Tim Meadows RETURNS: Sandler Text Chains & Farley Memories

Summary

Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade
Episode: Tim Meadows RETURNS: Sandler Text Chains & Farley Memories
Date: March 5, 2026
Guest: Tim Meadows

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Episode Overview

This episode welcomes back veteran SNL alum Tim Meadows for a lively, nostalgic, and heartfelt conversation with hosts Dana Carvey and David Spade. The trio catches up on Tim's current projects, trade war stories from their decades in comedy, share candid thoughts on working in Hollywood (and sitcoms), and reminisce about their mutual friends—most notably Chris Farley. The episode—real, funny, and unfiltered—dives into the creative process, text chain antics with Sandler and the SNL crew, mentorship in showbiz, and the evolution of their comedic styles.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tim’s New Show “DMV”

[01:02, 17:06, 18:08]

• Tim stars in a new CBS single-camera sitcom called "DMV," about a group of unhappy employees at a Department of Motor Vehicles. It's shot in Montreal and created by Dana Klein.
• Tim’s character Greg is a burned-out former teacher now working as a driving instructor, the oldest in the crew—leading to running jokes about his age.
• Tim discusses the creative process:
  “They listen to what I think about the writing and my character... That’s not always the case.” [21:14]
• The cast includes Molly Kearney, another SNL alum, whom Tim praises for their spontaneity:
  “The thing I love about Molly... they really approach the lines differently every time we do a take. Always do the crazy ideas.” [41:41]
• Dana and David joke about how universal DMV experiences make it a ripe subject for comedy:
  “Immediately I know what it is... should have been a show at this point about it because everyone talks about it and everyone complains about it.” [20:12]

2. Hollywood Survival & “Movie Jail”

[05:00 - 06:40]

• Tim candidly reveals that "Mean Girls" saved his career after a series of short-lived projects.
• Dana and Spade discuss the stints in “movie jail” when a project flops and how hard it is to recover reputation.
• David: “If you’re in a shitty show or movie, suddenly they think you produced it, wrote it, directed it...” [05:40]
• Dana: “You get a little stink on you... I got out of Lost and Found jail—that took four years.” [05:50]

3. The Art (and Angst) of Sitcoms

[24:00 - 26:14]

• The trio laments the shift away from traditional multi-camera sitcoms (with studio audiences) to single-cam, cinematic styles.
• Tim: “I personally don’t like doing [multi-cam]... It never felt satisfying, comedically or creatively.” [24:50]
• Dana jokes about being out of touch with TV terms and reminisces about shows like “Wings” running for years without anyone really watching:
  Tim: “I want to be on a show like Wings... It was on NBC for like seven, eight years. Nobody ever watched it.” [48:52]

4. Style, Aging & Playing the “Old Guy”

[02:22, 19:10]

• Banter on graying hair, playing “the old guy” roles, and their shifting senses of self as the years pass:
  • “Now they ask me to take it [grey] out. ‘Can you just shave that out Timmy?’” – Tim [03:34]
• Dana shares a moment when he was cast as the father-in-law instead of the groom: “I go, oh, oh, wait, I’m not the kid getting married? That guy’s like 35. Wait a second...” [03:41]

5. SNL, Talent, and Watching Others Shine

[07:36 - 10:49]

• Tim reflects on maturing past showbiz competitiveness and simply enjoying other performers:
  “Now... I really enjoy watching other actors. I know there’s been a change.” [09:46]
• Dana and David reminisce about being surrounded by heavyweights at SNL—Mike Myers, Chris Farley, Conan O’Brien, Bob Odenkirk—and feeling the pressure and awe.
  “Everywhere you turn, Odenkirk’s a writer and he’s funnier than me. Lauren’s kind of funny—he just doesn’t talk much.” – Dana [10:27]

6. The Sandler Text Chains

[27:08 - 30:14]

• Hilarious and exhausting SNL alumni group texts—especially when on the road with Adam Sandler:
  • “It would be two in the morning and I’d be... ‘We’re going for steaks’... My phone, how do I get off this texting?” – Tim [27:27]
  • “I took myself off and somebody put me back on.” – Tim [27:53]
• The text chain is both competitive and cathartic, with everyone vying for laughs and validation:
  “Every time Swartzen puts something on, I hit a thumbs down immediately. It’s so humiliating. I’m looking for a hahas on that thing.” – Dana [28:44]

7. Chris Farley Memories

[31:10 - 38:21]

• Deep, bittersweet recollections of Chris Farley, his unique energy, and his final days:
  • “When he was out there, there was just that look in his eyes... asking you to forgive him... He wanted your pity.” – Tim [32:05]
• The difficulty of watching friends struggle, and feeling powerless:
  “I threatened to, like, not be friends... But that didn’t, you know... nothing really works.” – Tim [35:25]
• On the impossibility of recreating Farley’s characters, especially Matt Foley:
  “Other actors... tried to do Farley and could not do it. We just took it out of the show. Even though it killed every night when Farley was doing it.” – Tim [37:34]
• On Farley’s iconic style:
  “He gets down like he’s a lineman or something doing the Super Bowl... Subtle moves within his broadness.” – David [38:43]

8. The Craft of Comedy: Keeping it Fresh

[43:16 - 47:37]

• Discussion on improv, spontaneity, and the challenges of keeping performances fresh, particularly when shooting TV:
  “I save my improv and ideas for when they’re comfortable with what we got. Then I’ll do things. I don’t ask anymore—I just do it now.” – Tim [43:36]
• Dana and David explain how stand-up instincts help spot and tighten up scripts that are “too wordy” or full of “chuffer” (meaningless filler):
  “Repetition kills us comedians... the same thing verbatim, you just start going ‘Ugh.’” – Dana [44:36]
  • “You do like, you lose the spontaneity. It’s easier like doing standup because it’s your ideas and your words.” – Tim [44:50]
• “The word of the day, or at least I’ve heard it, is slop. How was the show? Sloppy. So many shows are just slop.” – David [46:44]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On playing the principal in Mean Girls:
  “This guy is either... this is going to be his last year working as a principal or he’s going to commit suicide.” – Tim Meadows [00:00, 26:14]

• On navigating ‘movie jail’:
  “If you’re in a shitty show or movie, suddenly they think you produced it, wrote it, directed it...” – David Spade [05:40]

• The group text chain chaos:
  “I took myself off and then somebody put me back on.” – Tim Meadows [27:53]

• Why you can’t just recreate Matt Foley:
  “Other actors... tried to do Farley and could not do it... We just took it out of the show.” – Tim Meadows [37:34]

• On shooting the DMV show:
  “Yeah, it’s shot like a movie. And I feel like I’m talking to my grandma right now...” – Tim Meadows [17:21]

• On performing with unpredictable peers:
  “The thing I love about Molly... they really approach the lines differently every time...” – Tim Meadows [41:41]

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• [01:02] Tim’s new show “DMV” (show intro, premise)
• [05:00] Tim on “Mean Girls” saving his career
• [07:36] SNL talent, competitiveness, and ensemble memories
• [18:08] More on “DMV”: character, setting, jokes about aging
• [24:00] The state of multi-cam vs single-cam sitcoms
• [27:08] Sandler/SNL alumni text chain stories
• [31:10] Chris Farley memories and the emotional weight of his last SNL appearance
• [41:41] Working with Molly Kearney and the value of unpredictability in comedy
• [43:16] The struggle to keep performances fresh, improv in scripted TV
• [47:59] Tim promoting the DMV show (Mondays, 8pm CBS), comedy tour with Colin Quinn

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Final Highlights

• Tim speaks warmly about continuing to work, staying creative, and touring stand-up with Colin Quinn. [50:31]
• All three reflect on the luck, resilience, and community that has carried them through decades of showbiz. Dana: “You’re always busy since SNL.” [49:55]

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For Fans:
If you love behind-the-scenes comedy, inside baseball about Hollywood, and especially SNL lore—this episode is loaded with laughs, truth, and real affection among old friends.

Key message: “Comedy—and friendship—is best when it’s messy, honest, and shared.”

Transcript

[Tim Meadows]

After I read the script, I thought, this guy is either go, this is going to be his last year working as a principal, or he's going to commit suicide. Hey, guys, I'm doing my book and I need somebody to. I need you guys to. If you'd be willing to write a blurb for my book. And then Sandler goes, yeah, I'll do it. And then he goes, thanks. I don't need anybody else's. My next thing, I want to be on the show. Like Wings. Remember that show? Yeah, it was on NBC. It was on for like maybe seven, eight years. Nobody ever watched it.

[David Spade]

Guess what, David? Tim Meadows came in for a second helping of our the Magic of Fly

[Dana Carvey]

on the wasps double dipping.

[David Spade]

A return guest backed by Popular Demand. I love Tim Meadows.

[Dana Carvey]

I'll just say, you know, we don't have that many people return, which we need more because we got video now and we have some things we forgot to ask these people and go over. But we talked a lot. We had a lot of laughs at Tim. What a good dude.

[David Spade]

He's actually doing a half hour single camera show, which he's incredible. And I watched an episode DMV about a department of Motor vehicles. It's on CBS and Paramount Plus. So we just want to make sure you're aware of that with our friend Tim Meadows. And by the way, Tim, during this particular episode, we had a little technical issue, so we stripped from one thing called Streamyard. I know for your nerds, take notes. And we go to Zoom. So it might not be quite as crisp, but we'll still both look incredible and our hair will look great.

[Dana Carvey]

Don't adjust your cameras at home. It's doing fine. But yeah, Tim, here he is, great guy. A lot of laughs from the old school.

[David Spade]

Yeah, we were laughing.

[Dana Carvey]

Tim Meadows.

[David Spade]

Tim Meadows.

[Tim Meadows]

Did the show start without me?

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, yeah. We were killing.

[David Spade]

You're doing great.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, thanks.

[David Spade]

You're killing it, man. So I'm wearing this.

[Tim Meadows]

Oh, what are you. Why you do hiding your hair? You hate your haircut.

[David Spade]

Well, I just not used to it right now, so I'm just going with the hat. Are you all right with that?

[Tim Meadows]

That's fine with me. We can all do hats if you want.

[Dana Carvey]

No, Timmy in full closure. I brought a hat to wear. And then I thought, this isn't that bad. I'm gonna just rough it. No, you look good, but thank you, buddy.

[Tim Meadows]

Let's all do hats.

[Dana Carvey]

No, I'm scared.

[David Spade]

Let's see if. What do you got?

[Dana Carvey]

You got a cool one loaded.

[David Spade]

Oh, yeah. He knew.

[Tim Meadows]

No, my hair is all up, man. I haven't, I haven't combed or, or cut my hair in about, I don't know, maybe a month or four weeks or something like that.

[David Spade]

Okay. Have you been out of that room with in the last month, Timmy, where your head's at, man?

[Dana Carvey]

Do you ever do. And they go, figure out that gray. We can figure that out. And you go, what does that mean? They go, we can take care of it. And you go, what are we taking care of? You go, no, it's just. Do you want it? They've said that to me.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

Have you ever bought cookie?

[Tim Meadows]

I kind of. Salt and pepper.

[David Spade]

Yeah. You know, it looks, it looks cool. It looks cool. You're doing whatever you're doing.

[Dana Carvey]

It's always worked for Timmy. I'm in a jealous, quiet rage as I speak.

[Tim Meadows]

Well, thank you, David.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah,

[Tim Meadows]

I do remember when they used to ask me to put gray in my hair.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, I like that better.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah. Now they asked me to take it out. Can you just shave that out, Timmy?

[Dana Carvey]

I've told this before, but I'm gonna tell you that I, I read a movie about a married guy and his wife, and they said, it's pretty funny. And then, anyway, all these hijinks, but she's got a crazy father in law. And I read it and I read the whole thing. I go, it's pretty funny. It's not that funny of a part, but who would be the father in law? They go, you. I go, oh, oh, wait, I'm not the kid getting married. They're like, that guy's like 35. Wait a second. I swear to God. I go, wait, am I reading these movies about these? What the. So horrifying. I go, I'll read it again. I didn't even pay attention. I'll read it again.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, I don't know if you've seen

[David Spade]

Landman, but Sam Elliott's on that show. And I, I, I read for that part, but Sam got it. That's where I met.

[Dana Carvey]

That's how old you are. Yeah, he's exactly 100, I think.

[Tim Meadows]

I, well, first of all, I can't believe that you had to read for a show.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, Danny, he was doing a lot of cold reads.

[David Spade]

Ah, I don't know. I mean, I, I missed out. I didn't do bench warmers.

[Dana Carvey]

I didn't avoid bench warmers.

[David Spade]

I read for your part in Mean Girls. I read for the principal.

[Tim Meadows]

Oh, well, I'm glad you didn't get it.

[Dana Carvey]

His arm wasn't broken. Though.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, but that. Yeah, that movie, like, saved my career for. I was worried for a little bit until Mean Girls.

[Dana Carvey]

God damn. Mean Girls has a spin off.

[David Spade]

Oh, From Ladies man to. You went into no Man's Land, and then.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, yeah. Yes. I went From Ladies man, which was like, number four at the box office. Nobody was happy with that Movie Richard show, which was on NBC and got canceled after eight episodes. And then after that, I was on a life raft in Atlantic Ocean.

[Dana Carvey]

Like, I saw that show. I'm on life.

[Tim Meadows]

Somebody to save Me.

[David Spade]

Well, the thing is, if you're in a shitty show or a shitty movie, all of a sudden they think that you produced it, wrote it, directed it, he did the score.

[Dana Carvey]

You get a little stink on you. I've done it. I got out of Lost and Found jail. That took four years of being on Just Shoot Me to get another swing. I was in movie jail for a while.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, you didn't have to. When. When he told you about Just Shoot Me, was that the easiest pitch for you to say yes to is like a model magazine? Yes.

[Dana Carvey]

No, it was. It was leaving snl and you would get probably one shot at maybe doing the Jeff Richards show. He was on SNL or the David Spade show. And they said you could do that or you could do. Join an ensemble that was already picked up. And I said, oh, I'd rather go be the fifth wheel on a show that might work. And it still wasn't guaranteed, but it was. It just wound up being better.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah. It's so fun watching it because I see it now occasionally, and I'll sit and watch a whole episode because I worked with George also on the Goldbergs.

[Dana Carvey]

All right.

[Tim Meadows]

So it's so cool. I mean, it's just weird. I mean, watching it now because he was like my age, I think, playing

[Dana Carvey]

like this super old guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[David Spade]

You know, life is kind of fast, isn't it?

[Dana Carvey]

That's so. That's so true. Because Wendy Alec, who we all have a crush on, and she's so smart and funny on Just Shoot Me, and I always thought she was about 40, and I think she was 55 on the show. I was like, wow, I don't even know anyone 55. And I was like, she's so together and so great looking. And I said, I've seen her recently. She's exactly the same. She's just sharp, fast, funny. That's someone you hire and you get 100% of what you want.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, it's always fun. I don't know, like I've been in the position now, like, where I worked with people, including both of you, but, like, when you work with somebody that really impresses you and you just go like, holy cow, that person is amazing. You know, like, I worked. I did this show during the 50th anniversary actually on Broadway. And in this show was Lin Manuel Miranda.

[Dana Carvey]

Yep.

[Tim Meadows]

And David Cross and Annabelle. I got forgot the other woman's name. I'll look it up. But they were great. And it was just like watching those guys, like, do the play show every night was just like, oh, my God, these are real Broadway actors. You know, I got to like, really try to like, oh, you were in

[Dana Carvey]

it with them and you had. You get to see every night the process every night how they nail it. And you go, yes, exactly.

[Tim Meadows]

And I hadn't done something like that since Second City, where. But we wrote that stuff, you know, but this was like we were doing. I'm trying to find the, like, playbill from it now. I'm just looking at my. My room. I usually have my Broadway stuff right

[Dana Carvey]

in front of me, you know, behind you. Looks like Lauren's office with the lineup for the show. Yeah. Show is five hours long.

[David Spade]

We're going to present 6, 000 sketches. Like, it's all. All a matter of numbers. That's our new tactic.

[Dana Carvey]

I don't think I've seen many plays, Timmy, but I think Chris Rock was saying that he goes, it's. It's hard. I go, could you picture? So you memorize the whole script. I don't know because I don't do that on sitcoms and stuff, even movies. It's a scene a day, and even that's hard for me. And so you memorize something goes. But you get it down by blocking and by running it, and then it just starts coming to you. And. Yeah. And he goes, some nights, then it just gets boring.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

You gotta keep it alive.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah. And that's where like going, you know, from doing stand up, whatever is like, you learn how, you know, you. You figure, you know, oh, I got. This has got to be fresh. I got to make this.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[Tim Meadows]

Like is just happening. And we're all in this moment right now. But yeah, just being around so long now is so. I really do. And I love watching other people work now. Like before, I used to be more competitive of, like, I want to be as good as that person or I want to, like, hold my share of the thing or, you know, but now when I approach it, when I'm working with people, I just, like, I really enjoy watching other actors now, which it's kind of weird because I, I, I know there's, there's been a change.

[Dana Carvey]

It's some growing up. Yeah, for sure.

[Tim Meadows]

I, I, I wouldn't be jealous and angry. Like, why is that so good?

[Dana Carvey]

Well, we came out of a tough situation where everyone around us is good at snl. We got Dana over there and we got. Yeah, exactly like Mike and Chris and everybody. And so you're there. Conan's funny and he's a writer. Everywhere you turn, Odenkirk is a writer and he's funnier than me. I'm like, God damn. Lauren's kind of funny when he talks. He just, he doesn't talk much. When he does, you go, he's funny.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

So then you get out and you get places where you go, oh. I'm suddenly realizing both someone's good or someone is bringing nothing.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

I've seen people like cold reads where they go. You're like, oh, man. Because you can tell it a table read. Even though it's just kind of thrown together, you can spot some game.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah. But yeah, it is weird, super weird to see somebody that you, you know, thought was good, but actually they, they have to work at it. They have their own method and then

[Dana Carvey]

they, yeah, they get good by the time you shoot. Yeah.

[Tim Meadows]

Yes. Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

Like, that's respectable. You're on. Is dmv, which is your show on cbs, is dmv that's shot. It's not a sitcom. It's a multi dmv.

[Tim Meadows]

It is a sitcom. What are you doing?

[Dana Carvey]

Is it a sitcom?

[Tim Meadows]

No. Yes, a single cam.

[David Spade]

Single cam.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, single cam, single cam.

[David Spade]

Sitcom.

[Dana Carvey]

I'm from the old school of what, four cams?

[David Spade]

And where was this school?

[Dana Carvey]

Well, cbs Bradford, which has gone bankrupt. Tim, what's happening? CBS Radford, Dana, is where we shot Just Shoot me. And did you know that Tim,

[David Spade]

Tim is frozen. Or maybe we're frozen.

[Dana Carvey]

Tim's choking on his water. Dana, it's time for a little five hour energy. Action.

[Tim Meadows]

Yes.

[Dana Carvey]

You know, I correct. I dabble in five hour energy to do a little wakey wakey. I don't mind a little energy in the day and I don't want sugar.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

And this is a little sippy sip. Fits right in your sock if you need it. To see them. They're this big.

[David Spade]

Yeah, absolutely. That's what's great about them. Confetti craze is one of their new flavors.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

Tastes like birthday cake. I Mean, that's the thing that they're doing now is all kinds of flavors with five Hour energy. So you can pick your favorite. Vanillary and buttery.

[Dana Carvey]

It doesn't need to be your birthday because, Dana, when we're out, you're always telling the restaurants your birthday to get something free, right? Yeah.

[David Spade]

Yeah. And. And it's my anniversary again.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, yeah. You were milking that one last week. You're like, it's that again this week.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

But 17 flavors.

[David Spade]

When you're out, you always take off your sweater and then you go, it's kind of cold in here. Could I get a down vest?

[Dana Carvey]

I go, it's kind of cold. Can I get a free meal? I'm freezing.

[David Spade]

Yeah. I mean, it's weird. You're kind of. You have some picadillos.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. But Confetti Craze is great. It's a little buttery, It's a little vanilla. It's like, you know, like birthday cake.

[David Spade]

Yeah. And now, basically, they're giving you caffeine now. Five Hour Energy shots. And get this sounds like a lot to me. 17 flavors.

[Dana Carvey]

17. It's not too many. It's a lot. But at least it gives a big selection. And you don't get a sugar crash. You just get a little. So I'm excited. They're on. You can get these at obviously, 5hour energy.com. you can go to Amazon. They're stocking up. I'm stocking up. I have to load up because I kind of buzz through them pretty quickly. Cake on the brain. Confetti Craze. It's back. You can go fiveeyngy.com, amazon.

[David Spade]

The funfetti flavor is back on five hourenergy.com or Amazon. Crack open confetti craze. Five hour energy shot today. If you're like this and you gotta be like this, it's five Hour Energy.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

Take that to the bank.

[Tim Meadows]

Take it.

[David Spade]

You know, David, people keep asking about my 2026 Resolute resources.

[Dana Carvey]

Yes, they do. I want to you. I know what you're trying to say. The people keep asking about your 2026 resolutions. And I've got the usual ones. Read more or read it all at the gym. At the gym. Learn how to crochet. Get the knitting.

[David Spade]

Really?

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. But this year, the goal at the very top of my list is simple. Get comfy. I've learned that from Abby. And that's exactly where Bombas comes in. They're bringing next level comfort to my everyday essentials. Take the new Bombas sports socks. They're designed with sport specific comfort for everything from running, hiking, golf. That's what I do. Skiing. And I know you want to get back into running. They got some socks.

[David Spade]

I would really want to get back into running, honestly. For sure. I do a lot of hiking.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, they're cushioned right where you need it most. Sweat wicking.

[David Spade]

That's good.

[Dana Carvey]

Is that good?

[David Spade]

Yeah, it keeps the sweat away. Packed with tech that keeps you comfortable and locked in. So comfy socks. It's a great idea.

[Dana Carvey]

So for every day around the house resolutions, Bombas has the comfiest footwear imaginable. I've been living in their Sherpa Sunday slippers for things like weekend resets when I'm spring cleaning, when I'm just doing this and that around the house. Honestly, they look very squishy and you wouldn't know this, but it's like walking

[David Spade]

on clouds underneath it all. Bombas.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

Underwear and T shirts. Yeah, David. They're flexible, breathable, and buttery smooth. Plus, for every item you buy, one is donated to someone facing housing insecurity.

[Dana Carvey]

Head over to bamas.com flywall and use code flywall for 20 off your first purchase. That's B O M b-s.com flywall code flywall at checkout. Where were we, Tim?

[David Spade]

Where were we? Should we talk about DMV and. And then we can go back to reminiscing?

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, that's what I was asking you. DMV is your show. Yes. You were saying? It's a sitcom, but it's single camera, which is confusing to me because I haven't done one.

[David Spade]

Oh, and it's like a film kind of.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. It's shot like a movie though, right?

[David Spade]

A little.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, it's shot like a movie. And I feel like I'm talking to my grandma right now. Yeah, this is how it works, Grandma.

[Dana Carvey]

So what happened?

[David Spade]

He's never heard.

[Dana Carvey]

And then you appear on my tv.

[Tim Meadows]

Yes. And then we shoot it to your

[Dana Carvey]

house in the airwaves.

[David Spade]

And when you watch it and something seems kind of different, you find yourself laughing.

[Dana Carvey]

Right.

[David Spade]

You know, David.

[Tim Meadows]

But no, it is. It's a single camera.

[Dana Carvey]

Right? Tell us about it.

[Tim Meadows]

Well, we shoot. It's. We shoot it in Montreal. It's about, oh, these people that work at the dmv. And it's created by Dana Klein and it's based on like a. A short story about some employees who are super unhappy. We're working at a dmv.

[Dana Carvey]

That could be every employee I've had

[David Spade]

Horrible times at dmv. It's a great idea for a show.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, yeah.

[Tim Meadows]

No, it is. It's like, I had to go to DMV recently, too, and, like, because I had to renew my license and. And to my plates because they had a new car. But they. The people in the DMV watched the show and they knew. Oh, they were like, she won, this woman. One woman goes, we're not that bad, are we? And I was like, no. You know, we're just exaggerating it to,

[Dana Carvey]

you know, make for the comedic effect.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, we make you all look horrible just for our own enjoyment.

[Dana Carvey]

It's so true, though.

[David Spade]

What is your character in it?

[Tim Meadows]

My character is. His name is Greg, and he's a very unhappy former teacher who works at the DMV and is just. He's a driving instructor. And this is another role where I'm the oldest guy on the show.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, really?

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[Tim Meadows]

And so, like, there's old jokes. They make jokes about me being dead and sleeping at work and. Yeah, it's. And I'm. I'm just like, wait, I. I do yoga every day. I'm very healthy.

[Dana Carvey]

I feel like. Yeah.

[Tim Meadows]

Younger than I look, I think. I don't know.

[Dana Carvey]

You look pretty young. Yeah, you look good.

[David Spade]

I think you look young. If you. If you don't want to go snowy on the chin, then, you know, I'm guarding you. But if you're going to go snow downtown. Yeah, you know, I can't help you there, bro.

[Dana Carvey]

What does that mean, help them?

[David Spade]

I think scruff.

[Dana Carvey]

That's white snowy, what snowy downtown means.

[David Spade]

Well, I don't know about that part. That was not intended for this part. Podcast.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, that was a little confusing.

[David Spade]

Yeah. I don't know. That got a little.

[Tim Meadows]

I'm still salt and pepper everywhere, basically. So.

[Dana Carvey]

Okay. Every. Ads everywhere.

[David Spade]

Welcome to tmi, the show that tells you things you kind of don't want to know. How much salt and how much pepper. We'll be right back.

[Dana Carvey]

My salt is taking over the pepper. That's the problem. It's a couple. Also, DMV is really two, three letters. Everyone knows that's good for a show. Like, immediately I know what it is. Immediately I know it's kind of a funny area because there should have been a show at this point about it because everyone talks about it and everyone complains about it. And so you're all set up.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah. And it is also. It's based in North Hollywood. So that's our. That's our, you know, like our grounds and Stuff, you know.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. Not where you work from.

[David Spade]

If they're treating you like the senior citizen and stuff. I mean, are they, are they allowing Tim Meadows to fully inform what you're doing on the show? Like, hey guys, maybe I should say this or I'm going to do this and like you can't question him. He's Tim Meadows. Yeah, he, he knew Chris Farley. Shut up.

[Tim Meadows]

No, actually it's.

[David Spade]

But are you Good combination.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, they've. I mean, it's also a job. I have to say. They've been very. They listen to what I think about the, you know, the writing and my character stuff. I know.

[Dana Carvey]

And. But that's not always the case. Yeah, exactly.

[Tim Meadows]

It's not. Is. And I go into job sort of knowing that like, oh, I'm not. They don't. They just want me to learn my lines and do the, you know, for sure.

[Dana Carvey]

Not because it's you, just because in general, if people at home don't know, it's kind of you're hired and you're hired hand. And then if by chance they let you ad lib or say let's do another one and you know, do whatever you want. That's a gift so they don't have to do that.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah. And whenever tell me do whatever you want, I do that take just in gibberish. I just,

[Dana Carvey]

I just do it exactly the same and they go, oh, that was fun. Okay, just do it louder. Yeah.

[David Spade]

Do you have a brand in a way, Tim? I mean, do you feel you that. Oh, let's get Tim Meadows for this. You know, either playing off kilter characters or a little bit angry or just sort of asymmetrical like the Peacemaker with blindness, which is. Has a cult following. That character does it. It kind of blew up this.

[Tim Meadows]

So weird.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[Tim Meadows]

But yeah, I mean, I kind of feel like it sort of goes back and forth between like people casting me. Like James Gunn casted me because he said he couldn't find the actor to do that part. And then he said like he wanted me but he didn't know if he could get me or whatever. But. And that character was like, is written like it's a, it's a unlikable guy that they wanted a likable actor to play. You know, and so I've had that before where it's like, this is unlikable, but we think you can do it. Like I played the, I played the cannibal child killing cannibal on Brooklyn 9 9.

[Dana Carvey]

And what's unlikable about that? Yeah, go ahead.

[Tim Meadows]

No, it's. It's horrible profession. But they. And, you know, Sandberg, when they called me to do that, he was like, yeah, we need somebody that's really likable. And we just thought, like, you know, you're. Everybody likes you. And so it'll be a really. No, people won't hate the character.

[Dana Carvey]

You know, they'll give you a gimme on that. Give you a mulligan on the cannibalizing children. He's fun at parties.

[Tim Meadows]

That's a role you only want to do once, though.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. Then you get typecast. That's funny because, you know, the sitcom, like, I think you call it a sitcom, but going back to Grandma here,

[David Spade]

I would.

[Dana Carvey]

I was thinking about doing a sitcom or thinking about ideas for them, and I think, God, are they doing regular for camera? Have you even heard of that? Is. Are they not doing those? Have you not heard that?

[Tim Meadows]

I haven't done one of those. I swear, in probably 15 years.

[Dana Carvey]

Jesus. Okay, we'll say five,

[Tim Meadows]

20 years.

[Dana Carvey]

Okay, we'll say three years. Okay, so.

[Tim Meadows]

No, but I haven't. Like, everyone. I've done this, and I think even when I. I've done. Like, I did the Bill Ingvar show, which was tbs, and we did that for like two or three years, and that was done in front of a live audience. I. I personally don't like doing. I hate those shows.

[Dana Carvey]

Not, you know, not the live audience is hard.

[David Spade]

Yes.

[Tim Meadows]

Where you work all week learning the show and then you do it for the audience on Friday or whatever. And I just found it not. It never felt satisfying, like, comedically or creatively. I don't know.

[Dana Carvey]

Well, the problem is some of the youth prisoners in the audience, if they don't. That are bust in, if they don't laugh, they change the whole script for them. And you're like, we all like this all week. Let's play for the people at home. That is the hard part. Now you get a hot crowd. It's fun. It's something different. It's exciting. I think how I met your mother was a hybrid. So they'd have a crowd on a few days, and then they'd shoot single camera in a few days. So I guess sitcom really means situation comedy. So your DMV can be that, because that's what that is. But I think it's just probably all single camera.

[Tim Meadows]

Now.

[David Spade]

Can I make an observation about. I think that you're able to, like, in a real situation, you're playing. You can play deadpan you could say the craziest, do the craziest, and you don't push it at all. And I think that people see you and they're already kind of laughing, even if it's sort of serious.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. They know something funny will come out,

[David Spade]

signal I'm being funny now. It's very, very cool.

[Tim Meadows]

Well, thank you, Dana.

[David Spade]

It's one of your skill sets.

[Dana Carvey]

Well, Mean Girls is kind of like that. You're just trying to keep the peace or something. It's just funny the situations. You get overwhelmed and.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, that Mean Girls, that's like one of the first times I went into an acting role thinking, like, you know, okay, I'm gonna think about this character and I'm going to like. And I just thought that after I read the script, I thought, this guy is either go, this is going to be his last year working as a principal, or he's going to commit suicide. And so that's what I played, like, the whole time. I was like, this guy hates being here. But Tina's character was sort of like his bright light because he was in love with her, but he didn't know how to say it or whatever.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[Tim Meadows]

But yeah, that character was like, Tina.

[Dana Carvey]

Another hilarious one to be in there with. So there was a Mean Girls sequel and then a musical and then a coloring book.

[David Spade]

Monetization.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, by the way, I get nothing

[Tim Meadows]

from the coloring book. By the way.

[Dana Carvey]

Heather was just saying that the. When you were on the Not Grown Ups tour, whatever it was called that, that tour Sandlers tour where we were here on the text chain.

[Tim Meadows]

Huh.

[Dana Carvey]

Because she's on it too, and she's like, remember, Tim was. Couldn't get off the text chain. I thought that was funny.

[Tim Meadows]

It would be two in the morning and I'd be. To be like, we're going for steaks. Like, waking up. Like, what is this? You guys are being like, you know, oh, the phone.

[Dana Carvey]

It's like, yeah, we're Boise and Tim's trying to sleep. And it's like, who wants scalloped potatoes? Everyone put in your order. It's like, ding, ding, ding. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And he's like, how the do I get off this texting? We're like, is this Tim?

[Tim Meadows]

I took myself off and then somebody put me back on.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's so funny because there's about 20 people on it. And you're like, it's all day. It's going off. Like, where's my bags? It's just insanity. And then.

[David Spade]

And if you.

[Dana Carvey]

You can know because Dana. We jump on for a few days and jump off and you're realizing I don't know how to get off this thing and it's just blowing my battery up. And.

[Tim Meadows]

And also it's also very funny to too. And you sort of don't. I sort of don't want it to end. Even though, you know, everybody back to their lives. We had another good one going after Sandler's. That thing in D.C. oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

The Mark Twain.

[Tim Meadows]

Mark Twain Awards. And that one had like Stiller and Conan.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh yeah.

[Tim Meadows]

And that was really fun too. And then at a certain point it was like, okay, we gotta all move on with our lives or whatever.

[Dana Carvey]

Dude, every time Swartzen put something on, I hit a thumbs down immediately. It's so humiliating. I'm looking for a hahas on that thing.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, same.

[Dana Carvey]

I'm thirsty man. I want some.

[David Spade]

Is this a thing? Have you guys ever done it? You do? Haha. No matter what the person is saying, even if it's serious information, just keep going.

[Dana Carvey]

Hahaha.

[David Spade]

I mean what is the shtick of group texting? Things that. Because it is kind of becomes a little competitive, doesn't it? In a weird way.

[Dana Carvey]

Horrible.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

And then you're like exhausted from trying to keep up.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah. It gets mean too, but like it does. It gets mean but like in a good hearted way. Like things you wouldn't say to somebody's face. You sort of put it in the text and it's funny.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah,

[Tim Meadows]

everybody's. Which is funny.

[Dana Carvey]

Which is fine. Yeah. Sometimes they'll say tough crowd for you guys. Now if Dana, if mine sit there and get stale, I. I pop ahaha on it. And then no one really knows where it came from. They're like, oh, I guess that was funny. And then I'm like, that was me. I'm trying to get it going.

[David Spade]

You press send and then you see someone doing your idea better than you just wrote, you know.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh yeah. You're like, oh.

[David Spade]

And you can't take it back. And then you're sitting out there like, I don't know. It's very stressful. That's the. That's your next show. Text chain after DMV's seven year run. Tim Meadows in text chain.

[Dana Carvey]

It could be called group chat or text chain. And it's like a. A horror movie. But remember you had Covid and they called it froid. You called it fro vid because you had an afro on. You sent a picture of an afro.

[Tim Meadows]

I got fro vid my hair Got so long, it's been ridiculous. I remember Norm, God rest his soul, on that text chain one time he goes, hey, guys, I'm doing my book and I need somebody to. I need you guys to. If you'd be willing to write a blurb for my book. And then Sandler goes, yeah, I'll do it. And then he goes, thanks. I don't need anybody else's.

[Dana Carvey]

Out of 20 people.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah. He just wanted Adam.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, it's hysterical. I got Adam.

[David Spade]

That's. Hey, I'm good. That's all right.

[Tim Meadows]

That's all right.

[Dana Carvey]

I like, by the way, it in to change gears when he does the Farley song. He says last time he saw him was it Timmy Meadow's wedding? Is that what he says? Wedding party?

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

Is that the last time you saw Chris, too?

[Tim Meadows]

No, the last time I saw him was. I think was when he hosted.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, you were there.

[Tim Meadows]

I was there, yeah. But I kind of felt like I saw him again in Chicago

[Dana Carvey]

because hosting was toward the end. Very close.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, yeah, it was very close. But, yeah, I think that was the last time I started the song. But I know we talked after that, though, for sure. We had, like a deep one.

[Dana Carvey]

You know, I was almost going to go off for that hosting, but I thought it was getting to the point where it was sort of spinning out a bit. And I think you probably knew when you were there, like, oh, did you even talk to him a lot? It's just like he got it. Got on his own worlds. It sort of.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, you know, you could. When he was out there, there was just that look in his eyes and there was just his wildness to him. Kind of like. Yeah, yeah. And also kind of like asking you to forgive him two at the same time. You know, he wanted your pity. But he also knew because he knew, you know, I will. Yeah, he just knew I was mad at him that week and I was not. I wasn't happy with him. And then we just try to have fun on the show, you know, because he does what he would like to do, which is try to make you laugh on camera.

[Dana Carvey]

Sure.

[Tim Meadows]

So we ended up having fun, but it wasn't, you know, it wasn't the kind of fun that, like, it wasn't lasting because it was just, in hindsight, really sad.

[Dana Carvey]

It was worrying.

[Tim Meadows]

Yes.

[Dana Carvey]

So I saw, when I would see old sketches from that one, like, he's on a worst idea ever. Put him on a spin cycle or something.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, yeah. It was a Matt Foley, I think.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

Try to Yell those lines while he's trying to just. So. Too much energy. Too much.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, it was crazy. And there was another scene that we did, and it was like, almost like the big baby businessman. He. But he was a. He was a big baby. He was like, you know him, but he was in diaper and whatever. And it was like a, you know, like a Maury Povich show or whatever. And I was the doctor who. Who was describing his problems and stuff. And so he was all over me on that sketch and just like, you know.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, yeah.

[Tim Meadows]

Pushing me and stuff, especially on air.

[Dana Carvey]

I'm sure he's trying to, like, cover your mouth, not let you talk.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

Not like your lines. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That was the fun part. But when I saw him, you could just see. Because you know him so well. Like, you see in one second when he comes out, you're like, oh, no. Oh, no.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

Like, and what's he gonna do? And then the problem is everyone else hypes it up. Like, if you're not. If the. To the casual person that hangs out. Like, even when he was in rehab, like, if we're walking down Columbus and you walk by an outdoor place, like, hey, guys, come have a drink with us.

[David Spade]

And he's like, all right.

[Dana Carvey]

And he climbs over the fence. I like, no, no, no. Because even if he's in rehab, they want to be the ones to drink with him.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah. I remember at being a dinner, and I think it was the weekend I got married, it was me and Sandler like, it. The steakhouse and with Farley, and they kept sending drinks over, and at certain one point, we told the waiter, don't bring any more alcohol. If somebody orders a drink for them, just bring a ginger ale or Coke or something and just lightly tap it with some alcohol and give it to them or just give it to us, you know, but they. But the waiter goes, I can't. People keep making me bring it, you know? And so that was the problem. Like. But the thing is that people didn't have to deal with him. You know what I mean?

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[Tim Meadows]

You didn't have to. You didn't have to be with him when he was wasted.

[Dana Carvey]

After that, we had you and Adam. Yeah.

[Tim Meadows]

Yes. Trying to get him to, like, calm

[Dana Carvey]

down or to not get him to his apartment.

[Tim Meadows]

Yes. Yeah. Yeah. But, yeah, it was a hard. It was a hard part. And just. Yeah. During that point, it was almost like, I don't know what to do. You know, I. I threatened to, like, not be friends and to lose my communication with Them. But that didn't, you know.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, that's the part people don't understand when they think, oh, would you guys argue at times I'm like, well, if you don't know the real situation, you don't know the levels of. It goes in so many waves of. Like, you. You care about someone so much that you. You do fight because you. You run out of weapons to say, will you lose me? Will you help if you know that we're going to be gone, you know, but nothing really works.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

And so you see him on the show and you go, oh, my God, I can see it. I see it.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah. But no, dude, I do. I'm missing, you know, of course, you know. You know what?

[Dana Carvey]

Freaking. I was in Chicago and doing a gig two weeks ago, and my hotel was right across on Hancock, and I was like. I was like, oh, my God, is that where it is right there? Because I don't go to Chicago that much. You guys are all from there. But I was like, oh, it's such a weird vibe to just see it. And I walk by it. I'm like, ah, it's called the Hancock Building.

[Tim Meadows]

Hancock Building, yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. Anyway. Anyway, we can keep going, but I

[David Spade]

mean, on a positive note, it's. Yes. Like, I was talking to someone the other day about just, you know, where is the next Chris Farley?

[Tim Meadows]

And.

[David Spade]

And the alchemy of Chris Farley, as, you know, the likeability, all of it, you know, the physicality and everything just boy really hard. And I think we interviewed someone who's gonna try to play Chris Farley in a movie or. Is there a Chris Farley? Yeah, and that's a. That's a tall order for anybody because he's kind of. I mean, we have data now. It's been a while. And he's. He was in his.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

Where's the clarity at this point? Never seen a force like that. And you see that. The one. I mean, the Foley guy, I mean, it's just. It's a tornado. I don't even know what it is.

[Tim Meadows]

It's so.

[David Spade]

Well, it's so fantastic what he's doing.

[Tim Meadows]

Well, we did. When we did Matt Foley at Second City Fire, when Farley left to go to snl, we still had the sketch in our running order. And like, other actors who filled in from Farley try to do it and could not do it. They could not do it. And I saw, you know, there's a guy named Mitch Ross and Ian Gomez, this other actor who's. Yeah, pretty well. But Ian tried everything. He came in is like a guy in a fucking bow tie in a suit. And he did. I wrote a speech and it's called Go for It. And he tried to do Farley and it. Nobody could do that character. And we just took it out of the show. And even though it killed every night when Farley was doing it, you know.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, it was hard. You wonder, like, that's the part that's the funniest. I mean, I'm in one of those sketches or I'm in a couple. I'm just watching him, like the audience.

[David Spade]

So I.

[Dana Carvey]

There's not much going on. And then you set up something goes. Is that Bill Shakespeare?

[Tim Meadows]

I can't see too good if he

[David Spade]

just kept pulling up his pants and adjusting them. Just that.

[Dana Carvey]

That's enough.

[Tim Meadows]

Yes.

[David Spade]

I mean, he's. He gets down like he's a lineman or something doing the super bowl.

[Dana Carvey]

And.

[David Spade]

And there's so many moves, subtle moves within his broadness. There's a lot of little tricky things.

[Dana Carvey]

But I like when Phil Hartman kept getting written different ways to bring him out. And he's very casual. We hired a motivational speaker. He's down in the basement eating coffee beans for the last 40 minutes. You had to explain some reason why he shot out of a fucking cannon.

[David Spade]

He's hearing Phil's voice. Voice right now. Because Phil was also so great at playing the regular straight guy with a little bit of satire. He's over.

[Tim Meadows]

You know, I also. I was telling Odenkirk not too long ago that I had seen that sketch. We did it in snl. I mean, a second city for a year. Saw it on in. In, you know, on Saturday Live. And I. The thing that I always. I made me laugh, but I always missed with the. He had. The speech was entitled Go for It. And that just made me laugh that he actually had a speech and it was. Had a title Go for It. That told Kirk. I was like. I seen. Seen it for years. That it just hit me one day that that was how funny that was, you know?

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

Could other comedians have done the dance, you know, van down by the river, but not trying to do him? Like, if Lovitz did it, you will end up in a van down by the river. But it doesn't have the same little. But I guess it's just there all for us to.

[Dana Carvey]

It's tough to do matte foliage.

[Tim Meadows]

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[Dana Carvey]

My refund though. I'm freaking out.

[Tim Meadows]

Don't worry, I can fix this. Lifelock fixes identity theft guaranteed and gets your money back with up to $3 million in coverage.

[Dana Carvey]

I'm so relieved.

[David Spade]

No problem. I'll be with you every step of the way.

[Tim Meadows]

One in four was a fraud paying American. Not anymore. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit lifelock.com podcast Terms apply.

[Dana Carvey]

You know your work with Molly on DMV? She was on SNL, right?

[Tim Meadows]

Yes, she was. Unnecessary.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, because she's good. I mean Lauren, I remember said she gives me waves of colors of Chris when she's out there, which is a high, high, high compliment obviously. So it must be good to have her on the show. It is.

[Tim Meadows]

And I have to say that I, I definitely get that what Lauren is saying. Definitely. And she does. The thing I love about Molly, and I don't mean to say is that they really approach the lines differently every time we do a take. Yeah, yeah. They never do the same thing. And I've told Molly to like, don't let anybody tell you, don't let anybody clamp you down. Like always do the crazy ideas that you have because she's so different from everybody. It that I just, I want to see her. I want to, I'm a fan.

[Dana Carvey]

You know, it makes it fun to watch and you have to have something that's fun to watch because everyone can read the lines. But you're like, they, they don't even know until they see it. So if you throw in a take on the last one and you do something interesting, the smart people go, well, let's put that. And we need something to hook people in. Like we want to watch Molly and go, oh, I know something different will be happening here. Or, you know, that's what slowly it takes.

[David Spade]

You know, the enemy of comedy sometimes is being stale. And that's why we all tried to like hold something for the air show. And when you're doing a take in a show like that and you're going to do something new, then you are discovering it in real time and There's a magic to that.

[Tim Meadows]

Yes.

[David Spade]

Glad that she's getting to do that. They are getting to do that.

[Tim Meadows]

Yes. And I feel like, like, you asked me, like, my thing, what I do, and I think that's part of what I do is, like, when I get a job and they say, you know, I save my improv and my ideas for when they're, like, comfortable with what we already got.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[Tim Meadows]

And then I'll do things. But I don't. Like, I used to ask, but I don't ask anymore. I just do it now. Like, you know, I just go, forget it. Because either they're going to take it or they're not going to take it. And. Well, I. Not just to my horn, but I know I'm good. And I'm also a writer, so I know I kind of know what I'm doing.

[David Spade]

I would say so.

[Dana Carvey]

And people. People at home don't know that. People at home that when you. You're always. The other pressure to be an actor is they're always in a hurry, so they're always trying to make the day try. So it's not really like a playground where, like, we can be here all day doing whatever you want unless it's some big budget. But most things you do, especially, like on TV or like, 1, 2, 3 takes, move it on. And it's hard to say, can we do one more? And everyone's like, what? Like, we gotta go. We got the lighting. And you go just real quick. So it.

[David Spade]

It's.

[Dana Carvey]

It's easier to not do it.

[Tim Meadows]

Yes.

[Dana Carvey]

So you try to get it in, and then you get. And just go, I got to get something in here that's somewhat different or memorable because repetition kills us comedians. Like, same thing verbatim, over and over. You just start going, yeah, because you

[Tim Meadows]

do, like, you lose the spontaneity. And it's easier, like doing stand up or whatever, because it's your ideas and your words and stuff. But when it's something somebody else's, and you got to try to make it spontaneous, like, you know, 10 times in a row and you don't have a lot of faith in it anyway.

[Dana Carvey]

Sure. Yeah.

[Tim Meadows]

You know, it can. It can be a little bit difficult. You know what I mean?

[David Spade]

I mean, I think stand up really teaches rhythm and the musicality of things. And sometimes you'll get something from a writer and it's a. It's a. It's a pretty good joke, but in your head, you're going to. Oh, there's just two extra words here. Or that little too fat. You kind of intuitive from so much standup and getting the immediate laugh. You're like, oh, what we need to do is just cut that, you know?

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, yeah.

[David Spade]

It's hard to have to do it and try to save theirs without correcting. I'm just.

[Dana Carvey]

It's hard to explain. Like, I'm telling you, this should be tighter just by even this extra. We don't need this extra sentence. They're like, no, no, we'll just do it. That. I'm like, I'm scared it'll be in there. Then I look stupid.

[David Spade]

Because that's. Yeah, it's hard. We are the ones. The bullets will be coming at you, you know?

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

We're the front line. The writers can either be celebrating or got looking down. Like, I never liked it.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, I fed him that.

[Tim Meadows]

I. I always at the word is. What do they call it? Chuffa or something.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Tim Meadows]

It's just like. No, this is just chuffer. This is mean. Meandering, meaningless words that you put in here to get five pages in the scene.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. This will be the first thing cut.

[Tim Meadows]

Yes.

[Dana Carvey]

In editing, it'll be like, we don't. We don't need that. Some editor will be smart and go forward. Forward. Don't need that. Don't need that. That's a sentence we need. That's what we need. Get down to the bare bones. But you're right, it's. Sometimes it's just filler.

[David Spade]

Like the word of the day, or at least I've heard it a lot recently is slop. It's made up. It's made a comeback. How was the show? Sloppy. You know, so many shows that are just slop.

[Dana Carvey]

But you know, Timmy, I was doing my stand up the other night. Sorry, Dana and No, no, like. Like what Dana's saying is I was trying new stuff and I. As I'm saying it, I'm like, I don't need that part. This is too wordy.

[David Spade]

It's just.

[Dana Carvey]

I get to it and I go, some of that's funny idea. It's too long. And then I. We type it out and then I circle it and go, I don't need this whole set. Okay. I just need this part. And then you can see it so. So many times of doing that helps because then you get on a set, but it's other people's words and they're precious with it, obviously.

[Tim Meadows]

Right.

[Dana Carvey]

Delicate. To say, hey, some of this is kind of dog shit. Shuff a slop.

[David Spade]

Chuff a slop. We got a new phrase from Nabisco. Yeah. On the next podcast. I think Carson's only advice for standups was get to the joke. Yeah, that's what he would say. Get to the joke. Because they tend to fall in love with stuff like that. I feel like we should do a little bit of promotion on your show, basically, because that's probably why you're here.

[Dana Carvey]

Yes.

[David Spade]

It's on cbs. It's. You're. You're on right now. What night? What time?

[Tim Meadows]

It's Mondays. Eight o'.

[Dana Carvey]

Clock.

[Tim Meadows]

I think they moved us to. They said that 8:30. 8:00'. Clock. We had a. They recently gave us a whole evening where they play DMV for like two hours or something. But it's cbs. It's. I think we're taking a break and then we're coming back after the Olympics is over.

[David Spade]

How many episodes have you done so far?

[Tim Meadows]

We did. We did 20. We shot 20.

[David Spade]

And of how many? Big order. Yeah. That's. In modern times.

[Dana Carvey]

CBS is probably the best spot to be.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, I'm pretty.

[Dana Carvey]

I feel like all those shows just do well. They just feel like they know what they're doing.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah. I always. I always say I want to be on a ship. My next thing, I want to be on a show like Wings. Remember that show?

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[Tim Meadows]

It was on NBC. It was on for like, maybe seven, eight years. Nobody ever watched it.

[Dana Carvey]

It's one of those. You go, what was that about again? I think it was all from the local airport.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah, but it's like, I want. It was on for seven years. I have an anniversary episode this year. You know, it's just like, what? But no, those guys, they all have had great careers. If you look back, that show had a great cast, but I'm just like, I want one of those where, like.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, yeah.

[Tim Meadows]

No pressure. The network loves you.

[Dana Carvey]

Put you on autopilot.

[David Spade]

Yeah, yeah. It's great to be on a show that's, It's. That's a hit enough that, you know. Okay, season threes, we're. We're going with. All the episodes are stacked. We have our. So for this one, the idea is you're going to get to 22 and then. Or stop at 20 after the super bowl and it'll go all the way to May.

[Dana Carvey]

Okay.

[Tim Meadows]

Yeah. And then we will hopefully get picked up for another season.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[Tim Meadows]

And. But, yeah, it's been busy. I. I don't know.

[Dana Carvey]

You're always busy since snl.

[David Spade]

To me, you've always. You've got your. A lot of Shows. You've been on a lot of movies,

[Dana Carvey]

you've done a lot of Grant in the Mountain.

[David Spade]

No wonder this is white. How many things you've been on

[Dana Carvey]

to rest. Yeah, I don't know.

[Tim Meadows]

I. I was just gonna say I just have a thing about not working. I don't know about you, but yeah, after a certain point I just go, okay, I gotta, I should be doing something because I'm just.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, of course.

[Tim Meadows]

I, I like being creative and, and also stand up.

[David Spade]

You should tout your stand up right now. I mean, you have a website, you know that people can go and look at all the dates you're doing and stuff like that.

[Tim Meadows]

Yes. Tim Meadows comedy tour.

[Dana Carvey]

I'm.

[Tim Meadows]

There's dates online and on Instagram and stuff.

[Dana Carvey]

Great.

[Tim Meadows]

And yeah, I'm going to do some shows with Colin actually in Chicago.

[Dana Carvey]

Colin Quinn.

[David Spade]

Oh, good.

[Tim Meadows]

Dq.

[David Spade]

Great.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh yeah, Colin Quinn, one of the most looked up to comics. So fun, fun to hang out with too.

[David Spade]

Yeah, he's great. Sounds great.

[Tim Meadows]

Trying new stuff too. So he's gonna, so I'm gonna like make him watch my.

[Dana Carvey]

He'll. He'll help. He's good at that. Yeah. Well, thanks, Timmy. It's nice.

[Tim Meadows]

I love you guys.

[Dana Carvey]

Hey guys. If you're loving this podcast, which you are, be sure to click follow on your favorite podcast app, Give us review 5 star rating and maybe even share an episode that you've loved with a friend.

[David Spade]

If you're watching this episode on YouTube, please subscribe. We're on video now.

[Dana Carvey]

Fly on the Wall is presented by Odyssey, an executive produced by Dana Carvey and David Spade, Heather Santoro and Greg Holtzman, Maddie Sprung Keyser and Leah Reese Dennis of Odyssey.

[David Spade]

Our senior producer is Greg Holtzman and the show is produced and edited by

[Dana Carvey]

Phil Sweetech, Booking by Cultivated Entertainment.

[David Spade]

Special thanks to Patrick Fogarty, Evan Cox, Maura Curran, Melissa Westerman, Hilary Schuff, Eric Donnelly, Colin Gaynor, Sean Cherry, Kirk Courtney and Lauren Vieira.

[Dana Carvey]

Reach out with us. Any questions be asked and answered on the show? You can email [e-mail] that's a U-A C-Y dot com.