Transcript of Will Ferrell

Oh, fühlt sich das nach Sommer an! Die neue Sommerwäsche von Tchibo begeistert mit leuchtenden Farben und fröhlichen Prints. Feine Spitze, leichte Mikrofaser und sommerliche Schnitte sorgen für pures Wohlgefühl. Selbst an heißen Tagen. Entdecke jetzt die neue Wäschekollektion von Tchibo und finde deine Lieblingsstücke für den Sommer. Hello, everyone. Welcome to another episode of Good Hangs. So excited about our guest today. It is the one, the only, Will Ferrell, a comedic giant on the Mount Rushmore of comedy. The captain— Oh, Captain, my Captain, Will Ferrell. And we are going to get into so many things today. We're going to talk about, um, SNL and all the great movies he was in. We're going to talk about how important what makeup is in building a character. We're gonna talk about, um, the mutual flop that we made together and how fun it was. We're gonna talk about Swedish stereotypes and how some of them are true. We're gonna talk about his new show, The Hawk, coming out this week, uh, on Netflix. Uh, before we do that, we are gonna talk to somebody who is also in The Hawk with him and also knows him from SNL and who is a comedy legend, and that is Chris Parnell.

Chris, who you can also catch in Stop That Train, a movie that's out. We're gonna check in with Chris. Chris is gonna speak well behind Will's back, give me a question to ask. You know how this works. Okay, Parnzy, are you there? This episode is presented by Allstate. Checking Allstate first could save you hundreds on car insurance. Not checking how long that recipe takes before you start cooking? Well, that's how you learn that simmer for 4 hours is buried halfway down the page. Yeah, checking first is a good idea. So check Allstate first for an auto quote. It could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Potential savings vary, subject to terms, conditions, and availability. Allstate North American Insurance Company and Affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois. Get up, what do you say? And I am the one who wants a really good hey. Harnsey?

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

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

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

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

Yeah. I mean, I felt like she would have let me if I had made an effort, but— No.

Let's not get into this again.

I, I need to talk about it.

Okay, thanks for doing this. I'm, I'm talking to Will today, and I feel like I don't think enough people know how long you and Will have been friends.

We met at the Groundlings, um, gosh, '95, '96, but it really— we really didn't connect, um, until I started on SNL, and then we shared an office He and I and Jerry Collins had an office, the Gentlemen's Quarters.

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

Yeah, he was ahead of me and I saw him perform and I think he actually saw me perform in one of my shows. But no, he was a couple of years ahead of me, I think. And then, you know, got onto SNL, I think. 3 years before I got on, I think.

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

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

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

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

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

Well, Anchorman was the main thing. I think The Hawk, this upcoming series—

Who do you play in that show, Parnes?

I am on the PGA Tour board. I'm a PGA Tour board member, and I'm kind of— I don't care for Will's character. I don't care for The Hawk. Excellent. I have quite a bit of animosity towards Will's character.

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

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

Great.

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

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

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

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

Sure.

Oh, look at Parnsey, so prepared.

I— Always. Well, I was up for 4 hours thinking about this last night. I wrote a list of 50 questions, and I narrowed it down to 25, then down to 10, and the final 5. I guess one question would be, "Who were your comedy idols, your heroes growing up? Who did you look up to comedy-wise?" That would be one. And then the other one might be, "Have you always been so confident?" Yeah, I think that's a good one.

It feels like if stuff is going down, you would kind of turn to Will like, "What are we gonna do?" Right.

Right.

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

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

Merv would just come up to ladies and You know, just gently ask them if they'd like to party in his pants and he'd have ripaway, tearaway pants. Like a nice perv. Well, I know, Parnzy, that Will is going to be so happy that we talked.

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

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

Okay. Take care. Woo-hoo-hoo!

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Woo-hoo-hoo!

Hi.

Hi.

How old—

I was very excited about you coming today.

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

How are you?

But wait, I'm trying to remember—

Is today a big press day for you? Do you have to go do a bunch of things now?

We rolled this into— we're going up to Connecticut tomorrow.

Nice. ESPN?

No.

What's up there?

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

Well, we are gonna talk about your new show, The Hawk, in which you play a golfer.

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

Well, I was wondering if I was gonna be interviewing Lonnie.

I love those too much.

But you love to be in character. I do.

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

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

I'm hanging in there.

You are the least tired.

I'm the least tired.

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

Yes, I have.

You have.

But some of it is smoke and mirrors.

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

I don't mind it. Exactly.

You like to be embarrassed.

And it's way better than— And I always remember what you said. You were like, "What we do is embarrassing." Yes.

But you don't seem, ever seem embarrassed.

And remember saying that?

You're like, "Comedy's embarrassing." Well, I think I hopefully quoted Ted Danson, 'cause that was his quote.

Oh, okay.

I hopefully gave him those props.

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

You're like, oh, that's kind of interesting. Yeah.

Yep.

But Ted Danson said it.

It was Ted.

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

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

Yeah.

And they're like, "What are we gonna do, Will?" They're like, "I dunno." Why is everyone looking at me? Don't look at me.

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

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

Yeah. This is a comedy show. So we won the jackpot.

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

That's right.

Let's have fun while we do it.

That's right.

And let's make each other laugh.

Yes.

And let's have moments where, like, no one's ever gonna see.

Right.

It's just for us.

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

But you always seemed 100% relaxed.

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

It's so weird.

Um, uh, but—

And was it the— Was it?

It was 2001.

One. A great year. A great year for comedy.

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

That's right.

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

Okay.

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

A little fake hamburger.

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

Uh, I did.

Congrats.

Yes, I got best personality.

I mean, that could be a real curse.

Did not lead to—

It can be a curse.

Did not lead to dating prowess.

Okay, got it.

Or girlfriends or anything like that.

Okay, girls were like, "Will!" Yeah, "Oh, that's so funny, but I don't like you." They were like, "Oh my God, Will's so funny." "You're so funny." "I've talked to him all day about my boyfriend." What? What a funny joke.

No, no.

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

You name it, I played it. Shit.

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

Well, I was captain of the basketball team.

Dang, captain.

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

Okay. So you don't have a good shot or you—

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

Fundamentals.

Fundamentals. Team player.

Very sexy.

Captain.

Very sexy.

Very good at fundamentals. Yes. Yeah. Right. Captain energy.

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

Football?

Do you play football? I was a kicker on the football team because I played a lot of soccer. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

But I loved, I loved team sports.

Yeah. And you, you know, your dad was working with the Righteous Brothers. Mm-hmm. And the best thing about SNL is I get to know, you get to know everybody's parents. I've met your parents so many times. They're so lovely.

Yeah.

And, but you like kind of, I read somewhere that like you were like, I don't really know about this, this like idea of show business. 'Cause it's just very—

Very scary.

Scary.

Yeah.

Why did it seem scary at the time?

Because I just saw the— there was no stability in the life of a musician.

Yeah.

And I would watch how— and I would sit and watch my dad play going, "This is the most talented." He was like my hero. Like, so funny and great piano player. And like, "Who could be better than that?" And— So I never understood when he would have a nightclub gig that would— he'd come home and be like, "Well, I'm not gonna be playing there." I'm like, "Oh, what?" He's like, "Nothing. They just decided, gonna make a change." So I've gotta go out and I've gotta look for the next gig. And it was very impressionable to me that that was— oh, that was rough. So I was committed to having what I thought in my little kid brain was a real job. Which, do you remember what you thought it was?

It was going to be.

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

Absolutely.

You carry a briefcase.

Of course.

You go into a building.

Yes, it has to be inside a building.

You go into a building and you have either a cubicle. Yeah. Or you have an office. Yeah. And, um, and you go.

Yeah.

You go for a period of time.

Yep.

You talk to people. Then you walk home with your briefcase. I didn't have a car in my little kid brain.

Did you have— do you remember there used to be like punch cards? That was a big— like, I used to play secretary when I was a kid.

Clock in, clock out.

Clock in, and I used to go down to my desk.

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

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

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

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

Right, briefcase jobs, yeah.

Then you're gonna, then how do you get to the Groundlings? How do you decide to take classes? What do you think it was?

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

No plays in high school?

No plays in high school. And yet I remember our high school had a really good drama department.

Yeah.

And I went with friends to go watch the show they were doing. I forget what it was, but I remember watching going, "This is good, and these kids are good, and that would be fun." But any comedy sneak out at all?

Because I think sometimes it just like squirts out and you can't help it. Like, did you get up in front of the class? Were you funny?

I did. I did what the kind of thing that kind of opened, began the crack in the door.

Opened the comedy briefcase.

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

Yeah. Hilarious.

Yes.

Hilarious.

Assemblies, school assemblies. Yes. And a good buddy of mine, Bart, and I would write basically, when I look back, they were sketches. Yeah. And we wrote these performance pieces for the assemblies. Oh, yeah. And we would imitate the teachers. We would do— We performed as the Schmengi Brothers from SCTV.

Wow.

No other kids knew who the Schmengis were. But thought, "Oh, I love when you guys do the shmugadoogles. How'd you make that up?" I'm like, "No, we're copying it from SCTV." That was my first kind of— And we were also writing these morning announcements to sell senior class t-shirts. That was our big fundraiser. So these were like little radio skits. And the defining moment for me when I look back was sitting at home. I knew we had— we do it like every other Tuesday or something. And one was due the next day. And I'm— I have a mountain of homework and I'm sitting there. I spent 3 hours crafting this little dumb paragraph.

Yeah.

And I— it was 11 o'clock and I'd started at 8 and it felt like It felt like 10 minutes.

Yeah, yeah.

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

Did you have like job, like fun, dumb jobs that you were like doing while you were trying to figure out— you were at USC, right? Yeah. Were you—

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

Did you get fired? No, just quietly not asked back.

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

Pretend to be you, or—

yeah, I was— I was— for some reason I was so embarrassed to call. I went So I got a job, and you were paid for the orientation day.

Oh yeah, sure.

To work at Disneyland. And I thought that I was going to be assigned, you know, to be one of the really fun jobs like the Jungle Cruise operator or— And I find out, oh no, those guys work there for 8 years before they get— So they assign me one of the front kiosks for selling tickets. At the same time, I had a rival offer to work at a friend's surf shop. A friend who was managing a surf shop right down at Newport Beach. Exactly. Same pay. $5.50 an hour. But I was too embarrassed to call up Disney, Disneyland. So my friend John called on my behalf and said, "I will be quitting after one day." And they asked, "Okay, reason for leaving?" And he said, "I have a tryout with the Dallas Cowboys." And they went, "Thank you very much." So somewhere there's a file at Disney corporate. It says, "Will Ferrell worked for one day. Reason for leaving: tryout with the Dallas Cowboys football team." And they probably were like—

they probably thought for a second they remembered you, and they were like, "Huh, what position?" And someone was like, "He's a kicker." And they're like, "Oh, that makes sense.

Maybe a kicker." Did he make the Cowboys? You want to hear an interesting story? We just had someone call and cancel. They're not going to work, but they're going to try out for the Dallas Cowboys. How good is that? Anyway, I wish him the best.

Waiter ever?

No.

Never waiter?

I knew I would.

You knew?

I knew.

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

That was right after I graduated from USC. And I—

What was your degree?

In sports information. So that was the trying to bridge the gap between real job and entertainment.

Yeah.

So as I'm, as I'm coming kind of in college, Like you said, it's oozing out of me in places. And I still wasn't like, I still didn't join a college improv team. I still didn't audition for anything. It was more kind of what we were talking about, getting out, doing bits, trying to make my friends laugh, pretending to be other people that I wasn't in order to make— So I would show up to a friend's class as I found like some overalls and I would interrupt this friend's class as a maintenance worker and pretend to fix things or just come up, come in with like a lit cigarette out of my mouth and like a puke bucket. And the teacher would be like, "Can I help you?" And I'd look at him and just go, "No one threw up in here?" And he would say, "No." He goes, "I'm sorry. They called me from physical plant, and they said, 'This is classroom B302, right?'" "Yeah." "I'm sorry about that." But, like, blowing smoke in his classroom. But, like, my heart is pounding in my chest, and it's finding it— It's thrilling, and I'm only making 3 people laugh.

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

Totally.

It's pretty— it feels quite dangerous because everyone's like, what are you doing in here?

And I would have— I would have— I worked— my work-study job was at the Humanities Audiovisual Department. So occasionally I may have to push an overhead projector across campus, and I would tell my buddy, like, "Hey, are you guys all gonna sit in the commons area? I may be pushing an overhead projector at around 12:30." He's like, "Okay, good." And he— my friend Emil became my shill. And I would time it. I'd do a circuitous route nowhere near where I needed to go. And I would just pull my— just enough to have my butt crack show and just slowly push. And my friend Emil would be like, "Look at that guy. What an idiot." And people, like, they would gang on. He would He would get the crowd to go, "Yeah!" And people who didn't know me would laugh in a mean way. Once again, I found it thrilling that these people had no idea that it was all actually jokes on them.

It makes sense to me because— Jokes on them.

Jokes on them. You're the idiot. I walked around campus with my pants down.

Oh no, I knew my pants were down.

I knew it.

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

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

Well, I mean. There's nothing but a letdown.

Oh yeah. You've experienced it.

I mean, people are like, oh wow, you're quiet.

Yeah.

You're not telling jokes.

You're so normal. Oh, what am I going to do with that?

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

Who were—

who were— who was studying when you were there?

Who— let's see. My direct peeps kind of coming up in the same— at the same time through the school were Catan. Yeah. And Sherri. And I believe a little overlap with Chris Parnell. Oh, Jennifer Coolidge was kind of— she was actually ahead of us, but then did some shows with us as well.

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

Yeah.

And then I'd known Molly from— Molly Sweetly. I was just, I saw, I was with Molly yesterday.

I just saw her. She got her Hollywood Walk of Fame star. So cool.

And of course, Molly gave the greatest speech of all time.

Yeah.

Of just stream of consciousness, you know. Yeah. But told the story of how, and I met Will. I was working at the Melrose Baking Company. And Will, I met, I was with my friend Patricia, brought Will in and said, "this is Will, and you said, 'Hi,' and like, 'What can I get you?' And you said, 'I will have a scone.'" Molly delivering that story, it like thunderous laugh. Like, that written down on a piece of paper is not funny, but Molly delivering it.

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

Yeah, I just remember it was— was this moment when she first did marry Catherine Gallagher. It was our fourth show that we'd ever done for that new cast of the '95-'96 season. And, you know, very much finding our sea legs, very much— we're all pretty brand new. It was 8 new cast members and an entire new writing staff. And so, The audience is very leery. And it was that first moment she starts doing the character, and I'm at the beginning of the sketch, but I have to run. This is during dress rehearsal. I have to run to go underneath the paint cans there, which is a section of the studio where you're underneath the bleachers there. And I'm doing a quick change for the next thing, and she starts doing— Mary Catherine for the first time, and I can feel the stands shake. The audience is howling and screaming with laughter to the point where it almost— it felt emotional.

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

100%.

Yeah.

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

Yes. And super physical.

And she throws herself into a stack of metal folding chairs with no visible padding on her at all. It was like punk rock version of Lucille Ball. And for a woman, you know, in comedy, it was like busting through the door, I think, in a way. And I just remember thinking, "Okay, they like—" And it just created this momentum from that point on.

You know, if anything, the show is so cyclical. We've learned that. It's been said a million times, like, when somebody leaves, the show will never be the same. It's been on for 50 years. It's like, "This cast is better than that cast," or whatever. And I— you guys got bad reviews. Like, the show was like Saturday Night Dead. Yeah. Do you remember any of the bad reviews?

I think Sherry was the only one who got good reviews.

Sherry got a good— Do you remember?

'Cause Sherry, we had a great first show. Sherry was— I mean, Sherry was an amazing performer as well. Yeah, I was— my first show, I mean, I got— But, you know, it was— once again, I think it's part of another piece that informed the way I approach all of this because it was— there was like, "Good news and bad news. You're one of the only cast members mentioned by name, Will. Oh, that's pretty— it's gotta be good. Here's the bad news.

Most annoying newcomer right out of the gate from the first show." You don't have to say their name, but do you remember the writer's name? No. Okay, that's where you and I are different because I remember.

Would like— No, I don't remember that, but I remember it was one of those, one of those entertainment magazines that doesn't exist anymore. Yeah, it was like Entertainment Weekly but not entertain— maybe it was Entertainment Mag— remember those used to be—

like Premiere or like something like that.

And they were like—

they were coming for you.

They were really not happy. And so, as we all know, we've all been hit with these moments where you're like, you're, you're thinking What do I— okay, do I just sit and wallow in this? And I don't know what it is about my DNA, but I just started cracking up going, "You asked for it, buddy." Yeah. Here you go. So then I just— back to sports. I just made it bold. I literally taped it to my wall. Yes. Most annoying newcomer.

But this is what a captain does.

And then I was— and then the only thing I know how to do is I'm like, "I'm just gonna lean into it even more. Like, if you think I'm annoying now, just wait. I'm gonna push that overhead projector across your face." You know? And so it just kind of fired me up. But there was no part of me that was like, "What am I doing wrong? Oh, I better change things up." I don't have that move.

People have very, very strong opinions about comedy. Same with music. They're very similar. Just like, "I love that song. I hate that song. I love that singer. I hate their voice." Like, everyone feels really strongly They own their feelings about things. You know?

I'm just envisioning you really poring over and circling someone's name.

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

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

Oh, Kay's got it written down.

Will's mom. She had it— she had it so out for me that I, I saw— I opened up the LA Times to see a review of 40-Year-Old Virgin. Sure. And I remember on Agerman, Karell talking about that premise. And we're all going, "Buddy, that is hilarious." He's like, "Yeah, I may try to see if I can get this going." Anyway, I see this. I'm like, "Oh, I want to see what they think of Steve." The first 2 paragraphs are how this woman hates me. Hates. There's no— Wait. Yes. Goes off on Will Ferrell. 2 solid paragraphs. Of how there's no one worse than him. He is unfunny. There's nothing redeemable about anything he does. That's the top of the article. That's why when I watched Steve Carell in 40-Year-Old Virgin, I was so pleasantly surprised. It's like, what do I have to do with this? You're not even— I guess because he was in Anchorman, or—

Oh, sure. She was like, now this is the kind of guy that I laugh at. Not this stupid idiot. It was like a hot—

it was like opening— like, it was like being in Las Vegas and you're in your air conditioning room and you open up to a blast furnace of 110-degree heat. It's like, that serves you. For going looking. For going— don't even read other people's movie reviews because they'll get you.

I mean, but it wanted me to get—

I know what it feeds you. I wanted to wear a t-shirt of her name and just be photographed walking around town.

Yeah, I love that. That is this— that is, I think, something that you and I share, which is just like, if there's a little bit of a tingle of like, it must be the challenger in us, but like some kind of like where it's like, because it's kind of— it's this thrilling thing where you realize like, I'm going to survive this. I can't explain it other than like, yeah, yeah, the worst has happened. Somebody doesn't like me and somebody— And it's gonna be— I don't know. There's something— There's a mischievous quality about it that's fun. And you just can't internalize it.

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

Yeah. Incredible. Oh, God.

You and McKay. Oh, that is so delicious. Only because we'd gotten enough filled up on the love side that we could handle the hate. Yeah.

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

Speedo underwear. Dolphin shorts. Dolphin running shorts.

Okay. Tight shorts. Pulled way up. And you had just—

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

Live show, don't peek a dress, as Tracy Morgan likes to say. Don't peek a dress. So you hiked them for air. And I also remember that you had just run, because you're a runner, right? You had just run like a half marathon or something.

The New York Marathon.

Oh, okay. So you had run the New York Marathon. So you also were very chafed. Yes. You were really chafed. I forgot that part. Yeah. And you were like, I'm very chafed. Super chafed. And you did a Patriot— a guy who was trying to be patriotic at his office. And same thing, Will. I remember the audience laughing and being like, "Oh, we're gonna be okay. Okay, comedy's gonna be okay. The show's gonna survive. I'm gonna still have a job." I forgot about the chafing. You were chafed from running. Okay, I wanna talk about some stuff that you've done. I'm so bad at transitions.

By the way—

Did you see how clunky that was?

That was rough.

I was like, "Thank God." I said, "Okay, stop." Okay, stop.

But you know what? I think that is a great transition.

It's super clear. I said, okay, stop. Okay, stop. Okay, I want to talk about something else.

I'm going to turn this page.

And I'm going to turn my page. You see me turn my page?

You know what I thought about, Amy? Let me— I'm going to help muddle this transition too. Please, please. I was thinking about your time and how then you became such a star yourself. But I'm not trying to kiss butt. This is a scientific analysis. Okay. But then you and Tina go on to do Update and to bring that so far forward. But I was saying, God, Amy had to run around and do sketches and then do Update. Whew! Yeah. But you know what?

It felt— it was so, I would say, very loose because I was always, you know, like nothing worse than having one line. Yep.

You didn't have to think about updates. You're like, "Oh, here comes this fun— This is a fun break right here in a weird way." Wow.

Okay. And I wasn't as stressed about getting sketches on because I knew— I always knew I had update. And so I felt like very, very, like, getting eventually to the looseness that I wanted. Maya and I talk about it. Like, we wanted, like, senioritis, that feeling of, like, half in, half out. Like, "This is a dumb thing. This is a fun thing." But it's so hard to get there. And then you go— You leave SNL, and then Will— You have the biggest string of comedy hits, like hit after hit, like Sootlander, like Elf, Old School, Anchorman, Step Brothers, Talladega Nights. Like, like, first of all, I can't even— I should have done the research. Yeah, like, how, how many years did you— like, it seems like that was all done in like 10 or 15 years, a movie a year at least, right?

So many hits. Pauses in between.

Sure. Yeah. But just, you are the— for so many people, especially millennials, I would say, and maybe some Gen X, you are the face of their, like, 5 favorite comedy movies.

And you've been in some good comedy movies.

And we know that's hard. Movies are hard. Good movies are hard. Good comedies are hard. Way harder than a drama, which is easy. Drama is easy. Dramas are easy. I mean, what are you gonna do?

I'm looking at all 5 cameras. So easy.

Is there one up here? Like, you yell, they cry, whatever. But I wanna ask you about Amy.

By the way, I don't know what your question is, and I don't have the answer. I don't know. Yeah.

It's such a run. Such a run.

I leave the show with— No job? No job. The only thing— Zoolander, maybe? Had already come out. Oh, right.

It had come out while you were there.

That's right. And if you recall, that came out during— Came out during— 2001. Yep.

Tough time for comedies.

And didn't find its audience till much later. Yeah. Yeah. I had been in that last year, second— I'd filmed— no, that last year I was leaving because I was filming Old School.

Old School. That's right.

You were going back and forth. So Old School, but Old School had been held on to, which is not usually a positive endorsement from the studio.

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

This is so good. Let's keep it on the back burner. It's too good. No, it went from like a November release 'til like February of the next year. Mm-hmm. And the only other thing that was big-time development was Elf. I mean, Elf is such a good movie. So we didn't even know. We didn't even know.

And then— Well, let's talk about Elf for one second.

Okay.

It is the— I mean, it is a lot of people's comfort movie. It is definitely their favorite Christmas movie. It's so fucking funny. It holds up so well. Yeah. Thank you. Directed by Jon Favreau. John Favreau, who was like a Chicago Improv guy that, you know, I came up with. And it's so— What do you think?

And it was interesting because John really wanted to make sure it had a timeless feel to it. And John really wanted to, and was 100% right. But I'm coming off of SNL. I'm known— Yes, there was like the cheerleaders and sketches like that, but I'm also known for, for a PG-13, pushing R brand of humor. And I'm sitting in my trailer in my elf tights, looking in the mirror going, "What have you done?" I'm dressed as Buddy, and I'm in— this is early movie deals. I'm in the double bed.

I was gonna say, picture you really crowding this trailer.

Theater that's still built into the wall. And we shoot the New York stuff first. So, I don't even know if I know who this character is yet. And I'm walking around— I'm walking around in yellow tights, and I was like, "Oh, my God. What? This could be it." This could be it.

This could be like, "What?

That guy was so funny, and then he made this movie where he played a giant elf.

Oh, poor—" That's why it's so embarrassing. It's like, it could be like he's a genius, classic Christmas movie forever, or the tights were the thing that killed this movie.

But I remember going, "This is either gonna be a home run, or it's gonna be a complete strikeout." Yeah.

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

What's fun about him? I still will trot him. Well, we did a podcast with him, which was so fun, um, just because Ron can say whatever he wants. Yeah. And he doesn't have to have the right facts. He doesn't have to. In fact, I just did Ron recently down in San Diego because Bill Kurtis, longtime Chicago, who narrates the movie, was retiring from Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. Yeah. And I had gotten an email just asking would I send a video to congratulate Bill. And he's so proud of his connection to that movie, and he still has a standee in his house of Ron. And he's the sweetest guy. And I said, "Well, hold on. Where are you doing the show?" He's like, "We're doing it live down in San Diego." I'm like, "What if I come and surprise him?" And so they were like, "Would you actually?" I'm like, "Yeah." That— we owe him so much. And so we surprised the audience.

Oh, that's huge. It's also such a good name, Ron Burgundy. And also great that his suit was burgundy. Yes. You know, costumes are so fun. You love them.

I love a good costume. Yeah. Yeah, you do. But Ron had other costumes too. He did.

He had other suits.

He didn't just have the one.

He wasn't that crazy. No. But when you think about Ron, you think about him in his burgundy suit. But he had some other suits.

He had some delightful tans.

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

He had baby blue, like, leisure suit. Yeah.

Gorgeous blue suit that would bring out his eyes. He was a very handsome man. He was very handsome. Ron was very handsome. And then you and I did a movie. We did two movies together. We did Blades of Glory, which was so fun. And you had to learn how to ice skate.

I had to learn.

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

But you didn't love it, if I recall.

I talked about it with Greta Lee on this pod a few weeks ago. You didn't love it. I didn't love it. I wasn't— I think I thought, you know, like you sit down at the piano and you think you're gonna be able to play the piano? Like, I thought I'd be better at it. And I was like, "Fuck, I'm not." But I remember us meeting the real performers and just being like, being like, "We're never, ever gonna look like we can do this." Exactly. And you look, of all your movies, you look the tallest in Blades of Glory. You look so tall. Do you ice skate still? No. No. I need to. Yeah.

I'm too nervous now. I let it— I have the skates packed away somewhere. They were custom-made skates. Yeah. You insisted on it. I have my costume. You do? Framed. You do? Yeah. But Viv—

Will's wife. Yeah, sorry.

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

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

I don't need anything else." I don't not like it, but it's going to hang in the garage.

And then we did The House together. Yes. Which was so fun to do with you. So much fun. It was a dream come true to make a movie with you. Did not really resonate at all.

But yet, I would still argue that movie's funny.

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

Oh, I didn't realize it was that. And I was like, no way, 7%?

Have they seen it? It's gone up. I just want you to know. Okay. I just checked today. 14? 20%. Triple! You did it. We did it.

But that was a really fun movie. It was a fun premise and a fun movie. How did that— Come on.

I don't know, but I'm sorry. No, I'm sorry.

I feel like I flopped you.

You spoke about Vivica. Vivica, your wife of now 25 years, probably? 25 going on 26. Damn. Yes. Such a formidable, cool, smart, interesting person. Such a perfect match for you, Will.

Oh, yeah.

And Swedish.

Swedish.

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

I think the stereotype that Swedes aren't funny is not true. Agree. They are very sly. Yeah. Dry sense of humor. Yes. And as you know very well, and your brother knows, can also be though, unintentionally direct.

Yeah, very direct. I think intentionally. Intentionally.

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

No, you look— you got fat. No, you were skinny and now you're fat.

Someone is very tired.

You look tired. Well, I don't think he would do well because he's ugly. What? He's ugly.

Or the polite version is like, "They are a little bit ugly." They are a little bit ugly.

You're right.

That's the polite version.

He's a little bit ugly.

My best story, this was when we were first taking trips there. I didn't have a lot of Swedish under my belt, but I had some nouns, you know, and we were on one of these little tours buses, or it was a boat. It was a boat out to the archipelago, and they had like a, you know, one of these outside decks. And I saw this group of tourists, and they were looking and pointing, and then they sent a scout. You could tell they sent a scout to go check to see if it was really me. And so I say to Viv— and we were with her cousin and Eva and was like, let's start. We should start speaking Swedish. I want to see. And so they started speaking and I just started going, yeah, yeah. Uh-huh. Oh, shit. Shikling, which is just chicken. Yeah. Oh, skor, which is shoes. I'm just saying nouns. I'm just like, yeah, shikling. Yeah. Chicken. Yeah. Shoes. Yeah. Hat. Hmm. Oh, bra, which is good. And I just would say these words. And he did this lap. And he— it was kind of— it was really fantastic bad movie acting.

Did this lap where he did a slow look at me, and then he looked away. Then he looked back at the group and he just went— Not him. So I was like, so good.

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

Which the B-side of that is Swedes listening to someone just go, "Chicken, shoe, shirt, good." And they'd be like, "He's stupid. He's obviously stupid." They took him out for the boat ride.

He's a little stupid.

The other thing that's really annoying about the Swedes. And I'm sure Greg has encountered this, but the men all can either are gourmet cooks, can build a table.

They're insane.

Can repair the tire on your car. Oh, the dishwasher's broke. Let us take a look. Well, the Flömen valve is not working. And take it apart.

Yes. Your man can fix it.

They can do everything.

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

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

Yeah. But they're like, "Matthias, we'll do it for you." "Let us do it." Or if you start to do it, they're also very precise.

So if you start to, "Oh, I'll do it." Like, "Let me do it. I don't want you to wreck it." "That's okay. I'll do it." Code for, "You're going to break it.

Let me do it." And then the last thing, well, last two things before we get to the hawk. I just also, I love the film you made with Harper last year. It was such a beautiful, beautiful film, Will. Thanks. On its success, on how it was received. Do you have people coming up to you still talking to you about it? Still to this day. What do they say when they—

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

I love to hear that. That's awesome.

It was the coolest thing ever.

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

Because she gave permission. She was like, She's like, "Let's— You're gonna make— Ask me whatever. I'm gonna make mistakes. You're gonna make—" And we're like, "Okay. Okay, are you sure? Okay, what about this?" And what a kind of wonderful piece about just friendship and just being an advocate for anyone who's going through anything. Totally. And that was kind of the universal takeaway as well.

And you team up with Harper again on— The Hawk. The Hawk. Which is the name of your character, Lonnie Hawk. Lonnie Hawkins. Lonnie the Hawk Hawkins. Oh, Hawkins. Okay. Incredible. You have an incredible look in this show. Yeah. Incredible. Always a little sunburned?

Always. Got a little golf tan?

Golf tan. The great Autumn Butler doing your makeup for that. Autumn Butler.

Autumn pitched, like, "What if Lonnie had a little tan line?" Like, and we carry it the whole time. "Perfect." And I said, "Done and done." And Parnsey is in the show, right?

Yes. Well, we talked to Parnell. Okay. Yeah, we did. We talked to him before this, before we started, because we always try to talk well behind someone's back, and we try to get a question. And before we get to his question, let's talk about Parnell for a second. What a— Like, what a guy. What a laser-focused performer. Right. Yes. So funny. What was fun about working with him? And you guys have worked together on many things for a long time and shared an office at SNL.

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

I mean, he's a really good actor.

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

Oh, nice! Your third roommate.

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

I was ahead of my time, I think. Oh, but you weren't there yet. I don't think I was there yet. That's right. Yeah, I missed the fun.

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

Um, okay. But, um, his question to you was, um, who were your comedy idols growing up?

I loved staying up and watching The Tonight Show, and I would— if there was a comedian on, I would stay and watch the rest. If there wasn't, I'd— so I'd— that's where I would see Jerry Seinfeld for the first time. Uh, that's where, you know, Richard Pryor, You name it. That was, you know, before cable, that was one of the few outlets to get to see comedy. So I just kind of— and then I loved those late '70s, early '80s sitcoms, like Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, all of that stuff. I'm watching these actors be so funny, but then it felt real. And how are they doing that? Like Andy Kaufman in Taxi. So, it's— I didn't have that one person that I could put on a poster in my room. Bob Newhart.

Yeah. Who you worked with in Elf. Well, you bring up the fact that when we grew up, TV was kind of the only place. Like, I didn't go to the theater. It was the only place to kind of find out, or some, like, comedy record. And now, I mean, you have been— like, you've been on the front line of a lot of, like, new media, you know? You're like Funny or Die, and you, like, have, you know, Big Money Players, which is this huge network of great podcasts, including Las Culturistas, which we love here. Like, you've kind of, like— in our lifetime, the way people watch things and find people is so different than waiting for the one TV show at 11:30 at night. Night. Yeah, it's— do you— what do you get out of producing? I mean, you're always, you're always trying to encourage like young, fresh voices, new POVs. You're always doing that. What do you like?

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

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

And I remember that when, um, Jerry Seinfeld came to host SNL, he laughed so hard at every sketch. I was like, Jerry, do you really? You're like the most generous host I've ever seen. He's like, I just love comedy. And, uh, that was my— that was a slight Jerry Seinfeld. I didn't want to— it was a, it was a light Dusting.

Yeah, if, if you want more, you gotta, you gotta pay through the paywall. Go to the paywall. Go to the Good Hang paywall and you'll hear full, full Seinfeld hair, makeup, everything. But not— you can't, you don't get this.

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

It was just a tiny, tiny dash. It was so slight. It was so slight because again I couldn't help it. Because how do you talk to someone when they're talking like this?

But I do remember going, "Yeah, why?" We should all laugh at each other. I mean, if we think it's funny.

We should all laugh. Or if it's not. Also, sometimes if it's not funny, it's the best thing in the world. And I'll finish with this, which is one of my favorite things ever was at SNL, we would look at sketches that bombed. And my most favorite sketch I've ever watched that bombed is your Gabe Kaplan sketch, which we've talked about. About. And for people under the age of 50, there was a gentleman named Gabe Kaplan on a show called Welcome Back, Kotter. Another '70s sitcom. '70s sitcom. And he was huge. He would be like— who would he be like now? It would be like— It was kind of like a—

it was almost like equivalent of like a Larry David, maybe in a way. Yeah, sure. If he was the teacher in a classroom with all these— and a young John Travolta.

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

Oh, and he has a very distinct look.

Right. His look is like very '70s.

Very '70s. Big mustache. Curly hair.

Big curly hair, sideburns. And Will did a sketch that went into the SNL archives that we used to pull up, not only because— and this is going right back to the beginning, Will— because watching the captain fail makes you feel a lot better about yourself. But also, the way in which everyone dug in deep The worse the sketch was going, to me, is like, "That's true love." But Will plays a guy who— What's the premise?

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

John Goodman, Tim Meadows, and Molly.

And they're talking about, "What a nice guy. He was so cool. He was so funny." I'm like, "Who you guys talking about?" "Oh, Gabe Kaplan was here." I'm like, "What?" "Yeah. Why don't you guys come and get me?" Like, "What do you mean?" Like, "You guys, I— that's the reason why I'm working at this company." And I lose it.

And I'm like— And he starts to lose it. And there is not one laugh. I mean, there's not even a cough.

No, there's the smallest laugh in the world though, way up in the corner. You're— at one point.

So the audience, number one, you're screwed.

They don't know who Gabe Kaplan is.

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

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

I wanted to meet him." What happens is Molly and you and Tim Meadows play it like a drama. You're in like—

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf or something.

You play it like Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and you're both— And Molly's going, "I'm so mad." "Sorry, I didn't tell you!" And you're going, "How could you do this to me?" And it is the funniest and a lesson in commitment. But it's such a good example of how everyone is one thing away from bombing all the time. That's no matter who you are. Like, the bombing is so delicious. As I finish, anything right now that you're like— Do you watch comedy? Are you like— Is there anything you're watching right now that you love? No. I know. I ask this because I'm always looking.

I really was trying to come up with something clever. I mean, right now, I'm watching all the World Cup. I'm really into— it's very exciting. We went to one of the games out in LA. Okay. So fun. And it was electric.

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

Mbappé. Mbappé. That's just fun to say.

Mbappé. Mbappé. The M is not silent.

It's not silent. No, no, you lean into it. Mbappé. Mbappé.

Luxuriate in the M. Yeah. Will Ferrell. I think we did it. We so did it. I really do think we did it. We talked for a long time. We really did, yeah. Are these real plants? These are fake plants, fake food. Gotcha.

Fake plants, fake food.

I didn't want the codependent responsibility of keeping these alive. Yeah, that's fine.

That's a compliment. 'Cause it looked real out of the side of my eye. That's the compliment. And I was like, "Oh, that's not real." So that's a compliment. You just wanna be able to side-eye.

I side-eye. Is there any food over there that looks real?

Side-eye reality. That hamburger with the sesame seed buns.

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

Let me see what drew my eye.

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

Is that a dog toy? Oh no. It's got good weight to it.

And does it come apart? It's a— Will is that— Nope. No, it doesn't. It's all glued together. It's a cheeseburger with like a rubber cheeseburger, but it looks good, right?

Kind of looks appetizing. Yeah. Now be careful.

Oh, I want to bite into it. Be careful. Don't do it. Don't do it. Will, thank you for being here. Thanks, Amy. Thanks for doing this.

My pleasure. So great.

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

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

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

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

Thanks, buddy. Thanks for doing this. That was so fun. Thank you, Will Ferrell, for coming. You're the best. You're the king and the GOAT and the captain as far as I'm concerned. And it's so, so fun to have you here. And I could have talked about all of your comedic choices for a very long time, but I just want to end in this Polar Plunge by talking once again about Bobby and Marty Culp, the very religious singers who sing popular songs in their own special way. Do yourself a favor and go down memory lane and watch Anna Gasteyer and Will Ferrell play those two weirdos. And pay attention, please, to Will's bald head. His outfits, and his gentleness. Because I think that people know Will as these characters that kind of yell and have these giant bursts of energy. But Marty Kulp is just— He's just very self-contained. And it's such a funny, weird performance. And one of my favorite characters among the many that Will have given us. So, thank you for joining us, Will. Thank you for listening, whoever's listening. Listening, and we'll see you soon on the next one. Okay, bye! You've been listening to Good Hang.

The executive producers for this show are Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss-Berman, and me, Amy Poehler. The show is produced by The Ringer and Paperkite. For The Ringer, production by Jack Wilson, Kat Spillane, Kaya McMullen, and Alea Xeneres. For Paperkite, production by Sam Green, Joel Lovell, and Jenna Weiss-Berman. Original music by Amy Miles. I like how the one who wants a really good hang—