John Mulaney Talks to Ted Danson About “Saturday Night Live” - Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend

Summary5 min read

Podcast Title: Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend
Host/Authors: Team Coco & Earwolf
Episode: John Mulaney Talks to Ted Danson About “Saturday Night Live”
Release Date: July 8, 2025

Overview

In this episode of Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, comedian John Mulaney engages in a candid conversation with Ted Danson, focusing primarily on their experiences with Saturday Night Live (SNL). The discussion delves into the competitive nature of the show, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and personal reflections on longevity in the entertainment industry.

SNL: A Challenging Environment

John Mulaney opens the dialogue by addressing the intense and sometimes traumatic environment of Saturday Night Live:

John Mulaney [00:22]: "You came out of Saturday Night Live without PTSD, right? I mean, yeah. Because some of your compatriots do. Some of It's. It's hard."

Ted Danson acknowledges the difficulty, highlighting the competitive atmosphere:

Ted Danson [00:32]: "Oh, it's very hard. Yeah."

Mulaney elaborates on the competitiveness, not just among colleagues but also with oneself:

John Mulaney [00:34]: "And it's very competitive. Yes. To get your material up."

Navigating the Hierarchy

Danson reflects on his positive experience within the SNL hierarchy, appreciating the structure and the opportunity to work with seasoned veterans:

Ted Danson [00:37]: "And it's competitive with yourself and with the gods of show business. And I don't even mean the gods that run the show. I mean the sort of larger. Just is something playing or not?"

He particularly enjoyed collaborating with long-standing members of the SNL team:

Ted Danson [01:22]: "I liked working with some of these guys at the show who'd been there since '76 and were 90 years old and were just crazy and mean. I mean, really, like, I just got."

Despite the challenging personalities, Danson found the experience rewarding:

Ted Danson [01:24]: "No, I delighted in it."

Behind-the-Scenes Anecdotes

The conversation takes a nostalgic turn as Danson shares stories about working with legendary crew members:

Ted Danson [01:28]: "But there were just people go, you know, I remember Phil Himes, our lighting designer had started on NBC radio during World War II, as did Don Pardo."

He recounts a specific incident involving the iconic Oval Office sketch featuring Fred Armisen as President Obama:

Ted Danson [01:30]: "And we were doing a sketch where Fred was playing Obama and it was like a. At one point he gets up in the Oval Office and he looks out the window. So we kind of needed a special treatment."

Danson humorously describes his interaction with the seasoned lighting designer Phil Himes:

Ted Danson [02:11]: "And I'm explaining this to Phil Himes and he stares at me and he goes, I fucking lit John F. Kennedy in the White House. And I'm like 25 going, can you do this thing where the windows don't shine?"

Production Challenges and Milestones

John Mulaney inquires about the duration of Danson's work on the SNL anniversary:

John Mulaney [02:20]: "How long were you on that?"

Ted Danson explains the intense preparatory period leading up to the broadcast:

Ted Danson [02:23]: "Working on that in conversations for weeks leading up to it, but nothing got done. And then we all flew in around the Monday or Tuesday before, and then it really ramped up."

He humorously mentions the stress of coordinating with Lauren, likely referring to Lauren Cheatham, the longstanding SNL stage manager:

Ted Danson [02:23]: "But Leading up to it was funny because you just knew that Lauren was. You just knew he was waiting just long enough that it got really scary."

Reception of the SNL Movie Portrayal

Mulaney shifts the conversation to the portrayal of SNL in the movie Saturday Night Live:

John Mulaney [02:57]: "Were people pissed off or did they like the scripted show about Saturday Night Live?"

Danson differentiates his experience from potential criticisms of the show's depiction:

Ted Danson [03:04]: "Oh, the Jason Reitman one?"

When clarifying, he admits he didn’t encounter significant backlash:

Ted Danson [03:06]: "No, I didn't hear anyone was pissed off. I did get a physical though, at UCLA hospital."

Health and Personal Reflections

The conversation takes a personal turn when Danson shares his recent health check-up:

Ted Danson [03:07]: "But I did get a physical though, at UCLA hospital. And I get all this blood work done. Prostate, they check my liver."

Reassured by the results, Danson shares a lighthearted moment with the doctor regarding the accuracy of the SNL movie:

Ted Danson [03:19]: "Everything good."

Ted Danson [03:20]: "The doctor, knowing a little of my history, goes, I don't know how this is possible, but you have the liver of a 12-year-old. I was thrilled. That's really what you want in your organs is 12?"

Ted Danson [03:30]: "Because they've lived a little life, but."

Mulaney adds humorously to Danson's remark:

John Mulaney [03:31]: "They've got some more miles."

Danson concludes the anecdote by expressing his frustration with the doctor's perception of the SNL movie's accuracy:

Ted Danson [03:35]: "More miles. So then we're finishing up the physical. And he goes, I saw that movie Saturday night, so I have a real appreciation of what your career's been like. And I said, oh, well, you know, that movie's not that accurate. And he goes, I know Jason. He wouldn't make stuff up. And I go, yeah, but I'm telling you, I'm telling you, some of it's embellished, but that's okay. Cause it's for a movie. And he goes, from what I'm hearing, it's very accurate. And I go, sir, doctor, I don't want to have this conversation anymore. I'm trusting you with a lot of my blood."

Conclusion

The episode offers an insightful glimpse into the behind-the-scenes dynamics of Saturday Night Live through Ted Danson's experiences. John Mulaney's probing questions elicit humorous and heartfelt responses, revealing the complexities of maintaining creativity and camaraderie in a high-pressure environment. The conversation not only underscores the challenges of working on such an iconic show but also highlights the enduring relationships and personal growth that stem from these experiences.

Note: To listen to the full conversation between John Mulaney and Ted Danson, subscribe to Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend on your preferred podcast platform or visit SiriusXM Podcasts+ for an ad-free experience.

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Transcript30 lines

[00:00]
Conan O'Brien
Hey, Conan here with some news that's hot off the presses. Our Team Coco podcast, where everybody knows your name with Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson sometimes is back for a brand new season. This season, listen as Ted and Woody, when we can find him, have some great conversations with people like John Mulaney, Sarah Silverman, Fred Armisen and more. Their first episode with John Mulaney is out right now. Here's a sneak peek.
[00:22]
John Mulaney
You came out of Saturday Night Live without ptsd, right? I mean, yeah. Because some of your compatriots do. Some of It's. It's hard.
[00:33]
Ted Danson
Oh, it's very hard. Yeah.
[00:34]
John Mulaney
And it's very competitive. Yes. To get your material up.
[00:38]
Ted Danson
And it's competitive with yourself and with the gods of show business. And I don't even mean the gods that run the show. I mean the sort of larger. Just is something playing or not? But I recognize I had a very good experience there. I just liked having a boss. I liked fitting into a hierarchy. I like. I kind of like. What would be a good word. Bizarre, strong willed people. I get a kick out of them. I liked working with some of these guys at the show who'd been there since 76 and were 90 years old and were just crazy and mean. I mean, really, like, I just got.
[01:23]
John Mulaney
You're not offended?
[01:24]
Ted Danson
No, I delighted in it.
[01:26]
John Mulaney
Yeah. That's great.
[01:27]
Ted Danson
I don't want to name names, but so many of them are dead.
[01:29]
John Mulaney
But.
[01:30]
Ted Danson
But there were just people go, you know, I remember Phil Himes, our lighting designer had started on NBC radio during World War II, as did Don Pardo. And we were doing a sketch where Fred was playing Obama and it was like a. At one point he gets up in the Oval Office and he looks out the window. So we kind of needed a special treatment. I thought of lighting on the Oval Office windows, so they were non reflective or something. And I'm explaining this to Phil Himes and he stares at me and he goes, I fucking lit John F. Kennedy in the White House. And I'm like 25 going, can you do this thing where the windows don't shine? Yeah.
[02:11]
John Mulaney
The 50th anniversary was great.
[02:13]
Ted Danson
It was really cool.
[02:14]
John Mulaney
Yeah. Really.
[02:15]
Ted Danson
It was so many new pieces.
[02:16]
John Mulaney
Spectacular.
[02:17]
Ted Danson
I liked it. It wasn't just like clip packages. A lot of performance and stuff.
[02:21]
John Mulaney
Yeah, that was really good. How long were you on that?
[02:24]
Ted Danson
Working on that in conversations for weeks leading up to it, but nothing got done. And then we all flew in around the Monday or Tuesday before, and then it really ramped up. But Leading up to it was funny because you just knew that Lauren was. You just knew he was waiting just long enough that it got really scary. Yeah. Cause we saw it coming for so many years. You had to make it disorganized in some way so that it could all come together by the broadcast.
[02:57]
John Mulaney
Were people pissed off or did they like the scripted show about Saturday Night Live?
[03:05]
Ted Danson
Oh, the Jason Reitman one?
[03:06]
John Mulaney
Yeah.
[03:08]
Ted Danson
No, I didn't hear anyone was pissed off. I did get a physical though, at UCLA hospital. And I get all this blood work done. Prostate, they check my liver.
[03:19]
John Mulaney
Everything good?
[03:20]
Ted Danson
Everything good. The doctor, knowing a little of my history, goes, I don't know how this is possible, but you have the liver of a 12 year old. I was thrilled. That's really what you want in your organs is 12?
[03:31]
John Mulaney
Yeah, yeah.
[03:32]
Ted Danson
Because they've lived a little life, but.
[03:34]
John Mulaney
They'Ve got some more miles.
[03:35]
Ted Danson
More miles. So then we're finishing up the physical. And he goes, I saw that movie Saturday night, so I have a real appreciation of what your career's been like. And I said, oh, well, you know, that movie's not that accurate. And he goes, I know Jason. He wouldn't make stuff up. And I go, yeah, but I'm telling you, I'm telling you, some of it's embellished, but that's okay. Cause it's for a movie. And he goes, from what I'm hearing, it's very accurate. And I go, sir, doctor, I don't want to have this conversation anymore. I'm trusting you with a lot of my blood.
[04:06]
Conan O'Brien
Okay, head over to where everybody knows your name to listen to the rest of Jon and Ted's conversation now. And be sure to subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.