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Wow.
Hi everyone, this is Lenny Marcus, Leslie Jones and I are here.
Oh hey, I'm Nessa Jones.
We're taking over the Daily Show podcast studio. We're giving you a behind the scenes look at our week at the Daily Show. Our second Daily Show appearance. Yes, your second Daily Show appearance. I just sit there and help them write. I don't even know I am here. Sometimes they're so long you're here from me? Well, I know we're here to help them write the show. But they're so good. That's the first thing we got to say, right, this is like the best place.
They literally this is what I love about this place. Everybody loves their job. Yeah, everybody loves to stay in their lane, like you know what I'm saying. And then they come together and make it together. That's that's where it should be like that at every place you go work. Everybody loves their job, loves their partner job, and then y'all all come together to make the project. It's just
so much better. It's just like so much calmer. People are happy here, Like they're not stressed out, they're.
Not anybody raise their voice yes.
Because they don't have to raise their voice. Things is just done.
It's so impressive. Like when you and I work together. By the way, I'm Leslie's I don't know what writer writer partner. Yes, I'm gonna keep her. So what else? Yeah, some failer out of jail if.
I have exactly the only person probably who could control me, yeah, but now barely.
Yeah, that's that's tail wagging the dogs. But anyway, so the two of us have been a lot of places, a lot of we've worked on a lot of projects, and it ends up I tell people all the time, I have to go in there and end up writing the whole show or producing some of the show, doing or.
Taking care of stuff that's not his job. That's somebody else's job. And it's just almost like they're just like, okay with be a mediocre Yeah.
And here it's like I say, it's a maserati. This place is like a maserati, and I just have to help you not drive the maserati into the wall right now, truly, And.
I will drive that masarati into that. I will drive it into the wall because that's what I do.
But even when you know it's it's amazing. Even when we think we didn't do the best. You know, it's like they can. You know, they'll put it right back, Like.
To me last night, I know everybody loved it, but I don't think to me, my, that was my one of my best shows. But they made that show look like so good. I was watching it last night, going, oh my god, I don't even see none of the dumb stuff that I did, Like, none of the mistakes.
The interview was so freaking good.
Well that you did actually did know.
But I'm just.
Saying, like all the other stuff I was worried about, I did see it. Yes, Like there was one point where I was like, they're gonna see me do this, and I was like, oh wow, they really They're just so good at what they do. Yeah, anyway, I think they're gonna make anybody look good in this biod they do.
They will make anybody look good. But you definitely do take it just from buzz and what you hear in the building. You do take it to another level. Like the day you're not there for the big writers meeting, they do a big writer's meeting at ten thirty and I sit in that meeting. Boy, there is a difference when I walk in that room alone or what I'm walking in with you, you know, and you just have a way of just you like I can tell you anything about this water bottle and be like, man, don't drink
that water. Drink that like your soul. You have an opinion and a heightened opinion about everything, so it makes it. It just brings the room energy like, oh my god, she's invested. We got to get invested.
Yeah.
It's just really weird when people react that way because it's like, why isn't everyone like.
That that's your gift?
Well, well, the gift is that everything that I do comes from a real place.
Yeah, but it's still a gift. Like a lot of people, it comes from a real place. People have opinions, but they're not gonna walk it. Most people go, oh, that's an interesting water bo.
No, I'm gonna be like, well, man, that motherfucking water bottle is the base.
What the fuck like?
No label?
It didn't have to have a label. It's fucking water. When does water need to be labeled. It's fucking water. Drink it, motherfucker. Yeah, only unless you know some anthrax is in it or something.
It's like upstairs, like anybody would be like Andre three thousands coming out on an album that's just the flu and you're like, and you're pissed. You actually most people go, who cares? But you have a not only a piss but you're like super pissed.
Yeah, but you know what is it really?
Uh?
What do they call it? Is? It?
Is?
It kind of asks the nine for me to be pissed. Yes, that's the funny, because that's what's funny. It's like, it's like when people get mad about the Ghostbusters movies or something like that.
You go, what do you what do you expect?
That's right?
Trust me, because Andre Andre three thousand, he's going to reach out to me and go, I'm gonna send you a copy of my ouse and you're gonna tell me.
That you love it.
Yeah, you're gonna throw it right.
I'm gonna send him a video back of me throwing that motherfucker in the garbage. I do not want no flute music from a fucking goddamn it.
Hey yeah, it's in the gov Hey yea in go bitch, it's in it's the gogem is that that bage?
Gobbage?
All right? I can do that all day. We always get the two same notes everywhere we go with you, and it's actually a good thing because it's like there's too many that can be too many fucks.
We get always too many fucks.
Yeah, and it's like, okay, we can and you self modulate that.
Yeah, because it's like, yeah, listen, I'm a comic. I've been in a comic for thirty some years. Yeah, and you know I have to have gigs that where you can't curse, right, And plus I'm around my aunts and I don't curse when I'm around.
My aunt's right, So you could you know how to do that? Yeah. So the note that I always get is cauld she curse a little less? Cool. I'm just like a natural cursor.
Seriously, the first time I cursed with my mom, she was like, Wow, I don't know what you sound like when you're not with me, but I hope it's not like that, but you know it is. It's so and I told her, Mom, it's so much worser than you thought. But you know, you get that note. I always know the two notes i'm gonna get, Hey, can you curse a little less? And Hey, you're at a ten? Can
you just work up to a ten? So I'm always glad when people say bring your energy back instead of give me more energy, because that's harder to do.
Very much harder. They teach you that in acting class too, like we'll get you know, like I need to get or anytime I do stuff, the note is yeah, go further. Go further will take you back down. Yeah, that's way easier to take you back it see me.
It's always can you please come back now? Please?
Please?
You are too far? Can you go? But like Lauren you said, tell me all the time. When I would do an update, he'd be like, Leslie, if you if you started ten, you don't have anywhere to go, so please just started fight start.
And that's why Michaels has been in the business for that.
So so I always know those notes.
So whenever I get those notes, I'm always kind of happy because I go, Okay, there's no other notes.
They like everything, yes, and they do like every day they always give us one note back, and every day it's like yeah, I mean, I think and any notes we've gotten this week, like there's been one note, those two notes the first day and note and every time you've nailed the note. So I feel like when I leave here, again this week, and we're gonna do a good job tonight, I'm sure. And it's like I feel like we we gave them everything we wanted, and we
gave them four great shows. And I'm super proud, not only of you, I'm always proud of you, but super proud of the fact that, yeah, we came in here again and we did a really great job. And we don't know what people what happens in here for the other weeks, but we really enjoy it here, that's for sure.
Yeah, I do. I do. I like a place that is just homie, like they just.
I want to talk to you about one more thing. The guests that we have now you get to have you. We try and hand pick the guests, and that it's always like giving birth to these guests. Can we get this person? Can we not? You get excited about certain guests like Karnaki. You got so excited because we people think it's a joke. It's not a joke. You really love this guy. You're very interested in what he does, and he is known to be a sweetheart, and sure
enough he was, and so like it's real. Tell people like it was you finally got to meet this crush of yours, you know.
Yeah, well you know I love meet and everybody that I like, you know what I'm saying. And yeah, like you said, you have more excitement for more for these certain people than other people. But Karnaki was was like a long time coming, like we couldn't got three years of something that we just supposed to meet here, supposed to meet on this show was to do and to be able to finally get him to come out, and not only just like seriously, I was.
A girl schoolgirl.
I was literally like, oh my god, like stuttering and like, oh, Leslie, do you really like this guy?
Like okay, so.
That's great to meet you.
Oh my god.
It's so crazy that we've never met before. You know, so I'm pretty sure you know that. I'm totally obsessed. When you're standing at that big guy.
And you got that damn calculating, how do you keep all your facts straight? It was just really sweet and did when he started talking to Nerve Talk, I was like, oh.
Shit, he's hot.
He knows his stuff, Like that's one guy.
He's a very smart I mean, you guys go online and check out that full interview because he breaks down some things that are really great.
Yeah, and he's again he is so great to and I heard he had a really great time.
So yeah, that's what that's That's my main goal too, is that when people are watching this show, that when they turn it off, they feel like.
Damn that was that was good, Like, oh, that was fun.
It's because the interview and I go again. You do everything with such passion. You're really invested, especially if you wanted the guests to come on, like you ask great questions. But even when you're not jacked up for whatever guests, you get it it's you know, you can interview people like you do a great job for ten minutes. You're so curious as a person.
But it's it's so weird because the best interviewer to me has always been our sending your hall And Johnny Carson.
Why are sending your hall interviews?
Like me, like anybody that comes on, he's very curious, he's interested, he's interested. And I like to ask questions that other people are not asking because you know, everybody asked the same stuff. But I like to ask stuff that I know that they want to talk about. Yeah, like tell me about this, oh is this this and this? And then you could see that sparking AI of like, oh wow, she's interested. Yeah, I would love to talk about that.
I love Yeah.
I love making them feel like they're scene, like they're notice. That's that's very important to me. And then when we Karen, I always wanted to look like a conversation because people love that.
People love.
I used to love when Arsenia will bring Eddie Murphy on because I would just laugh because you know, they have a whole bunch of inside jokes and they're making fun. It's just so so good. Now Johnny Carson, Johnny Carson did pretty much of the same thing, because Johnny was like Johnny was like that dude that had a bunch of cool friends. Does that make sense? So whenever Johnny brought somebody to the desk, it was just like, what is he?
I loved him that.
He was just always so he was cool as a Q, coming no matter what his guest did, no matter how crazy is guests. I just saw this interview with him and the dude from Planet of the Apes. The dude dressed like one of the Planet of the Apps and he was hilarious. It's just I love stuff like that. I love off the cuff.
Yep, we have a ton of questions for you. But then when they answer in a certain way and then you could just the question. You can just make your own question. That's when it really gets good. Like, hey, there's an audience watching this, but now you're invested in these right in what's happening.
I've really enjoyed that interview with Leasa Leslie because we're from the same place, we're from the same hood, We're like the same person, and it was just such a great interview.
When we get to that point in the show, I'm like, we're done. Yeah, you know, I mean I actually do that too. I actually go we fin the interview. Oh, it's the easy part. Yeah, this is I love talking to people. We were here within a year ago, and now you came back. So what was the difference for you between the first time here and the second time here.
The first time I was here, I don't think I had any pressure on me as far as like I wasn't trying to get the job right. I really wasn't. I was like, you know, yeah, let's go do the day to show.
You know, this is great. They're gonna be doing.
You're worried about that I was.
I was just like, you know, I want to show people that I can do something else, or I can be funny, or I can do that. So the first time it really was no pressure. This time I feel a little pressure. I feel a little pressure here in the next I feel that. But the realistic part of me, the fifty six year old experienced part of me, goes, I'm not putting my all my eggs in one basket, and I'm still Leslie Jones.
Does that make sense?
Like if this doesn't happen to work out, which is fine, I think it's great because these people are great. They're gonna make whoever they get in here, it's going to be a freaking incredible show. But at the end of the day, I'm still Leslie Jones. Does that make sense? So they can't take my house, you know, they can't take my pool, you know what I'm saying, Like, you gotta.
Don't take that pool.
Yeah.
I would just.
Tell people though, too, because I always want to. Okay, I'll put it like this.
Whenever I'm watching a reality show, right and they're auditioning to people, and maybe the people might not make it or might not make it to the next round and they're devastated.
They're devastated. This is my life.
And I always get mad because I was like, you're not dead, and you're not and you're still can sing and you're still talented, so just go and this is just a part of your life. So I don't want people to be like, oh, Lizly didn't get well.
Leslie still Leslie.
Yeah, Leslie. I tell people that all the time, it's always gonna happen. I have so much faith in you that something else will come up. It always that, always does.
I have a career. I've been working a long time. I've been putting out a lot of cross.
What people don't stand away with us, it's I'm gonna speak for myself as well here when it comes to us, we just go back to doing stand up. That's our number one, absolutely, And we have a lot of fun writing and touring and whatever you know, and then working on whatever the next hour is or the next bit. We're always sending notes back and forth.
So yeah, and it's like crazy because and I just want to tell people that this is because I've always wanted to say this. Whenever you come up to me and be like, I'm such a fan of you. I'm such a fan.
You know.
I loved you on SNL, which I do. I appreciate that, but I don't I think. I hate when people say I miss you on SNL. I miss you there. It's not funny without you will that's not my motherfucking problem. But you know I miss you on SNL. I used to tell my aunt all the time, like when she would be like, when you're gonna come back to Memphis and open comedy club? When I fail, when I fail my job, Like, I just always hate when people be like, why you're not at SNL again?
Because I have another job. I don't think about that job. I get, Yeah, I get folks. Now people are like, when are you coming back to the Daily Show? You know what I mean? That's what I get. When are you guys gonna do that weekend?
I always get? Is supermarket Sweep coming back and listen to listen? We wanted, we want it back, we want it back? You got a podcast? Yeah, you guys have to understand this industry.
I always tell everybody, you know, what, why are you not doing a Nina Simoe movie?
Well, bitch, because it's not being written yet.
You know, there's a lot of odds and in red tape wires, connections that have to happen before things jump off. The Supermarket sweep was was a very difficult to make, a very difficult show, very expensive show to make. If we had Jen Flans yeah running here, we had show runners here, we will still be on the area.
But listen, we've had the most amazing time for me. How do you feel right now after three four days?
I think I think the good thing that I do.
First of all, this show, we get the fuck out of here by seven, which is incredible.
Work in Saturday Night Live.
Yeah, oh, Saturday Live was a twenty four hour thing. So we get out of here seven, and I go home and rest. I make sure I sleep, I make sure I work out. Yep, I always make sure I do my cardio. Uh my energy love is great.
It's great.
I'm exhausted. You exhausted I have because for me it's nine to five. I come in a little earlier than Yeah, I say it with them, but I'm a mile from my house. I walk to work every morning. So right, it's like, you know, we it's doable for sure.
I was just gonna say, is it doable?
I think it's doable. I think, but I'm more concerned about you as always.
Well, I'm you know, New York is always a crazy place for me because I always get sick in New York, I always get sick release I always get sinus infections and stuff like that. But this job, it's just almost so weird as like worth it. It's like you know what I'm saying, Like I love being able to talk to the masses. Yeah, that's what I feel like.
We're also saying important things. This is not just super made sweet. This is you know, where you're actually.
Happening, but a big mass thing of joy out that's.
It's not it's funny, but you're also it's satirical, but you're also you can make a point, you know with the long story shorts and the you know, like, hey, you cut back to you on some of these things, like what is the matter with you? Like you're saying, I got to check some people, you know, and you check the people and you check them in a funny way, right, So.
Because that's how it should be. We're comedians.
That's where I think that we've lost our way that everybody else is doing their other people's job comedians be comedians. Don't be scared. You can't be scared. You can't be scared of getting canceled, you can't be scared of none of that. You just gotta be funny. And I think that's what happens sometimes, is that they are trying to be serious or make a point, and instead of just be funny, think funny first, the point will come. Be funny first. Your job is to be a comedian. You're
not a fucking ted talker. You're not a fucking politician, You're not none of it. You're a fucking clown.
Yeah. The when we get to shoot the show and you're like, and I'm holding the script, and you're like, what's the matter, you know, like when you're about it's like five half hour to showtime. Right then, when I'm holding that script, I gotta be confident that the show is at first funny. And I've never gone down to that studio yet going yeah no, ye. By the time we get down there, it's been great.
Yeah.
So I can't. We can't thank the Daily Show enough. I mean, they let us showcase our talents, let them help us, help them make their usual great show and hopefully we've made it a little better than you know. Yeah, I want to walk out of here going with them again saying please come back. When are you coming back? That's our goal. Yeah, you know. I always say this if somebody asks it. People say, in comedy, what have
you learned? I've learned two things now. If somebody about jobs in comedy, if somebody says, hey, would you like to host a game show, say yes, because they will no matter what it is, you're hosting a game show, they will throw a pile of money at you. And it's a good deal, right, and you're out of there in two weeks they film a ton of them. You'll just go play on your yacht. And the second rule is if they ask you to come in and do anything at the Daily Show, say yes because this place
is incredible. Yeah, it's really magic.
I agree, I agree, I agree, it's really great.
This is Lenny, Marcus and Jones. Let's Jones and we'll see you the next time we're in town.
Yeah, we'll see you.
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