Paul W. Downs

Summary

Podcast Summary: Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend – Episode Featuring Paul W. Downs

Introduction

In this engaging episode of Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Conan O’Brien hosts Paul W. Downs, the co-creator, showrunner, and writer of the Emmy Award-winning series Hacks. Joined by the ever-charming Sona Movsesian and the chuckling Matt Gourley, Conan delves deep into Paul’s journey in the comedy industry, the creation of Hacks, and the dynamics of balancing personal and professional lives in the entertainment world.

Paul W. Downs’ Journey in Comedy

Paul shares his early days in comedy, highlighting his initial struggles with stand-up and his eventual pivot to improvisation and sketch comedy. He recounts his time at the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) in New York, where he found his comedic tribe.

Paul W. Downs [14:45]: "I did sketch in high school. I did sketch and improv in college. When I moved to New York, I wanted to be an actor, so I auditioned for everything, including stand-up. It was lonely and hard."

Conan relates to Paul’s experiences, emphasizing the importance of finding one’s comedic family to navigate the challenges of the industry.

Creating and Developing Hacks

The conversation shifts to the creation of Hacks, with Paul discussing the inspiration behind the show and the collaborative process with his team. He emphasizes the significance of maintaining the joy and creativity in the face of business pressures and high expectations.

Paul W. Downs [19:56]: "We've tried to make each other laugh constantly. Writing together is as much for ourselves as it is for the audience."

Paul highlights how Hacks mirrors real-life dynamics, balancing structured comedy with improvisation to create authentic and relatable humor.

Collaborating with Talented Cast and Crew

Paul gives special mentions to his collaborators, especially Lucia and Jen Stotsky, whose contributions have been pivotal in shaping the show’s success. He praises their ability to blend humor with emotional depth, creating multifaceted characters that resonate with audiences.

Paul W. Downs [21:02]: "Gene and Hannah make these characters so real. Their performances bring depth and heart to the show."

Conan echoes these sentiments, lauding the cast’s versatility and the seamless integration of comedic and dramatic elements.

Balancing Personal and Professional Lives

A heartfelt segment of the episode explores how Paul and his wife navigate their professional collaborations while maintaining a strong personal relationship. They discuss the challenges and rewards of working closely with a romantic partner, finding that shared humor and mutual support are key to their enduring partnership.

Paul W. Downs [41:35]: "She's the best audience and cheerleader. Being on set together helps us stay connected despite our busy schedules."

Conan shares his own experiences, drawing parallels between his life and Paul’s, and highlighting the importance of surrounding oneself with supportive and like-minded individuals.

Insights into Comedy and Collaborative Creativity

The discussion delves into the essence of collaborative creativity in comedy, stressing the importance of "riffing" and building on each other’s ideas to create dynamic and innovative content. Paul illustrates this with anecdotes from Hacks, showcasing how spontaneous moments can lead to memorable and impactful scenes.

Paul W. Downs [31:10]: "When Deborah Vance farts, it breaks the tension and adds a layer of unexpected humor."

Conan reflects on the delicate balance between structure and spontaneity in comedy, applauding Paul and his team for their ability to maintain this equilibrium.

Memorable Moments and Anecdotes

Throughout the episode, Conan and Paul reminisce about their personal encounters and memorable moments in the industry. From Conan’s early days performing in Chicago to Paul’s interactions with legendary comedians, these stories add a personal touch to the professional discourse.

Conan O’Brien [52:02]: "I met Paul at the Hotel Du Cap near Cannes. He was selling baguettes like a pro!"

Paul shares a humorous recount of his meeting with Conan, highlighting the unexpected and serendipitous nature of their friendship.

Final Reflections and Encouragement

As the episode winds down, Conan offers heartfelt congratulations to Paul and his team, expressing admiration for their work and encouraging them to continue pushing creative boundaries. Paul reciprocates the sentiment, expressing gratitude for Conan’s support and friendship.

Conan O’Brien [53:24]: "Keep doing what you're doing. I'm five shows in and loving it."

Conclusion

This episode of Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend offers listeners a deep dive into the world of comedy writing and production through the lens of Paul W. Downs. With candid conversations, insightful discussions, and plenty of laughter, Conan and Paul explore the intricacies of creating meaningful and entertaining content while fostering genuine friendships in the entertainment industry.

Notable Quotes

• Conan O’Brien [34:05]: "You have such a funny cast of which you are a part."
• Paul W. Downs [18:55]: "What we do is for each other as much as it is for everybody."
• Conan O’Brien [33:48]: "It was so funny to me. It's such a funny moment."
• Paul W. Downs [41:44]: "That's the glue."

Timestamp Highlights

• [14:45] – Paul discusses his transition from stand-up to improv at UCB.
• [19:56] – Paul elaborates on the collaborative writing process of Hacks.
• [21:02] – Appreciation for cast members Gene and Hannah.
• [31:10] – Example of spontaneous humor in Hacks.
• [41:35] – Balancing personal and professional relationships.
• [52:02] – Humorous anecdote about meeting Conan.

Recommendations

For fans of comedy and behind-the-scenes insights into television production, this episode provides a rich tapestry of personal stories, professional wisdom, and the enduring power of friendship. Whether you’re a budding comedian, a TV enthusiast, or someone who appreciates genuine conversations, this episode is a must-listen.

Transcript

[Conan O'Brien]

Spring has arrived and you know what that means. Time to upgrade your wardrobe, Sona. Okay, but hold on. Don't start sweating just yet. Cause Macy's has got you covered. Macy's spring finds include lightweight knits, match sets that make you look like you got your life together. Woven skirts, midi dresses. Don't know what that is. And red carpet ready maxi dresses. Yes, Macy's has the best styles in linen crochet and cotton gauze too. The perfect fashion fabrics for when the weather heats up. Those are cooling fabrics. They allow the heat to escape. Hey, what are you waiting for? Shop now@macy's.com or in stores. Sona, wouldn't you say that life is full of personal wins?

[Sona Movsesian]

I would, Conan.

[Conan O'Brien]

Thanks, Sona. Whether it's cleaning your house, getting that dream car, or checking off your to do list, winning at life is a great feeling. I'm pretty good at winning at life, aren't I? Sona, are you okay? Keep moving. State Farm helps you win by helping you create an affordable price just for you. Doesn't that sound like a win, Sona?

[Sona Movsesian]

That I like an affordable price just for me.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yes, you do. Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can bundle and save with the personal price plan. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Prices are based on ratings plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amounts of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state. That's my low voice.

[Paul W. Downs]

Hi, my name is Paul W. Downs and I feel thrilled about being Conan o' Brien's friend.

[Conan O'Brien]

That's very nice.

[Paul W. Downs]

It's true. It's thrilling. Fall is here Hear the yell Back to school Ring the bell Brand new shoes Walking loose Climb the fence Books and pens I can tell that we are going to be friends.

[Conan O'Brien]

I can tell that we are going to be friends. Hey there. Welcome to Conan o' Brien Needs a Friend. I'm Conan o' Brien, joined here by the chuckling Matt Gourley. Sonam Obsessian. How are you, Sona?

[Sona Movsesian]

I'm all right.

[Conan O'Brien]

You what?

[Sona Movsesian]

I'm all right. Oh, I'm sorry I said that. I'm all.

[Conan O'Brien]

I think you said. Oh, am I right? Am I right? Yeah.

[Paul W. Downs]

Am I right?

[Sona Movsesian]

And then I did a weak ass thumbs up.

[Paul W. Downs]

It's also weird how you kind of like turned it towards yourself.

[Sona Movsesian]

I don't like it.

[Conan O'Brien]

Everything you did just now was just wrong. Are you an AI? Yeah. I think you are AI.

[Sona Movsesian]

Every time you're like, well, hey, Sona, it. It makes me so uncomfortable. We've talked about it before. I hate.

[Conan O'Brien]

People get very scared about AI. I have been working very hard to have AI replace you. Sona. Oh, And. And I have thousands of servers trying to learn Sona rhythms. They've all exploded. They've exploded and they're in these salt mines. I keep them in salt mines deep under the ground in Utah. And I'm spent most of the money I've made in show business on all these servers.

[Sona Movsesian]

Oh, thank you.

[Conan O'Brien]

They overheat and explode because they cannot match the Movcessian rhythms. They don't make sense. AI can't figure out.

[Sona Movsesian]

She just moves at a different speed.

[Conan O'Brien]

Who's she?

[Sona Movsesian]

She. So I me.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, you're talking about yourself. What are you talking about? The creator. Oh, God. Oh.

[Sona Movsesian]

Can I just say if. If an AI came in and just said nothing that made sense, I'd be like, that's a great a Conan.

[Conan O'Brien]

I know.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, there's plenty of those.

[Sona Movsesian]

Yeah.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah.

[Sona Movsesian]

What do you mean plenty of those? What do you mean?

[Conan O'Brien]

AIs?

[Paul W. Downs]

That don't make any sense.

[Sona Movsesian]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

I'm just. It's getting so good though. I have friends I'm talking to. What?

[Paul W. Downs]

These AIs.

[Sona Movsesian]

Do you have a relationship with an AI?

[Conan O'Brien]

I do.

[Paul W. Downs]

My wife is an AI.

[Conan O'Brien]

Do you? She's a beautiful AI.

[Paul W. Downs]

Well, I had to splurge in one.

[Conan O'Brien]

Place in another, so I don't know. I. You know, look, I did have a.

[Paul W. Downs]

Conversation with a Shakespeare AI. Like you could go to this website. Okay, hold on. Don't make fun of me.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, no, let's hear him out. We need some content for this after the show. Okay, so far we haven't really hit a gusher, so let's hope this is it.

[Paul W. Downs]

Unless you think I'm some kind of nerd. I only asked him about James Bond.

[Conan O'Brien]

So you talk to an AI? Shakespeare. So you have a lot of free time. That's what I'm getting from this story.

[Paul W. Downs]

I'm talking to Shakespeare on AI.

[Conan O'Brien]

How did you find?

[Sona Movsesian]

How did you find? Find. Did someone send it to you and was like, oh, you'd love this, B.

[Paul W. Downs]

I don't know, like something, some. Maybe someone sent it. I heard about it like on a show or something. I don't remember early AI days though.

[Sona Movsesian]

Oh, okay. Cuz you wouldn't do that now.

[Paul W. Downs]

No, I'm too. I. I was AI before it was cool.

[Conan O'Brien]

You were doing AI back in the 80s.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, I was. Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

When it was basically Pong.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

War Games. Did you guys hear that? Sorry to. No. Anything Anything. Yeah, because there's an old saying here. Oh, it doesn't matter what you three talk about. It'll be good. This is proof that it's not anyway, because I'm. We got nothing out. So you go.

[Paul W. Downs]

Let's start again.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, oh, hold on a sec. Hey, there. Welcome to Conan o' Brien Needs a Friend.

[Sona Movsesian]

We're doing it.

[Conan O'Brien]

Do it. Yeah, we're going to do it over again. Because you know what?

[Sona Movsesian]

Because I want. I don't want to do that.

[Conan O'Brien]

Guess what. Yeah, that was a terrible top. No and no. Guess what? No one's limbo bar is lower than yours. You're like, hey, man, it was great. You guys were talking and there was talking. People love this shit.

[Paul W. Downs]

Go again.

[Conan O'Brien]

Go again. Hey, there, and welcome to Conan o' Brien Needs a Friend. And we're going to get a good top out of this show if it's the last thing I do. What do you mean, get a good.

[Paul W. Downs]

Top out of this?

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, it's the beginning of the show.

[Sona Movsesian]

Top of the show, baby.

[Conan O'Brien]

Okay, I'm starting again because that was. Your instincts today are awful.

[Paul W. Downs]

Okay.

[Conan O'Brien]

And yours are, too. You both suck. Here we go.

[Sona Movsesian]

You suck. The fish rots from. From the head, sir. That's right.

[Paul W. Downs]

Thank you.

[Sona Movsesian]

Your suckiness is trickling down from the top.

[Conan O'Brien]

Hey, Conan o' Brien here. Welcome to Conan o' Brien Needs a Friend. We have tried seven times to start this podcast, and the assists I'm getting from my fellow players are just terrible. Instead of passing me the basketball, you guys are tossing it into the stands and then shooting yourselves with a German Luger. Matt, how are you?

[Paul W. Downs]

I talked to Shakespeare AI the other day. You got to hear me out on this. I'm telling you.

[Conan O'Brien]

Why are you so determined to ruin the top of the. This is important to me. I've always wanted a good top of the show.

[Sona Movsesian]

I'm sorry.

[Paul W. Downs]

That's ridiculous.

[Conan O'Brien]

It's been my dream since I was a kid.

[Sona Movsesian]

Hey, I saw two coyotes this morning.

[Conan O'Brien]

Hey, now we're onto something. What were they doing?

[Sona Movsesian]

They were crossing the street, and I was terrified seeing them do it. It was very frogger.

[Paul W. Downs]

That happens every day.

[Sona Movsesian]

No, but it was, like, really heavy traffic, and I was like, they're going to die. And then I was like, do I want. No, I don't. I wasn't. I was rooting for the coyotes. I don't want them to die. No, that's what I said. You were worried for them, but they'll tear.

[Conan O'Brien]

You know, what can I just say, Matt? Everything you've contributed today. Sucks. You're. You're throwing in. You're not helping. I'm understanding her. And you keep throwing these giant steel anvils into the conversation and clanging away. And now you're giving me a rap. We got it. No, we're out of time. No, we're not out of time. We're going to get something good. So you saw two coyotes.

[Paul W. Downs]

Did you did. Tell me about it.

[Conan O'Brien]

Now I'm taking away your speaking privileges for the next year. So, Sona.

[Sona Movsesian]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

Curious about these coyotes. A lot of people in this world haven't seen a coyote. It's like a dog, only skinnier.

[Sona Movsesian]

Hey, you know what it is? It's like a dog, only skinnier. And every time I see him, you're.

[Paul W. Downs]

Trading my content for this.

[Sona Movsesian]

You shut.

[Paul W. Downs]

Shut up.

[Sona Movsesian]

I'm on fire right now.

[Conan O'Brien]

She's on fire.

[Sona Movsesian]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

She's got a hot hand. And you keep knocking her royal flush out of her hand.

[Sona Movsesian]

You're off.

[Conan O'Brien]

And you're playing Hungry Hungry Hippos in the corner like a drunk idiot. Go ahead, son.

[Sona Movsesian]

Yeah, you're off. I'm on today. So the coyote.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yes, Sona.

[Sona Movsesian]

So I'm watching them and I'm like, these animals will kill, Okie.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, that's your dog, Okie.

[Sona Movsesian]

Do I cheer for their demise or do I want them to live? And you know what? I want them to live.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yes. I root for animals to live in the wild. I do. Even if they're coyotes. I root for all animals everywhere, man. Sona, preach. Preach. You were great today, Sona. That was terrific. We learned about wildlife and about your neighborhood. And then I'm so glad I seated.

[Paul W. Downs]

The floor for that. That was really top notch.

[Sona Movsesian]

Oh, also, I spoke to a Shakespeare AI and it was.

[Conan O'Brien]

I hate the opening and I apologize to everyone listening. Hey, man, let's just start talking and whatever we say will be great. And Blade will be like, yeah, man, it was really great.

[Paul W. Downs]

Look at all the laughs we're having. I rest my case.

[Sona Movsesian]

Having a good time?

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah.

[Sona Movsesian]

Do you want to start the hard way men rap?

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

Hey, and welcome to Conan o' Brien. He's a friend. I'm Conan. You don't need to know the rest. You're going to love today's show. My guest today is co creator, showrunner, and writer of an actually good show, the Emmy award winning series that thought about beforehand. They don't just throw it out there like a bucket of diarrhea hacks. I'm thrilled he's here today. Because he actually makes something people enjoy that has thought, structure, content. Paul W. Downs, welcome.

[Paul W. Downs]

You didn't pause.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, my God. I'm thrilled he's here today. Paul W. Downs, welcome. I am an admirer of your work.

[Paul W. Downs]

Thank you.

[Conan O'Brien]

And likewise. And of course, I want to shout out your cohorts on hacks. At the very top, your lovely wife.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yes. Lucia.

[Conan O'Brien]

Lucia. I want to make sure you said it first, because I was afraid that I would. I was looking at, like, Lucia, but I've also heard it pronounced Lucia.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yep. Lucia. There's a lot. It is a tricky one.

[Conan O'Brien]

Jen Stotsky.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yes. I thought you were waiting for me to say which of the two I was married to. Sometimes that is a question.

[Conan O'Brien]

I thought it might be a throuple.

[Paul W. Downs]

Hey, you're not alone. If you read the tweets, you know, I don't. I don't. But I've heard.

[Conan O'Brien]

I write the tweets.

[Paul W. Downs]

Okay.

[Conan O'Brien]

I'm putting it out there that it's a throuple.

[Paul W. Downs]

Hey. From your zone.

[Conan O'Brien]

You know what? That gets a lot of heat out there. You know, you just want the clicks.

[Paul W. Downs]

That's all I want. It's about clicks.

[Conan O'Brien]

Hacks is a wonderful show.

[Paul W. Downs]

Thank you.

[Conan O'Brien]

And I'm always suspicious when a show is going to. And I've run into you a bunch of times, and I remembered saying this to Jean Smart and Hannah. I remember telling them when I've bumped into them that I'm suspicious when a show is going to portray people that are trying to create comedy. Think of comedy. I think usually it goes wrong because. And it's difficult, but if you're trying, if there's a movie that's portraying someone sculpting, a sculptor's gonna watch it and go, that's not how you do it. Well, that's how sculptors talk.

[Paul W. Downs]

What happened in Austria?

[Conan O'Brien]

This sculptor, by the way, was injured.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, I got that far.

[Conan O'Brien]

A chisel fell from a high height. And did the Hurt his brain.

[Sona Movsesian]

What happened?

[Paul W. Downs]

I think he's attempting an accent, but it's more of a, like, action.

[Conan O'Brien]

This is an injured injury.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

Guy. And he's. You know, this is not a foreign man. This is a man who's.

[Sona Movsesian]

No, it's not a foreign man.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, no. He was just injured by a whole.

[Paul W. Downs]

He's from New Jersey.

[Conan O'Brien]

He's from New Jersey. Springsteen. But very terrible, terrible injury.

[Sona Movsesian]

Stupid.

[Conan O'Brien]

So stupid. I apologize. And the point that I'm going to get back to, which began as a compliment and then turned into probably just a horrible sketch, it's almost impossible to do it. And then you guys come up with hacks. And I see people struggling to create comedy and then perform comed. And I think, oh, I think that's the closest I've seen to how it really is.

[Paul W. Downs]

Thank you.

[Conan O'Brien]

And of course, that comes from you guys being very talented, but also being still quite young and coming from this world.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

You started out, I mean, as a kid, you were making content all the time, even if it was just for yourself, right?

[Paul W. Downs]

It was just for myself. Yeah. There was no social media. There was no YouTube. Thank goodness.

[Conan O'Brien]

I think you're 77 years old.

[Paul W. Downs]

That's right. That's right.

[Conan O'Brien]

That's what it says here.

[Paul W. Downs]

There wasn't even cellular, actually.

[Conan O'Brien]

Wow.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, I had the stick and hoop and I was making myself. I was entertaining myself with a stick and hoop.

[Conan O'Brien]

Sometimes you play with the butter churn.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah. Oh, my gosh.

[Conan O'Brien]

But you, you were making content. And this I can relate to because I don't think I needed an audience if I was in my room.

[Paul W. Downs]

Right.

[Conan O'Brien]

I was doing this shit. And I'm. You seem like a similar fellow to me.

[Paul W. Downs]

100%. 100%. And what. What an honor for you to say that. But, yeah, I am. I would entertain myself in the mirror. I wish my son did that because now I have a toddler who needs a lot of attention. And I was like, I entertain myself for hours. You know, doing voices, doing things is.

[Conan O'Brien]

A mirror and delusion.

[Paul W. Downs]

Exactly. I still have both in equal measure.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah. Yeah. Let's talk about your creation story. It was interesting to me because the minute I saw you and your work, I thought, well, they're all improvisers. And then I find out that you started doing standup initially or dabbled in stand up a little bit. And it's interesting. I always knew. I mean, I did early, early on I did some emceeing, but I knew I needed a gang. I needed either my gang of writers or I needed my improv gang. I needed some kind of a squad that I understood early on. When did you figure out that that was kind of what you were looking for?

[Paul W. Downs]

You know, I always. I did sketch in high school. I did sketch in improv in college. And then when I moved to New York, I was like, I want to be a. I want to be an actor. I'm going to just audition for things and. And I'll do standup. I'll try my hand at that. Because I. I idolize standups and always loved watching stand up. I watched like, you Know premium blend on Comedy Central. Growing up where there was a lot of female standups who I admire a lot. And so I tried it and I found it really lonely. I found it really hard.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yes.

[Paul W. Downs]

I was also doing a lot of characters. And at the time, you know, I think there are, like, phases that stand up goes through. And at the time I would say, hey, I have a couple sound cues. Do you guys have tech? And they were like, what? They were like, tech. I was like, yeah. Do you mind if I bring out a wig and a rattle and. All right. I don't think you belong here. And it didn't really work.

[Conan O'Brien]

Seinfeld requested none of this.

[Paul W. Downs]

No. And now it's so funny because now I see stand up and a lot of people have PowerPoints and they have tons of tech and a lot of sound, you know, so it's different now, but when I was doing it for a minute, and I mean a minute, I was probably four or five months after graduating that I didn't do improv and I did stand up. Found it very hard. And then I went to the Upright Citizens Brigade and did improv and sketch because I missed it.

[Conan O'Brien]

You get to UCB and there you meet. You start to meet your people.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

Not just Lucia, Jen.

[Sona Movsesian]

Lucia.

[Conan O'Brien]

Lucia.

[Paul W. Downs]

I'm changing his. A cappuccino. You know, that's how you.

[Conan O'Brien]

Lucia.

[Paul W. Downs]

Lucia.

[Conan O'Brien]

Okay. I'm Conando for this interview.

[Paul W. Downs]

Did you just get hit with a chisel? Conando.

[Conan O'Brien]

Conando. Yes.

[Paul W. Downs]

Conando from New Jersey.

[Conan O'Brien]

From Lucia.

[Sona Movsesian]

They are a problem.

[Conan O'Brien]

Excuse me. I don't think they are. I think they show a great caring.

[Paul W. Downs]

It's empathy. Exactly.

[Conan O'Brien]

Thank you so much. And that's now recorded. I can use that at the trial. Abby Jacobson.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yes.

[Conan O'Brien]

Liliana Glaser. You start working with these hilarious people. This is where you start to find, oh, we're all like minded. We're in a groove here.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yes.

[Conan O'Brien]

That's such a magical moment.

[Paul W. Downs]

Isn't saved me, I think, you know, especially moving to New York and I don't know, you moved to New York, you have survival jobs. It's really hard. Living there is hard. And. But finding people that were like minded had a similar sense of humor was huge for all of us, I feel like, you know, and it really. We found our people and started to make things and the rest is kind of history.

[Conan O'Brien]

Funny how it is the same thing, not just in comedy, but I think for musicians, sculptors across the board. Because I so remember kind of finding some of my group in college and then getting out to LA and doing improv at the Groundlings and starting to find my people and you start to think, hey, I'm not crazy.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

That was the first feeling I had is there were all those years where I just thought, well, something's wrong with me. And yes, there probably is. But then you find other people with the same issues, whatever it is, issues, malady. And you're all having fun and you're meeting at a diner afterwards to talk down the show. And it's few things will replace that joy.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yes. I mean, I, I, I think about that a lot. That, I mean, we still do it. I'm so lucky to still do it with my best friend and my wife. But us doing shows and going exactly. To a diner and talking about the show or talking about something we'd watched or talking about a sketch we'd seen, you know, and it's weird. It is like a, it is like a special language that people share, I think, when they have a similar sense of humor. And that's not just comedians, of course. It's a deeper level in a way for people that try and do it professionally. But, you know, I feel like anybody that you have a similar sense of humor with and who can make you laugh, it's just such a unique and special thing.

[Conan O'Brien]

Now, here's the interesting thing to me, or an area that's interesting, is that you have this world of making comedy jokes, bits, sketches, inside references with your friends, and you're making content at ucb. You're putting stuff up, you're having fun. And then at some point, if you're very fortunate and also good at what you do, it turns into a business and pressure is applied and expectations are applied and there are budgets and there's a lot of people around looking at you and saying, hey, what's going on today? And I've always found it interesting that one of the challenges is to make sure you still keep the joy in it when that is applied. And when I think about hacks, this is a big show.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

I drive around LA and there are giant buildings that are just dedicated. They've been painted over the windows. People can't see out their windows anymore. Cause Jean Smart's face has been painted over.

[Paul W. Downs]

It's blocking the view.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, it's a children's hospital. These poor sick things, they need light and they, I know. They're operating in the dark. There's no vitamin D because a giant and an Einbinder and, and I mean, it's terrible what's happening to children. Sorry. Again, it's a big show. It's a big deal, and it's a smash hit. And so you've got to be adults.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

And you've got to meet expectations and you've got a big fan base, but you also have to keep that silly joy going.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

Talk about that for a little bit.

[Paul W. Downs]

Well, that is so funny. It's. It's true. I mean, our first job. Job was on Broad City and at Comedy Central. It was a low budget show. You know, we didn't know if it would break through. We didn't know if people would watch. And we kind of. It was like. It was almost kids in a candy store. You know, it was just us figuring out how to make tv. Cause we had never done it.

[Conan O'Brien]

And you're doing it. My favorite kind of comedy is when I can tell people are doing this for themselves.

[Paul W. Downs]

Oh, yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

And I think one of the things I loved about Broad City, and it's the same thing I would have said about classic SCTV or so many shows that I loved, is that I had the impression that they were doing this for themselves, to make themselves laugh, and then I just happened to be stumbling upon it.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yes.

[Conan O'Brien]

And that was some of the beauty of it.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, totally. And you know that we kind of showcased that in a way in episode four of this season when Deborah just looks at one person and looks at Ava. Because I remember doing solo shows at UCB several. Which is embarrassing to say. I did several solo shows and sometimes no one would be laughing except Lucia.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Paul W. Downs]

And I was like, okay, I must marry this woman.

[Conan O'Brien]

And then I will call her Lucia. Her true name. Lucia. You're not fooling anyone. I've been to the dmv. I know how you spell your name.

[Paul W. Downs]

But, yeah, we try. I mean, and that's. I think the secret of this show's success is also that we continue to try and make each other laugh. I mean, that's what we do when the three of us are writing together. Oftentimes we all write the same scene.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Paul W. Downs]

Separately. And then switch and just highlight things we like and then we combine them so it's almost like a third draft. And all I'm trying to do is make these two women laugh. So it is for each other as much as it is for everybody. And that was very true on Broad City and it's still true on Hacks. And Lucia always talks about following the fun. You have to follow the fun. And we try and do that on set. And it's so hard when there's time and budgets and actors and crew and 300 people. Making something to balance all of that and still have the freedom to figure something out or to follow the fun of something is a real challenge. But we are there for each other to remind each other to do it, which is not easy, but.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, I wouldn't think it'd be easy. But I think you're also. You have such a funny cast of which you are a part, which is interesting. You wear so many hats on this show. But Megan Stalter is so funny.

[Paul W. Downs]

So funny.

[Conan O'Brien]

You get me started on Jean Smart, who's just. She is funny in so many different ways.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yes.

[Conan O'Brien]

And when I watch her perform, I think she's not hitting one note. She's not hitting five notes. She can hit every note in the register. And I'm so in awe of her and happy for her that you guys created this because she needed a role. She's always been funny. Yeah, but this role shows you that she's funny and she can break your heart.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, I know. She is so good. I think you're right. Like, we often talk about the music of jokes and the sound and the rhythm and, you know, sometimes you have to. You have to adjust an actor and help them make the sound you want. She always knocks it out of the park and then gives us more and we're like, oh, my God, she hit a note we didn't even know. And it's so true that she also is so gifted as an actress that she plays those emotional beats in a way that we cry at. Monitor a lot. Which is crazy, you know, still. Because she can break your heart. And she. Yeah, she has been the funniest thing in so many things. I remember her on Frasier being so funny or in the Brady Bunch movie. I was, you know, I was like, the horny neighbor is the funniest part. I love the horny neighbor and it's so cool to have her show her range in the show.

[Conan O'Brien]

Hey, Sona, do you own a business that's ready to thrive?

[Sona Movsesian]

I do.

[Conan O'Brien]

Well, it's time to let Intuit QuickBooks take things like unpaid invoices and tracking expenses off your plate to take things to the next level. Make sense?

[Sona Movsesian]

I really want my business to thrive.

[Conan O'Brien]

You should. It should. Intuit QuickBooks is an all in one business platform that can help with day to day tasks like invoicing and expenses. You want to be worried about that stuff.

[Sona Movsesian]

That's perfect. That's what I. That's all I do.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Sona Movsesian]

That's my whole business.

[Conan O'Brien]

It's your whole business. Manage and grow your business all in one place. Intuit QuickBooks your way to money. Money movement services are provided by Intuit Payments Incorporated, licensed as a money transmitter by the New York State Department of Financial Services. You know, one of the hardest parts about B2B marketing is reaching the right audience. You put so much effort into a campaign only for it to get wasted on the wrong people. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, it's ridiculous.

[Sona Movsesian]

It's craz.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, it's like, hey, Santa Claus, get your bathing suit over here.

[Sona Movsesian]

Oh my God.

[Conan O'Brien]

Hey, he doesn't need a bathing suit. He's up at the North Pole. What did I waste my time for?

[Sona Movsesian]

Yeah, and he's got elves.

[Conan O'Brien]

Exactly.

[Sona Movsesian]

They can make it.

[Conan O'Brien]

Okay, you're ruining the point I was trying to make. Yes. No. One of the hardest parts about B2B marketing is reaching the right audience. You put so much effort into a campaign only for it to get wasted on the wrong people. Fortunately, LinkedIn is a network of over 1 billion businessy people who might actually be interested in your business. You can target your buyers by job title industry, company role, seniority, skills or company revenue. So stop wasting budget on the wrong audience and start targeting the right professionals with LinkedIn ads. LinkedIn will give you $100 credit on your next campaign. So you can try it yourself. Just go to LinkedIn.com TeamCoco. That's LinkedIn.com TeamCoco. Terms and conditions apply only on LinkedIn ads.

[Paul W. Downs]

If you work as a manufacturing facilities engineer, installing a new piece of equipment can be as complex as the machinery itself. From prep work to alignment and testing.

[Conan O'Brien]

It'S your team's job to put it all together.

[Paul W. Downs]

That's why it's good to have Grainger on your side. With industrial grade products and next day delivery, Grainger helps ensure you have everything you need close at hand through every step of the installation. Call 1-800-GRAINGER clickgrainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[Conan O'Brien]

Women have been just such a big part of your comedy experience. I mean, you look at not just Lucia, not just Jen. I'm gonna say Lucia.

[Paul W. Downs]

Lucia.

[Sona Movsesian]

Oh my God.

[Paul W. Downs]

I actually think you might be talking about a different person at this point. Who's I'm sure, wonderful as well. Sure.

[Conan O'Brien]

I'm talking about Lucia al Dente, terrific comedy writer who lives on the island of Sardinia.

[Sona Movsesian]

Oh my God.

[Conan O'Brien]

I'm never gonna say your name again.

[Paul W. Downs]

It's funny because you asked for the clarity the first Thing you do.

[Conan O'Brien]

I know, but I'm. Can I say something? Maybe there is something wrong with me. Or maybe she and I have beef and this is my way of getting at her.

[Paul W. Downs]

And it's a subtle.

[Conan O'Brien]

So passive aggressive. She cut me off on the 405.

[Paul W. Downs]

Eight years ago, and her license plate is Lucia. So he knew She's. She can go by one.

[Conan O'Brien]

And I rolled on my window, I went, lucia, Lucia from now on. She said, you'll see. I said, you'll see. Give this riff time to grow. Okay, Jen, Gia, Megan, you've got two powerhouse female leads. It feels to me like this has always been your comfort zone is being around all these funny women. Broad City.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

I was reading some article about you, and it said that you had a revelation when you saw Young Frankenstein. Yeah, tell me what that was.

[Paul W. Downs]

Well, so my dad is a comedy fan, and I remember watching Young Frankenstein as a kid and loving it. And of course, I loved Gene Wilder in it and wanted to be Gene Wilder. But I was really. My first, like, my foray into doing comedy was to do Cloris Leachman's lines or Valdine, you know, and just to, like, stay close to the candles. This Des can be treacherous. Like, she was so funny in that movie, and Terry Garr is so funny in the movie, and Mallen Khan is so funny in that movie. And so I always was like, well, I think the girls are funnier than the guys.

[Conan O'Brien]

And I'll say this. Who in the world is funnier than Gene Wilder? Gene Wilder. That is maybe that is my favorite performance of his, and it's so beautifully honed. And we're talking about the women in the movie.

[Paul W. Downs]

I know.

[Conan O'Brien]

And, I mean, he's one of the greats of all time, and he's giving the performance of a lifetime. And not to take anything away from him, but I can understand that that's a great movie for anyone to see and learn very quickly that women are the funniest people in the room.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, 100%. And it's true. I mean, Gene Wilder in that movie is so good because it's so grounded and yet so screwball and so crazy. He's just incredible in it. But I felt that way also. I was a Nick at Nite kid, so I watched a lot of Nick at Nite and watching I Love Lucy or Mary Tyler Moore, it was always. It was oftentimes a female story that I liked. I also, you know, I was never a jock. I was never. You know what I mean? I never. Yeah, I know. Can you believe It.

[Conan O'Brien]

I was a jock. And then about a year ago, what.

[Paul W. Downs]

We'Ll talk about, you stopped. You hung up. You hung up the bat. You retired to that.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah. Most people assume I'm a real jock. You were saying. I'm sorry I interrupted you with my stupid. But you were saying that you were noticing early on in Nick, at night you're watching all these women and a name you didn't mention. I was. It was a thrilling moment for me. There's a moment where this season where Jean Smart goes to cardiologist just to get a checkup, and in the waiting room, she sees Carol Burnett. We had Carol Burnett on the podcast about a year ago. I've met Carol a bunch of times and I will never be jaded. I'm always walking on air afterwards. And she is still so sharp and so funny. And she is great in that scene playing herself.

[Paul W. Downs]

Unbelievable. Unbelievably funny. Unbelievably sharp. Wanted to. To had things to add. Was like, you know, I can do a Carol Channing impression. There was so much that she did.

[Conan O'Brien]

I can juggle.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah. I mean, honestly, it was really amazing. And we shot that at Television City, steps away from her stage where she shot the Carol Burnett show, which we had, you know, asked permission to feature last season when we shot there, just to show it because she's such an inspiration for us. And we needed somebody in this season that Deborah Vance could get sage wisdom from and look up to. And like, who better than Carol Burnett? And the fact that she responded to the show and wanted to do it, it was a goosebump moment for all of us. It was really crazy.

[Conan O'Brien]

The show delves into late night this year, which was fascinating for me because there are things that you cite in the show that I've lived through. And so I'll get a little bit of PTSD from watching it, but it's also really funny and apt, you know, like getting notes or. This is what we heard about, you know, in the early days of my late night show research. And what are people saying and what do we need to try and adjust? And it was all stuff that just felt impossible. Yeah, I'm kind of reliving it a little bit through your show, but you guys are doing a very good job of hitting a bunch of the nerves, which means you're getting it right.

[Paul W. Downs]

That's good. That's good. I mean, you know, obviously, like, we. We talk about you and your shows a lot and we did a lot this season making it and we tried to get it right. You know.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, yeah.

[Paul W. Downs]

And just writing the show about making the show was so stressful and so hard. I'm like, I didn't do five shows a week and have to do monologue jokes. And yet I viscerally, I felt the pressure of that. It's crazy.

[Conan O'Brien]

There's a great moment where Deborah Vance is trying out. She's meeting the new writers for the first time, and they're going around the room and there's one. People are throwing out funny ideas, and then there's one writer who's new who's just like, yeah. And then he says something that's not that funny. And.

[Paul W. Downs]

And then she farts.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, and then she farts. Because she farts. Which, by the way, which is funny. It's very funny. I would say head writer.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, yeah. Right away, he's promoted. Yeah, the fart guy's promoted.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, get fart guy back. But anyway, he does it twice, and you see Gene Smart notice it. And then Jean Smart writes on a piece of paper and slides it over to Hannah and it says, riff killer, which is such a great because it's a little inside baseball, but we call it riffing, which is people are in a room, they're coming up with good ideas, riffing. And then she just decides across riff killer. Because we've all been in a room where things are cooking. And then one person in the room is like, yeah, and then maybe it's George W. Bush and everyone has to reset. No one wants to be a dick.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, exactly.

[Conan O'Brien]

And we all go.

[Sona Movsesian]

Eduardo's pointing to Blake.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, Blay. You know it's me. Okay. But I don't. You don't need to pretend I'm right here.

[Paul W. Downs]

You don't need to just talk about.

[Conan O'Brien]

Like, some people are. Some people are riff killers. I thought it was a compliment. So he got it tattooed. He got riff. He got riff killa on your lower back. He chewed on his low back.

[Paul W. Downs]

That's nice. That's nice.

[Conan O'Brien]

Riff killa. But anyway, I love that moment. And then I have to bring this up, which is. Because I just watched it last night. There's a scene where this killed me. It's a very funny joke and nonsensical. But Jean Smart, Deborah, has stolen a guest, is trying to steal a guest away who would have been on Kimmel. And Kimmel's confronting her and saying, look, you know, I get this guest. You don't get this guest. She's trying to get Kristen Bell on her show, and Jimmy Kimmel confronts her and says, you don't get Kristen Bell because she always does my show. She's been doing. I got sort of possession of having her as a guest after Conan died. And you know what I loved about it is that it said with no one questions it. It's just like after. Since Conan died. You know, I get her after Conan dies, and it's just like. That's understood. And I'm laughing because no one questions it.

[Paul W. Downs]

But in that universe, you're dead, and you could never be on that show except the flashbacks. Oh, no, don't say that. We definitely want you on the show. We do.

[Conan O'Brien]

I think we've settled that score.

[Paul W. Downs]

No, no, no, no, I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I'm kidding.

[Conan O'Brien]

But it was so funny to me. It's such a funny. I always like jokes that upon examination, they make me laugh on a guttural level, but they also don't make sense.

[Paul W. Downs]

It makes no sense.

[Conan O'Brien]

And he says it the way we all know that Charles Lindbergh is dead. You know, it just. It was so funny. It was such a great moment.

[Paul W. Downs]

And you give him credit because, you know, that was a Jimmy Kimmel improv line. Oh, listen, so I did not write that line. That's great.

[Conan O'Brien]

Let me write that down.

[Paul W. Downs]

Okay.

[Conan O'Brien]

He will be repaid in kind. I can't wait to mispronounce his name. Jame Jahme.

[Paul W. Downs]

Kamel. Jamais. Jamaic. Jamae. Lucia.

[Conan O'Brien]

Lucia. Have you met Jamae?

[Paul W. Downs]

So you're very much alive in our universe.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, well, thank you.

[Paul W. Downs]

And I do mean it. I want to say it here. We would love to have you on the show. Oh, I would absolutely love it.

[Conan O'Brien]

Okay, then we can come up with a way that I was resuscitated. No, it's a joy to watch. And I think one of the things that's interesting to me is it's all about, like, a magician makes you believe in the illusion. And so I know it's a TV show, but you guys have me emotionally invested in what happens to Deborah Vance and does this late night show work? And I hope this late night show works out. Currently, things seem a little wobbly, but I'm emotionally invested in it. Which means you've. You're very good illusionists.

[Paul W. Downs]

Well, thank you.

[Conan O'Brien]

You know, you've. You've created this world that I'm completely invested in.

[Paul W. Downs]

Thank you. I mean, a lot of that credit goes to Gene and Hannah as well for making these characters so real. I feel that way, too. I mean, I know we write the show, but they feel so real. To all of us. And I think they do now to them as well. There are some scenes this season when I think both Gene and Hannah do some of their best work in the show. And we're like, God, that was good after. And they're like, I just said it because I feel, you know, I mean, now it's like so in their bones. They feel these characters are so real.

[Conan O'Brien]

I think something Hannah does really well, just as an observer, is that she clearly wants a maternal figure. She wants a connection with this incredibly tough, you know, Jean Smart character. And she wants this so badly, but she also knows she has to be tough. And there's this great moment where without giving anything away, but she, she gets a hug from Jean and you see Hannah kind of melt a little bit because she's getting that connection that she really wants from not just her comedy hero, but also someone who she has a real connection with and cares about. And you see her soften a little bit. And then Jean Smart reveals that she's doing it just because there's a camera on them and that's why she's doing it. And she needs to make it look good for the camera. And you see the heartbreak. I mean, Hannah is killing it.

[Paul W. Downs]

She is incredible. Yeah, she is incredible. And she does like, you're saying so much sometimes with no dialogue. You know, she's so funny and she's such a good stand up herself. But yeah, she's so incredibly good. And it's hard, I think, to be that good. I mean, obviously your scene partner does a lot of the lifting and helps you out, but to do what she does with Jean is really incredible.

[Conan O'Brien]

I don't know. I don't work with people that lift me up.

[Paul W. Downs]

Well, yeah, it's hard when you have to lift everyone up. I know it's hard.

[Conan O'Brien]

Can I just say for a second, I feel like I'm an Olympic swimmer and I have two cinder blocks around my neck.

[Paul W. Downs]

Okay, you are a jock. Yeah?

[Conan O'Brien]

Yes.

[Sona Movsesian]

If you can do that, we make you stronger.

[Paul W. Downs]

You do?

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, I see.

[Sona Movsesian]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We test you and make you stronger. You're welcome.

[Paul W. Downs]

That's what you want. And we're actively trying to drown in it. It's called drag. It's called drag when you have cinder blocks. I was a swimmer even though I wasn't a jock. You need the drag every now and again.

[Sona Movsesian]

You need a drag.

[Conan O'Brien]

I do. I do it. I do need it. Your character, Jimmy, your relationship with Kayla Megan Stalter is, I will say this, I haven't seen I don't think I've seen that relationship on TV before. Do you know what I'm talking about?

[Sona Movsesian]

I love, love, love that relationship.

[Conan O'Brien]

It's a relationship. It's a dynamic that I have. And I'm. I'm flipping through my comedy nerd mind trying to find the same thing, and I'm like, nope, I don't think it's there. I think that's a new thing you've cracked.

[Paul W. Downs]

Thank you. I mean, you know, we.

[Conan O'Brien]

She's over the top. Insane.

[Paul W. Downs]

So insane.

[Conan O'Brien]

And you are trying much more. I love that you are. You and I have some experience with an insane assistant.

[Sona Movsesian]

Oh, my God.

[Conan O'Brien]

But you know what I'm saying?

[Sona Movsesian]

No, I don't know what you're saying. I'm nothing like her. I do. But I love how different.

[Paul W. Downs]

What the fuck?

[Conan O'Brien]

You look at me like that.

[Paul W. Downs]

I'm just looking. I'm just looking. I'm just laughing.

[Conan O'Brien]

We have hours of footage of you acting insane.

[Sona Movsesian]

Oh, there's not enough footage of you being insane.

[Conan O'Brien]

I'm the star. I'm expected to be insane.

[Sona Movsesian]

At least. At least Paul's character is like a normal person.

[Conan O'Brien]

He's a normal boss.

[Sona Movsesian]

Yeah, you're insane.

[Conan O'Brien]

You are. I love how patient you are. Your character is. Jimmy is with. With. With Kayla. It's to an. And that some of the comedy is to an absurd degree. And it reminds me a little bit of one of the things that makes Groucho so funny is Margaret Dumont. Because Margaret Dumont, he's acting insane, and she's next to him going like, crouch ho. And then, well, anyway, let's move forward. When anyone else would say, I'm getting the fuck away from this person. But what makes it work is you can't. The whole dynamic of yes and is you are sticking with Kayla with Megan Stalter, you're gonna stick with her, and she's gonna have awful, awful ideas with great confidence.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yes. Yeah. She's somebody who. Well, Megan is so funny and so, so good in everything she does. But when we. This is one character we kind of ripped from real life. This is based on a couple of assistants that people that we've worked with have had and that we've experienced sometimes who are Nepo and have entitlement, but also a little bit of insecurity. Like, having this extreme confidence and yet nerves is a really funny dynamic. And that is a duality that Meg plays in some of her original characters. So we were like, she would be great for this. And, yeah, we thought it was really funny to have Somebody who is, in the beginning, at least, both his assistant and his boss, kind of because her dad owns the management firm that they work for.

[Conan O'Brien]

Now. Your initial problem is, how do I get rid of this assistant? And now you're partners in this season. And I love that you just keep turning up the dial on. And what's also great is occasionally she has a good idea.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, that's the thing. And I do think that's true in the entertainment business and in management, you have to sometimes think outside the box and be insane. And Jimmy is not insane. He's very by the book. He's very earnest. And sometimes those crazy ideas actually work. So weirdly, she is a better manager than she is assistant. She's terrible at being an assistant, but she has some out of the box ideas that, especially this season, that really do work.

[Conan O'Brien]

I wanna ask you a little bit about the dynamic of your comedy partner is also your romantic partner. And that's something that I've fascinates me. My wife is super smart, really funny. We've never collaborated on anything. I've always thought, huh, that's a whole. That's like a Bermuda Triangle that I have not gone into. And maybe we will someday. But how does that dynamic work? Or did it just. You always knew it was gonna work?

[Paul W. Downs]

Well, we started. We were on an improv team together, and we started doing sketch videos before we were ever dating. And it was in making those things because she's so smart and funny that that attracted us to each other. So we started dating kind of after we were already working together a bit and. But she's my. She's the best audience, you know, she's the person that I want to make sure that it feels the best to make her laugh. She has such a good laugh, and I love making her laugh, so. And it's been a real cheat for us to work together, not just because we have each other as an audience and as cheerleaders, but also, you know, in this business, you don't see your spouse if you're working as hard as we're working. So thank God we're on set together.

[Conan O'Brien]

That's really nice.

[Paul W. Downs]

You know, we get to be together. I think it's different for different people, but I mean, you know, being smart and funny, you know what it's like to make that person laugh and.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yes.

[Paul W. Downs]

You know what I mean? Like, it's.

[Conan O'Brien]

If I can laugh really hard and also if she can really laugh and she makes me really laugh, that's the glue.

[Paul W. Downs]

That's the long term.

[Conan O'Brien]

Glue.

[Paul W. Downs]

That's right.

[Conan O'Brien]

Have you ever wondered if Lucia said yes just because. Accepted your proposal? Just because she was. Yes. And ing you?

[Sona Movsesian]

Oh, my God.

[Conan O'Brien]

Because of improv training.

[Paul W. Downs]

Honestly, I had. Until now.

[Conan O'Brien]

That's a fair question.

[Paul W. Downs]

I had until now. But you know what? She is a very good improviser.

[Conan O'Brien]

You know what I mean? Yeah. What was she going to do? You put out a scene. You laid it out there, will you? And she has to say yes and we'll have a child.

[Sona Movsesian]

Not say no.

[Conan O'Brien]

You're saying that's the best.

[Paul W. Downs]

That's what I. I married an improviser, too, and this is making me really look back. Usual suspect.

[Conan O'Brien]

And guess what? It was during a sketch, wasn't it?

[Paul W. Downs]

It was.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah. And then you, afterwards, were crying.

[Paul W. Downs]

You said.

[Conan O'Brien]

You said, yes, you have to.

[Paul W. Downs]

Oh, no. Oh, God.

[Conan O'Brien]

Well, you know, you guys had your first. Your only child. His only child. Yeah. Only your only child during the making of Hacks.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah. Well, you know, funnily enough, we were not planning to get married. We were like, oh, well, we just won't get married. And, you know, we don't need to do that. And then there was a point in time when I was like, well, I want to get her a ring, and I'll float it. I'll float it. Thinking that she'd be like, we've talked about this. We've talked about this. We're not gonna get married. And she said yes. Cause we had been together at that for 15 years, so we had been together for a really long time. And. But we weren't going to have children. And so we did end up getting married. We thought it'd be a nice way to celebrate our time together.

[Conan O'Brien]

It's all improv.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yes. And yes. No kidding. The sperm and the egg were like, that's right.

[Conan O'Brien]

An improv class with sperm and egg.

[Paul W. Downs]

They were. They were. Yeah. It was their own scene.

[Conan O'Brien]

And they.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

I love that idea. And scene. Sperm. You work at a gym. Egg. This is your first time at the gym. And go, you're pregnant.

[Paul W. Downs]

Actually, no, it's crazy. We didn't find out. We had been traveling, and she had missed one of her periods. And basically we found out when she was two and a half months pregnant. So the next day, we saw a heartbeat. And that was two weeks before our wedding. Oh, my God. So we got married, came home, started season. That was season two. We were shooting season two. And then he came early again. This is like, again, sperm and egg doing their own thing. He came early on his own time, and it was while we were shooting. And so she did direct between contractions. Because she was directing that day. Oh, my badass. I know. Which is mentally unwell. I mean, it's really. It's badass.

[Sona Movsesian]

And so it's pretty badass. Yeah.

[Paul W. Downs]

But it's also.

[Conan O'Brien]

She's earned the right to be called Lucia. Yeah.

[Paul W. Downs]

Oh, good. That's what it is now.

[Sona Movsesian]

She's been.

[Conan O'Brien]

She's earned the right now. I've. I'm sorry, Lucia, you're gone now. It's Lucia now. Rest in peace. That's unbelievable. Yeah, that's unbelievable.

[Paul W. Downs]

So it was a crazy year. It was a really, really crazy year.

[Conan O'Brien]

What's cool, too, is that as you go on through your career, you have this document, the actual show where. I mean, in a weird way, I don't think about this much, but I have it too, because I met my wife on a remote shoot. We went to an advertising agency and people look it up online all the time.

[Paul W. Downs]

Oh, wow.

[Conan O'Brien]

And I there just doing the Conan thing where I'm on a remote being an ass. And then I just start talking to this one woman in the room within seconds. I'm not even trying to be funny. We're just talking about. Yeah, no, my dad. Right. And so. Okay. Wow. And you like cats. That's funny. No. Well, I've not even adopted. I had a cat when I was a kid. And my producer was listening on headphones outside the office where we were doing all this remote. He's like, what the fuck is he doing? So we have us meeting.

[Paul W. Downs]

That's really cool.

[Conan O'Brien]

Then we have the episode where I'm just back from the hospital because my daughter was born.

[Paul W. Downs]

That's really cool.

[Conan O'Brien]

And I'm talking about it on the air. Then we have the episode where I'm just back from the hospital. Cause my son was born. I mean, I haven't really thought about it that much till this moment now, but those are weird documents. I remember bringing my son when he was little. And no, I brought my daughter to work right after she was born. Not right after, but, you know, we walked her down and the doctor said, yeah, she was still. Umbilical cord was stretched over ninth Avenue. Cabs were hitting plays a low E note. But anyway, she's. I brought my daughter in when she was old enough to come into and was sitting at the. And I. I saw Tina Fey recently and we reminisced about this. Cause I said, Tina, I will never forget. Tina was up in 8H rehearsing Saturday Night Live. And I'm down on 6 on the late night set. And I'm sitting and I'm holding my daughter, and one of the cameramen zoomed in on my daughter. Suddenly, double doors fly open and Tina comes running in. And she was like, give me that baby. This is before she had her own daughter. But she was like. You could see that she had baby fever. And she was like, give me the. Oh, my God. And she. I almost didn't get nev back. And then it wasn't long afterwards that she had her own daughter. But it was. I have all these memories that are. My show work is intertwined with, you know, my fam meeting, my wife, falling in love, getting married, children. It all becomes a piece. And that's gonna be part of all the work that you do going forward. Even after Hex, it'll all be entwined.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, I know. We think about that a lot. We actually, you know, we talk about the show like our first child in a way, because it is like raising a child in a way. And then he came and now has a sibling, you know, and he visits set sometimes. And that's like. And there's so much. Now we have a lot of.

[Conan O'Brien]

And they fight and they do fire.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, well, he really wants to. He just really wants to go to Crafty. That's all he cares about. But now we have a lot of footage of. Cause Jean is also. Jean is similar to Tina. Jean really wants Luca whenever he's on set, and they have a great relationship. And she threw my wife's baby shower. And so we have all these photos and videos of him on set with Jean and, you know, sitting at Deborah Vance's desk as like an infant. And it is really cool that we'll have that. That.

[Conan O'Brien]

That's great.

[Paul W. Downs]

Forever.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, that's. Well, I'm. You know, I. I mean, it's. It's funny because after a while, I always think back to the I Love Lucy show where Lucy goes to the club to tell Ricky that she's pregnant. And. And it's. It's just fascinating to me because that was a show business relationship in real life, but also they were doing a show about that, and then you saw all the ways in which it was intertwined. Yeah.

[Paul W. Downs]

And, you know, we go by Polylu, that moniker, which is a nod to Desilu. We don't have a show about our life, but we have a show that is our life.

[Conan O'Brien]

So you play the bongos.

[Paul W. Downs]

That's right. I wish. I wish Jimmy could pick up the bongos. That would actually be Good. He starts smoking a lot of weed and does the bongos because Kayla just drives him off the deep end. That might be actually a good. We need something new. We need something new for Jimmy. A new gear.

[Conan O'Brien]

I can help you with that. I'll be on set to pitch. I also want to give a personal shout out to an old fellow performer. One of the first things I ever did on stage was a show called Happy, Happy. Good show. I did it with Robert Smigel and Bob Odenkirk in Chicago in 1988 during a writer's strike. And so we were at SNL and we went to Chicago and put up this very weird sketch show. And there I met Rose Abdu.

[Paul W. Downs]

Oh, my gosh.

[Conan O'Brien]

And Rose Abdu was hilarious and great. And I'm just so delighted that she's on the show.

[Paul W. Downs]

She is so funny.

[Conan O'Brien]

She's always note. Perfect.

[Paul W. Downs]

She is perfect. And I tell you what, we've now, whether it's at south by or at screenings at the Pali Fest, we've shown now a bunch of episodes to a live audience. She kills. She always knocks it out of the park. It's crazy, you know, she comes on for one pop and always knocks it out of the park.

[Conan O'Brien]

She is a trooper. She's like a vaudevillian trooper. But I've looked at. Not long ago, I found a program from Happy, Happy. Good show. I think I'm 24. 5. I'm 6 4. I think I'm 155 pounds. And there's a sketch where I'm supposed to be. Yeah, exactly.

[Paul W. Downs]

Damn.

[Conan O'Brien]

Cinderblock jock or weathervane. You be the. You be the pole vaulter. Yeah, no, the pole. The actual pole. And I think it's a sketch where I'm. Yeah, it's a sketch where all of us are supposed to be naked, but we're. I'm holding a guitar and you can see my. My body and it's a freak show. Not that it isn't now, but. Oh, my God. But Rose is in the picture and all of us are just really hopeful, like we'll get there somehow. Aw. It's just sweet. It's a really sweet memory for me.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, she's been doing it for a long time and she is so good. I'm really glad that she's a part of the family. And she named the character. It was a different name. And she said, I'm gonna base this on my aunt and my mom. And we said, okay, do you want to choose a name? And she said, josefina. She Was like, I have it ready. Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

Then she renamed your wife.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, exactly.

[Conan O'Brien]

And you are. Lucia.

[Paul W. Downs]

No, Luciana.

[Conan O'Brien]

Luciana. Am I the only one who've noticed that you have the most amazing eyes?

[Paul W. Downs]

Oh, come on.

[Conan O'Brien]

And I have. I've seen on tv, but in person. I think I've fallen in love with Paul throughout this interview. Very deeply in love with you. Because I'm just right back at you. You. No, no, I have creepy killer eyes. Look, Bey, looking around.

[Paul W. Downs]

Oh, my gosh.

[Conan O'Brien]

Look at that.

[Sona Movsesian]

Don't do that.

[Conan O'Brien]

Right.

[Sona Movsesian]

If you do that. Yeah, but you do have really nice.

[Paul W. Downs]

Mansion where the eyes move.

[Conan O'Brien]

Well, I think one of us has to call your wife. I am very happy for you.

[Paul W. Downs]

Thank you.

[Conan O'Brien]

Massive congratulations. If you ever want me to pay play a parking lot attendant on your show.

[Paul W. Downs]

We need you on the show. Yeah, I'm not kidding.

[Conan O'Brien]

We really. Whatever. Whatever you guys want me to parking lot You.

[Sona Movsesian]

You exist in that universe.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, he's. I'm dead now.

[Paul W. Downs]

No, you're not. No, you've been demoted to parking lot attendant.

[Sona Movsesian]

If you don't have a late night show, you're dead.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, yeah, exactly. I think that's.

[Paul W. Downs]

I think that was his.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, yeah. It's all good. I'll do whatever you guys want me to do. It doesn't matter. And I have no ego about it. I'll do craft services on this show.

[Paul W. Downs]

Oh, my God.

[Conan O'Brien]

But I'm amazing.

[Paul W. Downs]

My son would love you. Yeah, seriously, just give him some pirates booty.

[Conan O'Brien]

All chocolate pirate booty. But anything to help get an oar in the water. Like this show needs any help. I think you've won. It's insane. I can't even get into how many Emmys you've won Peabody. But all well deserved and makes me happy. Always does. When these youngsters out there, and you are youngsters are doing really good, fantastic work and killing it makes me by association proud.

[Paul W. Downs]

Well, I hope you. I'm glad you feel that way because we admire you and your work so much. And you know Jen, my co creator intern for you and has amazing stories about that. Covered your assistant's desk and was very nervous and said that you were not only funny, but kind. What? Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

Cut. Sona's mic.

[Paul W. Downs]

Depends on who. She's a very good assistant, I think.

[Sona Movsesian]

Oh, wow.

[Conan O'Brien]

She knows how to play it. Oh, he was very kind. Suddenly Bugatti shows up outside her door with a bow on it. Thanks for playing along, Conan. Anyway, hacks, it is season four now. Is it season four?

[Paul W. Downs]

We're in season four. Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah. You're in season four, and I'm five shows through and loving it. Thank you. And keep doing what you're doing, please. Please. I know you were thinking of stopping.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

But my.

[Paul W. Downs]

I almost retired last night.

[Conan O'Brien]

I'm encouraging you to continue.

[Paul W. Downs]

I said I'll keep going.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, it was this podcast.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

Actually, you walked in your own. Like, I think we're gonna stop now.

[Paul W. Downs]

Too much. Well, now I can retire. You know, I mean, this is. I actually, you know, I always wanted to be on your show. Oh. And. Oh, it was a dream, and so this is a dream. But, you know, I saw you once, and I said to my wife, I'm gonna go up and introduce myself and just tell them that I'm a fan. Everyone likes to hear that. They have fans. And she was like, so you can. You can edit this out if you want. If you want to keep privacy and anonymity, but it was at. At the Hotel Du Cap.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Paul W. Downs]

Okay. So I'm at the Hotel Du Cap.

[Conan O'Brien]

And I. I was there on a junket. I got sent there.

[Paul W. Downs]

But they love you there. You're on the wall.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, really?

[Paul W. Downs]

They have a signature of yours on the wall in the bar.

[Conan O'Brien]

The Hotel Du Cap is not a hotel that I would book myself.

[Paul W. Downs]

Okay.

[Conan O'Brien]

I was sent there because I'm not the kind of person. Look, I like a nice hotel. I like a nice hotel.

[Paul W. Downs]

Where is this hotel?

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, it's in Eden. Rock on the France, like, near Cannes. And I got sent there. They said, do you want to go and do this panel there? And we'll fly you and your wife and. This is a legendary hotel.

[Paul W. Downs]

It's insane.

[Conan O'Brien]

And I get there, and they're throwing some big shindig, and I do my thing, and I'll never forget seeing Bon Jovi.

[Paul W. Downs]

Oh, Bon Jovi.

[Conan O'Brien]

Bon. We'll get to you seeing Bon Jovi, and. And Bon Jovi. And I say, oh, hey, man, what are you doing here? And he's. They flew me in just to sing, you know, like a cab on a steel horse. And I said, you're guys singing one song. And he's like. Like, that's it. And they're covering everything. And I thought, show business. I haven't experienced this a lot. This is fantastic. But anyway, so did we encounter each other?

[Paul W. Downs]

So. No, because I. So we were actually. We weren't even staying in the main hotel. They have, like, a little annex that's less money, and so. And. Cause I wasn't flown. I. I paid for it. But we were on a Budget. So at dinner, I said to Lucia, I'm going to take all of the baguette in the basket. And I put baguettes in my pocket. I love this. And so we get back to the hotel, we had had some French wine, and I said, oh, my God, there's Conan. I have to go say hello. And she said, babe, you have baguettes in your pocket. Your pockets are stuffed with baguettes. You're going to look like Jean Beljean. You look like he's stolen food. Dude, just wait until maybe you meet him. You meet him properly one day. No, I know I should say no, he's got baguettes in his pocket still. Honestly, I would. I love bread.

[Conan O'Brien]

First of all, she was wrong, okay?

[Paul W. Downs]

She's Lucia again.

[Conan O'Brien]

Demoted to Lucia. Lucia. No. Are you kidding? I would have loved that.

[Paul W. Downs]

I should have done it.

[Conan O'Brien]

I would have loved that. And as I think you will attest, you would have said, oh, I don't want to bother Conan o' Brien. You would have come up to me, we would have started chatting, I would have asked you some questions, and then within 10 minutes you'd be saying, I think I have to go. That is the usual experience.

[Paul W. Downs]

You should have done it then. That would have been.

[Conan O'Brien]

And I would have been like, oh, now I've got bread in my pockets too. Let's do a bit. Hey, let's meet tomorrow and I'll have bread in my pockets. Be like, I don't think Conan is Peruvian. It's getting a neediness here.

[Paul W. Downs]

Oh, that was good.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, Needy, needy.

[Paul W. Downs]

That was very good. That was very good.

[Conan O'Brien]

Very, very good. Paul, thank you so much for making the time. Thank you for having me. Congrats on everything and I'm real happy for you.

[Paul W. Downs]

Thanks so much. So much.

[Conan O'Brien]

Hey, Sona, do you own a business that's ready to thrive?

[Sona Movsesian]

I do.

[Conan O'Brien]

Well, it's time to let Intuit QuickBooks take things like unpaid invoices and tracking expenses off your plate to take things to the next level. Make sense?

[Sona Movsesian]

I really want my business to thrive.

[Conan O'Brien]

You should. It should. Intuit QuickBooks is an all in one business platform that can help with day to day tasks like invoicing and expenses. You want to be worried about that stuff?

[Sona Movsesian]

That's perfect. That's what I. That's all I do.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Sona Movsesian]

That's my whole business.

[Conan O'Brien]

It's your whole business. Manage and grow your business all in one place. Intuit QuickBooks, your way to money. Money movement services are provided by Intuit Payments Incorporated. Licensed as a money transmitter by The New York State Department of Financial Services. Oh man. I do a lot of traveling.

[Sona Movsesian]

You know that.

[Conan O'Brien]

I do the travel show. Nothing quite like the feeling of an upgrade when you're traveling. Well, as a T Mobile customer, you can take the perks with you.

[Paul W. Downs]

That's good.

[Conan O'Brien]

Isn't that nice? It starts the moments you take off with free in flight WI Fi so you can stream your favorite show on the go. Obviously that would be this show, I would think.

[Sona Movsesian]

Yeah. You go in a plane and then you stream your podcast.

[Conan O'Brien]

If I'm anxious about a flight, the thing that calms me is seeing myself. And then when you land, T Mobile's got you covered with 15% off all Hilton brands. Did you know that?

[Sona Movsesian]

No.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yep. Plus you're covered with with 5 gigabytes count em 5 of high speed data in over 215 countries and destinations with go 5G or next plans. And I have to tell you, it's a nice feeling. When I travel the globe for my travel work, I like to know that when I land in that other country, I'm covered. I'm there.

[Sona Movsesian]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

I can text you and say, hey, I got here safely. Yeah, I forgot to feed my cat. Could you feed my cat? You could remind me I don't have a cat.

[Sona Movsesian]

Right.

[Conan O'Brien]

It's all good stuff.

[Sona Movsesian]

Yeah. Facetimed me before from another country and it was crisp. She was clear.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yep. You could see every mark on my face. Find out how you can experience travel better@t mobile.com Travel qualifying plan required Wi Fi where available on select US airlines terms and conditions apply. Every now and then we stumble upon a revelation that really rocks our world. And just the other day we found out that Sona, you were a girl Scout. Yes, I was. I just don't see it.

[Sona Movsesian]

What do you mean?

[Conan O'Brien]

Do you? It's kind of shocking.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, it is a little shocking.

[Conan O'Brien]

You're a rule breaker.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

You're a rebel. You know, you're the pinky Tuscadero.

[Sona Movsesian]

I still remember my pledge. I live by my pledge. And I think that. I think that I.

[Conan O'Brien]

What's the of pledge?

[Sona Movsesian]

On my honor, I will try to serve God. I've already lost it.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh my God.

[Sona Movsesian]

So far you're batting a thousand to help people at all times and to live by the Girl Scout law.

[Conan O'Brien]

Okay.

[Sona Movsesian]

And yeah, I do that. I always do that. So you're welcome.

[Conan O'Brien]

Do you think that you upheld the Girl Scout code when you were my full time assistant?

[Sona Movsesian]

I helped people at all times.

[Conan O'Brien]

But what about.

[Sona Movsesian]

I help people at all times? And I lived by the Girl Scout law, so, you know, I did my best with you.

[Conan O'Brien]

You do very well in a senate contest. I know it does sound like that you are you. The Senate votes unanimously that you are the new Secretary of the Interior.

[Sona Movsesian]

I do not recall. So that's what I'm gonna say. Did I always help you? I do not recall.

[Conan O'Brien]

How did you get into the Girl Scouts? Whose idea was it? Was this something that your. Your parents came up with, or is it something you wanted to do?

[Sona Movsesian]

I think my. My. My parents. Parents. I think they wanted to get us into American stuff, and so they signed me up as a Girl Scout when I was really young, I was a Daisy, and then I became a Brownie. I think that. No, I was a Brownie. Then I became a Junior. And so what's.

[Conan O'Brien]

I don't know what the. What the ranks are.

[Sona Movsesian]

It starts off with Daisy.

[Conan O'Brien]

I thought Brownie was the beginning. Daisy was.

[Sona Movsesian]

Daisy's the baby Brownie. And then Junior, and then it goes up. But I stopped after Junior, and then.

[Conan O'Brien]

It'S Reich Fuhrer, very top.

[Sona Movsesian]

Oh, God.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah. That's when you get a long leather coat and a riding crop.

[Sona Movsesian]

It was fun, though.

[Conan O'Brien]

I had to drive around in a Mercedes. Well, we are joined by someone else on staff, who we also.

[Paul W. Downs]

Can I share a photo? And then it'll.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, okay. That's very good. Eduardo has a. Oh.

[Sona Movsesian]

Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

[Conan O'Brien]

Look at that. Sona.

[Paul W. Downs]

So serious.

[Sona Movsesian]

I don't know why I'm holding the flowers like that.

[Conan O'Brien]

Sona, you look kind of, like, nonplussed about it all.

[Paul W. Downs]

It does look like you're curling the flowers.

[Sona Movsesian]

It does.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, I just. This is incredible. Look at you.

[Sona Movsesian]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

And flower bearer at a funeral or something. But also, look at. What do those markings indicate those different awards that you won?

[Sona Movsesian]

Yeah, those are my badges. That's what it's all for.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, but what were the badges? Do you remember what your badges were for?

[Sona Movsesian]

I have no idea. I think it was, like. I mean, it was the 80s and 90s. It was like, oh, I made applesauce. Oh, look at me. I made a pie. Oh, look, I learned how to sew. It's like that and camping and stuff.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Paul W. Downs]

I bet Sona was really good. Good at selling cookies, though. I feel like you.

[Conan O'Brien]

Love.

[Sona Movsesian]

You just tapped into a thing. We would go in front of the Albertsons, and it was me and this troop leader's daughter, and we would battle it out to see who would sell more. And sometimes we were so aggressive, we scared Away customers.

[Conan O'Brien]

And you were just. And here's the thing. You were a little girl who scared away adults and you were holding cookies where the brownie. You're a monster. Look at that monster. Yeah.

[Paul W. Downs]

Always be closing.

[Sona Movsesian]

It's an assassin.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yes, you were. You were a David Mamet play desperate. These are the Glenn. I want the Glengarry leads. I can't sell these Milanos.

[Paul W. Downs]

I want the Samoa leads.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, these Milanos ain't selling.

[Sona Movsesian]

Milanos are not Girl Scout cookies. And you should know that.

[Conan O'Brien]

I don't know.

[Sona Movsesian]

How dare you.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, by the way, no one's bought more Girl Scout cookies than I have.

[Sona Movsesian]

Okay?

[Conan O'Brien]

Because we have. Have some moms here.

[Sona Movsesian]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

That work here, that have daughter. And all I do is buy Girl Scout cookies. Buy the bucket load.

[Sona Movsesian]

Okay.

[Conan O'Brien]

And I take none of them home. I don't eat them, so.

[Sona Movsesian]

Well, you should know Milano's are not Girl Scout cookies.

[Conan O'Brien]

Okay, tell me what the cookies are.

[Sona Movsesian]

There's thin mints. There's Samoas. There's the. That's pretty much. Oh, the Tagalongs are really good. The shortbread.

[Conan O'Brien]

Okay.

[Sona Movsesian]

There's the lemon ones.

[Conan O'Brien]

I mean, it sounds like. And what was your spiel when you were trying to sell. Sell.

[Sona Movsesian]

Would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies?

[Conan O'Brien]

I bet your spiel was more like, you're going to buy some cookies or you're going to have a flat tire when you're done buying grapes.

[Paul W. Downs]

And you're going to have protection from here on out.

[Conan O'Brien]

You understand?

[Sona Movsesian]

Smoking a cigarette outside the al.

[Paul W. Downs]

A tracksuit.

[Conan O'Brien]

Tracksuit with badges on it. Tracksuit badges. You're smoking a bubble gum cigarette. Look here, see? Why are you carrying a tire?

[Paul W. Downs]

Irony.

[Conan O'Brien]

You like having knees. Must be nice. Look, you buy some tag alongs and I won't be tagging along, if you know what I mean. Hey, I'm also going to sell you some Milanos. They're not street cred. These fell off a truck. Yeah, I don't think those are Girl Scout cookies. I said they fell off a truck. Now, David, you. It is also revealed when you saw this picture of Sona, you said, wait a minute. I must add something to this.

[Paul W. Downs]

I was a scout.

[Conan O'Brien]

You were a scout.

[Paul W. Downs]

You were not only a scout, though. I'm an Eagle Scout. I'm an Eagle Scout. That's as high as you can go. Yeah. Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

You're lucky to have us.

[Sona Movsesian]

Yeah, I know.

[Conan O'Brien]

So. Wow. Both my assistants have risen in the ranks of one of the most prestigious. Blah, blah, blahs. Look at that. Look at it.

[Paul W. Downs]

That's so adorable. I think, I think that that's me holding a participation. No, you got a slot car. You got a slot car race. That was my Pine W Derby car that I, like, built.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, look.

[Paul W. Downs]

And then I. And that's my participation.

[Sona Movsesian]

He got a participation trophy.

[Conan O'Brien]

What does a participation trophy look like?

[Paul W. Downs]

I mean, it's just smaller than the other trophies.

[Conan O'Brien]

But I was. Is it a figure kind of shrugging like a car?

[Paul W. Downs]

It's a little car.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, it's a little. That's not even a car. It's just a blob.

[Paul W. Downs]

That was a big day. Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

I can tell you, you've never been able to.

[Paul W. Downs]

You put in so much work and then you put your car up and it's over in like a second.

[Conan O'Brien]

David, you look no different. Sona looks like Sona has grown into an adult person. You look like. Look at David. And look at this little boy.

[Paul W. Downs]

I need to get the round glasses again.

[Conan O'Brien]

You should. Oh, my God, David, that's a very cute photograph. Now you. What kind of badges did you get? I mean, if you went that high, all of them. I mean, it sounds like Sona just had a couple of bullshit badges. No, seriously, you didn't stick around that long.

[Sona Movsesian]

You didn't have any badges. We, if we were in nature, with the two of us, you, we could.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, we could start a fire.

[Sona Movsesian]

We could do that, I think.

[Conan O'Brien]

Wait, could you start a fire, do you think, using just two sticks?

[Sona Movsesian]

No, I could with a, A lighter.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, wow. That's what they teach when the Scouts. Now with this, you need to go into the woods and all you have is an acetylene torch. Soda.

[Paul W. Downs]

Got her fire badge.

[Conan O'Brien]

17 pounds of beef.

[Paul W. Downs]

Sona got her fire badge from just leaving a curling iron on.

[Conan O'Brien]

So what about you, David?

[Paul W. Downs]

I mean, we had to do like the camping one, the, the climbing one was awful because I had to rappel from like a 30 foot tower and I was terrified. But we didn't sell cookies. We sold Christmas trees.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, that's nice. Wow, that's nice. Wait, you, did they come to a certain lot or do you have to haul a tree around?

[Paul W. Downs]

They would come to a lot. And then the Boy Scouts, we would just sit there and sell to everyone in Carlin.

[Conan O'Brien]

And this is Carlinville, Illinois. Shout out to Carlinville.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

And David has told me many stories about Carlin.

[Paul W. Downs]

You're basically a local at this point.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, I, I, I know all about Carlinville. I have gone on the local websites. Yeah, you've had. You show me where you used to hang out. The one of the two places where you could hang out in Carlinville. Hey, Carlinville. Conan o' Brien here. I would love to visit Carlinville someday, and I think I deserve a parade.

[Paul W. Downs]

There won't be a parade.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, David doesn't get a parade.

[Paul W. Downs]

They both get to be on the float. No, he's a local boy made good.

[Conan O'Brien]

David drives the float.

[Paul W. Downs]

I'll still wait.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, and our float will come in second.

[Paul W. Downs]

What is our float gonna be? What?

[Conan O'Brien]

Participation float.

[Paul W. Downs]

I love that there's a float competition for Conan to visit.

[Conan O'Brien]

Because you're driving. We get the participation.

[Paul W. Downs]

So I want to win somehow.

[Conan O'Brien]

I know I am. I will say this. I trust you both with my life, and that is a. That that speaks well of the boy and girl scouts because I think you are both exemplary people. I don't say that. You have great skills.

[Sona Movsesian]

Oh, okay.

[Conan O'Brien]

And I wouldn't go turn to you if I was lost in the woods, but you're both very good people. They gave you a good moral code.

[Paul W. Downs]

We'll take it.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, thanks.

[Conan O'Brien]

So shout out to the scouts and hey, Scouts, get them a line Milano cookie in there. There's no reason why you just can't start putting Milanos in there. And no, it's not a trademark name. And no, I haven't looked into it. Just do it. But anyway, and. And Carlinville will be seeing you soon.

[Paul W. Downs]

We're gonna be in the paper. You just sexually harassed a city.

[Conan O'Brien]

These pictures can be viewed at Team Coco podcasts on Instagram. Instagram.

[Paul W. Downs]

Conan o' Brien needs a friend With Conan o' Brien, Sonam of Session and Matt Gourley produced by me, Matt Gourley executive produced by Adam Sachs, Jeff Ross and Nick Leow. Theme song by the White Stripes, incidental music by Jimmy Vivino.

[Conan O'Brien]

Take it away, Jimmy.

[Paul W. Downs]

Our supervising producer is Aaron Blair and our association associate talent producer is Jennifer Samples. Engineering and mixing by Eduardo Perez and Brendan Burns. Additional production support by Mars Melnick. Talent booking by Paula Davis, Gina Bautista and Brit Kahn. You can rate and review this show on Apple Podcasts and you might find your review read on a future episode. Got a question for Conan? Call the Team Coco hotline at 669-587-2847 and leave a message. It too could be featured on a future episode.

[Conan O'Brien]

Episode.

[Paul W. Downs]

You can also get three free months of SiriusXM when you sign [e-mail] Conan and if you haven't already, please subscribe to Conan O' Brien needs a friend wherever fine podcasts are downloaded.

[Conan O'Brien]

This episode is sponsored by E Trade from Morgan Stanley Dive into the market with E Trade's easy to use tools and now there's even more to learn. Love get access to expert insights from Morgan Stanley to help navigate the markets. Open an account and get up to $1,000 or more with a qualifying deposit. Learn more@e trade.com terms and other fees apply. Investing involves risks. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Member SIPIC E Trade is a business of Morgan stanley at Carl's Jr. Lake birds get the bag Build your own bag after 8pm for 5.99. Get a Cali classic single Friday fries plus chicken stars or get a spicy chicken sandwich onion rings plus chicken stars.

[Paul W. Downs]

This deal is stacked.

[Conan O'Brien]

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[Paul W. Downs]

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[Conan O'Brien]

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[Paul W. Downs]

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[Conan O'Brien]

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