Ego Nwodim’s “Lisa from Temecula”

Summary

Good One: A Podcast About Jokes
Episode: Ego Nwodim’s “Lisa from Temecula”
Host: Jesse David Fox
Release Date: June 4, 2024

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Introduction

In this episode of Good One: A Podcast About Jokes, host Jesse David Fox welcomes Ego Nwodim, a standout performer from Saturday Night Live (SNL). Celebrating her sixth season on the show, Ego discusses her journey, the development of her memorable character Lisa from Temecula, and the dynamics of creating comedy within the fast-paced environment of SNL.

Breaking Down "Lisa from Temecula"

The episode kicks off with Ego performing her iconic character, Lisa from Temecula, a role that marked her breakthrough on SNL. Lisa is portrayed as an overly meticulous lawyer who insists on her steak being cooked extra well, leading to humorous disruptions at the dinner table.

[00:10] Jesse David Fox: "Good One: A Podcast About Jokes is a podcast about - well - jokes, and the people who tell them."

[02:16] Ego Nwodim: "It's just like a blank canvas where Scott really allows you to do anything."

Ego recounts the sketch’s creation, highlighting how it blends her type-A personality with playful absurdity, making Lisa a beloved recurring character.

Casting and Early Years on SNL

Ego shares a succinct story of her casting on SNL, testing twice before landing her spot on the show.

[05:45] Ego Nwodim: "I tested for SNL two times. [...] The second time it worked out."

Reflecting on her initial experiences, Ego emphasizes her strategy of observing and adapting without overshadowing established cast members, allowing her comedic voice to flourish organically.

Collaboration with Writers Alex English and Gary Richardson

A significant portion of the discussion centers on Ego's collaboration with writers Alex English and Gary Richardson. She describes their complementary styles—her meticulousness balanced by their relaxed approach—which fosters a creative synergy essential for developing sketches like Lisa from Temecula.

[13:13] Ego Nwodim: "They make me chill out. I can be very Type A."

Ego details how sketches evolve from initial ideas to final performances, often involving improvisation and iterative feedback during table reads and rehearsals.

Behind the Scenes: Developing Lisa from Temecula

Ego delves into the specific journey of creating Lisa from Temecula, from its original premise to its final form. She explains how a simple observation about steak preferences transformed into a full-fledged character through collaborative writing and creative input.

[24:32] Ego Nwodim: "She's like the sweater of a woman who really thinks she's killing it."

Ego also discusses the challenges faced during dress rehearsals, such as unexpected changes and the pressure of perfecting the sketch for live television.

Performing Under Pressure: Live Sketch Dynamics

Ego recounts a memorable dress rehearsal where technical issues and unexpected props (like an overcooked steak) tested her improvisational skills. Her ability to stay in character and handle on-the-fly changes exemplifies her comedic resilience.

[31:01] Ego Nwodim: "We’re at dinner. What are you doing?"

Ego highlights the importance of trust and collaboration among the cast and crew to maintain the sketch’s integrity despite unforeseen hurdles.

Expanding the Cast: Other Recurring Characters

Beyond Lisa, Ego introduces other characters she has developed, such as Rich Auntie with No Kids and Charlotte, the Pregnant Stingray. Each character showcases her versatility and creative range, blending absurdity with relatable human traits.

[54:57] Ego Nwodim: "I love playing these confident people who are, like, a hot mess."

These characters further establish Ego's unique comedic voice on SNL, allowing her to explore different facets of humor and personality.

Leadership and Mentorship on SNL

As a senior cast member, Ego reflects on her role in mentoring newer cast members. She stresses the importance of empathy and support, drawing from her own experiences as a newcomer to guide and encourage her colleagues.

[75:49] Ego Nwodim: "It's really important to seek out those more junior cast members... I'm there if you need advice."

Ego’s leadership approach fosters a positive and collaborative environment, ensuring that the creative energies within the SNL cast remain vibrant and inclusive.

Personal Growth and Future Aspirations

Ego discusses her personal growth on SNL, balancing her type-A traits with her innate silliness. She expresses a desire to continue pushing her comedic boundaries, aspiring to take on more dynamic and diverse roles within the show.

[51:38] Ego Nwodim: "I didn't want to rock the boat... now I can be more playful."

Looking ahead, Ego is enthusiastic about exploring new characters and sketches, striving to infuse her performances with even greater energy and creativity.

The Laughing Round

In the concluding segment, The Laughing Round, Ego shares her favorite jokes, discusses interactions with legendary comedians, and offers advice to aspiring comedians.

• Favorite Joke: Lisa from Temecula enjoys repeating a punchline from a Jamie Foxx and Fantasia performance about skin tone.

• Characters She Wishes to Steal: Ego expresses admiration for Kerry Washington’s Miss Uganda and Tim Robinson’s sketches, highlighting her appreciation for diverse comedic styles.

• Best Bombed Moment: Ego candidly shares that her best bombed moment was during a dress rehearsal for Lisa from Temecula when unexpected props disrupted the sketch.

• Advice for Aspiring Comedians: Emphasizes the importance of watching as much comedy as possible, embracing failures, and finding inspiration in everyday life.

[84:40] Ego Nwodim: "Watch as much of the comedy it is that you want to be doing... get up there and get comfortable and bombing."

Closing Remarks

Jesse and Ego wrap up the episode with light-hearted banter and final thoughts on Ego’s contributions to SNL. Ego reiterates her passion for improvisation and her commitment to maintaining a positive and supportive atmosphere within the show.

[87:53] Jesse David Fox: "Thank you so much."

[88:51] Ego Nwodim: "Good one."

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Notable Quotes

• Ego on Character Creation:

  [06:31] Ego Nwodim: "What can sustain the duration of a podcast episode, what is a game that could just be played in how I respond to things?"

• Ego on Leadership:

  [75:49] Ego Nwodim: "If you need advice or if you ever need an ear, I'm there."

• Advice for Comedians:

  [84:40] Ego Nwodim: "Get up there and get used to and comfortable and bombing and being bad at it and getting okay with that."

Conclusion

This episode of Good One offers an insightful look into Ego Nwodim’s comedic process, her experiences on SNL, and the intricate balance between meticulousness and playful absurdity that defines her characters. Ego’s reflections provide valuable lessons for both aspiring comedians and fans eager to understand the art of joke-telling from one of SNL’s brightest talents.

For more episodes and sketches discussed, visit Good One Podcast on Peacock or follow Ego on social media at @egowodom.

Transcript

[Jesse David Fox]

Hello and welcome to Good One, a podcast about jokes. I am your host, Jesse David Fox. Each episode, the guest plays a clip of one of their jokes, bits, stories, sketches, what have you, and discusses how and why they came up with it. This week's guest is Ego Wodom from television's Saturday Night Live. She just wrapped up her sixth season of the show and at this point it really feels like her show. Not like she's a Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Eddie Murphy solo star that the entire show revolves around, but that she is truly able to do her comedy on the show. As a fan, since I first heard her on the Comedy Bang Bang podcast seven years ago, it has been a true joy to watch. She can be just so funny and silly and stupid on Saturday Night Live and it's the best. While she always has been good on the show, her breakthrough came midway through last season with a sketch and character named Lisa from Temecula, which she has now done on the show three times. And we will start there. So here is Ego Wodem. Toast to our birthday girl, Shayna here, Kendra. Let's not forget her baby sister Lisa, who flew all the way from Temecula to celebrate with us. Lisa, we have heard so much about you. It's so nice to finally meet you.

[Ego Wodom]

Mm, that's cute. But don't think I'm giving up the butt tonight.

[Jesse David Fox]

I'm sorry, what?

[Ego Wodom]

She is just kidding. Don't mind her.

[Jesse David Fox]

Sorry for the way your steak should be cooked to your liking. Now, third time's a charm. Extra, extra, well done.

[Ego Wodom]

Thank you.

[Jesse David Fox]

Lisa, do you always order steaks like that? I didn't know you could get them. Extra, extra. Well.

[Ego Wodom]

Mm. Cook my meat. I don't wanna see. Not one speck of red. I can't be getting sick tonight. I gotta be in court in the morning.

[Jesse David Fox]

You're a lawyer?

[Ego Wodom]

Oh, yeah. She is actually the lead litigator on a class action shoot against Walmart. Yeah, couple of their coin star machines exploded. I ain't gotta tell you what happened next.

[Jesse David Fox]

Wow, that's really amazing of you. I really admire that.

[Ego Wodom]

Sis, what is going on with your little friend? He is really doing the most trying to get some butt tonight.

[Jesse David Fox]

Excuse me?

[Ego Wodom]

Oh my God. Nothing, Paul. Girl, could you not start with that? You know what? I'mma just sit here and eat my steak in peace.

[Jesse David Fox]

Well, anyway, I. Oh, I didn't tell you guys, but a few nights back, this dog, this dog followed me home.

[Ego Wodom]

About to tear this thing up. When I opened.

[Jesse David Fox]

When I opened the door, he just he just sprinted inside. So now I'm running.

[Ego Wodom]

That man ain't giving me no ketchup.

[Jesse David Fox]

I'm running around my house trying to catch him.

[Ego Wodom]

Sis, you got ketchup over there? Girl, just eat. Can you just eat without ketchup? You think it's gonna be nasty without ketchup?

[Jesse David Fox]

So, anyway, I guess I had two.

[Ego Wodom]

Bones in my base.

[Jesse David Fox]

That's so craz.

[Ego Wodom]

Gods, Sis. Come on.

[Jesse David Fox]

Girl.

[Ego Wodom]

Sis, I got to cut you a piece of this steak. This steak is busting. Oh, my God. Can you just chill?

[Jesse David Fox]

He's trying to tell a story.

[Ego Wodom]

Oh, my God. Stop. I heard him. He said he got chased by a dog. Okay, okay, Lisa. Okay. All right. Okay.

[Jesse David Fox]

What?

[Ego Wodom]

Look. Huh? What? What the man, Antonio Banderas over here trying to get some butt while he got Cujo living in his basement.

[Jesse David Fox]

Hey, everyone.

[Ego Wodom]

Just want to check in on you.

[Jesse David Fox]

Is everything going all right?

[Ego Wodom]

We've been getting some complaints. Oh. Cause we black. We over here minding our business. I'm just making sure everything's okay. Actually, everything. Everything is not okay. There is wine all in there. Food, it's all over the floor. Now, y'all need to do better.

[Jesse David Fox]

Lisa.

[Ego Wodom]

Yes.

[Jesse David Fox]

I understand you don't. You know, you don't want to be sick tomorrow, but you have been sawing that steak. This is a mess because of you.

[Ego Wodom]

Okay, now, hold up. Now, I'm not gonna let y'all corner my baby sister, Lisa, who done came all the way from Temecula on my birthday. I know that's right. Now, does my sister have terrible listening comprehension skills? 1,000%. I know that's right. But she's the only sister I got. Bitch, we the youngest of six girls. Okay? Okay. But at the end of the day, no matter what other flaws, she's my family. And it better not be a damn red speck on that damn plate. Cook my meat. Okay, you know what? You know what? Y'all just haven't had it, right? I'm gonna cut y'all a piece. How about a piece?

[Jesse David Fox]

I am here with Ego Wodom. Thank you for joining me.

[Ego Wodom]

Thank you for having me, Jesse.

[Jesse David Fox]

So I find whenever SNL people are interviewed, they have to spend half the conversation retelling the journey of being cast. So they have that story down. So what I like to do is, in 45 seconds or less, can you tell the entire story of how you got cast on snl?

[Ego Wodom]

Okay, so I tested for SNL two times. Oh, my God. It's your timing me. Okay, I tested for SNL two times. The second Time it worked out. Lauren seemed to like what I do the second time. And then he cast me and he called me and told me that the problem you're having in la, which is finding a place to live, you're now gonna have in New York. His cheeky way of letting me know I got the job is that. Did I make time?

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, that was only 20 seconds. Great.

[Ego Wodom]

Oh, my God. Okay.

[Jesse David Fox]

See? Yeah, now we don't have to talk about that. Now everyone knows. Yes. So I feel like I first became a big fan of yours, listening to Comedy Bang Bang. So I wanna start there. Cause that is obviously part of your journey. Yeah. As a comedy character maker, how do you. Or do you generally approach creating characters for that show?

[Ego Wodom]

Oh, my goodness. With Comedy Bang Bang. So my thought is it's a podcast. No one's gonna get to see any sort of visual cues. So I think what is going to be sustainable over the course of an entire podcast? Episode length. Basically, Scott has said to me, I shouldn't out him here. If you listen back to some episodes, he's like, when someone's really struggling with their character, he'll ask them, so how did you get started doing the thing you do? So I've outed him, and that's his little sign. So there are a few episodes where he asked me that, but I also know why he's asking. And we're kind of having this inside joke moment. But generally I'm like, what can sustain over the duration of a podcast? So what is a game that could just be played in how I respond to things? And so that's been my method. I mean, I was admittedly in Italy when I came up with Pasta Pasta. I was in Italy on a cliff, eating pasta. And I thought, ah, you know, it would be really fun because I do love pasta so much. If I'm a disciple of that beloved starchy deliciousness, please welcome back to the show Pasta.

[Jesse David Fox]

Pasta.

[Ego Wodom]

Pasta. Pasta.

[Jesse David Fox]

Pasta. Pasta. Sorry, I could never know how. Never quite remember how to pronounce it.

[Ego Wodom]

Like, my identity is separate. Also an enthusiast of pasta, but I'm an enthusiast because I'm a pastor.

[Jesse David Fox]

Right.

[Ego Wodom]

Is that track for you, Scott?

[Jesse David Fox]

I suppose so, yes. And I apologize.

[Ego Wodom]

I didn't mean to offend you. I think people said fusilli. Fusilli. All right.

[Jesse David Fox]

It's funny because this is a game that can sustain an hour or whatever. These. They have fairly small games. I mean, especially, like, Pastor Pasta and like, Entrepreneur, which is essentially just, she doesn't know what things are.

[Ego Wodom]

This is gonna Be my claim to fame. Oh, I can't wait.

[Jesse David Fox]

Great.

[Ego Wodom]

A rectangular shaped object with four to five seats inside of it. A wheel in front of one seat.

[Jesse David Fox]

Wheel. Look, you're describing a car right now. Poorly.

[Ego Wodom]

Hold on, hold on. Poorly.

[Jesse David Fox]

Describing a car.

[Ego Wodom]

What does it do? What does it do? What is it about? What is this about? It? The person. Somebody will sit in the car. Oh, everyone.

[Jesse David Fox]

You just said car. You pitched a car. You know what a car is. You're just copying ideas.

[Ego Wodom]

No, the devil done got inside me. You said car. You said car and you planted a seed of doubt in my mind.

[Jesse David Fox]

I beg your pardon. I'm sorry, I don't mean to get.

[Ego Wodom]

In your head too much.

[Jesse David Fox]

And I think part of it is your age to be like, if this one thing is true about this person, I actually know everything about them. Is that what it's like?

[Ego Wodom]

That is sort of what it's like. I mean, entrepreneur just assumes they've got all these brilliant ideas, but all those things exist already. And so I go, I can. How many objects are there in the world that I can, as entrepreneur, deny knowing exists and start off as a rectangle? That was also just that, truly the whole, like, I've had people tag me and things and be like, oh, is this a rectangle? And I thought, I didn't do the rectangle thing on purpose. It was just like attempting to describe many things. A lot of things are built from rectangles, but they are. It just. It is. If you know this one thing about a person, like with entrepreneur. Yes. All the other things about this person you can assume that are true are fair game for me. Like, so entre doesn't know what things are. And it's like, what else doesn't entree know? Entre's gotta know something. Entree thinks she's brilliant. She. He. They. I don't know.

[Jesse David Fox]

I think the last. The last time, I think they are back to. I think they're he. But I can't totally remember.

[Ego Wodom]

Yes. And then pasta. Pasta. It's like a disciple of. I mean, there are more pastas than I can even think of. And every. Someone just at work said to me two weeks ago, not knowing I do pasta, pasta, but I was like putting this in my back pocket. They told me there was a different type of pasta shape now or something. And I go, great, now I have to. I'm going to have to read about that and we'll have to get pasta, Pasta. Talking about that. But there's so much. There's, you know, you Think of pasta. Pasta. It's like a clergyman of pasta. It's like, what else is true of this person? They like sauce, too, probably. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Did you ever think about bringing any of the characters to the show or a version of them?

[Ego Wodom]

I have thought about it, but just because the way my little demented brain works, I'm like, I don't know how I would make any of those. They feel so remarkably heightened in a way that I imagine he hasn't told me this Lauren would hate. It's funny. He'll sometimes tell me that I can overthink things, and some of my sketches are something that he doesn't comment on any particular sketch. But sometimes he goes, sometimes just think about it too much. And you're too smart in this regard, and you don't have to think that hard about something. And I'm like, it's so wild to me that I can be as insane and silly as I am on Bang Bang, because Bang Bang feels like just a blank canvas where Scott really allows you to do anything. While it's existed for 15 years. Happy birthday. The show SNL has existed for 50 years. And I've also often said, like, you have to find a way to marry your voice to the voice of the show. The show has its own voice. And so while I would love to bring pasta. Pasta to SNL or Andre P. Neuir, I'm like, what sort of packaging would I put them in that works for the show?

[Jesse David Fox]

What would have to be in the news?

[Ego Wodom]

Exactly. What would have to. What would have to. I feel like something would have to happen on, like, Shark Tank that there's.

[Jesse David Fox]

A new pasta that blah, blah, blah. Right. The Vatican announced.

[Ego Wodom]

Yes, yes. And then it's like. And I'm like. And maybe in my time here, that might happen, but until then, I can't figure out how to get those characters over to the show.

[Jesse David Fox]

Let's talk about Lisa.

[Ego Wodom]

Oh, yes. Sweet Lisa.

[Jesse David Fox]

So the sketch was written by Alex English, Gary Richardson and Michael Che. I want to focus first on Alex and Gary. Alex had started on the show, I think, the season before, and Gary had been there your whole time. But around this time, he was promoted to writing supervisor.

[Ego Wodom]

Yes.

[Jesse David Fox]

And much of what you've written and much of what you've done in the last couple years have been with a combination of them, too. Yeah. Can you talk about what your relationship with them is like? What do they bring out of you? What do you bring out of each other?

[Ego Wodom]

They make me chill out. I can be very Type A. I don't think I'm ever gonna change in that regard. But it's like I'm. I'm type A and so studious about things, and they are more just like, we're chilling, we're grooving. And so in the process of Lisa, for instance, I did. I had a sense that they were writing something for me. I'd heard about it that week, the week before, I was giving them shit for giving me one line and something. But it was like, it was playful. We're friends, so I was giving them shit. And Alex, God bless him, was like, okay, well, I have something for you. Next week, I have something for you. I'm like, okay. And I knew they were writing something, but I didn't get to take. And they told me what it was. They told me this woman orders like a well done steak and she's kind of shaking the table because I'm so, like, I can again be so type A. I was like, my normal inclination would be to be like, okay. And then what happens, though? But then, okay, that feels like a beat. And then what?

[Jesse David Fox]

How do you heighten table shaking?

[Ego Wodom]

Yes. And so I was like, you know what? At that point, I feel like it was February in the season. It feels like this happens to me every season where I just go, okay, whatever, I'm surrendering. And so I didn't probe them any further. I was like, they're gonna go off and write it. I'm not gonna be involved in that first draft. Whatever they bring to table is what they bring to table and I'll do for them. So they bring out a more. They bring out my chill, and I feel like I bring out their studiousness and it's like the perfect yin yang, you know?

[Jesse David Fox]

So as you mentioned, they had the idea and they wrote it completely. They had sort of alerted you, but is that usually how it goes? How often are you there at the beginning? What is the breakdown? Like when a sketch or your character is born, how do you approach it?

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah, so they told me about that. In the case of Lisa from Temecula, they told me that they were working on that. I left that one alone. That was just my instinct at that time. I don't know where it came from. Lots of prayer, I'm sure. So I was like, I'm gonna let them do that some other times I will bring them an idea or they'll bring me an idea. And I'm like, great, let's get in on it and let's write it. And so it really varies from Piece to piece. Alex will say sometimes he said it recently. He's like, I like surprising people at the table. And so Cass might not know he wrote you a piece. And you find out at table. And it is a nice little gift. But with Lisa from Temecula specifically, that first iteration, I was not involved in the writing of that. What did end up happening is on Saturday morning with Alex. Then I got involved, and I was like, I feel like she should say this, and I feel like she should say that, and let's throw that in. And so that was very fun. Cause there were moments when we were rehearsing that I felt like, oh, this could use something. This could use an extra line from her or just a thought from her. And so it really varies from piece to piece. When it's their idea, I do try to just let them soar. Cause I think those guys are so funny. So, so funny.

[Jesse David Fox]

So, yes, you get the script Wednesday for a table read, and you have, I'm sure, plenty of other things. You also, you know, it's just like in a pile. But do you at that point go, let me make a decision of who this person is? Do you just go, like, I'm gonna read it kind of in a funnyish voice, but I'm not really gonna think too through. Or you're like, I know exactly who this person.

[Ego Wodom]

Well, you know, if you have. So what happens on Wednesday is like, the writers of sketches will come to you in your dressing room where you're waiting to start table read, and give you sort of a heads up. Like, you're in this sketch, you're sort of playing it like this. And if they have a specific voice in mind for you, which they're never usually that, you know, I would say that controlling. But if they have a particular voice in mind for the character, they'll let you know. So you kind of have a sense of it. And even in reading it, sometimes context will provide, like, okay, this person is Southern. They're in South Carolina or something. And the things they're saying, I can hear it right now. But a writer will come over and confirm it for you. In the case of Lisa, I just remember Gary and Alex just being like, just like an auntie. She's like an auntie, someone's auntie. And I'm like, okay, great, great. This is what I hear. This is the voice I'm hearing when I'm reading what's on the page.

[Jesse David Fox]

Just the voice you thought of is the voice that. It's like a kind of. Cause you have played other aunties on this show.

[Ego Wodom]

I have played all kinds of aunties. And then Lisa. Yeah, Lisa is her own version of an auntie, you know. Yeah. I just imagine. And I love playing these kinds of characters. And I said it before, and I'll say it again, who are strong and wrong and. And I would say sort of disruptive and indignant about it, frankly. And Lisa was just that. They didn't know that. But it was the perfect dream for me. It was just like it was. And then, by the way, I should say this, they had a steak delivered to me at Table Read. They really had a steak come to table. So in that case, again, another thing I'd go is like, well, how are we going to sell this at table? We're going to be able to shake a table. But then when someone sees a hard rock steak delivered to me at table and me with utensils at table reads, shake. And we have a giant table for table reads, sort of like. And it was kind of shaking the table was when they had the steak delivery. It was just all very funny. And you left near little to the imagination on that one, which was very helpful. Cause you do have to sell it at tables. So there is no version, I'll say this at table Read, where you really are auditioning this piece and trying to sell this piece. It would not behoove you to sort of, because you don't know what the character sounds like, not make a choice. You definitely wanna make a choice and confer with the writers if need be.

[Jesse David Fox]

Is that something you have learned from being at the show a while at this point?

[Ego Wodom]

Yes, it is. I was just thinking about reflecting on my first year on the show. And I just thought, I'm first year. I'm not supposed to rock the boat. I'm not supposed to even try to steal Shine. I don't know that that was the right way of thinking about it, but I wanted to be a sponge and observe. And there were so many people in the cast then, and I was hired on my own, so I didn't really have classmates in the sense of other cast members. And. And so when I first got there, it was just like, I'm going to read what's on the page and I'm not going to do anything too big or do anything to sort of pull focus. And in retrospect, I'm like, I don't know that that was the right move for me. And I go, oh, yeah, I understand. You're selling something here. You better sell it at table. So yeah, that's something I learned over time for sure.

[Jesse David Fox]

So, you know, as I said there, you would hear the idea and you go, what makes the sketch move forward? Right. You just would be like, that just seems like that should be almost in the background of another thing that's happening. But really it's like you're just learning more about what is a type of person that likes their meat cooked this way.

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah, yeah, you are. You're going, okay. And the thing is, Lisa thinks that steak is amazing. Lisa thinks her well done steak is incredible. It's perfect. Hardened to a hockey puck and she thinks it's fantastic. And she's so oblivious to any alternative options. In fact, she sent, remember, she's like sent this steak back to get cooked. Extra, extra, well done, extra. And so she's like, this is amazing. And all I'm concerned about is what I like and not concerned about what anyone thinks of it. And I'm also not concerned, thus what anyone thinks of me. Cause ego. In my real life, I used to like steaks well done. But some of my early improv teammates were like, kind of were just like, if you like a steak well done, you don't like steak. And I got sort of gently bullied into getting my steaks done differently. But in Lisa's case, she couldn't possibly be. She's shaking the table. She sees no problem with it, enjoying her meal. You guys do what you want to do. And so it's like, yeah, what is this person? What kind of person is this fully again?

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, I think what's the best SNL characters don't just feel like, oh, why is this weirdo in a normal space? It's a person who likes. They seem like they are from a different dimension where they're another normal person and so they don't even know. They're just like, they're doing what they normally do.

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah. I haven't thought this far. And in this moment I'm like, would. This is just making me wonder, would Lisa, at a table with someone else who's ordered a wells done steak, would she be like, you're knocking my drink off the table or not? I don't. I think, I think no, she'd be in her own world, doing her thing, not absorbing anything in reality.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, that's such an interesting message. So I wanna talk about a few of the other things about her because all Alex and Gary were going on is a person who likes well done steak. So why is that person a lawyer, seemingly a good lawyer?

[Ego Wodom]

She's so good. I have not thought about this, but I bet one. Just. Cause it was a funny specific. But if I were to go further and be like, okay, let's get kind of granular about it. I could imagine it's because Lisa is indignant and she really believes in what she believes in. So imagine that person defending you in the court of law. Like, you kind of want that person who's like, I will not be silenced. I'm gonna stand up for myself. I'm gonna be so sure of myself. She's so self assured. Right. Like, that's who you want. You would want that sort of person defending you in a court of law. I mean, she's also out of touch with reality, but maybe there's something to that that's interesting.

[Jesse David Fox]

Same thing, like. Cause why she always. This sketch always opens with assuming the person's flirting with her.

[Ego Wodom]

Yes, yes. And she's like, I'm so well liked. I'm attractive. Everybody wants something from me. I'm an IT girl. I'm an IT girl, and I like what I like. And everyone picks up on my unapologetic vibes. And they like it. They're attracted.

[Jesse David Fox]

And then the only reason people would not is because they're bigoted.

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah. That they're racist. Oh, my goodness. Is it because. But also Lisa in that moment. Cause we're black. I pitched that to Alex on Saturday. That's one of the lines I pitched to him. And I was like, you know what would be funny is she says, cause we're black. Because before, I don't think she said anything to him of that effect. But I thought, look at. No one at this table besides Punky and me are black. And if she's just like all of us, this whole group of people is black. And it's just like, I'm gonna pull that out of my pocket. An amazing defense, if you will.

[Jesse David Fox]

And then when did you decide on what she was gonna look like? How's that conversation go? Did they know the look?

[Ego Wodom]

They didn't know. But Tom Broeker, our costumer, who is remarkable and like, such a talented costumer and so good at creating, helping create and build these characters and build these realities. And I feel like such a storyteller himself as a result, even when you hear him process what he's thinking about for a character. And it could be. It could just be a supporting character. It could be a straight person in a sketch. But he's like, oh, this is what this world is. And this. Would this person be wearing this. He presented me with a few options. And I saw that sweater that. That Lisa wears, and I was like, that's it. That's the. That's it. That is an ugly sweater. I was like, but it's the sweater of a woman who really thinks she's fucking doing it. And so I was like, that is the sweater, hands down. It's loud, it's got a point of view. And I bet you the woman who wears that thinks she's fucking killing it. And so, yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Were there any other major changes between the table and dress?

[Ego Wodom]

We between at table. The sketch was originally called Birthday dinner. And on Friday, Lauren called me, Gary and Alex into his office. First, I thought he was calling us in there to be like, guys, this sketch is not gonna work. Cause I hadn't gotten through.

[Jesse David Fox]

Does he do that? I've never heard him ever personally tell people. I had to talk.

[Ego Wodom]

All of us getting in our head about stuff. Listen, things have been cut on a Friday. But I'm like, we had already blocked it on Thursday, if I'm not mistaken. And so Friday calls us into his office. I don't remember what time it was. Sometime in the evening, maybe seven or so. And I was like, he's gonna just say, hey, guys, lovely idea. This isn't gonna work. We love it, but it's not gonna work. But he called us in to be like, give the character a name. Cause it was just my baby c. Sister, Lisa from Punky. My baby sister Lisa flew in. It wasn't even flew in anywhere. It was just like, this is my baby sister Lisa joining us. And Lauren was like, let's try to give her a more memorable name. And we didn't even quite know what that meant. We were like, lisa, I don't know. Should it be, like, over the top? Like, a bunch of names mashed together? But he was like, let's try to give her a more memorable name so people can cling to that. And, I mean, the man is smart about that sort of thing. That's just not what I thought he was calling us in there for. Cause it's just such a silly sketch. And it's so weird to think that we work at this comedy show. And we go, oh, it's too silly. That's too silly. It's so silly. And I'm having so much fun doing it. No way does it go.

[Jesse David Fox]

No one wants us to have fun.

[Ego Wodom]

No one wants to have fun. They want us to do our diligent sketches. I promise you. When I got the text from his Assistant, like, Lauren wants to talk to you guys. I was like, okay. He's calling to tell us, like, because no one even explained to me after table that there would be one of the monkey boys guys under the table shaking it. So I'm thinking, I'm like, I'm stressed after table. And I was like, okay, they picked it. Which I didn't know that they were going to because I was laughing the whole way through table. At a certain point, couldn't really finish the sketch. And then I was like, okay, you're gonna have to be strong enough to shake this table so that it's visible enough on camera. And then it was like, oh, my God, here you are worrying, like, didn't barely slept. Being like, oh, yeah, this is gonna be pressure. Someone's gonna shake the table. So every step of the way, I just thought, it's too fun. It's too much fun. It's too silly. And so the name of the sketch changed. The name of the character became Lisa from Temecula. The sketch became Lisa from Temecula. And there were just line pitches. I think I pitched Alex on Saturday, like, this steak is busting. Cause again, there were just these moments of air where I thought she should say something. And this. This feels like what she would say.

[Jesse David Fox]

That note from Lauren was very good because SNL writers tend to undersell the names of sketches so you don't ruin the surprise at the table.

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

So it makes sense it'd call birthday dinner.

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

But then now, like, now especially that things live online.

[Ego Wodom]

Right.

[Jesse David Fox]

If you just called a birthday dinner and your friend's like, oh, Echo's. In this funny sketch, you play this crazy character. What's it called? And you'd be like, it's called Lisa or something. You might not be able to find it.

[Ego Wodom]

Right. Exactly. Exactly. And so it was brilliant on his part to be like, give her a memorable name. Cause this woman is a character. Mind you, Lauren hadn't even seen the outfit at that point. Like, it all just sort of in such a kismet way came together. Like, he didn't know. That outfit is so loud. And it's such a thing, and it's such a specific particular look. The boys did base her hair and the glasses on someone whose name I'm forgetting. But the Internet knows. I feel like she's like a pastor or something. And so they based her look on that, the hair and the glasses. But otherwise, all the pieces just sort of came together. And I was like, now you have this character, and as opposed to a scenario. Some sketches are just premises. Right. And really it's born of a premise. So Alex said he went to dinner with his cousin. She was kind of shaking the table. Cause she ordered a steak well done. And he just noticed it. I don't even think called her out. But like, if you tell me that sketch, I'm like, this is a premise based sketch, not a character based sketch. And so it's interesting to see how it's morphed into a character.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. Cause you can definitely see a different writer or a different reason. Start with who gets well done stakes. And then it could be a commercial parody of that. Or like knifes or well done stakes. There's a million directions that are worse and I made them up right now. But like.

[Ego Wodom]

Not bad. I mean, I might take one. Okay.

[Jesse David Fox]

It's also part of. I think part of that calculation is they. Some point, they're like, well, this is the thing we're doing for you.

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

So once they did that, they're like, okay, well what would we want? If Eggo's doing this, what do we want this person to be? Right. So it has. And they know you and they know your voice.

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah, Yeah, I think. I mean, I'd like to. Those two are so lax. Gary and Alex, whom I love, they're so lax that I go, how much was intentional? How much was just a, like, beautiful artistic discovery, if you will.

[Jesse David Fox]

The music shone a light on you.

[Ego Wodom]

Yes, exactly. And I don't know we'll ever know what category, what parts of the sketch fall into, but there is something to be said for like, I just read Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert and like chasing inspiration and chasing the right piece of art. And it's like when you approach any sort of art with that, like, I'm chasing after you and I'm gonna work hard to attain you. And I'm grasping with all of my life, like, that's never going to end up being the best thing. This was all sort of. There was just sort of a natural kind of flow to the way this whole thing came together. And even the fact that it went poorly at dress, as legend has it, that's.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, that's the next part of the.

[Ego Wodom]

Legend that we're going. That part of the legend is true. Even when it went poorly dressed. I'm. I can say this now. I'm sort of glad it went poorly at dress rehearsal. Cause it made me even just go, oh, fuck it. By the time we were doing it at air, I just didn't think we were gonna get to do it. So it was.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. Because if it kills at dress, you're like, now we have to recreate this.

[Ego Wodom]

Yes. And Tracy Morgan always says, don't peek at dress. You don't wanna peek at dress. And I think someone else told him that. And I was saying that on Saturday at work. I was like, guys, we don't wanna peek at dress. You know any of your sketches to peek at dress? Cause when it peeks, at dress ain't gonna go as well in air. It just doesn't.

[Jesse David Fox]

There's something about the idea of this. Only knowing how it went. The idea of it bombing or not doing well is funny because you're just doing this thing and then people not laughing at it is even funnier than it is.

[Ego Wodom]

Well, I'll tell you what. When it addressed. It's just the table wasn't really shaking. Someone had given the note. They gave me a T bone steak for some godforsaken reason, for the first time. I was like, I can't even mimic sawing through this.

[Jesse David Fox]

It would have to have been placed at the exact angle.

[Ego Wodom]

Exactly. But no one told me it was happening, which was. I was like, I would have loved to know that. So I could have said, no. Why would we do that all of a sudden? But also, the table wasn't shaken. They got a note to not shake the table so much. And I was like, well, if the table's not shaking, we don't have a sketch. And so it's not going great at dress. Which no one saw coming. It's true. No one saw that going that way. And Pedro, I feel like, was so thrown off by, like, oh, we all thought this was gonna be a really fun one. He was like, I guess, couldn't see his cue card or something, or just. Was just thrown. I don't wanna speak for him, but at one point, it's just, like, kind of trying to peer. Almost like someone's trying to peer over a fence to see his cue card. And I just was like, this fucking sketch is not going well. I go, what are you looking at? That was improv. I said that out loud. That was the biggest laugh at dress rehearsal. Me just going, what are you looking at?

[Jesse David Fox]

I don't know. That'd be amazing. If in the show, people are like, what are you looking at? A cue card. Yeah, we're at dinner.

[Ego Wodom]

We're at dinner. What are you doing?

[Jesse David Fox]

Why are we all facing this way?

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah. Yeah. And I adore Pedro, because I do know that. But in many cases, a lot of Hosts might say, I'm not really doing much in this sketch. Like, they hosts come and understandably want to shine and show off their own comedic chops and be playful in ways that maybe their other jobs don't allow them to be. And so oftentimes a sketch may go away because the host is their week, right? They are kind of like, I'm not really doing anything in that one. I'm sort of playing support. I know this other person's having a ton of fun, but I'm not doing anything. And given how it went to dress Pedro, I think about it often, and I feel an immense amount of gratitude and love for this man because he actually went in that meeting and was like, the table wasn't shaking and she got a T bone steak. They gave her a T bone steak, and the table wasn't shaking. And I want to do it. And I adore Pedro because that would have been any other host out. Well, that sketch where I'm not really doing anything and that girl gets to be silly. It didn't go well at dress, so I guess it should go away. And no one would have fought them on it. They'd go, yeah, well, it didn't really work at dress. And so bye, bye. So I love him forever. I actively, as recently as a week and a half ago, just felt a wave of gratitude pour over me where I was like, Pedro, My Pedro. Yeah, yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

So this was over a year ago, but I want to try something, you know, can you, like, in your mind, can you play out the sketch? Like, if you close your eyes, you don't have to do it. You can close those if you want. Could you see the entire thing play out? Like, how do you.

[Ego Wodom]

Oh, my gosh. You know, it's so cool. My eyes are closed, guys, and I've got a big ass grin on my face just to paint a picture here. It was pure play. It was so playful. It was just those stakes felt so low at that point because we saw this sketch that had gone so well throughout the week, and everyone was excited about crew that was coming up being like, hey, I never laughed at anything, but that's really making me laugh, just seeing it on the monitor without even hearing any of the words. And so it suffered at dress for a bunch of technical reasons. And what a letdown that was. So by the time I found out I was gonna get to do it, I was sort of like one surprised. And then all the stakes sort of went away. All the stakes and all the pressure sort of went away, and we Were really playing. I was really playing out there. And that was so. Felt like, man, I want this job to feel like this every week, just playing this way. I mean, my chair fell. I remember the chair fell. And then I was like, great, I'm gonna improvise. So I'm obsessed with improv. I should say, like, deeply, deeply obsessed with it. And I know that's really nerdy, but it felt like while every. There were moments that were improvised in that. But they're not the moments people are thinking. I didn't expect my chair to fall, so I put my foot on Pedro's leg, and I felt like I could because he had been such a personal week that I might not have felt that way with a different host. The stake falls on the ground. Did not plan for that. And in real time, I'm like, what are we gonna do? Okay, I'm gonna pick up this steak and suck on it. Because I actually. Because they had cooked it so well, I actually could not even pretend to saw it. It was hard as a fucking rock. And so there are all these, like, magical moments. And then even getting to air because they had to chop so much of the sketch because it was last of the night and they chopped. There's this whole middle section. I can't even quite remember what it was. It might have been more about Cujo in the basement, and I believe it was. There's a moment in the sketch where I'm, like, pausing, and I say, what, what? And the what. What if I. Is. Because that used to be someone else's line, and I'm supposed to go back and forth with them. But, like, we found out we were doing this guy's, like, the last minute. Like, truly, it was like, there's no way. The sketch lives on. It's the last of the night. I know we're going in over. They cut something else before it to do Lisa from Temecula. And so I was surprised we were doing it. The writers didn't even get a chance to show me the cuts. Cause normally they'll, like, race to you and be like, hey, this is all gone. By the way, we didn't get to have that moment. So there's a moment of, like, a brief moment of air, and I feel the silence as a performer, and I'm just like. And then I go, what? What? And then I kind of grab my line being like, okay, they got rid of that whole section.

[Jesse David Fox]

When you're in character, how in it are you? Are you like, I am Lisa right.

[Ego Wodom]

Now, in general I do feel like I am largely the character. And then those moments where it's like, I am doing a job though, as well. So I need to make sure I get my lines right so that Liz, in control, who is our director, can get her cuts right. So I can't just, like, lean fully in. I would say I'm like 90% in character at those times. And then 10% of ego, who has to, like, remember to do her job and hit her marks and make sure she's picking up her cues and stuff. But it feels like you feel Lisa. I really just was like, I forgot this was being broadcast to the country. I was just fucking around. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

I mean, the sketch ends because it is over. Like, you just keep on talking and then they.

[Ego Wodom]

And that's not like they trimmed a lot. But then there was moments that, like, weren't as tight during the sketch. And that's so fun. And so the last line was supposed to be Pedro, I think I was like, you guys, I need to cut you guys a piece. And he's like, how about a piece of that butt?

[Jesse David Fox]

Oh, yeah.

[Ego Wodom]

And like, that's. You see Bowen, I think, telling us he does a wrap up because he's like, I think my back's to the stage manager. He does the wrap up because I think our stage manager, Jenna, was like, guys, guys, we don't have any more time.

[Jesse David Fox]

I've never. And I was like, that must be happening all the time, the show.

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah, I don't think it happens that often. I think they're usually just, you know, I'm grateful for. To be able to sit down with you right now, too. Cause tonight's writing night. I shouldn't say, but it's just a good reminder of, like, the care and the love that's there at the place. Cause we get so caught up in the work sometimes all of us do that. I go, yeah, that sketch was probably ambitious to try to fit in at the end of the night. And so you don't see that whole, like, hey, let's wrap this up, guys. We're running out. We're literally running out of time. And I don't think we're gonna get the last line out. We don't get the last line out. Right. But I think they really wanted to give it a shot. And everyone was rooting for it and they were so excited about it. But, yeah, it was put into the last slot of the night and how magical that was.

[Jesse David Fox]

How did you feel about, like, if I were to ask you before that sketch aired Like, Eggo, what do you think about breaking? Like, how do you feel? And then after it, how would you answer before that?

[Ego Wodom]

How do I feel about breaking? I would have said, I mean, I don't really break. Cause also, this is the thing. Like, by the time we're doing a sketch on air, we've seen the piece a bunch of times. We've seen it. We've seen it at table, we've seen it at blocking, we've seen it at dress. Right? So I don't really break. I did break recently at a dress rehearsal with Josh Brolin during his the wine and cheese night party dinner. Like, wine and cheese night Ander Dismuke sketch where he's upset because the cat likes someone else at the party. Oh, my gosh, babe, look. Tiger's cuddled up with Randall now. Yeah, little guy just crawled over and curled up on my lap. This is crap.

[Jesse David Fox]

Aw.

[Ego Wodom]

Well, you must have good energy too, Randall. Oh, must he? Must he have good energy? Or is it just your cat?

[Jesse David Fox]

Is it one big damn slut?

[Ego Wodom]

Josh was making me laugh so hard. I broke fully at dress before I said my line. You're like, I'm breaking. I'm breaking. Okay, get it together. And then it's like, no, this has to come out. I'm not gonna be able to say the line. But I'm like, I've never really had a hot take on it. I just don't do it right. Here's what I'll say. So that's before it. I never had a hot take on it after having broken. I'm like, it's so fun when you get to just be like, we're just up here, grown people playing. It's so fun. You know, when it starts to be a little like, you never want to use it, though. I can speak to Lisa. Those were sincere breaks. Molly Clarney has been has said, like, oh, you know, friends and family asked them when they went back home after that sketch, how did you not break? How did you not lose it? And they were like, try being a first year cast member.

[Jesse David Fox]

That basically ends the show. So you're. How are you feeling like? And then you're going to the after party. People are talking to you how talk about the rest of that.

[Ego Wodom]

Oh, my goodness. I'm such. I can be so remarkably introverted. Much to everyone's surprise. I can be so introverted and then I can appear very extroverted. But I really do think I'm an introvert. So the way that after party went was we were at the party. I sat in a dark corner with Tom Broeker, our costumer, and we were both like, I convinced him to come to the after party. He never wants to go. And I was like, just come. We'll go for like two seconds. I'm just gonna get a drink and go home. And so we sat in a dark corner removed from everyone else, just the two of us, at a two top, and talked a little bit. And then he was going to leave and someone else joined the table just as he was leaving. And then I stayed with that person and then it became more of a group thing. When I tell you I was just playing in that sketch, I was not thinking about the broadcast. I was not thinking about what the Internet would say. I was not thinking about what people are gonna think about this piece. Even when Lauren asked us to give her a more memorable name, I wasn't like, my life's gonna change tomorrow and now I'm gonna be like a staple and a fixture and a pillar on this show. I can't stress enough how much I was not thinking that. And so the following week, when I was seeing that we'd gone on a break right after that marked, I believe, a two week hiatus. After that episode, I was like, oh, my goodness. And I had flown to la and I was like, oh, people are responding to this. This is so cool. And I would say that's the most me character I've ever done on the show. And I' say more of stuff like that or people that I know in my real life are like, would say to me, that's the most you thing I've seen you do in all your time there. And I go, of course. And they're like, more of that. And I go, of course I want to do more of that.

[Jesse David Fox]

We'll be right back with more Echo Wodom.

[Ego Wodom]

It's a new year. Maybe you're taking a month off from.

[Jesse David Fox]

Drinking, you know, dry January, and maybe.

[Ego Wodom]

You'Re replacing it with something else. Puff, puff, pass.

[Jesse David Fox]

Something like one in five people who do dry January say they're smoking weed instead. And more Americans are now smoking weed.

[Ego Wodom]

Daily than drinking daily. Current president is into it. No one should be in jail merely for using or possessing marijuana, period. Future president is into it. I've had friends and I've had others and doctors telling me that it's been absolutely amazing. The medical marijuana failed. President and former prosecutor was down to clown. People shouldn't have to go to jail for smoking weed.

[Jesse David Fox]

Even health conscious brain worm guy like that.

[Ego Wodom]

My position on marijuana is that it should be federally legalized. Everyone's getting down with pot, but legislatively.

[Jesse David Fox]

We'Re still stuck with a hot mess in the United States today. Explained. Wherever you listen, come find us. And we're back with Echo Wodom. So, you know, over the last few years, the show has shied away from recurring characters, partly for obvious reasons. You can now watch the character again online. It's not like the church lady would happen. You're like, I need to see the church lady again. I have no other option other than more church lady sketches. And I think you had some inversion as well. Two months later, there's another one.

[Ego Wodom]

Lisa, it's so nice to meet you. Yeah, that's cute, but my box is closed tonight.

[Jesse David Fox]

Certainly.

[Ego Wodom]

Kelly girl, pay no mind to my sister. She's such a jokester.

[Jesse David Fox]

All right, ma'am, this is all the dressing we could find in the kitchen.

[Ego Wodom]

Now, why is this ranch black?

[Jesse David Fox]

It's balsamic.

[Ego Wodom]

Balsamic.

[Jesse David Fox]

Lisa, you really like your dressing, huh?

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah. Everyone else is just eating the salad as served. Yeah, and everyone else is about to be sick. Not me. Toss my salad. You know, the more. The more dressing you put on it, the less likely you are to get E. Coli. I need to stay healthy. I gotta be in court in the morning. Oh, you're a lawyer. Yeah, she surely is. Lisa is the lead litigator on a class action suit against a Build A Bear. Mm. They gave a bunch of Build A Bears to some bald kids. And I ain't gotta tell you what happened next.

[Jesse David Fox]

Wow, that sounds like really important work.

[Ego Wodom]

I bet those families are grateful for your help, sis. Mm. Switch me seats. Your little lesbian friend is doing the most trying to get the box tonight. It ain't happening. Boo.

[Jesse David Fox]

How was that decided?

[Ego Wodom]

That was decided because Daddy Lauren was like, we need to do another Lisa from Temecula. And none of us felt necessarily thrilled about having to do one again under. It's. It's so cool when listening. When Lauren orders a thing up. That's kind of nice. You're like, okay, I got a slot in the show unless we write a really crappy thing at the same time. It was like, oh, it feels too soon. It feels too soon. But we also. He did that because he was like, the strike is gonna happen, and we wanna get another one in before the strike. Or he felt pretty certain the strike would be happening. We were expecting that. So those circumstances were tough. And then we didn't get our last three episodes, and I kind of was like, just, this is an aside, but I'm like, I wish I could have shown people what else we could have done. An additional three episodes. Or the way we might have brought Lysa back the second time would have been different if we had gotten those three episodes. I feel like we all wanted to.

[Jesse David Fox]

Bring her back, but, yeah, you need it towards the end of the season because you want to remind people that this was one of the main things that happened this season.

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah, exactly. And I'm like, if we had those last three episodes, I think we would have brought it back probably in that run and we would have done it differently. We might have done the gratuity thing instead. You know, who knows? It's hard to say, but I do know that all of us were reticent, but our boss, understandably, was like, we need to bring another Lisa back.

[Jesse David Fox]

So then you're like, okay, we have to do this. We don't want to, but we understand we have to. And so how do you get to lettuce? And, like, are there other things? Like, oh, now we have again, now we know what works with this. Like, how do you approach it without also not telegraphing it?

[Ego Wodom]

We were just like, what other mess can she make? Before we started working, actually working on this piece. Cause Lauren was like, we need to do this. We thought you were gonna do it last week, but we need you to do it this week. I had thrown out, like, Korean barbecue. Like, I was like, cause the cook my meat of it all. And I was like, she starts a fire. I don't know how that would work with our pyrotechnics at the work, at the show. But, like, I was like, okay, she starts a fire. Cause she needs her meat to be overcooked at Korean barbecue. And she's like, it's fine. And trying to have a conversation with a fire in between. It's kind of fun. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

But it wasn't for the fact that fire is dangerous.

[Ego Wodom]

Yes, Fire's really dangerous. And no way Lauren would like. Lauren likes things to look real, so no way he's gonna want a fake fire. So. So I like fire in real life. So that's just an aside. Casual. But yeah, it was like, what other mess can she make? As she needs her food to be the way she likes her food to be. And she's disruptive to a dining experience and is totally oblivious. Now we wanna, like, see her in court or something. Like, we would love to see her in court. Alex had an idea for her in court recently that I don't know that we'll actually end up seeing. But, like. Yeah, so.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. So then you did. The next one is the gratuity one.

[Ego Wodom]

Come back, your mom. I know. That's right. Y'all been in the bathrooms here. They got that good soap. All right. And here you go, miss.

[Jesse David Fox]

Oh, Lisa, did you sneak off and pay for the whole table? Oh, thank you.

[Ego Wodom]

That's so nice. Lisa, I'm your sister's boss.

[Jesse David Fox]

I can't let.

[Ego Wodom]

Oh, oh, but I insist I pay my way. I got money, too. I just got broke off in court. Oh, congratulations, Lisa.

[Jesse David Fox]

God, I paid money to watch you in court.

[Ego Wodom]

Uh, Mr. Sir, what is you on? You trying to get rode to death or something? I'm just trying to be kind. Mark, please ignore her. She's just joking around. Hold up, hold up. This ain't right. What's wrong, sis? They added gratitude. I wrote in my tip, but they already added gratitude.

[Jesse David Fox]

You know, you're not the first sketch actor to say words incorrectly as a child.

[Ego Wodom]

Sure.

[Jesse David Fox]

What is it for you? When do you feel like it's allowed and not like, you know, like, it's hard to think of a specific example. You just will have specific ways your characters speak. When do you feel like, yeah, she would say that.

[Ego Wodom]

You know, it feels like one of those things. Have you ever looked at a word and, like, been like, that's so many letters that I. My last name. For some people, you just, like, stop midway through. Yeah, you just are like, I'm gonna stop midway through, and I'm gonna guess on the rest based on. I could see Lisa sort of being like, I don't have time to be concerned about what the actual pronunciation of this is. All I know is that they've already charged me for it. And so, like, one of those things where, like, I see the letters and in gratitude. Yeah, I see that's what that is. And, like, how often do you find yourself saying it? So I'm not gon bother with the real pronunciation.

[Jesse David Fox]

How did you figure out the timing to do that one?

[Ego Wodom]

We were at a drink downstairs on writing night. I think I was about to head out. And I had written another piece that week I actually really liked. It was Josh Brolin week. But I was like, oh, Josh would be good for Lisa. And talking with Alex and Gary downstairs, I was like, oh, that feels like it would be fun for Josh, too. Granted, he seems to be able to do a lot of things himself, so it'd be one where he sort. Not doing as much as he's fully capable of in terms of comedy. But I was like, we could try it this week. And so it was sort of organic in that way. And we had done. They had actually written that piece weeks prior. And I can't. Like, maybe months prior, I can't remember exactly when, but I was like, oh, we can bring back the gratitude piece this week. It feels like it's been enough time. And I can't remember what happened that week that they originally submitted it this season, that it didn't go. But I was like, it's funny. It wasn't for the fact that it wasn't funny. So I was like, we could do that again.

[Jesse David Fox]

So, you know, as I alluded to, I think for people that followed you who knew a lot of your work outside of it, it felt like a real breakthrough. Or like, that's ego. That's what we were hoping she could figure out how to do her thing on this show. How were you feeling about your role on the show before you do Lisa the first time? And how do you feel afterwards?

[Ego Wodom]

Before I did Lisa, I feel like at that point I had done some things that people online had responded to and shared far and wide, and that was very cool. Such as Loco. Oh, I think I see a little cutie. Hate to break it to you, but you gonna have to do me step to him like, yo, what's your name? I'm not real. I just live in your brain. Wait, what? No, you're real and I'm a bad bitch. No, you're alone and you're stone watching Hitch. It's been a whole year since a dude touched your butt. Oh, right, I forgot. Guess I gone a little bit loco. Loco? What? Loco. Loco, huh? That was something people really enjoyed my Dionne Warwick talk show. So tell me, Miley DOA Cat, is that a singer or a Pokemon? Yeah, she's a singer. All right, well, so Cardi B. Why does she need the B? Was there another Cardi in the class? You know, these aren't really about me. Those were really special moments on the show, and I really think got to showcase some of my range. And I felt like I was being like this diligent, studious performer, if you will, that I can be and like doing the job well. And Lisa was more, I'm going to be playful and I'm gonna do it for me, because fuck it, at this point, like, I've shown so much of what I can do, and I've shown that I can. Well, and I've shown that I can play a vast range of characters. This character By. Because she was making a mess, actually, in what she was doing and what the whole conceit of the sketch was. I felt like I could be messy and I felt like I could be bigger, and I felt like I could be more playful. And I didn't have to, like, I didn't have to hit all my marks. I'm like, we're just at this table and I'm like, this woman's a mess. So I get to be a mess. I get to be big. I get to be disruptive in a way that I haven't till this point. Now after that on the show, I feel like I've now been thought of in a different way from time to time. Not always. Cause it feels like people sort of revert back to like, oh, this is our diligent performer who does the job well. And you can rely on to be very grounded. That's the word. Ah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Just trying to find you can play the protagonist of the scene that is not doing something funny.

[Ego Wodom]

Yes, exactly.

[Jesse David Fox]

Which is an important role. Or like talk show host or whatever.

[Ego Wodom]

Absolutely. And by the way, I believe a good sketch performer can make even those roles fun without pulling focus, without fucking up the premise and, you know, base reality. And I think a straight person can be really fun in a scene, actually. And I think a good sketch performer knows how to make a straight person really funny, even if they are being earnest and grounded. Well, with Lisa, after the fact, I felt like I was allowed to just be bigger. I was allowed to be more playful and thought of in a more like, oh, I can be messy. And she can do that. She can be the. Like, she can be grounded, but she can also be heightened and silly and insane. And honestly, if you listen to me on Comedy Bang Bang or even like Teacher's Lounge, you'll hear that that's what I like to do. That's really what I like to do.

[Jesse David Fox]

There's three characters from this season that I feel like are kind of like a thing you might have done before, but definitely feel like you are just freer to do them. And I want to walk through those. The first is rich auntie with no kids.

[Ego Wodom]

Ever thought about hosting them for the holidays? Hell no. I ain't hosting nobody, but I look like Ryan Seacrest. My sister cannot come up in my house with all them damn kids. Well, how many kids does she have? Two.

[Jesse David Fox]

Just two?

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah. And they can't stay in my guest room either. That's where my kids stay. Chanel, Gucci, Ferragamo, Smith and Wesson.

[Jesse David Fox]

You have a gun?

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah, I got a gun. But don't tell nobody. Cause I ain't got a lot. Oh, damn. I'm on live tv, ain't I? Michael, I am cutting up today. Careful, baby. I'm about to steal your dog. Okay, welcome to Weekend Update with Colin jokes and Veronda.

[Jesse David Fox]

Baby, cutting up and talk about that. But also, I think the part that I feel like is the loosest is the part where you are like, I can do this job.

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah, yeah. You know, Rich auntie. God freaking bless. I love Verona. She's so annoying. And she thinks she's so amused with herself. Love playing these confident people who are, like, a hot mess, but she is so amused with herself. And that's the fun of it for me, is being like, even if you're not enjoying me, I'm enjoying me, honey. I'm enjoying me. And then you look at that person and you're like, she's so unapologetically. That way, you kind of start to enjoy her. And there's something endearing about. Yeah. Even the whole, I could do your job. Here's how that came to be, is we had pitched on it. Me, Asha Ward, Alex English, Gary Richardson. We pitched on it a bunch, and then Asha typed up a draft, and I read the draft, and I was like, okay, I think let's. I think the best thing I could do right now, especially as an improviser, and it feels so crazy to be thinking this in my sixth season, but this season, I've been like, guys, can we, like, write it in the room? Because I'm going to improvise and be silly, and then we can actually. Actually see and hear what these things sound like. And so Asha and I ended up writing a whole new draft together, just being like, we have these joke pitches. Yes. And now I'm in the room, like, actually acting it out, and, like, I'm typing on my computer, and I'm like, okay. And now this part Michael's saying. I'm like, what is this? Like, okay, we like that. I'm like, okay, it sounds like this. We're laughing. Great. I could do your job. There were some joke pitches that I thought were clever. Right. In our original pitch session, I thought were clever. Not really funny, as I call them. If I'm speaking very plainly to the public right now, how I speak with my collaborators, I was like, some of these jokes are mid. And that's okay. Cause in a pitch session, some of them are bad. Some of them are not funny at all. And that includes Things I've said. But I was like, some of these jokes are clever and you feel like you want to include them, but they're mid. And I was like, what if she thinks they're fucking hilarious? And is then like, I could do your job. I could tell these little jokes up here, Michael. And so that's what. That's how that came to be. Cause I was like, I want to include this joke and this joke and this joke, but I really don't think they're going to get us that much. And then like, I've watched it back, which I don't tend to, but in this last year, I've been like, why not watch things back? It can be joy inducing. And I hear people actually laughing at some of those jokes and I go, oh, okay. They're not. I'm just very. I can be hard on myself and my standard can be too high at times.

[Jesse David Fox]

But also they know they. You, when reading the jokes, are reading them not seeing the character. So they make sense for the character. The next character from the season I want to ask you about is Charlotte, the pregnant stingray.

[Ego Wodom]

Oh, yes.

[Jesse David Fox]

And the twist of her saying that Michael J. She got is truly incredible. I feel like that is not a thing Michael's ever got to play on the show. Is someone liking him?

[Ego Wodom]

So this is a virgin conception? Michael. I ain't been a virgin since I was 2. And that's late for a stingray. But if you must know, I got a four digit body count. Hold on. Four digits? Oh, okay. So you jealous? No. You don't need to be insecure. Boo. You put it down better than all them fish after you swung by my tank. Mm. Let's just say a bitch couldn't swim straight for weeks. Charlotte, have you been near a male stingray? Oh, I've been near males, but none of them been men. None of them been Mr. Michael. I mean, oh, my goodness. So I was. I've also watched that one back and I'm like, the camera cut for me, like, low key laughing for most of it. So here's the story of Charlotte. I wanted to do an update that week. I was like, let's think on. And then, you know, maybe you don't know. Why would you. But, like, you're thinking of an idea and you start to do the thing. My girl Liz Gilbert says not to. And it's like, I have to figure out an update. I can't. Like, okay, I'm grasping at every story. And my friend Patrick McDonald, I was talking to him. I was like, yeah, I want to do an update this week. He doesn't work at the show, but we're very close and have collaborated a bunch at ucb. He wrote a show, by the way, for me and Carl Tartt called Rich and Bored that we got to perform where Carl and I played two characters. Very fun. But anyway, that sounds good. Ye. He was like, what about Charlotte the Stingray? And I was like, oh my goodness, yes, I will. You know, I like that, I like that. And so then I came up with an angle for it where it was like. My thought was like, sort of. She comes out very Mari esque, like she's on a Mari show. And it's like, who cares who the baby daddy is? Don't worry about it. Don't worry about it. And so we did it at table. I wrote that one with Asha Ward, Alex English, Gary Richardson. We did it at table. I just remember on Saturday being like, this is so just being like, these jokes gotta be stronger. We gotta get stronger jokes. Like again, waking up on a Saturday, first thing in the morning, I was like, the jokes need to be stronger. I was like, it's cute, it's cute. And we do it. I'm in my dressing room on Saturday. This is where my type A studiousness is writing on a script on a different script. Even on the back of it, it's blank page. I'm writing other jokes. I'm like, okay, I'm writing other jokes. It's me alone in a vacuum in my dressing room. And one of the things I wrote was instead of coming out the way I am coming out, which is, which is totally my pitch originally too, coming out and be like, you don't know me. Haters, haters. And then Mike will be like, oh, Charlotte, they're cheering for you. And I'm like, oh, okay. I didn't realize. I thought. I was like, basically I'm Mari because everyone wants to know who my baby daddy is. One of the jokes I wrote was like, michael, Michael, Michael, boy, do I have some news for you. You're gonna be a daddy. So we do it at run through, which is like the very dry run at run through during the day before dress and after run through, I go up to Gary, Alex and Asha and I go, hey guys. Cause they're coming to confirm. Like, we wanna change this. We might take this out. And I go, can I change her top line to that? I was like, can I change it to that? And they were like, yeah, if you want to. And they're all very like, this girl and her meticulousness and her detail. And, like, take out this word, add this word. Anyway, I threw that in, and we. So we got to try it at dress, and it got this huge laugh. People were on board. And then the rest of it, we didn't really pay that off. I was like, I'm just playing. And then we went with the rest of what we had. So after dress, Michael, apparently, as the legend has it, because there are legends internally as well, some things I haven't confirmed either. But legend has it, Michael was like, why don't you guys just follow that? Funny. So I'm off doing cast stuff, and they're off doing writer stuff. And they're like, just follow that. Like, I'm the dad. I'm Charlotte's baby daddy. And so they rewrote a lot of what we had. They just had to, like, rearrange or reorganize or just punch to be like, it's Michael. And I swear I still smile just thinking, like, I've been with a lot of fish, but none of them been Mr. Michael J. I was laughing when I said it. Like, you can't see. I'm desperately trying not to break. And honestly, thank God for the camera cuts, because I was kind of. I was kind of laughing after I said it. And I was like. Like, even getting to. I'm proud of myself. Cause I go. Even the way she's saying that, I'm like, that's not on the page. But I'm like, I want her to say it like that. It's just so fun. So Charlotte, I'm so glad. I think she's had her babies by now in real life. And again, why. Who cares who the daddy is? It might be Michael Che. Very fun one.

[Jesse David Fox]

I was hoping you'd do the way you say Michael Che. That time is one of the funniest.

[Ego Wodom]

Thank you. I had so much fun. I remember reading it, and we. We haven't. So there's like, a nervousness. I love this. I live for this. Jesse. I was like. Because I love improv, right? I'm like, I actually don't know how any of this is going to work. Cause we've never done it. We just know my new intro that I pitched absolutely works. We don't know how the rest of it works. So I'm reading it over and over. This thing they've rewritten, and I'm going to go out there. There's a moment, too. Respectfully, I love my collaborators. They took out one of our strongest Jokes. I think by accident, while they were chopping and screwing and doing surgery and rearranging it between dress and air. And I was like, okay, you're gonna have to remember to improvise that line. Cause it's not on the cards like the Nat Geo one. Charlotte, relax. Don't female stingrays make with multiple males? And in the spring, okay, Nat Geo. That is Nat Geo business. Multiple males. You not about to have me on TV looking like a hoe. They accidentally took it out and I was like, running it. And I go, where is it? But it's too late to ask anyone to throw it out there. So I was like, eggo, armor up. You're gonna say that line when Michael says this, it's not gonna throw anything off. And then that line, the Mr. Michael Che, I was just like, I'm gonna say it like this. Like, I've been with Mr. Michael Che, none of them. But Mr. Michael Che is so fun to me. I love getting to fuck with him up there.

[Jesse David Fox]

The other one from the season I want to ask about is the Jamaican preacher.

[Ego Wodom]

The peach. Oh, my gosh. The preacher, Father Lawrence. In the morning when me wake up under the blood Send me under the block. Under the block. All right, all right, all right. My name, Father Lawrence and Yafi. Welcome to the 6:30am in the morning mass. We say good morning and many blessings to the congregation. Them. Ha ha. Woo. Oh, my gosh. Jesse. Here's my thing I have to. These are voices I speak in with my friends all the time. I have this guy Jamal that I play with my friends in conversation. It's very strange. Like, I'm talking regular conversation with my friends, regular dinner out with friends, regular rehearsal time with friends. Back in the day, I'm acting like Jamal. I've never brought these characters to snl. So even this Jamaica in my sixth season, it'd be like, oh, she does a Jamaican accent. Like, I have to do a thing where I'm like, I have all these things that I do that I think of as just pure play. Just fuck around with my friends. I don't think about them as, like, a thing I can bring to work. But that's a voice I do all the time. And that week we saw a video. I saw a video. My dresser from the show Marquis sent me an Instagram reel, which I don't watch a lot of stuff people send me because I'm like, I'd be on my phone all day if I was friends. You know, this is how people connect. They send memes and stuff. And I'm like, I can't sit here and look at all this stuff. And also, also, sometimes it's not funny. And then I sat and watched something for three minutes, and that happens. I know people are going to say sometimes SNL sketches are that way, but that's okay. You watched, and we love you for it. But that being said, my friend sent me an Instagram reel of this pastor in Jamaica conducting church that way, and he had original banger under the Blood. Under the blood, blood. I was just like that. I wanna go to that church. So I was working with PDD that week and I was like, I mean, I'm going through. Again, this is where the studiousness goes through. I have this list of sketches or ideas and pitches in my phone, many of them bad, many of them mid. And I'm just like, this, this, this, this, this. And they're like. And then I was like, well, I saw this video this morning and it really made me laugh, so I'd love to play this guy. And they were like, on board immediately. And I'm like, it's the play everyone responds to.

[Jesse David Fox]

As you mentioned, this is one of the few. I think we've mentioned three pastors you've played, but what clergyman? Yeah. I mean, you have talked about having a relationship with religion.

[Ego Wodom]

Yes.

[Jesse David Fox]

And I think there's a lot of comedians who do not.

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

And so you have that. You also have a comedic instinct that, like, I guess, could broadly be defined as profane.

[Ego Wodom]

Yes.

[Jesse David Fox]

How do you think about all of.

[Ego Wodom]

That's such a great question, Jesse. I was raised Christian. I'd like to still think that I am. Somebody might say I'm not. I don't know. I'm not going to judge it. You're not gonna judge it. Great. And that's where none of us are supposed to be. And that's the truth. Boom. But faith has played a really important part in my life, and I think that is a huge part of who I am and who I strive to be is a person that is reflective of my faith. I'm certainly not getting it right all the time. Many times I'm not getting it right. But I also think that, like, this God I believe in created me to be the way that I am. And I'm like, this is my fucking sense of humor. So I'm like, this is my sense of humor, and this is the sense of humor you gave me. And so I'm running with it instead of trying to make it into something else or make it fit into this sort of idea that someone somewhere made up. And I was reading a book by Father Gregory Boyle called I Think it. I've read two of his books, Tattoos on the Heart and Barking to the Choir. And one thing he said is in one of the books, I believe it's in Barking to the Choirs that nothing is beyond the sanctity of God. And so I think that's really beautiful. And, like, God made all of us and all of this. I believe that, like, nothing is beyond the sanctity of God. So even the work I do, even the profane work I do, I'm like, you gifted me this skill, and so I'm all of these things.

[Jesse David Fox]

So, you know, we talk about there's a certain dichotomy of you, which is the sort of type A perfectionist side. You know, there's the person who did ballet for 10 years, and then there's like, truly one of the silliest people in America. How do you balance it?

[Ego Wodom]

I feel like a mystery to myself sometimes. Honestly, that's the truth. I really am like, girl, what's your deal? I want to put me in a box sometimes. Like, that's what we want to do as humans, is categorize things. And I'm coming to a place where I'm just accepting I'm all of these things and all these things can be true of me. So, like, yes, I am. I can be. And I so hesitate to be like, I am type A because I don't want to necessarily label myself anything, but I do have this sort of studious way about me and meticulous way about me. I'm sure thanks to my Nigerian upbringing with Nigerian. My Mangerian family in addition to doing ballet. And then I am just remarkably silly. I'm the youngest of four. I used to. My siblings are a decent amount older than me. The age gap was probably felt more significant when we were younger. Now, not so much. But I was entertaining myself a lot, too. I was entertaining my mom as a single mom and worked, and so I would be entertaining myself a lot. And I was just a weirdo. And I've always been a weirdo. And even coming to terms with embracing that reality is like, I think people expect me to be one way, but I'm a lot weirder than you think. Like, a lot weirder. I feel like when I got to 30 Rock, for instance, right? It's an office building. That's the thing. You've seen the show. It's literally an office building. I work in an office Building. Okay. I know how to be office girl. Like, I know how to answer the phone as a receptionist and, like, be an office person. And so I think, even psychologically, something for me going on when I first arrived at SNL was, like, I'm showing up to an office building where I'm scanning my ID and I'm walking around people who are wearing suits and offices. And so I'm being office person, and I'm being diligent about this job in this way. And it takes me reminding myself, you need to bring more of your playfulness to this job and remember to bring that part of you, because that's really what people want to see, and that's really what you got in this to do. I'm coming to terms with. I'm all these things. I'm all these things. And so, like, that meticulousness is really good for when I'm, like, producing a sketch, when I'm thinking about details and what you need to make a sketch believable. I remember doing Midday News in my second season.

[Jesse David Fox]

And we're told the suspect remains at large.

[Ego Wodom]

But authorities believe they now have a.

[Jesse David Fox]

Credible description of the perp. The suspect described as a white male.

[Ego Wodom]

Ooh. Love it.

[Jesse David Fox]

I'm sorry, what?

[Ego Wodom]

What?

[Jesse David Fox]

What are you two celebrating?

[Ego Wodom]

Oh, nothing. We're just glad that we know what the criminal looks like. Annie.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yay.

[Ego Wodom]

You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm talking about? Which is a sketch idea I had I'd done at UCB on this, like, new sketch team they had developed right before I got snl. Like, two months before I came up with this idea, I wrote my UCB version of that sketch. That's where we're guessing the race of the perpetrators. And born of this idea I had, where I go, I know that when I hear bad news, I'm thinking, I hope they're not black. That sketch is so fun to me, born of, like, a true feeling. And then to discover by way of getting to do it that on snl, my second season, that, like, other people feel this way, and so many people felt like we were able to talk about race in such a playful way that most everybody could get on board with. But that sketch, I remember when we were producing it, it's my second episode, I was like. I had had a sketch that I'd written with Sam J. Fail at dress. That was two door women at a club who can't read. So it's like, I still sometimes want to do this sketch. Like, they have all this Power. And they're like, we're not letting you into the club. But they're also like, how do you spell your name? But, like, describe the shape of the letters. Like you're saying letters. But just. Can you just. What does that shape look like? Like, what's the shape, though? Okay. But anyway, so midday news, I remember. So when we did that first, the Door Girls at my first episode of my second season, it didn't do well, but I was like, there are ways we could have really sold this sketch that I don't think we did. There are things like, one of us should have a clipboard instead of looking down at a podium. It might help to have our heads up as opposed to down. Just a number of things. And I go, the production really matters. And that's where my meticulousness comes. It's like this perfect marriage with my playfulness where midday news, I was like, if these people are sitting at a straight desk, like many news stations are, they would not be really talking to each other for people. And I kept being like, on Wednesday when the pre production meeting starts, like, guys, the table needs to be slightly curved. The table needs to be slightly curved. And then got downstairs on Thursday for blocking, and the table was straight. And I go, swear to God, the table needs to be slightly curved. I promise it's gonna make all the difference. And then we got a slightly curved table, and it was. It made all the difference. And so I think that, like, meticulousness that sometimes I feel the inclination to shit on about myself, I'm like, actually is quite helpful when it comes to, like, really building out a world and a sketch.

[Jesse David Fox]

I can't remember exactly the headline, but I remember when I wrote up Lisa after I saw it, it was something like, SNL should be this stupid or whatever. Yeah, something like that. And I use stupid as a compliment. I'm you as well. But stupid also can mean like, that sketch is bad. That sketch is stupid.

[Ego Wodom]

Yes.

[Jesse David Fox]

Like, I have such a visceral memory of many, many years ago, I saw Chappelle, and a person in front of me kept on saying, you're so stupid to herself. Anytime he said it, punchline it. And I'm like, that. That is what comedy should be. Yes.

[Ego Wodom]

Yes.

[Jesse David Fox]

So could you verbalize the difference between stupid that is good and stupid that is bad?

[Ego Wodom]

I think stupid that is good is reflective of such a pure playfulness and silliness. That is stupid that is good. It's like, that's just play. That is so stupid. I'm enjoying it. That's a stupid. That's one stupid. That is good. It's playful, it's joyous, it's like it's silly. And it's a silly I can relate to. And that resonates with me. Then there's stupid. That is like, this was not thought out. This was not thought out. No one does that. That point of view is foolish and ill informed. That's stupid. That is bad.

[Jesse David Fox]

I wanna talk about your role in the show broadly, but I always remember the story that Cecily took you on a vacation your first season. And partly she was a sen and she had that experience when she was starting out. You are now one of the more senior cast members. How do you try to approach your role as a show? Do you feel like you're one of the leaders? Do you aspire to be? How do you try to lead?

[Ego Wodom]

I do feel like I'm a senior cast. Well, not. I feel like I am in fact a senior cast member. To answer your question. I do feel like I'm a leader. I feel my hope in life is to be a leader and to lead well in whatever it is that I'm doing. And I feel like now that I'm senior and sometimes I forget, I think each of us can get so caught up in what we're doing at the show or what we're hoping to do and what pieces we're working on and what pieces went well and how did last week go and how's the season feeling for us that sometimes we can forget. Like, hold on, I've been here this number of years. Oh my God, I'm a senior. It just happens one day and I don't want to trivialize all the work we do, but you look up and you're a senior and. And it's important to me that I go, okay, I know what my experience was and to not forget what it felt like to come to SNL and not know what my place on the show was, to not know what my comedic voice would be on the show, what role I would sort of fill on the show, how well I would even do on the show. Aren't people enjoying my work on the show? And I feel like I'm well past that. And so now I think when I see a more junior cast member, I. I bear that in mind and I make it a point. I do. It's really important to me to seek out those more junior cast members, especially those who are seemingly having a rougher go to let them know that they're seen and they're valued and just human to human. I see you. And here, if you need advice or if you ever need an ear, I'm there. I think that is so meaningful in that space because SNL is so tough and things move so fast that sometimes, sometimes it's easy to neglect that part of it and it's not a function of anyone being bad or it's just this is such a fast moving machine. That sort of humanity of it can get neglected from time to time. So for me, I go the more I can take my head out of my own ass and see what experience someone else is having, especially one that I maybe have had or can speak to and sort of give them a positive word or a word of encouragement. It's really important to me to do so.

[Jesse David Fox]

You're in your sixth season, you're about to go on your seventh season, which will be wild. It's an election year and the 50th also. Seven, I think believe is the sort of standard contract run for people on the show. As I say, when people on snl, they spend their first five years explaining how they got on SNL and then immediately are asked when are they going to leave snl? But I'm going to do that now. But no but how. What do you. Don't. Not when will you leave? What do you think it would feel like for you to be ready to leave? And what do you feel like you still have you want to do on the show?

[Ego Wodom]

I don't want to leave anywhere with a bad taste in my mouth. And that's not to say this is like just a personal rule for me. It's not even about snl. I remember when I had a day job working as an admissions counselor. My big thing is when I'm ready to leave this job, I need to feel, I would like to, for me, feel positively about this place and positively about my colleagues. And that's for me to work on. And so it's important to me to go. There's a level of peace that comes with that. And for me that represents. Making peace with the place is like having true acceptance about the place and all that it's been and all that it's offered you and all the things and all the things it may have taken from you, the ways it's challenged you. And so I feel like I'd have to feel peace. My mom says go where there's peace. And I've used that to guide decisions I've had to make. And like tough decisions. I try to envision what would it feel like to make decision A, and in this case, for instance, to stay. What would it feel like to make decision B, in this instance, to go. And what does my body feel when I imagine each of those scenarios? And that usually is a guiding force for me, but it would feel like I've made real peace with this place and all that I've done here, and I'm proud of what I've done here. What I still wanna do on the show is I wanna play more men. I love playing men. I wanna get Jamal on in some capacity. And I want to see myself just playing even more and more and more and more, Just operating at the highest level of play and sort of throwing away the rest of the stuff. Cause I feel like, again, that type a meticulous is inherent to me. I think often I don't remember how old I was, where I was in life, or what. When Larry King retired from Larry King Live, and I just remember him, he was getting interviewed and someone was like, how have you decided when. How did you make the decision to leave the show or step away from the show? And he was like, you have to know when to leave the party. And I think that is such an art and such a skill that people don't speak about enough.

[Jesse David Fox]

Before I forget, has the cousin that Lisa was based on found out yet?

[Ego Wodom]

I don't know. But every interview I go, alex's cousin. Alex's cousin. I'm, like, gonna get him in trouble.

[Jesse David Fox]

And he's like, how close is this cousin if they're getting dinner, but not.

[Ego Wodom]

Dinner around the holidays? And I'm like, I don't. But she may be like a Lisa and not even know it's about her. That's the thing. Lisa is oblivious to everybody else and is doing her own thing.

[Jesse David Fox]

It'd be so funny. She finds. I was like, I don't know why that sketch was funny. That person.

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah, why is it so funny? The girl's eating her steak.

[Jesse David Fox]

So now it's time for the final segment of the show. It's called the Laughing Round. It's like a lightning round, but because it's a comedy podcast, I call it the Laughing Round.

[Ego Wodom]

Okay, great. I love.

[Jesse David Fox]

Do you have a favorite joke? Joke, Like a street joke? Dad joke? Knock, knock joke.

[Ego Wodom]

Knock, knock joke. Do I have a favorite joke or.

[Jesse David Fox]

Any joke that you think of? You don't even have to like it.

[Ego Wodom]

Okay. This is a joke that. Okay, I watch this YouTube video over and over and over and over again since I was in college. Anytime I Need to laugh. It's Jamie Foxx and Fantasia performing at Clive Davis's pre Grammys party. Some user named 1lauren l a U R I N has posted it. It's got tons of views. This is my. I'll say that this is what the joke is, and I'll say it out of context all the time. As recently as Saturday, basically Jamie is vamping a ton. And then he says, if you chocolate in here tonight, raise your hand. If you chocolate, make some noise. And then a few people raise their hand. And then to everyone else he goes, look at you sitting there like you're light skinned. And I think about that joke all the time. And so I'll say, look at you sitting there like you're light skinned all the time.

[Jesse David Fox]

Is there a character or sketch you wish you could steal that you saw? And you go, I wish that was mine. I wish I got to do that.

[Ego Wodom]

A character or a sketch? Yes. Oh my God. Kerry Washington playing Miss Uganda. Who is that? What are they? How can we. I wish to dear God I could have done that. Yes.

[Jesse David Fox]

What is the best time you ever bombed?

[Ego Wodom]

The best time I ever bombed. I'm gonna say Lisa from Temecula at dress rehearsal. And just being like when I said fuck it. And I was just like, well, I'm not gonna even say my lines. I'm gonna ask Pedro what he's looking at. That's.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. Do you have a short story of an interaction with a legendary comedian, living or dead, you're willing to share?

[Ego Wodom]

Oh my goodness. Cool. Adam. Adam Sandler gave me dating advice, but someone wrote about that one. I told her it was the end of my first season, I had no pitch for pitch meeting on Monday, and I had heard enough people tell stories over the season and I was like, okay, I guess I can tell an anecdote. And it's like my third to last episode. So I'm gonna tell an anecdote about dating. And I tell the anecdote, tell my pitch. Hehehaha. And then afterward, Adam comes up, I think, on Tuesday when the host goes around to meet people individually if they would like. And I was. And he's like, what' with you? And then I talked to him and he gave me dating advice. And then I got a cool FaceTime from Whoopi Goldberg. This season, right before Table Read, my friend Derek Monroe does her hair. And so we both. She had rollers in her hair, my hair was wrapped. And we got to FaceTime and she wanted to tell me she was a fan of my Work and a fan of me as a comedian. I wrote that down verbatim. And I have to add one more.

[Jesse David Fox]

Sure.

[Ego Wodom]

Eddie Murphy at. When he was hosting, I got the sense I might be assuming here. I was like, I bet you he feels nervous to some extent to come back and do this live show he's been away from for, I believe, 35 years or something. And there's a lot of pressure, and everyone is expecting. Just expecting the most, and that's just a lot of pressure. I just thought about Eddie on a human level when he came, and I go, I get the sense there's a level of, like, nervousness that he's not gonna articulate. Cause this is a lot of pressure, and everyone's assuming it's gonna be amazing. Anyway, after dress rehearsal, I said to Eddie, I go, little old me. I go, great job. Cause I just wanted. I was like, great job. And he was like, you, too, funny girl. And I could have died. He called me funny girl.

[Jesse David Fox]

Do you have advice for an aspiring comedian?

[Ego Wodom]

Advice for an aspiring comedian. I would say to watch as much of the comedy it is that you want to be doing, I really wanted to be an improviser. I watched so many hours of improv. And also. So get up there and get used to and comfortable and bombing and being bad at it and getting okay with that. That's, I think, one of the hardest parts of the job for people. And so I would say, watch as much as you can and get up there and do as much as you can. Also live life and be inspired. That's a big one.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. Who's the best comedian working?

[Ego Wodom]

Best comedian working. Ooh, ooh. That's. Ooh, ooh, Juicy. Okay. Ego wodem says best comedian working is. I've got a few. Can I say? Can I. Do I. Okay.

[Jesse David Fox]

I just asked that question. You can answer however you want.

[Ego Wodom]

Okay. I feel like it's on the tip of my tongue who. I'm like, this is the funniest motherfucker ever. I think I'm just gonna name people that, like, really make me laugh. Jaboukie Young White makes me really laugh. We've only met each other one time, but he should know. Nikki Glaser is so fucking funny to me. Dear God.

[Jesse David Fox]

Did you watch her roast?

[Ego Wodom]

Yes. Oh, my God. Nikki is so. I got to meet Nikki doing a fashion show for Cynthia Rowdy last year, and I got to tell her, like, you have this one joke from Alec Baldwin's roast. I believe it was that I was like that. I repeat All. Or that I won't repeat it. Cause the context but I was like, is I think about all the time. Cause it was that funny. And then to see her just top that at Tom Brady's roast. Unreal. Nikki Jaboukie. And I'm trying to think of someone else because I know there's somebody else. I'm gonna move all away. And then if I remember, before we stop recording.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yes. Okay, sounds good. Okay, so the last question, or if you want to go back to the last one, is, is there a sketch that has never worked? But you were like, it's so funny, but it's never worked. Maybe you've given up on it, maybe you've not. But you'll go to grave being I was right there wrong.

[Ego Wodom]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

That you can tell us about.

[Ego Wodom]

Yes. I'm gonna say the door girls that can't read. And I know I already mentioned that, but the Dora girls who can't read, I don't even think that they were wrong. I think it's got to be produced in such a specific way that I'm going to try to crack before I leave this place. I'm like, dora girls who can't read but are acting, like, bitchy and unstuck up is so funny to me. And then you discover, like, oh, they're one little kink in their armor. They can't read as they don' Let you in the club. Okay, any other comedians? Any other comedians? There's somebody that I'm like, I lose my. Oh. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Tim Robinson. Oh, my God. I think you should leave. I have legitimately urinated on myself watching that show. I have peed on myself watching that. Sketches. I've seen. I've already seen. I've peed after seeing them, like the fourth time watching. That's how funny. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

I mean, Lisa is kind of like a. I think you should leave character.

[Ego Wodom]

Oh, my goodness. That's what high praise. What high praise. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Thank you so much.

[Ego Wodom]

Thank you. Thanks, Jesse.

[Jesse David Fox]

That's it for another episode of Good one. Links to all the sketches we talked about are in the show notes. Otherwise, you can watch old episodes on Peacock. You can follow Ego on social mediagoboom. Goodwill is produced by myself and Jelani Carter. Gautama Shigashin did our theme song, write our view, and write the show on Apple Podcasts. Five stars. Please email any comments, questions, or laughing around suggestions to goodonepodcastmail.com or tweet us oodonepodcast. I'm Jesse David Fox. And you can follow me at essiedavidfox. Buy my book, comedy book, wherever books are sold. Thanks for listening to Good One from New York Magazine. You can subscribe to the [e-mail] pod we'll be back next Tuesday. Have a good one.

[Ego Wodom]

Welcome to Good One show about talking them jokes, son. Hey, hey, hey, hey.

[Jesse David Fox]

Good one.

[Ego Wodom]

It's a good one.