Heidi Gardner

Summary

Joy, a Podcast: Episode with Heidi Gardner Hosted by Craig Ferguson Release Date: February 18, 2025

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of Joy, a Podcast, hosted by Craig Ferguson, the spotlight shines on Heidi Gardner, a standout cast member from Saturday Night Live (SNL). Published by iHeartPodcasts, the episode delves into Heidi's journey in the world of comedy, her experiences on SNL, and her insights into finding joy amidst the rigors of show business.

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Heidi Gardner's Early Influences and Journey into Comedy

Craig Ferguson initiates the conversation by expressing admiration for Heidi's name and playfully speculating about her upbringing:
"Here's the thing, Heidi. I want to tell you this right now that I think Heidi, nicest name for a girl. I've always thought that." ([02:01])

Heidi responds by sharing her connection with her grandfather, drawing a parallel to the beloved literary character:
"I wasn't, but I did have a good relationship with my grandpa, which I believe Heidi also had." ([03:35])

This segues into a discussion about Heidi's introduction to improv and the Groundlings, an acclaimed improv group in Los Angeles. Heidi recounts how a friend from the Groundlings inspired her to attend an improv show, leading to her discovery of her comedic talents:
"I went and saw the show and I was like, that's the funniest thing I've ever seen. I can't wait for my family to visit so I can bring them to see it." ([08:09])

Her journey emphasizes the importance of seizing unexpected opportunities and the pivotal role of community in nurturing one's talents.

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Navigating Life on Saturday Night Live

With Heidi Gardner now entrenched in SNL for eight seasons, the conversation shifts to the intricacies of producing weekly comedy sketches. Heidi opens up about sketch fatigue, a common challenge faced by long-term performers:
"I've written a lot of sketches, and, you know, you just get scared. And it does happen some weeks where I'm like, I do not have an idea for a sketch, a game, or a character." ([12:11])

Craig Ferguson probes into the show's production schedule and the pressures cast members face:
"Do you think it's boxed you in in any way, creatively? Is it something that you'd like to experiment away from the show?" ([25:55])

Heidi candidly admits that being part of SNL has both honed her skills and imposed certain creative constraints:
"It's definitely boxed my confidence in a little bit because I so want to be accepted by the show, and I want to thrive on the show." ([25:55])

Despite these challenges, Heidi remains passionate about her role, highlighting the supportive environment fostered by her fellow cast members, which feels akin to a familial bond:
"I sit next to Mikey Day, and I've known him for a long time now. It has felt like I am just working with one of my brothers." ([43:09])

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The Intersection of Social Media and Comedy

The dialogue transitions to the impact of social media on performers. Craig Ferguson shares his own detachment from the digital realm:
"I have social media but I don't do it. Someone else does it and I occasionally will go on and look at it and go ah. And go away." ([20:15])

Heidi elaborates on her approach, maintaining a balance between personal expression and the curated content expected by her professional platform:
"Even saying run my Instagram, I just do my Instagram the same way I did it before SNL, which was just like posting pictures and stories for my friends for the most part." ([20:15])

Both acknowledge the challenges of maintaining authenticity while navigating the performative aspects of social media, emphasizing the importance of self-editing and trusting one's creative instincts.

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Challenges and Triumphs in Comedy

Heidi discusses the subjective nature of humor and the inherent vulnerability in performing:
"It's like, fuck it, I know I'm funny, and I think I'm funnier when I'm confident and having fun." ([41:22])

She also touches upon dealing with criticism, particularly unsolicited negative feedback on digital platforms:
"I've seen one come up a few times that's like, oh, at Heidi Gardner. I hate her voice." ([48:38])

However, Heidi emphasizes resilience and the support system within her professional circle, noting the importance of believing in oneself despite external negativity.

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Balancing Personal Identity and Professional Persona

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around maintaining one's personal identity amidst the demands of a high-profile career. Heidi shares her aspirations beyond SNL, expressing a desire to create her own show that allows deeper character exploration:
"I'd love to have a show that I co-star in and co-write, and it's a character, and it's a world, and it's a character I get to live in for a while and explore more." ([25:55])

This ambition underscores her commitment to personal growth and creative expression, highlighting the balance between leveraging current opportunities and seeking new avenues for artistic fulfillment.

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Concluding Reflections on Joy and Creativity

As the conversation winds down, Craig Ferguson and Heidi Gardner reflect on the essence of joy in their respective crafts. Heidi encapsulates her approach:
"I'm trying to just trust that the more I can be myself and have fun, I'm good." ([41:30])

Craig concurs, affirming that success in comedy transcends mere technical prowess and hinges on the ability to connect and resonate with audiences on an empathetic level:
"I think you have to be the person that people like. I think it's more about, like, than funny." ([42:56])

Their dialogue beautifully intertwines the pursuit of joy with the creative process, offering listeners a heartfelt exploration of what it means to find happiness and fulfillment in one's passion.

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Conclusion

This episode of Joy, a Podcast provides a profound glimpse into Heidi Gardner's life as a comedian and SNL cast member. Through candid conversations and shared experiences, Heidi articulates the joys and challenges of her career, the importance of community, and the continuous quest for personal and creative growth. Craig Ferguson's insightful questions and supportive demeanor create a space where genuine joy and resilience shine, making this episode a compelling listen for anyone interested in the nuanced journey of finding happiness in one's professional and personal life.

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Notable Quotes:

• Heidi Gardner on overcoming sketch fatigue:
  "I've written a lot of sketches, and, you know, you just get scared." ([12:11])

• Craig Ferguson on the unstructured nature of his work:
  "I don't have a rehearsed show. ... I experiment within the parameters of what I do." ([24:20])

• Heidi Gardner on social media authenticity:
  "I have an Instagram but I run my Instagram the same way I did it before SNL." ([20:15])

• Heidi Gardner on trusting her audience:
  "I'm trying to just trust that the more I can be myself and have fun, I'm good." ([41:22])

• Craig Ferguson on the essence of comedy:
  "I think you have to be the person that people like. I think it's more about, like, than funny." ([42:56])

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the heart of the conversation between Craig Ferguson and Heidi Gardner, highlighting their shared experiences, personal reflections, and the enduring quest for joy in both their professional endeavors and personal lives.

Transcript

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[Heidi Gardner]

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[Craig Ferguson]

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Ferguson Pants on Fire Tour is on sale now. It's a new show, it's new material, but I'm afraid it's still only me, Craig Ferguson on my own, standing on a stage telling comedy words. Come and see me. Buy tickets, bring your loved ones or don't come and see me. Don't buy tickets and don't bring your loved ones. I'm not your dad. You come or or don't come, but you should at least know it's happening. And it is. The tour kicks off late September and goes through the end of the year and beyond. Tickets are [e-mail] tour. They're available at thecraigfergussonshow.com tour or at your local outlet in your region. My name is Craig Ferguson. The name of this podcast is Joy. I talk to interesting people about what brings them happiness. My favorite cast member on Saturday Night Live right Now is Heidi Gardiner. She's professional, she's very, very funny, and she's very, very good at what she does. And she's here. Let's meet her. Enjoy. Here's the thing, Heidi. I want to tell you this right now that I think Heidi, nicest name for a girl. I've always thought that. And if ever I had had a daughter, I would have called her Heidi. And I wondered if you were raised in the Alps looking after sheep.

[Heidi Gardner]

I wasn't, but I did have a good relationship with my grandpa, which I believe Heidi also had, so.

[Craig Ferguson]

Oh, that's right. I think. Did you read, did you read the book Heidi when you were little?

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah. I think I've read different iterations of Heidi, but it always has to do with a grandpa, the Alps, Some sheep.

[Craig Ferguson]

Some sheep. And. And I think there's a vampire in one of the episodes where Heidi meets Dracula.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yes. Heidi meets Dracula is my favorite version of Heidi.

[Craig Ferguson]

You know, I'm in London right now and I just walked by Bram Stoker's house where he wrote. Where he wrote Dracula. And now I'm a bit scared. It's why it's on my mind.

[Heidi Gardner]

I would be excited.

[Craig Ferguson]

Yeah, I'm excited and scared. It's a mixture of both. I'm skickcited. Are you in New York City?

[Heidi Gardner]

I am.

[Craig Ferguson]

I think I can tell by your fashionable bag hanging on the thing behind you.

[Heidi Gardner]

That might be the only thing in here that's screaming fashion.

[Craig Ferguson]

Are you in production right now for SNL?

[Heidi Gardner]

Yes. We have the 50th anniversary this weekend.

[Craig Ferguson]

Oh, congratulations. And may I say, 50 years on television. You look great. Yeah, that's amazing. Did you see the movie, the new movie, about 50, the Saturday Night Live movie?

[Heidi Gardner]

No.

[Craig Ferguson]

Okay.

[Heidi Gardner]

And it's only because I'm saving it till. I'm not currently taping SNL because it's a little. It's just a little too close to home right now.

[Craig Ferguson]

It's funny, it seems like I've. Over the years, I've run into a lot of people who have either, you know, current or past cast members of. Of snl. And they are. It is a kind of. You get to be part of a sort of elite. You're part of the elite now. Do you get, like, is there a special roped off area of clubs of New York if you're an snl?

[Heidi Gardner]

You know, if there's is. I don't know about it and it's my own fault. I'm from the Midwest.

[Craig Ferguson]

Yes.

[Heidi Gardner]

And I, I think we're Humble to a fault. And I. I have been told by other cast members, and I believe this, like, in their life and even former cast members, that you. That they can walk into any restaurant in New York and get a table. And I just have never banked on that for one second in my life. Or that there's a secret section. So I'm always making a reservation. I'm never assuming that I'm gonna go to the special room.

[Craig Ferguson]

I think that's the correct way to go about it because that shows the correct approach to show business, which is you never know where your next shock of humility is coming from.

[Heidi Gardner]

100%.

[Craig Ferguson]

Yeah, but you're not even as old as Saturday Night Live. Did you grow up watching it? And who did you grow up watching? Who were the cast members? Cause I assume you grew up watching it. Did you?

[Heidi Gardner]

Yes, for sure. And I remember my parents, and I'm not sure, you know, obviously this is before YouTube and where you could rewatch most things, but I think that my parents had some of the early vhs because they showed me. They definitely showed me Eddie Murphy as James Brown. The hot tub time machine. Like, that was the first sketch I ever saw. And then I would start watching it on Saturdays with them. And the first time I ever made my parents laugh was doing. Or that I remember is doing an impression of Dana Carvey doing an impression of Robin Leach.

[Craig Ferguson]

And so that was Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Wow. That is. I. God, I even. I remember that. What's the. So are you from a show business family? Where are your parents involved in stuff like that?

[Heidi Gardner]

No, they're definitely characters for sure. And they're like my greatest source of inspiration. But my dad. My dad actually did do improv for comedy sports. And so when I was really little, I'd go and watch him perform.

[Craig Ferguson]

I remember that comedy sports thing. Is that still a thing? Do people still do that?

[Heidi Gardner]

I do think it is, yeah.

[Craig Ferguson]

It's kind of like competitive improv. Is that what it is?

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah. And like, they would wear ref uniforms is what I really remember.

[Craig Ferguson]

Yeah, but you were. You're a Groundlings alumni, right? So how did you get into that? How did you end up doing improv? Because that's an LA based. Or la. A New York based, right?

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah. So I moved to LA when I was 21 and I moved out there to do hair and makeup. I knew I wanted to, like, work in pop culture in some way, and I was good at doing hair. So I moved out there and I was working at a salon for about five years and made friends with a woman named Rachel who was in the Groundlings. And she said, you know, you should come to my improv show tonight. I'm performing. And I'd heard of the Groundlings for sure. I mean, I was obsessed with SNL and pop culture and everything. I went and saw the show and I was like, that's the funniest thing I've ever seen. I can't wait for my family to visit so I can bring them to see it. And she was like, yes, but also, I was hoping that maybe it would inspire you to, you know, take a class here. And I was like, what? And she was like, I think you'd be really good at this. And I was like, I'm not an actor. And she was like, yeah, but you leave me, like, six minute voicemails in character. And they're funny.

[Craig Ferguson]

Yeah, I think.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah. So that was kind of how that started.

[Craig Ferguson]

So you were. Cause your hair is great. I didn't want to bring it up right away, but your hair is great. It looks like it's been done perfectly.

[Heidi Gardner]

If you don't know it was done professionally this morning.

[Craig Ferguson]

What did you look like? Cause I did a movie once where I played a hairdresser. In order to do it properly, I learned how to cut hair a little bit, and I really liked it.

[Heidi Gardner]

That makes me so happy to hear that, because my biggest grievance as a hairdresser is if you watch someone playing a hairdresser, they don't hold the scissors correctly. And so I love your commitment to the craft.

[Craig Ferguson]

Yeah, but you didn't see the movie, did you? No, you didn't see the movie, but now I'm going to.

[Heidi Gardner]

Now I'm going to. If you told me you did that, that is the best selling point.

[Craig Ferguson]

It was a movie called the Big Tease. Nobody saw this movie. And it was about a Scottish hairdresser that goes to Los Angeles to take part in the world hairdressing competition.

[Heidi Gardner]

Oh, my God.

[Craig Ferguson]

Hijinks ensue. But I learned how to cut hair a little bit, and I really liked it. And I thought, I kind of wish I'd done this instead of getting into show business. But by then it was too late.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah, I mean, I always think it's a good. You know, it's a good thing to go back to. I really enjoyed it. And it was also a place where I was meeting so many people every day, different types of people. Also was a good source of inspiration.

[Craig Ferguson]

And also. And also gossip in Hollywood. I mean, it is the Absolute hive of all things. If you want to know anything, you would hear everything. And you still went into show business.

[Heidi Gardner]

You know, it's funny, when I told my clients, when I finally quit the salon, I never told them I had this, like, side. I don't even want to call it side hustle, because it was. I was doing everything for free. Just this side obsession with sketch and improv, and. And when I told them, you know, I'm leaving the salon, and they're like, oh, well, what salon are you going to? If it's close, I'll follow you. And I was like, no, I'm. I'm. I'm going to pursue comedy. And Because I didn't consider myself an actor either. And they were like, are you funny? I was like, I think I am. And they're like, don't do this. Like, you moved out here, you did the reverse of what people typically do. You moved out here, like, to be a hairdresser, and you made it, like, don't now do the cliche thing. Like, they very much told me not to do it.

[Craig Ferguson]

I think the good thing about show business, though, is as a kind of. As a place to work. And one of the good things about it is the fact that there are no really set paths, except maybe something like Saturday Night Live. If you're lucky enough to get into that, then that's kind of like. You get the rubber stamp. It's like the Ivy League of comedians. How long have you been doing it? Like, six years or something?

[Heidi Gardner]

Eight years.

[Craig Ferguson]

Eight years?

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah. I'm in my eighth season.

[Craig Ferguson]

Do you still enjoy it?

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah, I do. I love playing characters, so I can't really imagine a world where I'm gonna get to do this to this degree again. I will say the only thing that I've started to feel a little bit is just sketch fatigue or idea fatigue in the way that at this point, after doing Ground Leans and SNL for so long, I'm like, I've written a lot of sketches, and, you know, you just get scared. And it does happen some weeks where I'm like, I do not have an idea for a sketch, a game, or a character. And then, you know, luckily, we have amazing writers at the show that will be like, but I have an idea for you. That's the only thing that has gotten a little tough.

[Craig Ferguson]

How. How does the week get put together for Saturday Night Live? Do you start. You start on a Tuesday or something? Is that right? Or.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah, we do go in on Monday. It's just for a couple hours. You meet the host, you pitch them a joke sketch. It's just kind of an icebreaker. And then Tuesday is writing night. Wednesday, table read, Thursday, Friday are the rehearsals and when we tape the pre tape sketches. And then Saturday, rehearse all day, dress rehearsal, show, after party.

[Craig Ferguson]

The after party is part of the day, is you have to go to the after party.

[Heidi Gardner]

You know, you don't have to, but I think out of respect for the show and the party and the thing you just created that week, it's good to let off some steam with everyone. Occasionally I've not gone and then I regret it because it's like you have so much adrenaline pumping through you that if you just go home and try to go to bed, it's not going to happen.

[Craig Ferguson]

That's funny. I used to always party after a show or do something after a show, and now I'm like, I can leave a theater. I'm out the theater before the audience and in my bed in a hotel half an hour later, lights out, socks on, pajamas and sleeping. It's funny because adrenaline, I always thought as a performer, I thought you needed it. And now I think it's the Enemy. I hate adrenaline on stage. I don't like to feel kind of nervous. Do you still get kind of charged before you work?

[Heidi Gardner]

I get charged, but to tell you the truth, the charge is all adrenaline and anxiety and untruths. It's just even when if I'm going to perform, I'll perform it local theater or do a show at a college and all suddenly, before I go out to this new crowd of people think that they're going to hate me.

[Craig Ferguson]

Yeah. I think that's normal.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah. And it is. It's just adrenaline and anxiety and, you know, and so I'm used to just like having that thought, saying this is how you think, but it's probably not true. And you're a people pleaser. So you're still going to go do this thing. Yeah, yeah.

[Craig Ferguson]

It's also. It's funny. I remember working with an old comedian, it's not that long ago, actually, and I was working with an older comedian who you would know, and I was like pacing up and down backstage and all that stuff, and he was like sitting in a chair and he was like. He said, what are you doing? I said, you know, I'm just kind of getting myself ready. For what? Who's this for? What's all this? Posturing backstage is just going to make you speak too fast.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah.

[Craig Ferguson]

And it kind of does. It's true. I stopped doing it. And I feel like in the past few years I've gotten much better at the job because I just like, I just go. And if they hate me, well, that's fine. I'd be surprised though, because they know I'm there so they could avoid me.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yes, they didn't have to buy the ticket.

[Craig Ferguson]

They didn't have to buy the ticket. They know who you are. They've come to see you. And they've come to see you probably because they like you. I'm not saying there might not be a crazy loner in there somewhere who hates you and that's why they're there. But I don't think there's that many of them. Maybe I'm wrong. What sort of promises have you made to yourself this year? Get in better shape, eat healthier, save more money, travel somewhere new. What about discovering a new culture by learning a new language? With Babbel you can. In just a few weeks. Babbel's quick 10 minute lessons, handcrafted by over 200 language experts get you to begin speaking your new language in three weeks or whatever pace you choose. And because conversing is the key to really understanding each other in new languages, Babbel is designed using practical real world conversations. Let me tell you this. I'm doing a European stand up comedy tour this year and I am totally going to use Babbel to get at least a couple of hey, it's great to be in Copenhagen jokes. So with over 16 million subscriptions sold, Babbel's 14 award winning language courses are backed by a 20 day money back guarantee. So let's get more of you talking in a new language. Babbel is gifting our listeners 60% off [e-mail] joy get up to 60% [e-mail] joy spelled B-A B-B-E-L.com joy babbel.com joy rules and restrictions may apply.

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[Craig Ferguson]

The way that your generation is now, with performance though, there's much more connection, I think with the audience in digital form than I people of my generation and even, you know, I kind of separate myself from that a little bit. I mean I have social media but I don't do it. Someone else does it and I occasionally will go on and look at it and go ah. And go away. Do you have all that? Do you have all the Instagram and the Twix and everything?

[Heidi Gardner]

I have an Instagram but you know, I run my Instagram the same way. Even saying run my Instagram, I just do my Instagram the same way I did it before snl, which was just like posting pictures and stories for my friends for the most part. And I think I did come around right before it was more of like a necessary thing to post so much content. I think if I hadn't gotten SNL, I would have needed that release 100% and would have done that more. But I am able to get a lot of stuff out on the show and I just have never found my gear on a social platform in a way where I want to be that vulnerable, you know?

[Craig Ferguson]

Yeah. I think also what happens is SNL is famously produced, but I don't know if it's still on a day to day basis. Produced by Lorne Michaels, is it?

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah.

[Craig Ferguson]

All right. Cause Lauren is like one of the great comedy producers of all time. And I think that the thing that people suffer from on social media, on the phones and stuff like that is that they don't have a producer. They don't have someone saying, you know, what would be better about this joke is if you didn't do this joke and maybe did a different joke that wouldn't make everybody mad or make you look like an asshole or something like that. Do you know what I mean? It's like I feel like the role of the producer is removed. The creative producer is removed from a lot of people's Instagram. And I think the people who are successful in social media are people who have a producer's instinct themselves. They understand, you know, I'll do this. Like, if you look at influencers even like that, like the royal family of it, the Kardashians, they're all producers. They all think like producers. They all have a kind of. Do you have that, do you think, do you censor yourself or think about it or do you let, you know, do you let the show do it and relax into that? I mean, I assume you trust Lauren to give you the right advice.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah, I do trust his advice. And at this point I feel like, yes, I know how to self edit. I know typically what the show's going to respond to or not respond to, even to just get it onto the show, like table read. What I do like is the freedom of. Once the new part is the live audience. So once I'm performing it live in front of the audience and on tv, I do like that. That feels like, you know, I'm just like, belts are off and I'm just going for it. I love that. But because we've had rewrite tables and we've edited so much up to that point, I'm like, oh, I have the time to be a little crazier or to take my time because we've already cut it down. The only thing I will say is I totally agree with that point that you're making. But I was at a concert recently where the performer brought out another act and what I was watching was certainly something that had not been rehearsed. You know, the woman performing was just pretty loose in her. Her dance and singing and like. And even the other dancers were like, they weren't sure where to stand or catch her. And. And I thought I was like, oh, my God. I. I would never be able to go up there and do. I can tell this, like, someone went out and, like, marked this for maybe two minutes, but they were fine, and the audience was fine, and they still had confidence. And I was like, that's interesting, because I don't trust that at all. And I could never do it, but it was nice to see someone just be experimental. It didn't really work for me, but I was like, that. That's cool to have that confidence because now I'm so, like, you know, produced.

[Craig Ferguson]

Well, you make an interesting point, because I. When I work, I don't have a rehearsed show. Even when I was doing late night, I didn't have a. Like, I would turn up. Honestly, in the last, like, four or five years of it, I turn up like 15 minutes before. And then we go. And then that was it. And I would look at some ideas, but I think that's repetition of. I know what I do. So you experiment within the parameters of what you do. Like, I know the robot is over there. The horse is over there. I know if I say fuck, they're going to get mad, but if I say asshole, they won't get that mad. And, you know, it's like you build a kind of a little box that you can experiment within.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yes.

[Craig Ferguson]

I think what would be difficult now in that environment, I mean, Lorne clearly knows how Saturday Night Live works. I think if I were doing a show now, I'd be like, I don't know what the rules are now. I don't know that the joke that I said last week might be annoying. Everything moves very quickly, and you can. You can step over lines that are still. The paint is still fresh. You know, like, I didn't know that was a problem. Why is that a problem? And it has to be explained to you. And do you find that in the time you've been on the show that you have. I mean, presumably you've learned to speak the language of the show. You know how to get a sketch on the show, you know how to make a sketch work in the show. But do you think it's boxed you in in any way, creatively? Is it something that you'd like to experiment away from the show?

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah, I mean, I think it's. It's definitely boxed. It's weird to say this, and I'll probably have another point to it, but it's boxed my confidence in a little bit because I so want to be. I so want to get something on the show. I want to be accepted by the show, and I want to thrive on the show. And I'm so in this world, and I'm there, you know, six out of seven days out of the week. And it's my singular focus when, you know, we're filming. And so I'm like, if I'm not getting stuff on, then I'm like, I'm not funny. I'm not doing my job. And that has been the thing that then is weird when I go to another show and I'm so like, oh, my God, I'm nervous. Da, da, da, da. I haven't done, like, live shows, like when I was doing Groundlings a lot, and. But then you go and you do a show or you just do an improv show, and you're like, oh, my God, it's fine. And people are not judging me as harshly as I'm judging me, you know, and. And even the show isn't judging me as harshly as I'm judging me. It's just suddenly I got this, like, standard, you know, so. So there's that. And then also, I know whatever I do next, which, you know, I'd love to have a show that I, you know, co star in and co write, and it's a character, and it's a world, and it's a character I get to live in for a while and explore more.

[Craig Ferguson]

Would be like, what would that character? Would that character be? A hair? A hairdresser maybe?

[Heidi Gardner]

No, but I bet they'd have big.

[Craig Ferguson]

Hair, I think, look, you already know how to hold the scissors. You're halfway there.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah.

[Craig Ferguson]

I think that the idea of. Of working, because I used to, like, avoid playing Scottish people all the time, I was like, but I'm Scottish. I might as well, like, if you get over the part being Scottish, go, all right. I presume that if you get offered a part playing someone from Kansas, that would be okay.

[Heidi Gardner]

It would be totally okay. I mean, I love, like, Kansas, Missouri, where I was raised. I love the people. I get the people. I love Midwestern and all the different levels of it. So, like, that world I'm in on that.

[Craig Ferguson]

I was always surprised that when I went to the Midwest, like, because I got to know America from the coasts in. So I knew New York and la, that when I started going to America in the middle, that, you know. Cause I learned that you go, hey, how you doing? And people go, hey, how you doing? And that's it. But if you say hey, how you doing in Kansas? People will tell you how they're doing. They will. I'm okay, but my sister had to have an operation. And you're like, oh, my God, is she okay? Well, she's doing okay now, but. And you find yourself in conversations.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yes, yes.

[Craig Ferguson]

I worked with a great improviser from the Midwest who played the character of Mimi on the Drew Carey show, which is a show I was on in the 90s, Kathy Kenney, who's from Stevens Point, Wisconsin, which is about as Midwest as I can think of as maybe nearly as much as Kansas. Yeah, they're very funny people, but there's a real darkness. It's. There's a weird undercurrent to it that I love.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yes. Oh, I totally feel that. I mean, so much of my stuff at Groundlings and even sometimes at snl, like, you know, a note I get is like, it's a little too dark. Or, you know, like, play up the joy. You know, you can play, you know, at work, they've told me before, like, you can play a loser. Like, but you have to be loving your life as a loser. Like, the audience, at least our audience here at SNL does not want to worry about you. So, like, you are having fun. All of this in information that's painting the specificity of your weird down and out life. Like, you need to be loving it. And I get that. For a while I was like, but this was my life. Like, you know, like, even talking about, like, being in debt or something, like, just things that happened throughout my childhood, you know, Or I was like, well, this was funny because this is how we dealt with it. Or this is what my parents did to, you know, and they're like, yeah. But a lot of people think, like, maybe that's something you should talk about in therapy. Just be careful.

[Craig Ferguson]

What do you think that the sketch format doesn't allow for? Well, it can't really. If you're doing a sketch, you can't go hugely complex with the character if you've only got three or four minutes to do it right.

[Heidi Gardner]

And that's like the exact thing that producers tell hosts, especially hosts that are like seasoned dramatic actors who want to get into their character. And I get it because I love characters and I like to go a little deep, but you'll just get lost in it for three minutes. And I've never seen it serve someone very well to go too deep and take it too seriously. It's always about just like, yes, the voice you're doing is great. We don't need to think about what they had for breakfast. You're good.

[Craig Ferguson]

Do you have a favorite? I won't ask you names or anything, but do you have a favorite type of host? Is there a type of person that is more. That is easier to work with and you get more out of it than. Than another?

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah, so there's a couple. One of those being really amazing. I'll say. I should just say actors, but I like to say dramatic actors because it catches me off guard. Because when someone. I remember my first season, I think it was my first season, Sterling K. Brown hosted, and he did a sketch where basically he was just at a. At a dinner table just saying, shrek is the best, like, DreamWorks movie or something. And someone else was like, no, I think it's how to train your dragon. And there were jokes in there, but he was never going for the joke. He was just playing it as a man who earnestly believed this and had his moment to say it. And he never went for a joke or a silly face like anyone in the cast would have been, like, just going so goofy with it. And I was like, I left that table read being like, is he funnier than me? Is he funnier than all of us? And I see that a lot with really good actors. I'm like, you're just a good actor and you're doing, I'm sure, what you learned in school, just playing the truth of the character and it's fully working and the writing's good. So I love that. And then I'm a big sports fan, so I love when athletes host because personally, I think the expectation should be super low. They're a fish out of water. This isn't what they do. So if they are just fine, it's like, yeah, that's fine. Like, he's a linebacker. It's like, we didn't expect him to be the best, but when they kill it, it's like, oh, my God, like, there's this hidden talent in there or something. They always had that they got to explore.

[Cindy Crawford]

Hi, I'm Cindy Crawford, and I'm the founder of meaningful beauty. When Dr. Sabah and I decided to do a skincare line together, he said to me, we are going to give women meaningful beauty. And I said, that's exactly right. We want to give women meaningful beauty, which means each and every product is meaningful. It has a reason to exist. It's efficacious. You're going to get results, and then you just go out and live your life. Meaningful Beauty. Confidence is beautiful. Learn [e-mail].

[Paola Pedrosa]

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[Andrew Seaman]

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[Paola Pedrosa]

My name is Paola Pedrosa, a medium and the host of the Ghost Therapy podcast, where it's not just about connecting with deceased loved ones, it's about learning through them and their new perspective. Join me on the Ghost Therapy Podcast.

[Craig Ferguson]

Whoa.

[Heidi Gardner]

My lights in my living room just flickered. I'm a little nervous.

[Paola Pedrosa]

I'm excited. I'm excited nervous.

[Heidi Gardner]

You know, I'm a very spiritual person, so I'm like, I'm ready and open.

[Craig Ferguson]

That was amazing.

[Cindy Crawford]

I feel so grateful right now.

[Paola Pedrosa]

I got to speak to my great grandmother Abuela, and she gave me a.

[Heidi Gardner]

Lot of really good advice that I'm.

[Paola Pedrosa]

Gonna have to really think about.

[Heidi Gardner]

Wow. Okay. That's crazy. Yes, that is accurate.

[Paola Pedrosa]

Listen to the Ghost Therapy Podcast as part of the My Cultura Podcast Network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Craig Ferguson]

So if you're a big sports fan and you're from Kansas, yeah, you probably. It's not the greatest weekend you've ever had, was it?

[Heidi Gardner]

It wasn't the greatest weekend it. You know, I've had like so many great Chiefs years recently a lifelong fan, so I am like grateful to a fault grateful too that they went to the Super Bowl. The only thing that's hard as like what I consider to be like a sweet fan who has been through wins and losses and all sorts of different season and I know what it feels like when like another team is reigning. It doesn't feel great. The only thing I don't like is just that there are some stories that are like, well, the Chiefs didn't show up. They didn't try. They didn't. And I'm Just like no player out there who made it to the super bowl didn't try, Eagles included. I mean, Eagles tried so hard, and they blew us out. Like, I just find some of these narratives so insulting. And actually, I was talking to someone recently. I was like, I fail all the time at work. I write sketches, Three sketches a week, usually, because I want to have good numbers to maybe get one in. And usually I get zero in. I fail and I lose. It's just that. And I think that's a loss. Cause I didn't get it on. But I'm like, oh, I'm kind of protected. Because no one saw my loss live. Cause it never even went. They didn't see me lose. And so I'm just like, they have to go lose in public. But they try. Like, no one's not trying.

[Craig Ferguson]

It is an odd thing, but I think around sportscasting, especially when you think about it, it's not. You can't rehearse it, you know, so if you're. I feel like the people who are actually commenting live on the game, I have a great deal of sympathy for. You have to keep talking and you're going to say a lot of bullshit that people are going to get mad at. But I think afterwards, the idea of, yeah, they didn't try. Somebody analyzing the game, saying they didn't try it is a ludicrous idea that you would get up in the morning of the super bowl goal and go, eh, all right, well, I'll go. But really, I mean, I'm more looking forward to going out later on in the day. I don't think anyone goes to it like that.

[Heidi Gardner]

No, no. So thank you for letting me get that off my chest. That's the most trash talk you're gonna get from me.

[Craig Ferguson]

I'm glad you got it off your chest. And I'm glad. It is an interesting thing, though. But I think when pop culture, very famously with the Chiefs right now, pop culture and sports culture are intersecting at light speed. And I think people that normally don't pay any attention. The Super Bowl's always like this. When people that normally pay no attention to sport, suddenly it's the day where they're gonna sit down and watch sports all day and have opinions about it. And I think the thing about sports, a little bit like performance, is that everybody's kind of an expert. You know, you can say things like, well, he didn't do that because of this. And no one can prove you 100% wrong if you say, oh, Travis Kelce, he didn't try. He went, well, he did. But no one can prove you wrong and say he didn't. But he did. He tried. He just. But it's the same thing when people say that's not. I mean, I'm interested. When we talked, right at the beginning, we talked about improv, sports, that sports improv thing. And I was always fascinated by that because the idea that somebody can be more funny than somebody else seems an anathema to me. It doesn't, doesn't seem possible to me because it's so subjective. There are some things that people laugh at. I'm like, I just, just don't get it. And I'm not funny. I get fucking Emmys and Peabody's and shit. I know I'm funny, I've made money. So what? Why do I not get that? And the reason I don't get it is because it's like all art, it's subjective. And I, I mean, but sport, you kind of have to win or.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yes.

[Craig Ferguson]

And, and I think you're so much.

[Heidi Gardner]

More vulnerable, in my opinion. It's just like there's just a winner and a loser and you're putting it all, all out there. And like with what we're doing, it's like, you're funny. And maybe some people think you're not, but a lot of people think you're winning, like even the most, like subversive, like left of center stuff, you know, like.

[Craig Ferguson]

But also the thing is as well that if you don't make people laugh, they get angry at you. The same as if your team doesn't win, they get angry. You know, it's like. And that's an interest. I've never understood that. Like, that guy doesn't make me funny. He's an asshole. Why is he an asshole? It just doesn't make you laugh. No, he's an asshole. That asshole doesn't make me laugh. And I think that there's a thing that somebody said to me when I started in late night, it always kind of haunted me, which is he said the first two weeks, maybe the first couple of months are gonna be rough because they're gonna have to forgive you for trying to make them laugh. And I was like, oh my God, that's a weird thing to hear.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah.

[Craig Ferguson]

Do you go out on the stage now on a Saturday night, like when you go out? Cause presumably the first time you perform the show, that's when we see it. Right. Do you go out there now thinking, fuck it, I know I'm funny, or is there still doubt I do think.

[Heidi Gardner]

It'S like, fuck it, I know I'm funny, and I think I'm funnier when I'm confident and having fun.

[Craig Ferguson]

Definitely. Yeah.

[Heidi Gardner]

It's still hard to do if you are trying a completely new character or idea, which we are for the very first time. So to have all that freedom is like. And you have, like, it's your baby, and you have hopes and you have expectations for it. But, you know, I am trying to lean a little bit more into just the fact it's like, the same way that you were. Like, if people have bought a ticket to see you, like, probably there's not going to be one in the audience that hates you. And I'm trying to believe that. Like, I've been at the show for a while now. I still have the job, the audience. I'm just trying. It's even hard for me to say right now. I'm trying to be like, the audience does love you, and they might not love something you do a sketch one night, they might not get this character, but it's not like they're like, oh, I hate her now. You know, I'm trying to just trust that the more I can be myself and have fun, I'm good.

[Craig Ferguson]

Yeah, I think that's right. I think the proof is that if you've been on Saturday Night Live for eight years, you're funny. You just wouldn't have been on for that amount of time if you weren't enough. People love you and think you're funny. But it's an interesting thing that I wonder sometimes. I don't think you have to be the funniest person to succeed in comedy. I think you have to be the person that people like. I think it's more about, like, than funny.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah.

[Craig Ferguson]

You know, I think it's. It's about some weird empathy thing rather than just ha, ha, ha. It's a weird thing who makes you laugh.

[Heidi Gardner]

I mean, as far as who I work with at the table read, I sit next to Mikey Day, and I've known him for a long time now. And because we sit next to each other at the table read, it has felt like I am just working with one of my brothers. I have two brothers, and just, like, the familial sense there, it really makes me laugh. It's like, at this point, we can, like, mess around about anything. We have, like, a secondhand, our own kind of language that makes. He makes me laugh a lot. Ego at the show. Like, her characters and her improv. She's so quick And I've done some improv shows with her recently where it's like, when she gets to be unscripted, it's amazing. And then my all time favorite comedian is Jack Black.

[Craig Ferguson]

Oh, right.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah.

[Craig Ferguson]

No, that's interesting because Jack's very anarchic and wild and. Do you know Jack?

[Heidi Gardner]

I haven't. Well, I know him. I just haven't really ever gotten to meet him. But he's sent me incredibly kind messages about my work. And I mean, he's my dream host. I was a Tenacious D fan and. Yeah, I love what you just said about him. Like, when I'm totally. Like when I feel myself like on a weekend update, just free, I feel like I have a moment of, like, what Jack Black is able to conjure all the time. And I think that and the way he does it and it works is so singular and like such a specific thing that.

[Craig Ferguson]

And it's who he is as well. I've known Jack for 15 years. He still thinks I'm Irish. I'm not Irish. I'm not Irish. I've said to him, jack, I'm not Irish. And every time he's like, oh, ho, ho, how's the. I'm like. And I thought he was fucking with me, but he's not. He just. He decided early on when we first met that I was Irish and I've just stayed Irish. I got annoyed about it for a while and now I really. I would miss it if it wasn't there. What about standups? Is there any standup that you would see, male or female, who you think that's because that's a slightly. It's a different kind of discipline to the character work, for sure.

[Heidi Gardner]

I mean, lately. And stand up's always been something that I love, but also intimidates me. It's like when I have to do a live show. For the last few years, I've been a little bit like, well, I do characters. And that doesn't feel as embraced in this arena. So, you know, I've started trying to dabble in stand up, but still very scared of it. I mean, what's been really cool is the last two seasons Nate Bargets has hosted and, you know, he's. I believe he's from Nashville or Tennessee, but it's like just close enough to where I'm from that, like, his observational humor feels just very spot on for the people and places that I grew up in. And I just love this simplicity. It's so not simple, but it's like there is a Simplicity to just like what he's saying. That feels so relatable to me. I've been loving that. I love Nikki Glaser, but I love what she did at the Golden Globes. Like, that's such a thankless job. But I feel like she won it back.

[Craig Ferguson]

She's an amazing woman. She used to do. I knew Nikki back in the day. I still know her, but I haven't seen her recently because I used to say, and I used to do this radio show and she would be on it a lot. And I used to say, it's too much. You're freaking me out. I'm scared for you. You're telling me too much stuff. And she's like, don't worry about me. I'm fine. And she would. And her. The bravery in which she would just unload. I'm like, I don't have that. That's incredible. She's something. She's a force of nature. I'm delighted for her.

[Heidi Gardner]

Me too.

[Craig Ferguson]

But I also, I still fear for her a little bit. I think there is a type of. And I think you know this from doing sketches. You get to build an invisible kind of protection shield. If you have a character, you got some protection. Even if that character is, this is who I am when I'm doing standup, or this is who I am when I'm doing a late night show. But it's not really me. I don't really behave like this. But I think some standups, that's who they are. You know, it's just they get up and start talking in a machine that makes their mouth louder and that's it.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yeah. I don't go searching for comments, but sometimes just someone will actually tag your specific name and a hateful comment about you and. And so you can't kind of miss it. And I've seen one come up a few times that's like, oh, at Heidi Gardner. I hate her voice. I hate her voice. I hate her voice. And I think about that as well, that that is who I am. I genuinely can't change that. And I do get to hide behind that sometimes in a character. But, you know, it still comes out. And, yeah, thinking about being, if this, if I was just doing this all the time, I would get that a lot more. It's scary.

[Craig Ferguson]

Yeah. I think, though, that the thing really, I'm really speaking to myself. You can't look at the comments. You mustn't, you mustn't, mustn't, mustn't look at the comments because you don't know where anybody's coming from. Some can have a. Somebody can have a horrible life and a horrible thing and they just want to get some hate out. And I get that. I understand it, but I don't need to let it take me down.

[Heidi Gardner]

No, no. You know that the only time I've responded to a couple where I'm specifically called out, they're sports related. And it's someone teaching me. It's a man teaching me about sports or telling me like, you know, it's football or something. And it's me, like, just sarcastically being like, oh, thank you for teaching me or something. That's like the most I'll do. But for some reason, I feel compelled to do it. But then the person always writes me back and is like, oh, I didn't realize you'd write back. I'm a huge fan. And I'm like, I thought you were being so mean to me. And then I start to see behind the curtain and the computer and I'm like, I get it. I get what this all is.

[Craig Ferguson]

It's just about anonymity. But yeah, listen, it's been lovely to talk to you. I'm so delighted to finally kind of meet you in this odd digital post Covid way. But I am a big fan of what you do and I wish you continued luck. I had no idea you were such a talented hairdresser. And that just adds to your mystique as far as I'm concerned. Okay, good, because I'm impressed with that artisanal skill.

[Heidi Gardner]

Well, we could probably someday open a salon, even if we were just open for a month.

[Craig Ferguson]

Don't even say it as a joke. Don't even say it as a joke. You're like, that's my dream.

[Heidi Gardner]

Stars with shears or something. It's like our way.

[Craig Ferguson]

That would be a. Come on in. We'll tell you about our show business lives and give you a great do.

[Heidi Gardner]

Yes.

[Craig Ferguson]

All right. It's been lovely talking to you. Thank you so much for being here and continued success on that TV show that you do.

[Heidi Gardner]

Thank you.

[Craig Ferguson]

All right, thanks, Heidi. Calling all Yellowstone fans, let's go to work. Join Bobby Bones on the official Yellowstone podcast for exclusive cast interviews, behind the scenes insights, and a deep dive into the themes that have made Yellowstone a cultural phenomenon. Our family legacy is this ranch. Not a protector of my life. Listen to the official Yellowstone podcast Now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Heidi Gardner]

Did you know that 70% of people get hired at companies where they already have a connection. I'm Andrew Seaman, LinkedIn's editor at large for jobs and career development, and on my podcast, Get Hired, I bring you all the information you need to, well, get Hired. Landing a job may be tough, but Get Hired is here for you every step of the way, with advice on resumes, networking, negotiation, and so much more. Listen to Get Hired with Andrew seaman on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you like to listen.

[Paola Pedrosa]

The OGs of uncensored motherhood are back and better than ever. I'm Erica. And I'm Mila, and we're the hosts of the Good Moms Bad Choices Podcast, brought to you by the Black Effect Podcast Network every Wednesday. Yeah, we're moms, but not your mommy. Historically, men talk too much and women have quietly listened. And all that stops here. If you like witty women, then this is your truck. Listen to the Good Mom's Bad Choices podcast every Wednesday on the Black Effect podcast network, the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you go to find your.

[Cindy Crawford]

Podcast, we all have a moment that splits us wide open. On my new podcast, Wide Open with Ashlyn Harris, I'll sit down with trailblazers from sports, music, fashion, entertainment, and politics to explore their toughest moments and the incredible comebacks that followed. Listen to Wide Open with Ashlyn Harris, an iHeart women's sports production on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Heidi Gardner]

Presented by E L F Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Spirit.