Podcast Summary: Best Friends with Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata

Episode: Sasheer Cheered for Tobey's Spider-Man (w/ Paul Feig)
Release Date: December 17, 2025
Guest: Paul Feig

Overview

This episode welcomes director, producer, and comedy icon Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, Spy, Freaks and Geeks). The main theme is friendship—on and off screen—and how it shapes creative work and personal lives. The hosts and Paul dive into the evolution of female friendships in film, comedic storytelling, making movies authentic, and the magic of collective moviegoing. Lively, candid, and packed with funny behind-the-scenes stories, the episode also shines a light on sustaining friendships in adulthood and the reality of Hollywood life.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Paul Feig’s Career & Inspiration

• Upbringing and Influence
  • Paul discusses growing up an only child, close to his mom and surrounded by female friends (04:36):

    "I grew up around a lot of girls and women. ...I just really have enjoyed, you know, being around women who are friends." — Paul Feig, 04:36

• Female Friendship in Film
  • Feig’s fascination with complex, realistic female friendships is inspired by his upbringing, reflected in much of his work.
• Bridesmaids: Not a Romantic Comedy
  • The hosts and Paul clarify that Bridesmaids is primarily about adult friendship evolution.

    "People refer to it as a romantic comedy. I'm like, no, it’s a friendship movie." — Paul Feig, 06:06

  • Paul emphasizes the nuance of character motivation, avoiding “mustache-twirling” villains. Everyone believes they’re doing the right thing, even in conflict (06:06–06:51).

2. The Housemaid: Directing Thrillers and Twists

• Feig’s latest movie, The Housemaid, is a twisty thriller centered on two women with upended expectations (07:00–08:14).

  "I like how we get you to root for everything you should not root for the first hour." — Paul Feig, 08:10

• Both Sasheer and Nicole praise the film’s ability to surprise and unsettle viewers (07:55–08:21).

3. Comedy vs. Drama in Awards

• Struggles with Comedy Recognition

  • Paul discusses making a drama (I Am David) to feel “legit” but finds comedy “harder and more rewarding."

    "Stop. Don’t make movies to try to win awards. ...All my comedies are actually dramas that are funny." — Paul Feig, 09:18

• Awards rarely go to comedy; Steve Carell never won an Emmy for The Office, which Paul calls “crazy" (10:25–10:43).

  "Great comedy looks easy. If comedy looks hard, then it’s not funny." — Paul Feig, 10:21

• The group agrees that comedy, though undervalued by awards, deeply impacts audiences.

4. Freaks and Geeks, Magic, and Finding Your Voice

• Feig shares the bittersweet cancelation of Freaks and Geeks and why sometimes a brief run can make a show special (12:12–12:36).

  "Maybe we were just better off being 18 episodes." — Paul Feig, 12:22

• Memories of childhood magic tricks and learning skills like tap dancing—paralleling how creative confidence is built through joyful failure (13:15, 17:43–18:13).

5. Paths into Comedy and Filmmaking

• Stand-up roots: Paul started at 15, supported by comedy-loving parents and hard lessons on stage (20:03–20:23).
• Transition from performing to directing: He prefers “making other people look good” over acting now (28:57).
• The group reflects on how performers often “borrow" styles before finding their own voice, emphasizing there's no shame in imitation as a learning step (31:00–31:30).

6. Industry Gatekeeping and New Opportunities

• Nicole and Paul explore how the internet and technology democratize filmmaking.

  "You guys have no excuse not to be doing stuff and getting yourself out there." — Paul Feig, 32:32

• Making shorts on phones vs. expensive, film stock-driven projects of the past (33:00–33:32).

7. Love, Partnership, and Best Friends

• Paul’s wife is his best friend; they met through the industry before romance blossomed.

  "I fired her and proposed to her on the same day." — Paul Feig, 36:49

• She remains his core sounding board for scripts and career moves, embodying the best friend dynamic at the heart of his work (38:02–38:38).

8. Process: Test Screenings and Audience Feedback

• Paul swears by broad audience test screenings, not friends-and-family, for real feedback (41:22–41:32).

  “I live and die by test screenings... that’s the only way to really know how your movie’s working.” — Paul Feig, 41:22

• Anecdotes include receiving a blunt “it was gay” from an 8-year-old reviewer (40:17) and the phenomenon of “angry villagers” when jokes in a comedy don’t land (60:56).

9. Moviegoing as Shared Experience

• The hosts and Paul are passionate about cinema as a communal art.

  "There's something magical about watching a movie on a big screen with a bunch of strangers." — Nicole Byer, 43:13

• Streamers can't match theater energy; audience reactions, including laughs or scares, are “catnip” for directors (43:22–44:34, 62:20).

10. Collaborating with Stars and Personal Style

• Working with Jason Statham and Melissa McCarthy:

  "When you find somebody who has the same sense of humor that you do, it’s like a gold mine." — Paul Feig, 52:33

• Statham’s comedic deadpan surprised Paul; he advises actors to stay spontaneous if it’s working (46:27).

• Paul credits classic Hollywood for his dapper style, likening a director’s responsibility to captaining a ship (65:43–67:19).

11. Friends, Geography, and Adult Connections

• Paul notes his inner circle has shrunk to a meaningful handful as he’s aged:

  “Now I’m 63, so we've weeded our friend down to a pretty core group of probably about eight people.” — Paul Feig, 53:23

• Nicole and Sasheer share how proximity shapes LA friendships, with Sashir strategically moving near Nicole (54:02).
• At dinner parties, Paul opts for classic comfort food ("roast chicken") rather than competing with gourmet friends (54:42–55:55).
• Longest friendships trace back to childhood and early career, creating unshakeable bonds (56:18–57:03).
• The hosts reminisce about their own 16-year friendship, which began with improv (57:11–57:55).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Comedy’s Elusive Nature:

  "Comedy’s the most specific of all the art forms...Nobody can agree what’s funny." — Paul Feig, 58:25

• On Moviegoing:

  “You have that one experience and...it's implanted in your brain. Not only do you hear the movie, you hear the laughter you heard when you first saw it.” — Paul Feig, 43:22

• On Awards:

  "Great comedy looks easy. If comedy looks hard, it’s not funny." — Paul Feig, 10:21

• On Doing vs. Schooling:

  "I think I learned more when I just started doing my own stuff... failure, that's the ultimate teacher." — Paul Feig, 34:08–34:24

• On Partners as Best Friends:

  "I fired her and proposed to her on the same day because it’s kind of like... we're both going for the same goal, which is to make me successful." — Paul Feig, 36:49

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction & Guest Bio: 02:30–04:06
• On Female Friendship in Film: 04:29–06:06
• Bridesmaids Movie Dynamics: 06:06–06:51
• Housemaid Movie & Twists: 07:00–08:21
• Drama vs. Comedy/Industry Awards: 09:18–10:59
• Freaks & Geeks, Magic, Standup: 12:12–13:15, 20:03–21:24
• Finding Comedy Voice: 31:00–32:13
• Tech and Accessibility Shifts: 32:54–33:32
• Paul’s Relationship Story: 34:30–36:39
• Test Screenings and Audience Reactions: 41:22–44:34, 60:56
• Movie Theater Magic & Community: 43:13–43:50, 63:00–64:44
• Collaboration and Personal Style: 45:56–47:17, 65:43–67:32
• Sustaining and Creating Friendships: 53:23–54:02, 56:15–57:55

Conclusion

This episode delivers a warm, laughter-filled exploration of both friendship and the realities of comedy filmmaking. Paul Feig’s anecdotes about Hollywood, moviegoing, and his deep appreciation for friendship—whether with his wife, recurring collaborators, or lifelong pals—make for an engaging, heartfelt, and reflective listen. The chemistry between Nicole, Sasheer, and Paul invites listeners to feel like part of the circle—reminded that friendship, creativity, and joy walk hand in hand.

Recommended Segment:
Start at [04:29] to hear the meat of the discussion on female friendship in film, authenticity in comedy, and Paul's vision for storytelling.
Don’t miss the spirited moviegoing talk at [43:13] and the delightful story of how Paul met his wife at [34:30].