Seth Meyers will miss late night television when it's gone

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Seth Meyers Will Miss Late Night Television When It's Gone"

Good One: A Podcast About Jokes
Episode: Seth Meyers will miss late night television when it's gone
Host: Jesse David Fox
Guest: Seth Meyers
Release Date: June 5, 2025

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Introduction and Episode Overview

[01:31] Jesse David Fox introduces the episode, welcoming Seth Meyers as the guest. The conversation centers around Seth's reflections on late-night television, his experiences on Saturday Night Live (SNL), his stand-up special "Dadman Walking," and the evolving landscape of comedy. Jesse highlights Seth's unique position in the comedy world, comparing him to the "Kevin Durant of comedy."

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Late-Night Television: Challenges and Reflections

[03:38] Jesse David Fox brings up recent trends in late-night television, noting a significant surge in viewership and revenue. This leads to the core discussion about Seth's feelings on being potentially one of the last late-night hosts.

[03:47] Seth Meyers expresses sadness over the diminishing number of late-night hosts, acknowledging the platform's incredible potential for comedians. He reflects on the initial boom in late-night shows around 2014 and his rapid ascent to becoming a veteran host.

Revenue Boom and Future of Late-Night Shows

[04:25] Seth Meyers reminisces about the late-night boom, likening it to a "dot com bubble" where numerous hosts emerged swiftly. Despite the challenges, he remains optimistic about his show improving over time without overcomplicating the business aspects.

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Strike Force Five: Navigating the Writer's Strike

[05:07] Jesse David Fox references Seth's participation in the podcast "Strike Force Five" during the writer's strike, exploring how this collaboration fostered closer relationships among late-night hosts.

[05:14] Seth Meyers discusses the camaraderie among late-night hosts during the strike, emphasizing their mutual support and the shared struggle of declining network television viewership. He cites conversations with Conan O'Brien about the shifting dynamics and the importance of not taking the situation personally.

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Wardrobe Choices and On-Air Presence

[09:03] Jesse David Fox brings up Seth's post-COVID decision to forgo suits on his show, sparking a lighthearted discussion about the impact on male guests' attire.

[09:53] Seth Meyers explains his choice was primarily for personal comfort and to create an intimate, relaxed atmosphere on set. He acknowledges the potential wardrobe challenges for guests but emphasizes the positive feedback regarding the show's cozy aesthetic.

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Podcasting: "Day Drinking" and Niche Fame

[11:00] Jesse David Fox shifts the conversation to Seth's podcast "Day Drinking," delving into its creation, challenges, and the balance between mainstream and niche audiences.

[11:13] Seth Meyers shares insights into the podcast's popularity exceeding their capacity, leading to careful selection of guests and content moderation to maintain quality. He humorously notes the inherent anxiety in incorporating alcohol into the show's format but highlights the authentic, enjoyable conversations that emerge once the initial awkwardness subsides.

Creative Process: Writing and Stand-Up

[22:11] Jesse David Fox inquires about Seth's stand-up writing process, particularly his approach to generating material without performing regularly.

[22:22] Seth Meyers details his method of developing ideas akin to SNL sketches, relying on spontaneous creativity rather than repetitive testing. He expresses admiration for comedians who refine jokes through multiple performances, acknowledging his own limitations in this area.

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Impact of Political Climate on Comedy

[13:30] Jesse David Fox reminisces about Seth's office environment post-2016 election, drawing parallels to the current exhaustion felt by the nation.

[14:12] Seth Meyers elaborates on how political events have shaped the tone of his comedy, emphasizing the need for comedy to remain a joyful escape even while addressing serious topics. He underscores the importance of providing catharsis and maintaining an authentic comedic voice amid societal challenges.

Stand-Up Special: "Lobby Baby"

[17:21] Jesse David Fox transitions to discussing Seth's latest stand-up special, "Lobby Baby," focusing on its content and reception.

[19:16] Seth Meyers reflects on integrating political material into his special, highlighting the challenges of balancing personal narratives with broader political commentary. He expresses satisfaction with the positive feedback, noting that the political components did not overshadow the personal stories shared.

SNL Legacy and Golden Era

[32:27] Seth Meyers and Jesse delve into Seth's perspective on what he terms the "Golden Era" of SNL, characterized by a tight-knit, talented cast that could sustain high-quality sketches.

[36:50] Seth Meyers attributes the success of this era to a unique confluence of talent and the absence of external pressures from the digital streaming boom. He praises the collaborative environment and the mutual respect among cast members, which fostered creative excellence.

Role as Head Writer and Collaborations

[43:33] Jesse David Fox prompts Seth to share memories from his time as head writer, particularly during significant milestones like SNL's 50th Anniversary.

[44:44] Seth Meyers recounts the collaborative spirit of the writers' room and the influence of experienced producers like Mike Shoemaker. He emphasizes the importance of supporting individual writers' visions and avoiding the imposition of personal styles, fostering a diverse and innovative comedic environment.

Legacy and Influence

[49:16] Seth Meyers expresses gratitude for being considered a potential successor to SNL's leadership, viewing it as a significant honor. He reflects on his journey, the relationships built, and the lasting impact of his contributions to the show.

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Comedy Insights and Personal Anecdotes

[58:26] Laughing Round
In the final segment, Seth engages in a "Laughing Round," sharing favorite sketches and providing advice for aspiring comedians.

• Favorite Sketches: Seth cites "McGruber" and admires its cleverness, expressing admiration for its enduring humor within SNL’s repertoire.

• Advice for Aspiring Comedians: Emphasizes the importance of embracing failure as a learning tool and encourages newcomers to actively participate in open mics and perform regularly to hone their craft.

• Influence on Comedians: Seth proudly acknowledges several comedians he helped nurture, including Kate McKinnon and Amber Ruffin, highlighting their unique talents and contributions to the comedy landscape.

• Memorable Interactions: Shares a touching moment with Eddie Murphy, appreciating Murphy’s vulnerability and authenticity behind the scenes.

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Conclusion

The episode concludes with Jesse and Seth exchanging final thoughts, celebrating the enduring spirit of comedy, and recognizing the influential role of shows like SNL in shaping comedic talent. Seth reiterates his commitment to maintaining a high-quality, authentic comedic platform through his late-night show and podcast endeavors.

Notable Quotes:

• Seth Meyers [03:47]: "I certainly would bet on there being fewer [late-night shows] in the future as opposed to more."
• Jesse David Fox [09:03]: "After Covid, you decided not to wear a suit anymore, and this has caused havoc on the men dressing for your show."
• Seth Meyers [14:12]: "It is joyful to do. It is joyful to watch. Doesn't mean we're gonna ignore what's happening, but what's happening is what we're gonna discuss."
• Seth Meyers [31:09]: "I think there's a lot of people who said to Lauren, I quit."
• Seth Meyers [58:42]: "I wish I could take credit for McGruber."

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This episode offers an in-depth look into Seth Meyers' perspectives on the evolving landscape of late-night television, his creative processes in writing and performing comedy, and his enduring legacy within the comedy community. Through candid anecdotes and thoughtful reflections, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of Seth's contributions and philosophies in the world of humor.

Transcript

[Jesse David Fox]

Hey, it's Jesse. I have exciting news. Starting on June 5th, we are relaunching. Good one. On YouTube. That's right. This voice with a face. Starting on June 5th. For you ears only, people. The podcast will still be available wherever you get your podcasts, but come on to YouTube. You know, we got fancy graphics and moody blue lights and every episode I'm trying to wear a different hat and you do not want to miss these hats. You can watch us every [e-mail] vulture. New episodes drop Thursdays. See you on YouTube.

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[Seth Meyers]

The new McCrispy strip is here. Dip approved by Ketchup, Tangy barbecue Honey mustard, honey mustard, Sprite, McFlurry, Big Mac sauce, double dipped in buffalo and ranch. More ranch and creamy chili. McCrispy strip dip now at McDonald's. What made you stop being, you know, jealous of other people's success? It's like I got a little on my own. You know, I got a little.

[Jesse David Fox]

This is good one. I am Jesse David Fox, writer at Vulture and author of comedy book. My guest today is Seth Meyers. We talk about being maybe one of the last late night hosts ever. His new standup special, Dadman Walking and Saturday Night Live and why he should or shouldn't take over for Lorne Michaels whenever he leaves. I've known and interviewed Seth for a while and we get into who he is and why he is the Kevin Durant of comedy. So here is Seth Meyers.

[Seth Meyers]

Hi, buddy. It's nice to see you again.

[Jesse David Fox]

Nice to see you. So what was the funniest thing that happened to you? You witnessed or you noticed this week?

[Seth Meyers]

So I went and saw Portrait of Dorian Gray with Sarah Snuck. It was fantastic. And when the play ended, she's going to be on my show in a couple of weeks. And so a security guard came to get my wife and I to bring us up to her dressing room. I'm a Boston Celtics fan and it was game two of the Knicks series. And the security guard, I heard him, I Overheard him say to somebody, the Knicks are getting killed. And then I just started busting on him, saying, did you really think you were going to win two games in Boston? And he was like, you're a Celtics fan. And it was just that sort of real nice ribbing with a New Yorker. And then we went and spent 10 minutes saying hi to Sarah. And then I came out and he was waiting there. And he goes, I am so excited to walk you out. I am so excited to walk you out and give you some very fun news. Because literally in the 10 minutes we were in there, then Nicks went on a 22 nothing run. And I just liked that he, you know, he fully crossed whatever line of politeness you're supposed to have with the guests you're escorting. And it softened the blow how hard he that was.

[Jesse David Fox]

When I turned off, I was like, well, it can't be two games in a row.

[Seth Meyers]

No.

[Jesse David Fox]

The exact same thing happened.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

I'm so sorry that happened to you.

[Seth Meyers]

It's okay. I'm actually. It's amazing how much the blow has softened when you were currently the world champs. The socialist in me feels like everybody should get the championship. So I have mine.

[Jesse David Fox]

It's very magnanimous.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

So there have been a couple stories actually, quite recently about late night television in the state.

[Seth Meyers]

How it's like, through the roof. Yeah. Going through the roof. Revenue, the boom dive.

[Jesse David Fox]

More viewership than ever. More viewers than ever. More making more money than ever. Yeah. Does it feel like you're one of the last late night hosts ever?

[Seth Meyers]

You know, I think it's very. It does make me sad because I think it's an incredible platform. It was, you know, not that it was something that I was aiming for, but had I known how much fun it was going to be, I would have been aiming for it.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

And it was a really cool landing spot for a certain kind of comedian where this fit their skill set the most. Now, you know, there's always a chance something turns around and all of a sudden it's on the upswing again. But I certainly would bet on there being fewer in the future as opposed to more. And it's crazy because, you know, look, I started in 2014, and there was that crazy boom.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

Where, you know, you felt like, oh, my God, look at this. It's a rocket ship. Like, I was so quickly one of the veteran late night hosts within a year of doing it. And, you know, it was a little bit. You know, there was that dot com bubble of late night hosts. The good News is the. I don't. And no one is fortunately asking me to figure out the business of late night.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

And ultimately all I can do is go and do a late night show every day and we feel like it's a very good one that gets better. And so we're just going to keep our eyes on that.

[Jesse David Fox]

You did that the podcast during the writer's strike with the other late night host called Strike Force Five.

[Seth Meyers]

So nice to hear it. Without the lightning, without the.

[Jesse David Fox]

We're going to put in, folks.

[Seth Meyers]

Oh, fuck. All right, keep going.

[Jesse David Fox]

Is it something you've talked about? Is it a thing that you're like commiserate on now that I think that podcast allowed you all to have a closer relationship?

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah, of course we text when things come up. But yes, I think that we are. Certainly it's helpful for us to cross pollinate the information we're hearing from the people in charge of our networks to make sure it's all checking out with everybody else. And so. And also just to commiserate because everybody who's doing this to some degree obviously remembers a time where things were a little more flush. But even I was talking to Conan and this was also a trend line over the course of the entirety of his time. Obviously when he was wrapping up, it was better than now, but he also was pointing out it was also better when I started than it was when I was wrapping up. So, so much of it is. Which is not nice, but the way you don't take it personally is it's just the fact that people don't watch network television the same way. And that's everywhere. And it's not just late night. But of course, I think when you're at the very beginning or the very end of a network day, that's where you're going to see it the most.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, it's so funny. The idea of late night wars now feels so quaint.

[Seth Meyers]

Well, it now feels like we're at war against everybody else. It's sort of like a weird Game of Thrones where we've banded together. It is. You know what? Should we try one last heist? Is that how we save late night? Is Strike Force 5 does the heist show together? All of a sudden we get enough money. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

I'll say this about your late night show. So the last time I believe we spoke, it was on your late night show and I was promoting a book. And it was honestly the most comfortable interview I did, despite the fact I was on television. And it's like a late Night interview. I did like 30 minutes of a pre interview with one of your producers. But the, the best moment came with a question that was not pre interviewed for. You asked me just sort of like, am I optimistic for the future of comedy? And I remember when you started, you were most nervous about interviewing. That was just not a thing that you did. So as a person who's now doing on camera interviews, I was curious first, what were you concerned about and was there a breakthrough that you had?

[Seth Meyers]

Right. So much of that first year was aiming for competence, which. I don't know. Right. If that's good or bad, and if you should aim for excellence. But ultimately, with the way it worked out, I think that was a good path for me. And it was ultimately the same path I took at SNL too, which is just be competent first and then start taking bigger swings.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

And with interviews it did felt like, you know, moving like station to station. Like, we'll ask this part and then we'll move on to this part. And sometimes that's really important to this day.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

You can tell there's a certain kind of guest who ultimately the best version of them is when you give them an interview laid out like that. Then other times, you know, when it's someone like you, and I know that you ultimately can answer any question about comedy, it's not like this is the first time you've thought about it. You give myself permission to ask a question that's maybe outside of it, but ultimately it's always the best stuff tends to come outside the realm of what you were planned, with the exceptions that sometimes people just show up with a great anecdote and it's your job as a late night host to just, you know, basically ask the question and get it out of the way. It was so fun the other day. I had Natasha Leone on and of course she is just in general an agent of chaos. And, you know, she also talked to, you know, our producer, which, you know, pre interviews have value. But it was so funny to. I was, you know, say, so you, you know, you grew up on the Upper east side. Did you ever go to the Met? Because she'd been at the Met Ball, she's like, oh, right, right. I remember you were going to ask me that. Look at us doing a thing like it's the first time. And she kept doing it every time I'd ask her a question and, and of course the audience knows what we're doing. And I do a Q and A every night and, you know, the way I explain it is. It's still a conversation. Right. You want it to be an authentic conversation, but, you know, it is also. At the same time, it's an authentic conversation. It's also a performance of a conversation. So you want to give your scene partner whatever they need.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. I do have one gripe and I've been waiting. I don't know if you know this. So after Covid, you decided not to wear a suit anymore, and this has caused havoc on the men dressing for your show.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah, it has.

[Jesse David Fox]

Have you heard of this?

[Seth Meyers]

I haven't heard, but I'm aware that it might be.

[Jesse David Fox]

Because it's special. We're on tv.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

But you can't dress more fancy than the host.

[Seth Meyers]

I think you can.

[Jesse David Fox]

And you can't dress as casual the host if you're just sort of. Well, this. You.

[Seth Meyers]

You probably. I've put them in a tough situation. I appreciate it.

[Jesse David Fox]

It's a thing that you have to. One thinks about because you're mostly just wearing sweaters and. And shirt.

[Seth Meyers]

Jackets.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

And the answer that most people do, and this is a. If you watch in late night Seth Meyers, you'll scroll and notice is especially during like colder months is sweater. Blazer.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Suit with a sweater, not with a shirt and. Or sometimes no tie. But I don't think.

[Seth Meyers]

Do you feel like now I'm. I want to use this as a. As a feedback mechanism. Do you think they're frustrated or do you think it's just. It's a little confusing. But ultimately, when they're out there, they think, wow, this is nice. I'm dressed more comfortable.

[Jesse David Fox]

Well, it's. It's hard because I imagine people who have people who dress them. Who knows what's happening backstage.

[Seth Meyers]

Sure.

[Jesse David Fox]

They're just like, put on this outfit.

[Seth Meyers]

I'm sure those people are probably not over the moon. Again, it's a very selfish choice. So let me stress that I've never once thought about it in regards to how it affects my kids.

[Jesse David Fox]

Sure.

[Seth Meyers]

But I'd like to think because a lot of feedback I get, especially for people who are on either a first talk show or it's their first run of talk shows, we get a lot of feedback. They feel comfortable on my show. And I think that maybe. Right. It's a little bit of a wardrobe headache. But I think when you get out and, you know, it's. There's an intimacy to the way we built our, you know, our set. Like, the chair is very close to my chair. It's not a very big desk. And I think that ultimately when you're talking to a guy in a cozy sweater, you just feel a lot better. You stop thinking about what you're wearing and you're just like, look at this nice guy in a sweater. He's not out to get me.

[Jesse David Fox]

Gripe answered.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

One place where your outfits make sense. Is day drinking a sensation that you've created? Thank you.

[Seth Meyers]

Backed into it. No. Never thought there would be that.

[Jesse David Fox]

Can you walk me through the process of a guest reach out to you at this point?

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

A guest says they're interested in doing day drinking. You're like, wow, you're of course, dua leap or whoever through what we then see.

[Seth Meyers]

I mean, one is we're in a place we never thought we'd be, which is ultimately we have more people who want to do it than we have slots to do it.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

Um, mostly we just think that it's twice, three times a year before there's a tipping point where someone says, this is bad and that man is 51 and why are we okay with him drinking like that? If it's dua Lipa, then there's a process wherein the writers start coming up with bits. I will say, and I give any one of my writers you talk to permission. To tell you the truth, it is the most disagreeable. I am in the run up to anything because I am so aware that the. What will happen over the course of day drinking is I will lose control. And so much of my comedy is about being totally in control. And so I am pre anxious about it in a way. I'm not anxious about anything else. And ultimately everything's fine a half an hour into it when I've had a couple of drinks.

[Jesse David Fox]

Sure, sure.

[Seth Meyers]

But there's a real sort of first date energy. Just, you know, I feel a real itchiness about things. And, you know, also we tend to cut the first half hour because it ends up not being as much fun because watching people before they're drunk is less fun than when they're a little bit. And so. But that first half hour is, you know, because what. You know, it's a lot of making drinks and it's less funny when you actually, you know, have a stupid name for a drink. And also it's slower to pour it than you think. And of course I. And I'm. I'm aware that we're going to make an edit and everything, but it's just not fun. Whereas, you know, 45 minutes into it, like, writer Seth is officially out to lunch and it just Gets to be sort of performer.

[Jesse David Fox]

How many hours are you filming those two.

[Seth Meyers]

It's nuts how fast it goes. And it's not so much drinking. I mean, I drink. So we. I've said people, you know, we edit out drinks more than we like. Fake water. I've never. I should say some hosts have. I've never guessed. I've never faked a glass of water. Come on.

[Jesse David Fox]

So I was at your office the week after the 2016 election.

[Seth Meyers]

Right.

[Jesse David Fox]

So this is after you had been doing a closer look and such for the entirety of that election. And the vibe of your office was not enthused.

[Seth Meyers]

I think that's right.

[Jesse David Fox]

As America, or at least the part of America we live in and. But it was sort of like there was a resolve for, like, exhausted but resolute.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

And I'd say in the eight years since, everyone's more exhausted than they were even at that moment. And even by the idea of more jokes about Trump.

[Seth Meyers]

Yep.

[Jesse David Fox]

And yet Seth persisted.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

What. What does it feel like to do it now? Like, why do it now? What is it for you?

[Seth Meyers]

Has your approach changed tonally? We realized it could not. We could not come out of the gates post this election the same way we came out of the last one, which I think was sort of resolve. This isn't who we are. Because it did sort of feel like maybe a rounding error or people who even, you know, the way I Talked after the 2016, like, right. Like there was a real, like, I think we maybe weren't open hearted to the fact that there were a lot of people in this country who were disappointed and disillusioned and we have to try harder. I didn't feel that way in 2014. There was a real, like, fucking, I mean, 24. Excuse me. Like, I wasn't like, again, like, you know, and so then it is like, okay, so this is who we are right now. This is who we are. And that doesn't mean it's who we're always gonna be, but we have to accept that. And so we couldn't come out of the Gates the same way of being, you know, this. And again, you don't have a lot of time to, you know, sit everybody down and do a real. Okay, so moving forward. And it was okay. We have to be the place where it is still joyous. It is joyful to do. It is joyful to watch. Doesn't mean we're gonna ignore what's happening, but what's happening is what we're gonna discuss and it is gonna be the place where our power comes from not being sad all the time. And that has been a way to sort of wanna run to the office because it is. Where there's the most light about what's happening right now is the fact that we have the privilege of doing a show about it.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. I mean, you are in a rare position of, I think this is your fifth election in a row of being in a very prominent place writing and performing political comedy.

[Seth Meyers]

Yes.

[Jesse David Fox]

What have you learned about what it does? I mean, like, you've never been a person of, like, I'm on the front lines of anything.

[Seth Meyers]

No. And also, you know, I do it. I think it's funny too, because, like, you, I had for the SNL 50th. I remember pitching, like, I wanted to have all the impressions of Democratic presidents come out and just thank the liberal institution of SNL, because thanks to your help, we've won six of 13 elections. Right. There is this thing of as much as people talk about how influential it is, like sub 500, if you believe it's truly the liberal media, it's wildly ineffective. And so there's actually a bit of freedom of knowing that, which is, you know, now, again, like, I don't know what people will expect you to do with that information, which is like, well, maybe you should start trying to get Republicans elected. I. I don't think that would help either, you know, because, again, our show works. Because I do believe that people who watch it, the people who enjoy it, know that every day it's coming from authentic place of what we believe. But it is nice to know, like, I don't really think we're changing everybody, anybody's, um. I think that we are, you know, we're trying, hopefully trying to provide some catharsis to people who are. Have a need for it.

[Jesse David Fox]

So I want to talk about your most recent special.

[Seth Meyers]

Thank you so much. You know, you. I was you. Were you wearing my head.

[Jesse David Fox]

In what part?

[Seth Meyers]

Well, because you. I can't remember when you made the observation about how comedians have kids and then that's what they're expecting years ago. Right?

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

I mean, I don't even know who you were talking about, but, you know, I make the mistake and continue to make the mistake of reading what you write about comedy.

[Jesse David Fox]

Sure.

[Seth Meyers]

And there's a real, you know, intelligence behind it. And so it was really funny. Like, I think sometimes people are like, oh, my God, I'm turning into my father. Like, for me, it was like, oh, my God, I'm turning into what Jesse.

[Jesse David Fox]

Always Said, I'm turning into a comedian talking about his kids.

[Seth Meyers]

I'm turning into a comedian talking about his kids.

[Jesse David Fox]

But I think it's a question of. Actually, I don't know what your material is like before. Before you had kids.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

So in many ways, I'm like, this seems like the comedian you should, especially as your standup Persona.

[Seth Meyers]

Right. You know, I've got two specials, and I think it. To be honest, it wasn't until I started doing stuff that was unique to me. And again, in the beginning, it was, you know, it being engaged and then getting married and then kids. It wasn't until I started telling those stories that I felt, you know, there was anything special about it, you know, because I would do jokes about politics that were good jokes, but didn't feel massively different than what you would get on late night every night. And so the fact that I, One, was lucky enough to sort of have exceptional things happen, and two, like, could tell really good stories about them. That was when I thought, oh, you know what this is? You know, certainly with Lobby Baby, I was like, oh, this is now an hour. This is now a show. And, you know, I think there is something to waiting until you have something that feels special to that point.

[Jesse David Fox]

So in your last special, lobby baby, 39 minutes in, you say, I'm gonna have to do Trump material. If you wanna skip that, there'll be a button and you can skip it.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah. It was so massively frustrating how simple I thought that was and how hard I was told it was. And there was also a. You know, again, there's always. Your representation will always tell you what works and what doesn't. And there was a real, like, you know, politics people are. You know, when Lobby Baby came out, it's like, nobody wants politics in the special, right? At the same time, like, I. Those were. You know, it wasn't jokes about Trump as much as, like, jokes about my. How, again, it was, like, personal narrative and how the two intersected. And so I was like, oh, my God, this is every. I mean, every one of us watches Netflix and presses that button. It'll be so easy. And, like, they couldn't put. They were like, it's really hard. We have a whole team working on it. Like, also, like, we can't put it where you're gesturing. I'm like, what is what? And again, I'm not. I want to make it clear, like, I believe them that it was hard, but it was so funny how easy I thought it would be. It seemed in my head as well, it seemed like a unique way to.

[Jesse David Fox]

Address the moment, but do you feel like it might have overshadowed the parts of the special that were not political, which is essentially the entirety at the.

[Seth Meyers]

Time, I was probably so worried about it being absent of politics altogether that I didn't mind. And I think the people. The feedback I get about it, even today is not about that part, the positive feedback. So ultimately, if it helped get people to watch it and then like the other part, more like, that was ultimately the goal is for people to. It was a weird, you know, it was a bit of a sleight of hand, and yet it wasn't the best part of the special. You know, again, part of it is I'm so happy about how clever it was. And of course, clever does in play. Here was. I had a clever start to my special that I immediately realized was dumb, which is I wanted to do that, like, long opening tracking shot where you just see me from the back and it just like walks all the way. And then you cut to a wide and I'm already on stage and it's just someone wearing the same clothes as me walking out. And, like. And then I'm thinking, who is that for? Like, just the observation that there's these long tracking shocks serve no purpose.

[Jesse David Fox]

So fortunately, honestly, like, probably just for me.

[Seth Meyers]

Probably just for you. And probably I'm trying to, like, you know, because I know you're so disappointed. And I'm telling jokes about my kids.

[Jesse David Fox]

I like the jokes about your kids.

[Seth Meyers]

I, you know, I. There was a. The other thing about the traffic. I was like, you know, Neil Brandon, one of the great things about him as a director is he's always like, take this joke out, because if people watch it, five years from now, this will be. You know, there was a joke, I think, in Lobby Baby that sort of, like, played off that at the time scandal about, like, people getting their kids into schools. And, you know, it got a laugh at the time, but it got a laugh the way a monologue joke does. And, you know, he just, in a. I just remember him very smartly. Be like, just lose that.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

You're going to be mad if it's in the question.

[Jesse David Fox]

I've always wondered about your standup is how, when and where are you writing Stand up.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

You're not going up as far as I know. Going up, meeting, like, going to the Cellar.

[Seth Meyers]

I've never done a set. I've literally never done a set in New York.

[Jesse David Fox]

Oh, you literally do work out at the Beacon Theater.

[Seth Meyers]

I do work out at the beach.

[Jesse David Fox]

That James Katzer made fun of you for. So what. How does it happen? How do you have an hour now? Another hour?

[Seth Meyers]

I feel as though I'm very good at this thing of coming up with an idea at the way I did at SNL or the way I do it, you know, because, again, like, nobody works out SNL sketches.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

So sometimes you just say, oh, I think this will work as a bit. And the problem is, due to the rarity of how often I get on stage, is I don't. If something doesn't work once, I pretty much bail, you know, And I'm very jealous of, you know, when I hear a comedian talk about how this thing, you know, I did it 50 times, I could never get a laugh. And then all of a sudden, and I'm just. That's never gonna happen. I mean, also, I don't have the patience to bomb, like, I think, like, some. That confidence that. That really great comedians have of knowing. Knowing it's there. Knowing, like, with enough reps, they're gonna figure it out for me. It's that thrill of if you can make the beginning, like, sort of the initiation of the joke work, then you can constantly just, like, sort of.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. And you're writing with, like, pen or computer ahead of time, or you. Do you write at st. On stage for an hour?

[Seth Meyers]

No, I. It's all written ahead of time. I'm sort of, you know, definitely, like, keep a document on my phone. And then at this point, it's basically, I'm doing John when John's doing his hour. I'm doing a lot of work.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

Like transcribing notes on my phone and seeing where I should put them.

[Jesse David Fox]

John Oliver. So to back up, to explain, you and John Oliver have a residency at Beacon Theater. This is where you work out. 3000 seed venue, Beacon Theater, that people dream of playing one day.

[Seth Meyers]

It's amazing. I mean, it is the best.

[Jesse David Fox]

You're a home club.

[Seth Meyers]

It's the best comedy. I can't believe how good it is, how big a room it is.

[Jesse David Fox]

I think it's the ideal.

[Seth Meyers]

It's crazy how good it is because it's. Everybody's for a big room, people are really close, which makes a huge difference. Yeah. And it's John and I. And Brooks Whelan is our opener, who's a fantastic comedian as well. Brooks is fun because Brooks will fully just try completely. But then, you know, it's that great gift of an opener, which is he, you know, he sort of kills and then almost does Us that great. Courtesy of bombing once.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

Which then I think teaches the audience. Oh, it's not everything. I wish I had a little bit more permission to tell the audience this is new.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

You know, but it's, you know, it's a vegan and it's a, you know.

[Jesse David Fox]

It'S not like they paid a good amount of money.

[Seth Meyers]

A good amount of money.

[Jesse David Fox]

You have two audiences for your material, which is the audience. And then you're. You're wife, seemingly.

[Seth Meyers]

Yes.

[Jesse David Fox]

So when we spoke for the Good One TV show that you were kind enough to produce, you said you were jealous of Mike Birbiglia because he seemed to have a very clear understanding with his wife about what he can talk about on stage.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Where you and Alexi have a constant conversation, a continuing conversation. What is that conversation? Like, how continuing is it?

[Seth Meyers]

It's sort of when I like there's a. The story in Dead Man Walking about her trying to bring hummus on a plane, which when it happened, there was no comedy in it at all for her.

[Jesse David Fox]

She just literally tried to like a full size thing of hummus.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah. And then she. And then she, you know, TSA explained her she couldn't bring it. And then literally the next time we flew, she tried to do it again. And. And then I couldn't help myself and said as she was so mad and when we walked through the second time, I said, you'll get him next time. And she was so mad. And then I really was even hesitant to do it on stage. I remember I was. I think I was in Ottawa one night and just was doing two shows and thought she doesn't know anyone or not. I mean, she doesn't know when I was. And so I did it. And it was that thing of the minute it started, I was, oh, I'm going to really want to keep doing this and keep making it better. And. And then I really got into place and then I was like, hey, this hummus thing works. And she was great. She was like, yeah, you can do it. I mean, mostly I think she still feels like she was in the right. But my friend Amy Schumer, who listened to the set, she was the one who kind of suggested like finding a. Like talking about how in the future Lexi would win, which I think makes it not just for how it lands with Alexi, more importantly, how it lands with the audience. Because there is that tonal thing as well of, you know, I think, you know, in the same way that you worry about talking about kids too much, like, you don't want to be like, oh, wives.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

At the same time, like, you know, I think everybody. By the way, all she does is send me Instagram videos of wives bitching about husbands. So this is not a thing that only guys are doing. But. So you, you do try to find a way to be artful with it. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

So you didn't tell her it until it was already working.

[Seth Meyers]

Yes.

[Jesse David Fox]

As almost like, well, it's working, so.

[Seth Meyers]

It must work well there. I mean, the unfair thing I'm doing is instead of letting her say, I'd rather you don't do that, I let her. I have to. She has to take something away.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

She has to take something working away. I did it. I would say I did it with my mom as well. I had a bit about how we named our daughter after my mom's mom, who was not nice, instead of after my dad's mom, who was very nice, but her name started with a B. Sure. And. And I, you know, I just kind of talked about like how, you know, what it's like having mean grandmother. And I told my mom, I said, you know, I remember she, this is back when I was doing. I was doing a couple nights a month at City Winery and she came and I was like, let me know if you don't want me to do it. And as soon as it was over and she was like, oh my God, such a good show. I don't think you should do that. And it was really. I was like, oh, yeah, it's out forever. It's out forever.

[Jesse David Fox]

There is a run of jokes about your in laws and how they are Jewish. That adds to the canon of jokes. Jewish jokes that I, I wrote them down. I will have you read them. Because me reading. But like when you're writing them, you're like, well, if I'm going to write jokes about Jewish people, it has to be a plus since jokes about Jewish in laws have been going on for literally centuries. So wait, let me hold it up so you can.

[Seth Meyers]

I will say, here's the joke. Thank you very much. Because there's a couple I wrote that I had, I kind of couldn't believe hadn't been written.

[Jesse David Fox]

They're the jokes. So you're first, you're complaining about how.

[Seth Meyers]

I'm talking about. I'm talking about how they order. The way they order, like sort of delivery is. They wait till they're on the phone and then they ask everybody. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

And they, they'll wait and they'll complain.

[Seth Meyers]

They'll compl. So Anyway, I say this, and then I say my wife's family is Jewish, which I haven't said yet, but I have told you. And it's, you know, look, does it work the best at the Beacon? Sure. But it is again, that. See, that's. That's good writing. That's not, like, proud of itself. Cleverness. If there's one thing Jewish people agree on, I would love to know what that is. I think I left out my tag. Like, can't even decide on one spelling for Hanukkah. And then this is. This is the one that I had to look up because I thought, you know what? This. I can't believe this wasn't like a Catskills.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

I love my Jewish wife. I love my Jewish children. I have incredible in laws. The best thing about my in laws is they're very easy to find if you're ever looking for them. They're in the middle of my fucking business. That was a joke where I just started thinking, we gotta film this special. Somebody's gonna come up with like, you know, you kind of can't believe nobody else has said it. And you are also worried that someone is gonna, like, hear you say it and then, like, accidentally do it. You know, that thing, you know, Right. Like, you know, anybody can come to the Beacon. You know, it's like 3,000 people a month are seeing your material, and there's a chance it literally also could just.

[Jesse David Fox]

Become a street joke.

[Seth Meyers]

You know, the other great thing about my in laws is they love it. And, you know, also my mother in law will be like, we're not in your business.

[Jesse David Fox]

But I think also those are. It's like roast jokes. Because they are jokes.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

They're like, well, that's not mean. This is so well crafted.

[Seth Meyers]

Absolutely. 100%.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. So I want to talk about the Lonely island and Seth Meyers podcast.

[Seth Meyers]

Thank you very much.

[Jesse David Fox]

You're sort of doing a sort of reverse type of career, which is most people start being like, kind of niche famous and then break through. You were like mainstream famous. You were on Saturday Night Live and you host a late night show. And now, 25 years into your career, you are experiencing niche fame where you have little fan bases and they're. What is that? Like, is it different?

[Seth Meyers]

Well, I do want to stress. I don't think we knew it would be this niche. You know what I mean? Like, I don't. You know, we didn't think it would be smart list, but I think we thought it'd be somewhere between smart list and what it is. But we were even talking the other day about, you know, it is the headache of scheduling a podcast when it is at its very peak, the fourth job any of us have. So it is a real headache to schedule. And we kind of talk about, like, God, should we stop doing this thing? And the reason we don't it is kind of the fact that the people who like it, like it a lot. I keep making this, you know, observation slash jokes that, like, you know, every. There's all these books about how, like, you know, male friendships are on the decline.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

And what people need to do is just like, you have to start podcasts. If you want to talk to your friends once a week, start a podcast.

[Jesse David Fox]

I go. It is a podcast where four men tell each other they love each other. That that is mostly what the podcast is, other than the recap element. Well, like, that's the build, too.

[Seth Meyers]

That's the build, too. And also, it's very. I think there's a. It resonates even more knowing that Andy still loves us even though we're making him do a thing that he hates so much.

[Jesse David Fox]

So often you'll call the time period the show covers. And golden era.

[Seth Meyers]

And golden era, yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

So for those who are not familiar, what is the time period of. And golden era? Which, again, is grammatically incorrect.

[Seth Meyers]

Yes.

[Jesse David Fox]

Which I realized today. Which should be a golden era.

[Seth Meyers]

It should be a. But it's more fun to say. And golden era.

[Jesse David Fox]

So what is the time period? So people know. Who is the cast?

[Seth Meyers]

I would say it's sort of maybe the arrival of wig with great respect to people right at the beginning of it and at the end of it, because obviously there's great people, but there is a cast photo that, to me, is Anne Goldenera's avatar, which is wig. Maya, Amy, Darryl Keenan, Bill, Andy, Fred, Will, Jason, and myself. It's a very tight group. I mean, it's sort of 11 people. But, you know, outside of impressions, Darryl wasn't a huge sketch cog, so you sort of. And nor was I. So, weirdly, you sort of have, like, nine people covering every sketch. And I think it's such a talented cast now. But I always do have empathy for the fact that there's just not, you know, show to go around sometimes, and people can get a little bit lost. Whereas, you know, I go back and watch. It's so funny how many times Andy has no memory that he was in a sketch and then. Or how many times he had to play like a sort of unknown congressman, you know, and and so, yeah, it was a really cool time. And they were all. You know, the other thing is, they were all just such great writers. There's nobody there who's waiting for you to write for them.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

Which is. And I think everyone, you know, outside of. Of Daryl, who's the announcer, and Kenan, who's still on the show the other nine of us all hosted, which I think says something to that group. Lorne, really, I remember at the end of that season, like, he really, like, wanted us all to, like, take stock of the fact that he had been something special.

[Jesse David Fox]

This is when you were writing this hairpin, which is like when people think of Seth Meyers or your obituary. But, like, he wrote those hair panel things. But you're like, I wrote Jon Hamm's Jon Hamm that week as well.

[Seth Meyers]

It's the best. Jon Hamm has a product called John's Ham. It's the ham that you can eat in the bathroom, and it comes on a toilet paper roll, and it's next to the toilet paper, but it's a, you know, deli ham, and you can eat it. And it, you know, he elevates with performance. He's very, very severe.

[Jesse David Fox]

Sure.

[Seth Meyers]

And it was just really fun. And it was also a really good show that then had this trifle near the end. And I think, you know, those are. Those are important parts of really good shows. And it led to arguably the better sketch, which is Ham and Bubbly.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

Which is. He was again, sometimes just words give you ideas. I realized that Jon Hamm was hosting with musical guest Michael Buble, and so he had a restaurant called Ham and Bubbly, which was Ham and Champagne.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

And then it becomes clear that he's maybe kidnapped Michael Boule, where it's the.

[Jesse David Fox]

Second move, which is nice. It's like, oh, now we've actually. This is a real sequel.

[Seth Meyers]

It's a sequel. And then the third one, we wrote a third one that did not work, which was. You never seen it. It was John Hamm's ham radio for Johns as a way to use a ham radio to communicate with prostitutes.

[Jesse David Fox]

I think your general reason why a Golden era theory is that, like, lots of cast who can write for each cast, all can write for itself. And it's a small cast. They can do a lot of things. I have a variety of theories for why it was because I think it's the best cast ever, on my not.

[Seth Meyers]

Humble opinion, very kind of.

[Jesse David Fox]

But I do think it's one small cast. It is the fact that you have Kristen which is top three cast member.

[Seth Meyers]

Yep.

[Jesse David Fox]

Which is a person who could literally, every time they're on, they are an infinite amount of. You can give them two sketches at night of a character. Same thing. And you have Bill and Kenan in terms of glue guy types. And then you have wild cards that can fill out with Will and Fred. The other thing I was thinking. And you have Jason as, like, the best driver of sketches, one of Beth. But also, you are. The first generation of cast members, grew up in a world where SNL existed. So you had the path of, like, we are going to do that. But it's also before streaming really blew up, and there would be so many opportunities for young comedians that some of those people would have been poached earlier.

[Seth Meyers]

Right, right.

[Jesse David Fox]

So it was a perfect storm of, like, talent to do SNL with. They had nothing to do but snl.

[Seth Meyers]

Yes. It also kind of helps to come after an era that maybe has been a little bit less remarkable and sort of like 0105. There were a lot of great things on the show, but it's sort of like, you know, Will Ferrell leaves and Catan leaves and Tracy Morgan leaves and Tina and Jimmy leave. And the show was kind of like. It was that sort of like, what's gonna happen here? And then there was a real quick infusion of all those people in the course of, like, three years. So I think that helps, too, that we weren't. Nobody was judging us against anything.

[Jesse David Fox]

The other thing is, you had eventually four or five Lonely island sketches that were not written during the SNL week that were produced not with an SNL budget. Like, you essentially had ringer sketches that completely broke what makes SNL special. So you had these sort of, like, boosts periodically of just, like, Lonely island level thing of, like, oh, there's like, 15 moves in this, and it looks amazing. And I think that raises the quality.

[Seth Meyers]

And everybody got to go on the Lonely island was sort of the indie band that started playing arenas.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

Just even in the quality of them.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

Because I think it's even more exciting to see I just had sex or I'm on a boat. If you had seen Lazy Sunday or even, you know, Andy punching people while eating, I think there was this real, oh, my God, we grew up with these guys, and now everybody knows who they are.

[Jesse David Fox]

Also, it's like, it was a timing where it was one of the rare times where SNL was literally the house of something completely new in the history of comedy, where it wasn't like, oh, a new thing was Happening. And they got cast on SNL, like, because of when YouTube started and digital editing, like the new thing was happening on snl. And you could see it mature through these three guys.

[Seth Meyers]

And they were just perfect stewards for the moment in that, you know, again, there is a. There is another world where those guys were perfectly satisfied continuing to make low res raps about inane things. But they are so opposed to repeating their same moves. And it's, you know, it's the gift of what Tim and Zach are doing on I Think youk Should Leave. Right. You have people who want to kill the same way by moving the ball forward. And so it was just. Yeah. I mean, and everybody was a huge beneficiary of it. And you're right, though. I mean, the fact that SNL people don't remember it now, but you and I certainly do. Like, it was crazy how many times a year you would see the same commercial.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

You know, you would see a commercial parody 10, 12 times a year. And you were fine with it too, by the way. Like, you weren't upset. You were like, oh, my God, it's a happy, fun ball. Right. You know, and so the show just the, you know, all of a sudden, like the 90 minutes got longer because there were these new things in it. And, you know, it was not. It did not change comedy in the same way. But it was crazy that over the course of those years, they were like whatever, 10 or 12 times you had three McGrubers. Like, the fact that there was like this other thing, which was a runner, which wasn't really ever happening at SNL like that. And not just any, any runner, but like a real, like rule of threes jokes.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

So it was great.

[Jesse David Fox]

The last thing is, I think you're the best head writer in the history of the show.

[Seth Meyers]

But I say it's the. I mean, I've. I've said probably to you, like, it's still the title I think I'm proudest of ever having.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

Like, and, and I say that as somebody who, you know, has a variety of titles.

[Jesse David Fox]

Podcast host.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

What was your involvement in SNL50?

[Seth Meyers]

I was there, but I really did not. My involvement was. Was minimal. I.

[Jesse David Fox]

When would, would. When did Lauren start talking to you? But obviously, like, they were like, I.

[Seth Meyers]

Think those of us outside, you know, because I think Loren was talking about it for, you know, a month, you know, sorry, a year and a half, if not more, with his everyday staff. And, and they did such an incredible job. But there was, you know, once it was clear, like, what sketches they were doing. There wasn't really a ton of stuff they needed. Yeah, I went to a table read that was thrilling just to be back at a table read. And, you know, it wasn't with the cast outside of a few people, but, you know, to have generations of people who were head writers on that show all at the table and, you know, Lauren and, you know, Steve Martin came up and read his piece and, you know, and to be at the table where Spivey and Paula and James Anderson were all sort of at the. You know, where the actors at, like, it was like, oh, this is how it's always. You know, this is. Everybody's finally getting a seat at the table that has long earned it. But it was really cool. But then, you know, also that weird SNL thing where you are so happy to be there, and then also in the back of your head, you're like, what am I going to do? Am I going to do anything? Because, you know, and then I fall back to the, you know, the observation I always had about myself at the show, which is the show doesn't. Like, they needed me as a writer more than they needed me as a performer. Like, the show would have been fine without me in it. And. And so when, you know, Jost was the one who said, hey, I'd love you. Want to do something? An update? And again, I was like, sure, but, like, you don't need me to tell jokes, like, basically. And I really believed, you know, this is. This is your update now. You know, you've done it for the entirety of the 10 years.

[Jesse David Fox]

Did you contribute to the writers room, like, or did you pitch jokes?

[Seth Meyers]

They weren't really. I mean, a little bit. But, you know, the other thing is, you know, it's. We were doing our show. It was show week, and they were doing a lot of stuff during the day. I will say I had a few times where I just went and sat in rooms with, you know, with the current writing staff, and that is a thing I miss a great deal, which is just like, two hours of just shooting the shit and not being their boss. You know, like, I could talk to my writers, but, like, there's this thing that hangs over it, which is like. And so, you know, to get to hang out with people like Mike Dechenzo and Alison Gates and Streeter and Mikey and, you know, I. Because, again, I'm, you know, a real fan of what they do, but also just to, like. I mean, again, it's. It's exactly what you think it's like, you know, in my day, it was a real that, but I enjoyed it a great deal.

[Jesse David Fox]

The thing I know about you is maybe one of the main things is, like, you love writers rooms. It's like your favorite place, existing world. I want to do a nice walk down memory lane of writers rooms. I'm going to name a writer's room, and you will share a memory. 2006, SNL season 32, your first year after Tina leaves as head writer. Can you think of a memory?

[Seth Meyers]

I think we had a small enough writer staff that. And it's been split for a long time, but we had one writer's room. So on Thursdays, we would all be in one room, and it was very cool. The only thing I'll say, it's not really a memory, but I remember going into my first year as head writer, the great note from Shoemaker, which was, don't pitch lateral moves.

[Jesse David Fox]

Mike Shoemaker, the producer, longtime SNL producer.

[Seth Meyers]

And the current producer of Late Night, but his whole thing was like, the job of a head writer is never to, like, try to put your stamp on something by pitching a joke that is a different but just as funny joke as the one that's already said. And. And so he just sort of impressed upon me, like, you're. It's got to still be their piece. This is snl. Like, everything that ever worked there is because of the unique vision of whoever wrote it. And so you just try to, you know, help where they need it, but don't be that kind of head writer who's like, I never once. I tried very hard under the bleachers to. If something was eating shit, I would tell Lauren that I. It was my fault. And if something was crushing, I would. I would sort of sink into the shadows and let the writer who deserved it.

[Jesse David Fox]

You weren't like, this is my era. It's gonna be a golden era because it's gonna be my voice. Yeah. So what do you remember from 2013? SNL season 39, your last year? Starting last year, you didn't finish that season, but was. It was your last season. You're still technically a writer on that show. You still.

[Seth Meyers]

You know, I was like, look, I wrote a lot of things that year that I still really like, but it was very strange. I felt, in two worlds. And I had wanted to stay because I wasn't emotionally ready to leave. And I'm happy I did, mostly because I think the more time I would have spent on Late Night, we would just sort of come up with a Thousand things that weren't going to work.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

But so I. I did kind of have my feet in two worlds. Like, I had this writer's room. It was like someone. And then downstairs, we had already hired writers and they were starting to work on late night. And so I would kind of go back and forth. So it was a. It was a weird time where, like, you were, like, with the family you were about to leave, and they knew you were about to leave, and you had already had a new family.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

What do you remember 2014 or 2013? What do you remember from your first late night writing staff?

[Seth Meyers]

It was so. I mean, the most exciting thing you get to do with a late night show is that first time you hire staff. Because it's 12. You get to hire 12 people exactly one time. You never get to hire 12 at once ever again. It was like when you. What they just did, like, Marvel must be so happy. They're like, we finally got to do a new Avengers. We got to put them together from the top. We didn't just get to add one, lose one, add one, lose one. And so, you know, for me, it was, you know, Connor o' Malley, I think just getting to work with a guy like Connor, who is both very sweet and genuine and also like, one of the funniest people you could ever be around. I remember I went to. I left the office one day at a tuxedo to go to the Met Ball. And this was like the first year in the show, like, months. I mean, right. First it was May. We started the show February. And I just remember Connor just screaming to the entire staff as I walked out, make way for the millionaire. And just like, I was like, God, like, I love how the audacity of this guy. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Because you were his boss. It's not like he was current.

[Seth Meyers]

He literally was sending me out of the door derisively.

[Jesse David Fox]

2011, the White House Correspondent's Dinner. Yeah. Who was in that room? And then came from memory of what.

[Seth Meyers]

It was like, you know, we had some writers from Fallon that Shoemaker had recommended. We had, you know, Bayes.

[Jesse David Fox]

Alex Bates, who is currently.

[Seth Meyers]

Currently the head writer for the Great. One of the. Our greatest living joke writer and Baze Bellini Brennan. I'm definitely forgetting some people, but I do remember that we felt like we had it genuinely. I do remember, you know, in the lead up to that, Neil said the thing that I. I feel like every comedian wants to hear, which was, I'm jealous. You get to tell these jokes.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. And then you could change the world forever.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, look, Obama.

[Jesse David Fox]

Obama changed the world forever. I'm not going to ask you if you're going to take over for Lauren. You had to answer that question for a year.

[Seth Meyers]

Thank you so much.

[Jesse David Fox]

The thing that I want to say about that question is it's not like people on the street were just being like, I don't know, Seth or Amy, Seth or Tina will take over. Everyone was would we'll say that. I remember I was talking to Judd Apatow. I was like, that'll be Seth or Tina, like you. So how does it feel that that is what people think, regardless of the fact that you think Lauren will never leave and if he does leave, the show end, which I do not think is true, I still think it's gonna be you or Gino. But what was it like knowing that people thought that's what it was? And did you ever talk to Tina about it?

[Seth Meyers]

No, we've laughed about it.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, that's what I meant.

[Seth Meyers]

Not like, what should we do? We've certainly, like mentioned it. And I'm gonna genuinely. Look. I remember, I still palpably remember what it felt like to be at that show and feel like it wasn't working and feel like I was gonna be a short timer. And I genuinely believed, and I'm not like asking for sympathy, that had they fired me, they would have been right to do so. So I remember that. So when people say you should take the show over or you would do a good job, even though it's not going to happen, I. It. It makes me very happy.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

To hear it. Because again, I, I don't love that show because I worked there. I loved that show and then I got to work there. And then for a long time I hated the show based on what it was doing to me. And then I figured out how to work there and I figured out how to add value there and I got to meet the best people in the world there. And then I loved it again. And so the very fact that anybody would think, like, you know what you'd be good doing, like running snl, like it.

[Jesse David Fox]

It.

[Seth Meyers]

To even hear it feels like a reward for life. Well, live.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Would you say yes if they offered it?

[Seth Meyers]

I don't.

[Jesse David Fox]

You and Shoemaker together? Not you alone?

[Seth Meyers]

No.

[Jesse David Fox]

Okay.

[Seth Meyers]

I'm going to. I think it should be somebody for like a corporate background.

[Jesse David Fox]

Interesting. They didn't name the showrunner for the UK One is just like a experienced British showrunner. You're like, well, Maybe because he's just like someone no one knows about.

[Seth Meyers]

The showrunner. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

I think part of the reason why people thought you'd be good at it. This is the conversation. Is one, you're known to be a good boss. The fact is, so many of the late night writers you hired in that first 12 still work for you. This is.

[Seth Meyers]

Yes.

[Jesse David Fox]

Unbelievable. Late night is famously a grind. The idea that people work there is a rarity in the history of the form. The other is the perception. You really love how other people are funny. This is a thing that I've known since we've talked is you really love how other people's sense of humor and have a good knack for understanding the voice. And when you're an SNL writer, the perception was, as we said, it was not like you're turning everything into a set sketch. It was like, how can we make this the most a you thing? But the sense I have is that was not always the case that you weren't like, I love other people's sense of humor, Especially when you're maybe early as an elder. Was like, can you so to. I wanted to capture sort of the arc of that because I think it's profound. What it. Can you talk about the early moments of when you were maybe jealous or resentful?

[Seth Meyers]

Well, it's. Right. It's still the same observation.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

You're still observing a talent. Like it's not. I was never. When Will Forte showed up, I never thought, that guy's not funny. Like, the jealousy came from, Fuck, that guy's so funny.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

So it's the same. Your eyes and your taste are the same. It's just like how you process it and look, you know, did I go through some, you know, therapeutic change in who I am or did I just find my way to the place where I felt comfortable? Like, ultimately when. And again, I'm so. I have so much gratitude for Lauren realizing. And I'm sure, you know, shoemaker played no small part in it, which is you. What if you did this? And so that was, you know, and then all of a sudden you have your feet firmly on the ground and because you feel you're, you know, I needed to feel some self esteem before I could, like, find joy in their talents. I always knew they had it. But then all of a sudden you're like, oh, my God. I mean, that was the best thing about, you know, SNL50 was I remember just in like that, you know, Domingo sketch where, you know, I was just like watching like, Kyle had One line.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, gotta laugh.

[Seth Meyers]

Like Beck had one line. Gotta laugh. And I was just like, in this room full of people who have all come in and outta here, like, everybody who's ever worked is because they can say a line in a way only they can say.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

And so. And again, the longer you work there, obviously as a head writer, you appreciate that more and more too, because it's just those are the tools in your toolbox. But yeah, so I, you know, I'm always like, it's like, what made you stop being, you know, jealous of other people's success? It's like I got a little on my own, you know, I got, I got a little success to play with.

[Jesse David Fox]

And that helped when you got we can update, which was the, the switch, which is like, oh, the Weekend update. You got Weekend Update. You considered they were going to make you head writer and maybe not get. We can update. You said you probably would leave if they offered such thing. That never happened. So we don't know if that's true.

[Seth Meyers]

We never know that's true. That's a real. I will say that I think there's a lot of people who said to Lauren, I quit. And then, you know, all of a sudden.

[Jesse David Fox]

But do you remember, especially in that first year of doing Weekend Update, even maybe doing a week like an update feature, we were like, you're with another person doing their thing and you can just appreciate them doing their thing. Opposed to being like, this is up.

[Seth Meyers]

I mean, I think I've always been smart enough to know from, you know, again, I was doing a two person improv show when I got hired for snl and there's this real sense, you know, when I was with my partner, Joe Benjamin, which is like, if you're on stage and everybody's laughing, like it's almost immaterial who they're laughing at because you're just in the two shot. I mean, the least I ever did, you know, as far as like what I added to it was Stefan. Yeah, like, I get, you know, the amount. And I was like, oh, this is like the freest goodwill I'll ever get in my life.

[Jesse David Fox]

I was thinking about you and I was reminded of a Kevin Durant quote.

[Seth Meyers]

Okay, great.

[Jesse David Fox]

And I was like, this is just like Seth so Kevin Durant. Because it's the only question they ever ask basketball players is like, do you think you're great at all time? Do you want to be the greatest of all time? Who do you think the greatest of all time is? And he all have different answers he's very material. But one time he goes, like, I don't really care. All I know that is if MJ and LeBron were playing 5 on 5, one of them would pick me. And I go, that's like, Seth.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah. It's been enough to be a part of this thing. Like, that was right. The SN50, SN40 was the same thing. My dad actually said something. He was watching all the docs in the lead up and he, you know, and again, my dad's. We're incredibly close. And, you know, he's a very. He's acutely aware of my comedy career. But he said, you know, I was watching this documentaries, and I just thought to myself, I'm so happy you were a part of that. And it, like, almost made me cry, because I am, too.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

Like, I kind of just can't believe it. And to this day. So, yeah, I think that's enough for me. Right. Like, I don't, you know, I. Not just that I got to do it, but like, you know, the people you sort of, you know, you get to rub against. And the amount of little bits of talent that rub off on you. And not just. It doesn't necessarily make you funnier, but it certainly makes you appreciate what process is.

[Jesse David Fox]

What I sort of love about your perspective on it. It's like you contribute to canon, but, like, any chance you have, you'll bring up Daryl's House, which is a sketch in which Zach Galifianakis plays a host of, I guess a public access TV show.

[Seth Meyers]

Yes.

[Jesse David Fox]

And he does a sketch and he goes. He'll say something wrong and be like, why that impost? Why that impost? And then miraculously, at the end of.

[Seth Meyers]

The episode, like, 20 minutes later, 20.

[Jesse David Fox]

Minutes later, they do it. This is great. This is one of the greatest things that have ever happened, in my opinion, in the history of snl. Like, you really understood the form both historically, which is like, it's live and it's excitement, and also where we are currently, where we can do digitally things. I want you to talk about like that as your. If that's your legacy. Not the same.

[Seth Meyers]

Well, well, it's callback. Right. So you were talking about starting with mainstream and finding your way to niche.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

Like, it was that. To do a thing like that that the real ones would appreciate.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

Was a very.

[Jesse David Fox]

Cause like your last season, you're like, let me get one in.

[Seth Meyers]

And it wasn't, you know, and again, you know, it came to it eggily. It wasn't like I sat down being like, today I'm gonna break the form or anything. But, you know, when the siren call of the idea, you know, occurred to me, it was. It was pretty easy to follow down the line. But it is, you know, again, like, it's nice to do this long enough to have, you know, different versions of yourself and different styles of yourself. I, you know, I. Shoemakers always says, like, I can always tell Seth piece. But, like, I don't know if the rest of the world can. Like, if you saw, you know, if you were like, you know, the 10 best Seth sketches, like, they're kind of all over the place and style and format, and I like that. I think that I tried very hard. I think you. I get a little, you know, you don't want to repeat yourself all the time. So, you know, that's like, you know, with corrections, like, I'm always like, just. It's so fun to do something where it's just constantly changing and different every week.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. I feel like you. You. Other than John Tam's John Ham, like, I think the only thing you would like, you can tell Seth's version of, like, you knew how I put this. Where you're like, this worked for, like, he knew how to do what the show needed.

[Seth Meyers]

Yes.

[Jesse David Fox]

At a level. Right. So it's like, if it's a sketch where it has, like, 10 cast members in it.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

But does not feel cheap or whatever. Like, it's a level of quality more than a style other than this, where you're like, well, that's your sense of humor. You can hear it. Same thing with John's ham.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Where there's phrasings where you're like, well, not only is this idea set, but, like, also, only Seth would write this version of a joke.

[Seth Meyers]

Well, thank you.

[Jesse David Fox]

I think.

[Seth Meyers]

But thank you.

[Jesse David Fox]

I love those sketches. So now it's time for the final segment of the show. It's called a laughing round. It's like a lightning round.

[Seth Meyers]

Okay.

[Jesse David Fox]

Because it's a comedy school.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Is there a joke or sketch that you wish you could steal? Either you performed it, you can take credit for writing it, you get to be it. Or so either stand up joke or a sketch. In the history of the show, you're like, I wish that was my sketch, MacGruber.

[Seth Meyers]

I wish. Yeah. I. I have such a deep, enduring appreciation for McGruber.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. Do you have a advice for aspiring comedian, actor, writer, comedy person?

[Seth Meyers]

You will find out a lot by failing. So. And the only reason to fail is to do so. I think There's a big mistake of. I'm gonna wait till I'm ready before I go do my first open mic or something and just. You just gotta. If you're really in this game, like, just get out there and find out.

[Jesse David Fox]

As the person who never did an open mic.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah, well, some of us.

[Jesse David Fox]

That's your advice? Get on Saturday Night Live.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

And then have an agent be like.

[Seth Meyers]

Hey, you know what I did? You know, while I'm having my reputation besmirched here, I was an improviser first, and I was certainly doing that.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yes.

[Seth Meyers]

At a young age.

[Jesse David Fox]

Can you tell? List five comedians whose career you'd like to take credit for or you can take credit for in so much as you're in this position to hire them. And you were the one who really put a thumb on and scale for them.

[Seth Meyers]

Your phrasing is giving me a lot of agita, Jost.

[Jesse David Fox]

Okay.

[Seth Meyers]

You know, I'm so proud of Jost and I. The work he did on the 50th. I'll tell you this. I wish I could take credit for everything. Joe stone on the 50th, because he was all over that show, and not just as a wonderful writer, but the amount he was worried about people's feelings, which is not a job that a lot of people embrace at SNL. Kate McKinnon, you know, by the way, like, everybody saw revision, but, you know, I was. That was somebody that was really exciting to have on the show. I mean, Conor o' Malley again, you know, never not proud of Conor and how unique and cool he is. I'm really glad we hired Amber Ruffin. That is somebody who. It's hard to believe it took until we showed up before she got a gig like that. And then. Oh, Sal Gentile.

[Jesse David Fox]

Okay.

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah. I mean, Sal was somebody. You know, he was a producer for us, and, you know, we realized he could do this other thing. And then I would say that, like, there's no one in, you know, Late Night who could do what he does every week, which is write three closer looks. I wish I could take credit for Baze, but he. He was there when I showed up.

[Jesse David Fox]

What's the hardest you ever laughed in 30 Rock?

[Seth Meyers]

I think when I realized what the turn was and what up with that. And part of it was I was. I hated it until I realized what the turn was. You know what I mean? Like, it just felt like you. Until you realized what it was, you felt like you'd seen it a hundred times. And so I just felt so had. And then I just enjoyed it so much.

[Jesse David Fox]

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

[Seth Meyers]

I will only say that I just passed Eddie Murphy the night before the 50th and you know, obviously he was in two sketches and I said, are you excited for tomorrow? And he said, excited? I'm in two sketches. I'm nervous as hell. And I just remember thinking like, what a gift for somebody like Eddie Murphy to admit the thing that we all sometimes think we have to hide, which is like, this show is nerve wracking. And I just had a. It was very lovely for him to say that. And then of course it was, you know, like watching him and. And Will together, like that felt like, you know.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

Like Superman and Spider man together. Yeah.

[Pure Leaf Iced Tea Ad]

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[Jesse David Fox]

It's impossible to find more time in the day until now with HubSpot's suite of AI powered tools. You can get more done way faster, speed up your lead generation and create attention grabbing, lead driving, quota crushing campaigns in an instant. Which will give you more than enough time to listen to podcasts like this one. HubSpot Impossible growth made impossibly easy. Get started [e-mail] AI this is, I'm calling this Mount Rushmore of Mount Rushmore in case there's a visual. So it's going to be four Mount Rushmores. Rap Fire. They're all going to be SNL related.

[Seth Meyers]

Okay.

[Jesse David Fox]

Musical guest Mount Rushmore.

[Seth Meyers]

Musical guest Mount Rushmore. Okay. I'm going to just do ones that are really cool for me. Rihanna, Beck, Arcade Fire and the Strokes. And if you'd asked me 10 years ago, Kanye host Mount Rushmore host Mount Rushmore again. I'm just going to keep it in my era for the joy of it. Jon Hammond, Timberlake, Emma Stone, Jack Black.

[Jesse David Fox]

Cast Mount Rushmore can't do it all time even.

[Seth Meyers]

I mean, look, if it's all time.

[Jesse David Fox]

But maybe not the casts you worked with.

[Seth Meyers]

All right. I'm not allowed to say a cast member I worked with.

[Jesse David Fox]

So that frees you up from your immediate friends, right?

[Seth Meyers]

Eddie, Will, Gilda and Kate.

[Jesse David Fox]

Seth Meyers.

[Seth Meyers]

Sketches Mount Rushmore, Daryl's house, Jon Hamm's. Jon Hamm, Palin and Clinton. And I mean, I'm gonna forget one, but I, you know, I really like the Louis CK Lincoln sketch. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Before you, the story that you told me once was that you wrote, you got money to write a movie and then once you got laid, you returned that money. What was that movie going to be about?

[Seth Meyers]

I can't, almost can't even imagine. It was like Friends. It was like somebody else had pitched it to me. It was like an idea of like what? Like the idea of like a friend having to break up with a friend. And it was just like what? I'm not meant to be in the studio process, I will say, but it has been nice to like, you know, ultimately later to find, you know, my way obviously with friends to things like Doc now it's lovely to write things like that as well. Like. But a full movie. It's very hard to write a full movie and I'm very impressed with anybody who can do it. Even bad movies are hard to write.

[Jesse David Fox]

What is a sketch or a joke in your standup that didn't work, but you'll go to your grave thinking it's funny.

[Seth Meyers]

I talk about how I like hip hop and my wife likes Country. And the kids like country. They don't like rap because a lot of the songs are about trucks and they also like trucks. But the part that I really like is, you know, everybody says hip hop is a bad influence because the language. But like, the language is cleaner in country songs, but it's still a bad influence. Like, and at the time I was like, my, you know, my three year old can't fall asleep unless he drinks a whole bottle of Whiskey. And my 5 year old won't say the whole Alphabet because he hates his exes. I mean, goes back to that problem of cleverness.

[Jesse David Fox]

It's also. Yes. And then it makes you stop and be like, does that. It's like you present people, the audience in an equation and be like, does this add up? Yeah, you're like his exes.

[Seth Meyers]

Well, they. And I think the problem is I got to listen to so much fucking country music, they're always thinking about their ex.

[Jesse David Fox]

Best time you ever bombed?

[Seth Meyers]

Oh, God. I mean, I bombed. Went to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with my partner Joe Benjamin. We were trying to do improv in a stand up room and it was really great. And a Scottish person literally yelled, you're shite. Like, loudly, like during the encore when they said, we had thanks to our guests. Yeah, but I. The. There was a benefit for Hurricane Sandy at Madison Square Garden and they had wanted me to do it with Bill doing Stefan. Bill very wisely was like, no away. And Bobby was like, I'll do drunk Uncle. And so we did. I remember we were standing there. I was. I've told this story before, but I was standing in my update clothes and Bobby was dressed as drunk Uncle. And the who was on stage and Chris Rock walked over and he just looked at us. He goes, you're gonna do sketches. You're gonna do sketches. And it was that Chris Rock thing where he just kept saying it.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, yeah.

[Seth Meyers]

And it just. I'm sure from his perspective, you just watched the sort of color drain from our faces. And we did fucking bomb super hard.

[Jesse David Fox]

Thank you so much.

[Seth Meyers]

Bombing for charity is a real. I do want to say, really says a lot about Bobby and I as people.

[Jesse David Fox]

Wasn't it there?

[Seth Meyers]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Thank you so much.

[Seth Meyers]

Thanks, buddy. Support for this show comes from WhatsApp. The personal chat on WhatsApp is a place where you share everything from the mundane connections to the memories that mean everything. It's a place that can truly feel like it's your own. And WhatsApp makes sure everything stays protected from outside eyes, even theirs. No one not even WhatsApp can see or hear your personal messages. That includes personal calls, plus any documents, photos or media that you share in your personal chat. WhatsApp message privately with everyone. Visit WhatsApp.com privacy to learn more.