, so he knew Kristen and was able to go and cajole her into your writing a song.

But oh my god, I love her her death.

She's so brilliant. And also the song is not only beautiful but also funny and the jazz I mean, yeah, you know it goes play music.

We gave her some interesting notes, yes, but yes, that's part of the bit.

And yet she kind of makes yeah except did she pull off the country? No? Yeah, yeah, I think it lived in there a little bit. Take it back? What d what terrible terrible song? Right off off?

I think we should ask Harper the questions hit. We're gonna ask you the question we ask all of our guests, Harper Steel, what was the culture that made you say?

Culture was for me?

I hope this is a good answer, because I really don't know what you guys mean by them.

That's actually.

Interesting.

But I'm going to tell you so Rocky our pictures show it wasn't the movie. I was in Chicago. I saw it with friends. Afterwards. It was at the Biograph Theater. Afterwards we went to a diner. I'm sitting with my broie friends and incomes for queens. Yeah, and they're over here and I'm over here. I'm watching this group over here. And if I could have split my body in half at that point, I would have gone over to that table. But something kept me over on this side, and it was it was intense.

I could feel it like, oh, there it is over there. You can reach it.

Nope, can't have it.

So this was after you had seen it.

So I was nineteen eighty one, maybe I was twenty years old.

Yeah, and so you just to be clear you, I went to Sea Rock Era Pictures show.

The whole night was magical, people up on stage doing Frankenfurt or whatever, but it was really just being in that neighborhood sort of Chicago neighborhood.

I can't remember what it is, but Link Park, God, thank you you have the fairground.

I'm so happy that. No, this is my this is my hype, man, I need this h But anyway, yeah, it was.

It was in this neighborhood.

And there's obviously where people when you saw the movie and then I'm sitting there looking and I don't know what their gender was or anything.

Just was just like, oh, this is fun.

Over there were there remarks from the bros at the table.

No no, no, no, one was really.

In fact, there was another person who came out later at the table.

I was in touch with any of those bro.

Yeah yeah, yeah, no, no, of course some of those brothers, you know.

Yeah, yeah.

So I was hanging out with Lorne Michaels and we were just like, Hey, the cubs are playing.

The more, I've got an idea for the show. You're I'm thinking of going back.

Going back, what you should it's gonna be. I told him, I said, go back, you have to go back more. And I think it's gonna work.

It needs you.

Yeah.

But anyway, that was my culture moment. I don't know if that's perfect answer.

In fact, I actually feel a little scene by the answer because when we were eighteen, one of the Welcome Week activities that I did, I don't know if you remember this, but they had the Rocky Horror Picture Show at NYU and they were showing the movie and it was interactive and it was one of those things I had never I didn't I think I was aware of

For some reason, I wouldn't have been able to do it at all, No way, I don't know why.

But I raised my hand, yeah, and I went up there and I did a terrible fa orgasm and I got booed.

One of the time we went down the line. You still get line everyone.

They lined us all up and there were these people on like fish nets of course, like everywhere. Yeah, and like they got to me and I did this horrible thing. I think it was wearing American ego, you know what I mean. Like it was like I was in by like Long Island Drag, very much like this, and I did a terrible one and they booed me and I went to sit in my seat and I was like, wow, I am so far away from being the person I want to be. Yah, because you have so many checkpoints.

Oh yeah, And it wasn't going to happen. Just wasn't going to happen.

Yeah, I've never seen Rocky horror.

Will Farah, can I tell you something? If you sit will I haven't either.

Okay, okay, because I was about to say, when Will sees it, he will come.

Out Ah probably yeah, chance it will you guys, I wasn't number Wow.

Wait, I can't believe you've never seen it either.

I remember it was necessary, really, it was at a certain point.

It's really it came at a time when I was like, you want to know what it was the way you felt compelled to go over there. I was compelled to get up on the stage and I didn't sort of body.

Coming out as trans on the show, not giving a vocabulary to people.

Yeah.

Over time, Yeah, but it's interesting you say that.

But I feel like, see, you're still holding on to some of those there's still some residue from that time, like the met shirt, let's say, right, and like the American Eagles sort of like aesthetic and I feel like what I also really enjoyed about the documentary and Harper's story is that like there's this identity with the road tripping and like knowing where all the record the best record stores are drinking.

Should he be I'm not going to lose that. I mean, that's I consider that, Harper, you know what I mean?

Yeah, and like knowing, like I think Seth makes a joke of like, oh god, the list of the best dumpster like dumpsters for you, No.

One wants my list of places to go in the country.

I think my favorite filled with unused furniture.

I love that.

Oh it's my favorite line. Yeah, I love that line.

I mean I feel like there you I feel like there's this really beautiful connection to like beautiful ruin or something.

Oh.

Absolutely, yeah. No, I mean yeah, there's a there's a bad side where I felt like a monster, and then there's the good side where I see beauty and monsters. So they're they're just sort of back and forth fighting each other.

I think.

Yeah, have you developed like a queer community. Do you feel like you know there's queer people that are it's slow developing.

Now, it's slow developing. Yeah, I have some trans friends. It's flow developing. It's one of those things that I just am looking for the queer community. That's the community is most afraid of for this doc I don't there's so many that trans community can get a little snipy too, and I was really afraid. And then I did some screening just for queer audiences and it was.

It was incredible.

I mean you said it was super emotional. Oh no, I'm crying. I'm on the cover of The Advocate.

This is like huge, Like I just like if I can toot her horn, she's she was in a Toronto film festival, was on a panel of queer trans filmmakers, and it was just, yeah, you were like the star of the I was not. I they were amazing. They were amazing. You were so hilarious and Harper and well that I am. And then a big group came to our screening that night and Harper was holding court with all these young trans and it felt me. It feels really good. Yeah.

I mean, but it's a slow process for me because I've been so resistant. So you know, I feel like you are so invite me to.

Your next party, of course, both of you.

I feel like, well, no, not will Yeah, I don't have to.

I mean I'd love to.

I mean, I feel super uncomfortable around.

I make a great stew. I make a great stew. Go for the top.

You guys should do a stew party and watch Rocky hornor for the first time, we'll do something else.

Yeah, we we have to break this the old Rocky horror. You're talking about. This fight, you know, between your body and your mind is your whole life. And then I think you were telling your kids before you set off on the trip that this was a way for you to come out more.

Oh yeah, yeah, I mean if there's an altruistic reason. There was a trans legislation being passed across the country that's been very violent and very you guys know, the political landscape out there for trans people and for queer people in general. But so that was a reason to do it in terms of like, oh, this will have maybe some use, but also will and I like to make weird things. We do a lot of weird projects.

And I mean, and we're here to promote girl Visions.

Yeah yeah, so when will sort of like said lifetime movie.

Yeah yeah, yeah. So so it's like I should the opportunity to do this sort of strange thing. Also, was I jumped at it? And then yes, of course anything that's helped me because you come out, you know, and I don't know if this is through of alterns. My experience as I came out and every day is just more confidence. So it's like there's a learn there's a thing that just you just kind of keep moving forward.

What I love about working on stuff with Harper is that we don't necessarily know that it's going to work or connect with a big part of the audience, but we know it will definitely connect with a specific part of it. It's genuine and it will always feel proud of it. And even though that's sometimes hard to in Hollywood to push that through the committee, but yeah, if you give us a couple of swings, we'll make something original.

You know.

I think what you're getting at is this thing that I was saying earlier, which is like you don't have to understand something or someone in order.

To appreciate just appreciate it.

And I feel like that is kind of the beautiful thing about this documentary is that like you will, you are being such a such a wonderful and I think I think this is a perfect example. Study was talking about this last night, Like you set this perfect example of someone is really opening up to you and peeling back.

The layers and you are just there to listen and say.

Not and not be like no, you're you're amazing. Why would you feel this way? You're just there to not and listen and walk alongside someone. I think that is such a good model that isn't really common, yeah, in terms of friendship, but I feel like even with Harper going into these bars and these spaces that are maybe potentially hostile, like there are people who like, upon meeting a trans person kind of like put their shields down

Yeah, another thing too, in addition to all of that, it's just like the allyship. And you know, it feels like we say it so much that it sort of loses its meaning. It's sort of like when you say like representation matters, like it feels like a like a press thing now or something, but it really is important, like the allyship, and like there if there needs to be a new way to say it for it to

Is over and he was receptive to the correction, right, receptive to.

The correction, not defensive. And also then there was an opportunity to share and to learn and to feel good about it. And I also think as comedians sometimes and probably I think this is something we can all identify with, but we're scared of vulnerability because then that would mean because you want to know what, the boys are not vulnerable.

Learning from this, learning that vulnerability is a superpower. It's like to be vulnerable isn't Because I'm just getting into so much deeper conversations with people around me because they see vulnerability and I express it. I don't have no problem with it. So that's been a that's been just a crazy the result of all of this.

That's the thing I think is it's just it's it was that era too, like that sort of late nineties, early aughts through the aughts thing, and like whoever was saying how they really felt, you know what, I mean like there was no emotional comedy out there, Like it was not like that, it was it was then you learn like it's becomes a core belief that if you're like crying, you're weak.

But now there's this weird pushback yeah, to like this new form of masculinity. Like it's it's so crazy that what do you mean?

No, just I feel like politically speaking, on the you know, we're getting two kinds of comedy. We are getting a kind of vulnerable comedy, and then we are also getting the other side, which there's room for all of it. Who cares, But you know, you can feel like people are like, hey, let's let's get.

Away from vulnerability.

Let's get away from You can feel that, and you know I felt it in a Texas steakhouse, so you can feel it, you know.

As a queer person.

I'm sure you guys have that spider sense and I yeah, and I can feel it with this kind of kind of comic. I'm not against free speech or whatever people want to do with their comedy, but yeah, I can feel that.

Sort of backlash that's happening.

Sure, But I feel like also we had a whole like we were on fire Island funnily enough in August and we had we ended up watching Zoolander and step brother was here last week, Okay was here last week, and so we watched those movies and we were just like, you know, this is the These are perfect examples and like everything you guys you've done together is like, are these examples of a comedy that is a sensibility maybe of like around masculinity, but it is not like four

Right right?

Whose idea was Eurovision?

Oh? Will? For sure?

Will Will's grown up in Sweden.

So I.

Went there. My wife and I went to Sweden in nineteen ninety eight, yeah, the first time, and it just coincided with Eurovision being and we we were visiting her cousin way out in the country in this little cabin, and that evening she's like, shall we watch Eurovision the Eurovision Song Contest? And I said, of course what And I sat there for the next three hours.

Yeah, transfixed.

It was the final. I'm like, what is going on what is this thing? And this is spectacular and I was like, this would make an amazing movie, and I'm sure someone will do it. Yeah, at some point, no one wanted to, no one would touch it for twenty years and finally, I don't know, there was.

Just a gap in You told me to watch it, and I also I really vibe to. It was almost like the situation with what I was saying about Rocking Horror. Yeah, it was almost like that. I'm like, oh, okay, yeah that's over there. Yeah, this is amazing. And then we actually went.

To one just to kind of like do Rea went to Copenhagen.

We went to Coen and that year. I don't know if you're euro Vision fans, but it was and I think that this person does he a verse one with the dress, the beautiful dress and who we was wonderful. Yeah yeah she's in your vision. Yeah, oh my god.

So yeah that was such a that.

Just walking around your vision all these queer people. Yes, it was the most amazing thing.

Of course that that initially went way over my head. I didn't even know. I was like, oh, interesting performances.

No, And I'm sure I was like for you in that early part.

I was like, it's so queer, but like there has.

To be like some sort of spider sense that goes off in your head that Will is going to be a safe person when he brings you euro Vision a thing.

Not safe enough to come out because I really wanted to come. I really wanted to transition seven, eight, nine years ago and like, I don't know what stopped men?

You know, was the pandemic a pusher in that direction, because it feels like.

That was a lot of people, a lot of people. Because I didn't have to go to an office every day and it faced people, you know that day. It wasn't going to be there where it's like, oh I'm wearing a dress now, right, that horrifying.

That's when I decided to go gluten free.

Huge, huge, because you realize life is too short.

Isn't that the same kind of decisions we're talking about? Okay, but I shared the moment it wasn't good that you did that. Okay, well do you want to cry. We're going to cut that out.

We're going to protect you from the joke. Gluten Oh my god, we have such a long way to go there.

There is a documentary about his gluten Free Trip.

Yes, coming out, but it's on Roku.

On September twenty eight. It's a Saturday. Really, it's not getting the same press. I'm fighting with Roku right now? Is there like we don't know if we can show this.

It's about your gluten free journey, journey and every time he's constantly trying to piggyback it, and that's it's like, stop.

I keep bringing up in the interviews there's spending dollars on press.

Yes, exactly, maybe time to head into the segment. I don't think so, honey. Okay, so this is don't be yikesingcause you're gonna when it will right.

Oh no, I've already done this.

You do it again. We're gonna do it again. So basically what's about to happen is we're going to take sixty seconds each to hear something up. It's not that long, do it? We do it.

I can't do it.

This is I don't want to hear about you.

I'm going to phone beautiful.

I'm here, we go.

I have something, yes, not Rogers. I don't think so many time starts now, I don't think so.

Honey, Natty Light, you crazy bitch, you're talking about Natty Light, love yourself, You on this journey, keep going. Let me tell you something tastes like lemonade compared to this ship. I'm talking to you as a Long Island bitch. Okay, I drank a lot of Natty Light bye to In fact, I would put Natty Light in a funnel, take three beers and once to the chest. I'm telling you, don't

This is bad.

I will not stand you will not leave this room still being a Natty Light fan. Nothing that goes from natural light to Natty Light is moving forward in the right direction. I don't think so, honey. And that's one minute.

Ship. That's like a blast furnace.

I could believe my eyes. Can you explain what you like so much about Natty Light.

It's water, It's not beer, and the appeal drink water.

Natty Light is just a roads.

And water twelve you get she is starting to drink more wine, and yeah, that's true.

I can't help it.

Yeah, what type of girl are you like? Red red Yeah, I love it, likes a good get to do. We believe that it's genuinely good for you red wine. Like they say, like a pregnant woman can drink of a glass and a half and the baby will.

Be In France, they all drink red wine when they're pregnant. They don't care. Those kids, all of them grow up. They're idiots. That It's true, don't you know, the thing about deteriorating the whole.

Yeah, the thing about Parisians being rude, it's true.

Oh yeah, it's true because of the wine. Yeah.

But I also then say, like it could be because we're like I'm like so American walking in there being like y'all have ketchup.

Yeah it is when we're in Sweden, you see the Americans, Yeah, a mile away. Now the Swedes are so like super emotionless.

I drank out of a Caraffe had a Parisian restaurant. They had a craft and glass rimmed mountain.

You took the craft of the way.

The way waitress came over and just he just he didn't say anything. She just grabbed that craft out of my hand, took it away.

I was in a grocery store once and I wanted to buy some carrots and I took two carrots out of the bundle of carrots and I brought them to the checkout and she went just threw it down on the ground, and I just started laughing. She wouldn't because I wrecked the bundle of carrots. You know what, You gotta laugh? Yeah?

Sometimes, Oh you know what?

You know what this is?

No, I have my own thinks so money, this is thank you so much for this, because you're giving me fodder.

Okay, you mind, you mind giving fodder.

I can't follow anything, my god, I'm fodder oder fodder. Hello, murder, Hello.

That was beautiful. Something happened to get there.

There was little maybe a band?

Are we turn because someone turned my favorite comm Can someone turn that up? By the way, My dad texts me today one four three He says he knows the ling one four three. Katy Perry Katy Perry's new album, and it's it's shorthand for I Love You aparent like one letter four letters, the old pager thing for three. But now Katy Perry has sort of brought.

It back when I had my ham radio. Yeah, that's right, you had, you had you had a Hamm radio operation. Oh but Harper downs like Harper Harper brought her CBE radio. Yeah, it was all cut out of the doc. You never get it. It didn't work.

It was a lot of the cumming room because in the credits you see all these other places.

Oh yeah, two hundred and fifty hours of foot.

That's crazy to me. The editors deserve no Bel price.

That's almost all the hours in the days.

A right, okay, so many hours?

How many hours? Hours?

Okay, this is bowling Yang's I don't think so, honey. It's time starts now. I don't think so, honey. The current state of vegetables and produce at the grocery stores of America. Why did this person throw out the carrots? Sometimes?

I don't need seven fucking carrots.

I'm making one stewed, not seven stews. The recipe calls for one care.

Now I'm supposed to come up with other recipes that are carrot forward for the rest of my fucking week. Who do you think I am?

I'm a single, childless day man. I'm cooking for one and I like it that way, and I.

Don't want Why Why is society constantly constantly pushing us towards partnership, towards domesticity with other people.

That's a beautiful thing. That's a beautiful ideal.

They aspired to. Why am I on planes? It's the responsibility on me to change my seat with you because you want to sit next to your partner. Yes, make it.

You know this is this is really small, a larger thing about society.

That is illing us? Is that a verb?

I'm all over the place to play words today, but listen, listen, here's the deal. I don't want to buy one head of broccoli when I just need two small florettes from my suit. That's one minute. Thank you, cut things off for I don't need all of that. The whole thing of bananas. Guess what's going wrong? Four of them?

Four of them?

And there are so many benefit from if you take if you they should have taken the banana apart, I'll buy.

You because we're knowing.

Ridiculous. And these carrots are going awaye and they go bad way quicker than you think. Cucumbers forget, No, cucumbers can be so beautiful. Use them immediately, Thank you, cabbage, forget about.

Keep going, keep going.

Name. You will not.

Believe what he can do.

He can name seriously, five seconds in between each one, and wait, with only five seconds between each one.

This man can list a lot list vegetables.

You know what's flashing in my head? You guys having your pedicure with I want to do a pedicure with Molly.

Oh god, if you're going to do a pedicure, do with Yeah.

I love I love the way she the greatest, the greatest listener of all time. Wasn't that funny? I think that's so funny.

Now, So when you wait, when you wait someone, wait, wait, wait math hold on.

Yeah, So your dad right took you to the baseball Yes, isn't that funny? Left you in the parking lot? And I thought that was so funny of him to do. You know, I thought, you know, baseball, It's like you could be at the game, you could be in the parking lot. It's just so funny how you can be in so many places at once.

Isn't that fun? You're seeing Will and Harper today, they're so tell them I said hello, and tell them again.

Again.

Molly Shannon is who's afraid of Virginia Will. She scares the hell out of me because I used to have coffee with her and in my journals, I'm writing I think I need to be a woman, and I go have coffee with Molly and she'd be like my father came out in life. She's looking straight at me with those eyes like purecing.

She's always or maybe not.

It's scary. She's scary.

Good.

Yeah, there's a perceptiveness. Yeah, absolute, she's she's well.

Well, I think you should go next. I think Harper should close this out. Oh Jesus, be so hard.

I can't follow either one.

Of course you can't. You do it for a living, know you doing this? You guys do this eight times a week like a Broadway show.

Oh my god, I only just realized how hard it is to do eight times a week. Thinking about doing this eight times a week now, I really now I really respect Broadway.

No kidding.

Yeah, Hey, Patty Lapone, hats off man, you are a talent.

H I happen to be listening to the podc this is Patty. I so appreciate it.

I want to shut it. Okay, here we go, turn your phone on. My phone is on in order to log the time. This is Will Farrell's I don't think so honey, and your time starts now.

I don't think so honey about here's the thing, Okay, tell us the thing.

I don't.

I don't think so honey, I don't.

It's okay.

Here's here's the book.

This ties into this ties into the documentary.

Here comes the tie in.

Here's a book that my mom literally had a self help book on her shelf all right, called It's none of my business what you think of me. We got that and even as a little kid, that was my mantra. If I walked into the room and I got dirty looks, none of my business, you're taking me, none of my business. And as we went through America fifteen second America, the Heartland, the rhythm, the flag, the it was none of Harper's business what you think of her?

Five seconds she goes through this world.

Loved and herself. Finally and uh oh, I gotta slay down, slay down boots.

Thank you, Yeah, slay down boots.

Just strike that. No we can't do that, No, no, we can't do No, we can't do that. The point you're making is important.

Yeah, but by the way.

I didn't know there was a k Farrel, there was a that K Farrell connection to your openness. There really was there human beings, really was. She taught me to I mean like a beautiful person.

She is.

She made you a beautiful person.

You know what I think? Rup Paul says that too. What other other people's opinion of me is none of my business.

And if you know yourself and like yourself to a certain degree, that's on. That's on the other person. And if you don't like that, that's on. That's on you to figure out what to do with me. But you don't have to be the one to carry it.

That's you know what's interesting.

And I'm okay with how bad that. I don't think so, honey was I don't care what you think of me. There you go, But you know what, that's the cure what you think of me.

It was great.

Audio was a little spotty during that.

I feel like there's so many times actually it's like what you said about touching the hot stove. It's like reading comments about you online is like you wouldn't touch a hot stove. Every single time I go to the internet, it's a hot stove to gauge whether or not I'm doing well or people like me. It always is worse than when I wake up in the morning and baseline feel pretty good.

Yeah, it's right.

It's always gonna be a hot stove. And why would you touch it? Okay, these people gotta go.

We go all right? Okay, we got on my phone. Sounds like like that. It sounds like I just don't You shouldn't have said that. This is this though.

They got it on camera.

Authenticity, cameras beautiful. That's what people connect when.

I start the camera, when I made sure they weren't on Okay, they.

Just have a red Yeah, sabotage from boss.

Give me a countdown.

Wait wait, wait say that by the way before I don't, honey, before we're done today, I have to go through some HR stuff.

Okay, problem, what do we do now?

I just got to get your w twos that HR that's accounting what you do, what you do, all those cutbacks and one of us getting cut No, no, no, no, you guys are safe.

Okay, guys are something I know. I'm fucking huge. Okay, okay, never steal this is your I don't think so, honey.

Okay, time starts now j K rolling.

I hate full attacks on Olympic boxer A man Khalif demonstrates the very core of why some people hate trans women. Khalif is not trans. No, she's a woman, yes, but because she does not conform to Jk's limited.

And frankly racist ideas of.

What makes a woman, he repeatedly called her trans and referred to her as a man.

Thirty seconds halfway point, I don't think say I don't think.

So, honey, wit, No, no, no, and oh I can say, oh, I don't think so, honey. Women can be beautiful in so many ways. In fifteen j K is not one of those women, because when you are hateful and bigoted in your heart, you are ugly. I don't even think she's a honey.

Oh, we don't even think you're a honey, and you haven't been a honey for a very long time. She's purely dark.

So disgusting.

Although my Kalif was at the Potickeulvanetta show in Paris for fashion week. She looked amazing, incredible, word, gorgeous suit.

What are you just the level of detail, yes, gorgeous, detailed.

It was a suit as detailed, No and then and have you seen all these things about like the mold in her house?

Mold, a black mole, black mole. No, I try to keep away from her. Of course they're dangerous and hurtful. However, is suing her yea. And the libel laws and England are better, the libels and France are better. I just hope she gets a fuck.

Of course j K is a dementor. And you know who's also like on this. Not to bring other people into this, but Martina never Toulova is also being.

Right, yeah, is women and trans women in sports conversation.

It's like, all right, everybody, just calm calm down, or just even keep it to yourself.

I don't know, it's just it's just that we will, well we.

Will, and I will say end on a happiness because I know you guys have to go.

This is just really.

Tell us that. So what if it was not going well, you could.

A little bit.

Yeah, yeah, well guess what you bet you have to do your own pickups? Then no, because we know you have to do pickups for your show, and so now you have no excuse. No butter, no, Butter said, on a serious note, thank you so much for this just gift, like it really is. And I think that everyone is going to benefit from watching this and in a major way. And I'm sure you feel both of you feel like you've benefited from doing it. That's what art is all about.

Thank you, It's so cool. Means a lot. It's our honor both of you, very very very lucky that you're here. Thank you for coming. And we end every episode with this, can I can I get my parking validated? You did drive here?

Yeah?

Do you guys do a little wrap up at the end. It's like they those two were.

We have a Howard Stern after showed. Yeah, he does an amazing job. He does an amazing job. He's really good.

He's a huge friend. Yankee shirt.

What's going to be? To end it? Burn will go west Cross didn't.

Request.

I saw it twice and so I'm like, and then I texted Christals like, you're getting an Oscar nomination?

And also.

Of jazzy.

This is the Jazzy I'll be it by the time.

February marshalls around anyway. Last Culture Reactis is the production by Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and iHeartRadio podcasts.

Created and hosted by Matt Rodgers and Bowen Yang. Executive produced by Anna Hasnier and.

Hans Soni, produced by Becker Ramos, edited mixed by Doug BABYMNEFA Board and our.

Music is by Henry Koberski. Hey everybody, it's me Matt Rogers, letting you know. Tickets are on sale now to see me on tour, the Prince of Christmas Tour, that is, I'm doing my whole album Have You Heard of Christmas? Plus a lot more with the whole band all throughout December. Go to www dot Matt rogersofficial dot com to see me in a city near you