Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade

Re-Release: Andy Samberg

Episode Date: October 30, 2025
Podcast Host: Audacy

Episode Overview

In this vibrant re-release, comedy legends Dana Carvey and David Spade sit down with Andy Samberg, celebrated SNL alum, digital shorts trailblazer, and star of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The group takes a raucous, insight-packed look at the world of comedy—from SNL’s evolving landscape and viral digital revolution to behind-the-scenes stories, collaborations, and creative processes. The conversation is whip-smart, loose, and filled with affectionate ribbing, career reflections, and impromptu impressions, offering an exclusive "fly on the wall" peek at showbiz from three comedy heavyweights.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

Early Career Transitions and SNL Legacies

Timestamps: 01:31 – 06:45

• Jumping from SNL to Sitcoms

  • Andy describes his move from SNL to Brooklyn Nine-Nine, initially hesitating until Mike Schur asked him to lead a sitcom.
    • “I mean, I didn’t want to. And then it was just Mike Schur asked, and I was like, oh, shit.” — Andy (02:53)
  • Spade and Carvey compare their own sitcom experiences and reflect on leaving SNL.
    • “You get like, one kind of free shot…if you jump off the show, they go, do you want to do your own sitcom?” — Spade (03:16)

• Revolutionizing SNL with Digital Shorts

  • The crew discusses how Andy and his Lonely Island partners, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone, transformed SNL with digital shorts at the dawn of YouTube.
    • “When you leave the show, it’s very scary… but those digital shorts were just kind of groundbreaking.” — Spade (02:23)
    • “It was fortuitous timing…I like to say, with the YouTube stuff, because…we’re gonna do [film shorts] every week.” — Andy (06:18)
    • “Do you think you blew up YouTube or YouTube blew you up?” — Spade (06:54)
    • “I think we are responsible for YouTube and they owe us a lot of debt.” — Andy (06:58)

• Name Mix-up Stories and Early Stand-up Days

  • The group recounts being mistaken for other celebrities and enduring awkward on-stage introductions.
    • “Everyone thinks I’m Adam because of Sandler…Someone literally introduced me as Adam Sandler, and everyone went…” — Andy (09:49)

Awards, Honors, and Hollywood Life

Timestamps: 11:15 – 17:00

• Award Show Anecdotes

  • Spade narrates stories about the Golden Globes and being nominated alongside legends.
    • “I was up against Gregory Peck…It’s drama, comedy, everything. So I can’t—I already won because I just got that far.” — Spade (12:06)
  • Andy shares how Brooklyn Nine-Nine earned him a Golden Globe, yet he wasn’t nominated again.
    • “That was the only nomination and win…then never again nominated.” — Andy (13:21)

• Industry Parties & “Carpet Rapport”

  • The challenges of being solo at exclusive events and the phenomenon of “award season friends.”
    • “You do start having, like, award season friends that you only see at events, and it’s a very strange phenomenon.” — Andy (26:02)

Roots, Influences, and Getting into Comedy

Timestamps: 15:18 – 20:13

• Berkeley Upbringing & Family

  • Andy describes his “hippie-ish” upbringing in Berkeley with two older sisters and early comedic aspirations.
    • “I have two older sisters…But do you think I do (have cool hair)?” — Andy (15:29)

• Discovering SNL & Comedy Aspirations

  • Writing a letter at age 8 predicting his future; sneaking SNL on TV; drawing inspiration from Carvey and early SNL cast.
    • “It was like, I’m gonna be a famous comedian and I’ll be married and I’m gonna have two kids. And I was just like, oh, shit. It’s all exactly what happened.” — Andy (18:16)

The SNL Era: Auditions and Collaboration

Timestamps: 27:02 – 41:32

• Breaking into SNL

  • Andy details the audition process, bringing along his Lonely Island partners as writers, and his early uncertainty.
    • “We had spent the last five years in LA making stuff. So we had kind of a rhythm of what we were doing already.” — Andy (29:31)
    • “We just made up a bunch of shit like the weeks leading up to it.” — Andy (29:04)

• Meeting Lorne Michaels

  • The awkward, noncommittal hiring tradition with Lorne.
    • “Lauren never went like, ‘We’re hiring you.’ Those words never came out…Jen and Shookas were the ones who told me.” — Andy (34:54)

• Navigating Rockefeller Center for the First Time

  • Andy and Bill Hader’s journey as newly-minted cast members, a dinner with Conan O’Brien, and the surreal experience of being suddenly part of SNL history.
    • “My life just got so cool.” — Andy (35:36)

Digital Shorts Masterclass & SNL Process

Timestamps: 41:32 – 57:18

• Birth of ‘Lazy Sunday’ & SNL Digital Evolution

  • The guys dissect the significance of 'Lazy Sunday' and the mechanics behind writing and producing it with fellow cast members.
    • “We knew Parnell, quote unquote, rapped...because he used to do it on Update.” — Andy (41:52)
    • “Parnell is so in. He dedicates his brain to it…they will never break no matter what.” — Andy (42:27)

• Pushing Weirdness and Taking Risks

  • Both Andy and the hosts praise Lorne Michaels for greenlighting unusual sketches, even after a dress rehearsal “bomb.”
    • “Lauren…It takes balls to go, ‘we’re teaching the audience. This is funny.’” — Spade (43:41)

• Influence of Forte and SNL Colleagues

  • Expressing awe at Will Forte's unique comedic “lane” and the thrill of being continually surprised by fellow cast members.
    • “He was the person I was always the most excited to see what he was going to do because it was always so weird.” — Andy (43:02)

Iconic Videos, Collaborations, and Music Parodies

Timestamps: 53:37 – 64:13

• Dick in a Box, Jizz in My Pants, and Beyond

  • In-depth behind-the-scenes on viral digital shorts, the creative process, and dealing with censors.
    • “Dick in a Box was revolutionary…but also, I’m on a boat. It’s so dry and silly.” — Dana (58:20)
    • “Because it was bleeped, people thought it was cock...Which...sounds much worse musically.” — Andy (57:04)
    • “There was not a lot of bleeps before us.” — Andy (56:25)

• Working with Music Stars: Beyoncé, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake

  • Getting celebrities on board for viral sketches and the impact those intersections had.
    • “I think it was Justin that went and talked to Beyoncé about it… she was delightful.” — Andy (54:04)
    • “Her doing it [Single Ladies]…one of the most incredible performances.” — Andy (55:04)
    • “Now whenever I see [Rihanna]…she sees me and she goes, ‘Shy Ronnie, cute.’” — Andy (70:34)

• Popstar & Box Office Realities

  • Andy and the hosts discuss “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping,” its reception, and the phenomena of cult film status.
    • “We ate shit at the box office. Ate a whole big pile of shit on a movie…Most of my favorite comedies didn’t do well in theaters.” — Andy (47:36, 47:57)

Showbiz Banter, Animation, and Digman!

Timestamps: 64:13 – 68:44

• The Magic of Working with Sandler & Animation Projects

  • Andy, David, and Dana swap stories from “Hotel Transylvania” and Sandler’s process for bringing friends into projects.
    • “He called me after we did that’s my boy… You’re gonna be that guy...Four movies later, it pays off.” — Andy (51:40)

• Digman! and the Joy of Animated Comedy

  • Andy plugs his animated archeologist comedy “Digman!” and describes working on the show.
    • “It’s a show set in a world where archaeologists are the biggest celebrities in the world…It’s super silly.” — Andy (64:35)

• The Art of Silly Voices & Impressions

  • The trio riff on impressions, from South Park to Sean Penn, with lots of meta-commentary on the art of voice acting.

Reflections, SNL Family, and Legacy

Timestamps: 68:44 – End

• SNL’s Family Dynamic and Lorne’s Influence

  • “Lorne-isms,” never quite getting an explicit compliment, and the psychological effect of chasing Lorne’s approval.
    • “He was like, slapped my hand. He went, ‘I am not your friend.’ And I was like, okay, yeah, sorry, sorry.” — Andy (71:22)
    • “The one time he ever said something overtly nice about something I did… I melted into a puddle.” — Andy (72:47)

• Cherished Collaboration and Friendship

  • Andy repeatedly credits Akiva and Jorma: “I always have to mention friends who are in a lot of the videos and are really great performers themselves.” (80:00)

• Recognition of Comic Greats

  • Discussions about the competitive-yet-loving environment at SNL, the thrill of meeting comedy heroes, and the meaning of art as legacy.
    • “There’s everyone says this about snl, right? It’s like when...a certain age, that cast is their cast and it means way more to them than even the original cast.” — Andy (45:24)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Being Remembered as a Game-Changer:
  “He came out of the gate and revolutionized Saturday Night Live.” — Dana (05:59)

• On Comedy Ambition:
  “We just made up a bunch of shit like the weeks leading up to it.” — Andy (29:04)

• On SNL’s Impact:
  “You look at both generations and it’s fucking stacked in both.” — Andy (31:46)

• On the Lorne Michaels Mystique:
  “He…never went like, ‘we’re hiring you.’ Those words never came out.” — Andy (34:54)
  “He was like, slapped my hand. He went, ‘I am not your friend.’” — Andy (71:22)

• On Surreal Success:
  “I have it [dream job]…It’s not a bit. I can’t believe it.” — Andy (73:41)

• On Internet Fame:
  “I think we have over a billion views on our YouTube channel.” — Andy (79:13)

Additional Highlights & Running Jokes

• The Importance of Silliness:
  Dana and Andy agree on the undervalued power of pure silly, “acid” humor.

  • “I like acid humor the best. I like silliness the best.” — Dana (38:43)

• “Carpet Rapport” and Industry Parties:
  Stories about fleeting acquaintances and the odd rituals of red carpet socializing.

• Riffs on Generals and Casting Meetings:
  The absurdity of endless “general” auditions and sometimes fruitless industry meetings.

• Impressions Clinic:
  Playful one-ups on impressions, sometimes poking fun at one another’s technique.

• Business of Commercials and Endorsements:
  Lively teasing over profit from ad campaigns, e.g., “Corona with Snoop.”

Episode Structure by Major Segments

| Timestamp | Major Segment | Summary | | -------------- | --------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- | | 01:31–06:45 | SNL to Sitcoms, Digital Shorts | Andy’s transition, SNL innovations, name mixups | | 11:15–15:18 | Awards, Parties, Hollywood Life | Awards stories, red carpets, party culture | | 15:18–20:13 | Childhood, Comedy Roots | Upbringing, early influences, SNL inspiration | | 27:02–41:32 | Getting SNL, Lorne Meetings, Auditions | Audition process, Lonely Island’s entry to SNL | | 41:32–57:18 | Digital Shorts, Iconic Sketches, Working with Stars | Writing and producing digital shorts, celebrities | | 64:13–68:44 | Animation, Digman!, Sandler Collaborations | Animation experiences, Andy’s “Digman!” show | | 68:44–End | Reflections, Lorne Michaels, SNL Family | SNL family vibe, legacy, closing thoughts |

Closing Thoughts

Dana Carvey:
“Andy Samberg, one of the all-time greats. Revolutionized Saturday Night Live with digital video. Probably has two to three hundred million hits on YouTube between all those videos.” (78:27)

Andy Samberg:
“I always have to mention Akiva and Jorma…Those are my buds.” (80:00)

Andy’s career highlights the blend of comedic innovation, collaborative spirit, and cultural timing. This conversation is a masterclass in comedy history and creativity, brimming with laughs, humility, and genuine admiration between comics.

Recommended For:
Comedy nerds, SNL aficionados, digital media historians, aspiring comics, or anyone interested in the chemistry behind contemporary humor.