It's Time! (w/ Mariah Carey)

Summary

Podcast Summary: Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang – Episode: "It's Time! (w/ Mariah Carey)"

Introduction

In the "It's Time!" episode of Las Culturistas, hosts Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang welcome the iconic singer-songwriter Mariah Carey for an in-depth conversation about her illustrious career, creative process, and personal experiences that have shaped her as a cultural icon. Released on October 16, 2024, this episode, produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartPodcasts, delves into Mariah’s influence on pop culture, her musical evolution, and her perspectives on the modern music industry.

Guest Introduction: Mariah Carey

The episode opens with Matt and Bowen expressing their excitement to host Mariah Carey, celebrating her legacy and contributions to music. Bowen remarks, “You really are just a singular, all-time great person who’s created all this joy” (69:28), setting the tone for a heartfelt and engaging discussion.

Cultural Inspirations and Formative Experiences

Mariah Carey shares the cultural moments and figures that inspired her growth and success. She highlights:

• Michael Jackson: “When he did, like, on Motown 25, when he was there making like, history … it was just a moment where everybody was just watching that” (32:31).
• Prince: “I love Prince. And it’s so sad that he’s no longer with us” (32:51), emphasizing his lasting impact on her music.
• Marilyn Monroe: Inspired by her mother’s admiration, Mariah recounts her fascination with Monroe from a young age, sparking her interest in iconic female figures (33:12).

These influences contributed to Mariah’s determination to build a successful career, especially navigating the challenges of being of mixed race and overcoming a dysfunctional family background.

Creative Process and Songwriting

A significant portion of the episode focuses on Mariah’s creative process. She discusses how inspiration strikes, often unexpectedly:

“Sometimes … somebody’s playing the piano and I’m like, no, play, don’t play … but both of those could be different, like melodically on top” (53:54).

Mariah explains her meticulous approach to vocal production, ensuring each layer complements the song’s essence. She reflects on her track “Heartbreaker,” praising its intricate vocal layering:

“There are four different vocal lines … that all call back to different parts of the song … that ending was just me figuring out, like, the song is written over a loop” (12:43).

Personal Stories and Experiences

Mariah shares personal anecdotes that reveal her journey and resilience:

• First Concert Experience: Attending Mariah Carey's Rainbow Tour at Madison Square Garden on April 11, 2000, was a pivotal moment that fueled her passion for music (01:38).
• Challenges in Japan: Performing in Japan's massive Tokyo Dome presented unique cultural challenges, highlighting differences in audience engagement (24:32).

These stories underscore Mariah's ability to adapt and thrive in diverse environments, reinforcing her status as a global superstar.

Collaborations and Industry Impact

Discussing her collaborations, Mariah emphasizes the importance of blending genres, particularly pairing beautiful vocals with hip-hop features. She reflects on pioneering this trend with songs like “Fantasy” and “Breakdown,” noting:

“A lot of people told me, oh, this could be the end of your career … but luckily, I was able to do it” (26:17).

Mariah expresses pride in seeing contemporary artists follow the blueprint she established, acknowledging the evolving nature of the music industry.

Insights on the Music Industry

Mariah offers valuable insights into the industry's dynamics, particularly the shift towards genre-blending and the challenges artists face in maintaining creative integrity. She discusses the pressures of releasing new music and the importance of taking time to let creative projects mature:

“It takes a while … I let it sink in … sometimes I redo a few words … it requires basting” (09:27, 21:52).

These reflections highlight her commitment to quality and authenticity in her work.

Upcoming Projects and Future Endeavors

Looking ahead, Mariah hints at future projects, including a potential new album and exciting collaborations. She teases the possibility of releasing a grunge album, inviting humor and anticipation from the hosts:

“Can you drop that grunge album? … I should … Maybe … put it out on GarageBand or something” (59:52, 60:17).

Additionally, Mariah discusses her ongoing "Prince of Christmas" tour, emphasizing her dedication to her craft and her fans.

"I Don't Think So, Honey" – Rant Segment

As part of their regular segment, Matt and Bowen deliver a humorous rant titled "I Don't Think So, Honey." This episode features a heartfelt tribute to Hoda Kotb’s departure from the Today Show, reflecting on the emotional impact of such changes in pop culture:

“Hoda, we love you. Please don’t leave NBCUniversal for good … It was like the end of an era” (63:10, 64:34).

They also briefly touch on the commercialization of Boxing Day and the overrated nature of New Year’s celebrations, maintaining the episode’s entertaining and candid tone.

Closing Remarks

The episode concludes with warm farewells and expressions of gratitude. Bowen shares a touching message to Mariah:

“Like I said, I think you’re so much of the reason why I am who I am … you will always be that for me … I’m so happy to meet you” (69:28, 69:50).

Mariah reciprocates the appreciation, highlighting the meaningful connection forged during the conversation.

Notable Quotes

• Bowen Yang: “You really are just a singular, all-time great person who’s created all this joy” (69:28).
• Mariah Carey: “I promised myself I would grow to be someone that had a successful career” (34:58).
• Matt Rogers: “It needs time to cook, it needs time to develop” (28:26).
• Mariah Carey: “The stacking and harmonies is so much fun” (53:33).

Conclusion

This episode of Las Culturistas offers an intimate glimpse into Mariah Carey’s world, from her early inspirations and creative methods to her enduring impact on the music industry. Through candid conversations and shared experiences, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang celebrate Mariah’s legacy while exploring the complexities of cultural influence and artistic expression. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to her music, this episode provides valuable insights into what makes Mariah Carey a true cultural icon.

Transcript

[Matt Rogers]

JJBL Tour Pro 3 earbuds are for those who don't conform to the standard.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, I mean if you want to get into some touchscreen technology, how about the smart charging case Clear sound. These are not standard things. You're only going to get them with the JBL Tour Pro 3, baby.

[Matt Rogers]

And I love the sound of JBL when it goes. These earbuds are packed with innovation because you can't stand out by following others.

[Bowen Yang]

Touchscreen smart charging case for one touch control, instant EQ customization, true adaptive noise canceling and the one of a kind audio transmitter which can plug and play with everything from game consoles to in flight entertainment. What more could you want first doesn't follow. Grab a [e-mail] hey, comedy fans.

[Mariah Carey]

The funniest comedians in the world are.

[Bowen Yang]

On tour and you can get tickets to see them live near you.

[Unknown]

Laugh at the biggest names in comedy like Atsuko Okatsuka, Chelsea Handler, Corey Holcomb.

[Bowen Yang]

Matt Matthews, Nurse John, Ralph Barboza, Ronnie Chang, Sarah Silverman, Sebastian Maniscalco, Wanda Sykes, and so many more.

[Mariah Carey]

All kinds of shows, all kinds of.

[Bowen Yang]

Ven, all kinds of funny.

[Unknown]

Head to livenation.comcomedy to get your tickets today. That's livenation.comcomedy.

[Bowen Yang]

Hey, everybody, it's me, Matt Rogers, letting you know tickets are on sale now to see me on tour. The Prince of Christmas tour, that is. I'm doing my whole album have youe Heard of Christmas? Plus a lot more with the whole band all throughout December. Go to www.mattrogersofficial.com to see me in a city near you. And now, las Colchester drums. Look, man. Oh, I see my eye.

[Mariah Carey]

Oh, my.

[Bowen Yang]

Bowen, look over there.

[Mariah Carey]

Wow.

[Bowen Yang]

Is that culture?

[Mariah Carey]

Yes.

[Bowen Yang]

Wow. Las Culturistas Ding dong.

[Matt Rogers]

Las Culturistas calling.

[Bowen Yang]

And this feels like the culmination. I don't know what to say.

[Matt Rogers]

I think we pack it up after this.

[Bowen Yang]

After this, it's out to the graveyard with us.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah. And to all the haters, y'all won.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, y'all won. And also, it's fine. We did the thing we needed to do for our life to be complete.

[Matt Rogers]

We've peaked personally, professionally, journalistically.

[Bowen Yang]

Yes. And we're giving a festive moment today in honor of our guest. It is, of course, September 26th at this time of recording.

[Matt Rogers]

So it's not yet.

[Bowen Yang]

It's not yet on. Not yet. Because it's really not yet.

[Matt Rogers]

It's really not yet. But as we approach, it's T word, you know, it's just the anticipation is building. I am just even donning this Princess Diana sweater with the Lamelly on it, as it were. I'm feeling the festive spirit even though it's not yet.

[Bowen Yang]

So those who know the real ones know. Okay, I want to take you back. It's April 11, 2000 in Madison Square Garden. My very first concert of my entire life. My parents got me for my birthday, Mariah Carey the Rainbow Tour, which really was a narrative about trying to hunt down Bianca. Yes, I do wanna find out if we ever got that B word. That B word. The character from perhaps the greatest music video of all time. You know, the other day, I'm digging in my artifacts and I find this. So this is the cassette of Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men One Sweet Day, which I would play the F out in the car with my mother on Long Island. That is what we're that in common as well. And to say that this is wish fulfillment is beyond. Because this podcast exists. And we of course, ask all of our guests, what was the culture that made me say culture was for me. For me, that is our guest. And I cannot believe you're here. We did meet briefly at Peloton.

[Matt Rogers]

Yes.

[Bowen Yang]

It was not necessarily an exchange of words. It was more an exchange of. What would you call it?

[Matt Rogers]

Support. I think you helped our guests down from the podium from which she said, it's that year. Yes.

[Bowen Yang]

The T word being time.

[Matt Rogers]

The T word being time. But it was a perfect prelude to this moment which I think has been in the stars, destined for time eternal.

[Bowen Yang]

It's a major moment. I'm gonna make it through. I can make it through the rain.

[Matt Rogers]

You can make it through the rain.

[Bowen Yang]

Bring my rain, eventual tears. But as a card carrying, platinum card carrying member of the Lamelly, and I know I speak for so many people that are listening and watching this right now, we are so excited to welcome the greatest of all time, Mariah.

[Mariah Carey]

Maya.

[Bowen Yang]

Carrie. You really are here.

[Mariah Carey]

I'm here.

[Bowen Yang]

I'm here. The prequel to It's Time, right?

[Mariah Carey]

Well, yeah, there's the not yet.

[Matt Rogers]

Right?

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

And then maybe I'm just like waving up at the world going, I'm here. Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. Is it ever too early? When do you start decorating? I wonder.

[Mariah Carey]

I wait.

[Bowen Yang]

You wait?

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah, actually, I wait till I'm done with the tour.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. Okay.

[Mariah Carey]

And then it's trees. It's trees and ornaments. I like your ornaments.

[Bowen Yang]

Thank you.

[Matt Rogers]

Well, it's from the Amazon music collaboration with Mariah on October 31st. Go to Amazon.com mariah care you can buy ornaments, snow globes, exclusive tour merchant apparel. I mean, talk about the snow globes. How did you pick out the scenery and the dioramas of the snow globes?

[Bowen Yang]

Yes, the dioramas.

[Mariah Carey]

The dioramas.

[Bowen Yang]

This is a vocabulary.

[Mariah Carey]

Oh, my gosh, you guys win. So the snow globes with the MC logo, I must. And the. It's glittery snow. I would call that right. Yeah, I would say it's glittery snow. And that's my little caricature of me and some reindeer. And I just. I thought it would look pretty with this kind of the gold down here.

[Bowen Yang]

I love it. The adornments.

[Mariah Carey]

The adornments.

[Matt Rogers]

It's very rococo. The adornments.

[Bowen Yang]

I have to say, every time I use a word that makes you laugh, I feel very happy. You know, you're a vocabulary legend.

[Matt Rogers]

You're a vocab legend. You're adverb queen.

[Mariah Carey]

I mean, I kind of like used to be, but I don't. It's not that I don't try anymore, but I don't. I don't know what the word is. I just. See, I don't know what the word is.

[Bowen Yang]

Where.

[Matt Rogers]

There you go.

[Bowen Yang]

You know that you really had me saying the word nonchalantly in third grade.

[Mariah Carey]

Nonchalant.

[Bowen Yang]

People were like, hey, Matt, what do you want to play at recess today? I'm nonchalant about it. Just because of your songs.

[Mariah Carey]

Break down. I listened to that the other day and I was like, I guess I'm trying to be nonchalant about it.

[Bowen Yang]

Yep.

[Mariah Carey]

Who did I think I was?

[Bowen Yang]

I thought you were Mariah. You knew you were Mariah.

[Matt Rogers]

Mariah.

[Bowen Yang]

Nonchalant.

[Matt Rogers]

I was using incessant before I even knew what the word incessant. But I just heard incessantly. And I was like, well, if Mariah's.

[Mariah Carey]

Using that, it rhymed. That's why I got away with it.

[Bowen Yang]

And not for nothing, but incessantly in a number one hit song. They're not using words like that anymore in number one hit songs.

[Mariah Carey]

They're not? No, I don't think so.

[Matt Rogers]

I think, you know, in this TikTok age, it's like everyone's gotta be quick and it's gotta be monosyllabic. You can't throw a lee or anything in there, right?

[Mariah Carey]

The lees get them.

[Matt Rogers]

The Lees. The Lees get them. But I think the lee's rhymes with the me's. And I feel like you are singing from your point of view. And so therefore it works.

[Mariah Carey]

It's the puzzle piece it's the puzzle piece.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Matt Rogers]

We were reading in Vanity Fair in this recent interview. You did that?

[Bowen Yang]

By Rob Ludoni, friend of mine.

[Matt Rogers]

Friend of, friend of the podcast. It's been six years since Caution, and.

[Mariah Carey]

So, yeah, can't believe that.

[Matt Rogers]

One of my favorite albums in the last decade.

[Bowen Yang]

Brilliant.

[Matt Rogers]

Truly, truly, truly.

[Mariah Carey]

It didn't get the push and promotion that it deserved. Agree and sad about that.

[Bowen Yang]

You know, Am I. Yeah, Are you? That was Bangers on Bangers I was at. I remember it was in, like, Gowanus, and you did that. Sit down. Like, that was really focused on your songwriting. And it was like, around the release of Caution, I actually went with my friend Mariah Smith.

[Matt Rogers]

Oh, yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

And so it was me and Mariah watching Mariah, and it was like that album was total fire. And it really was. That conversation was about your songwriting. And I think that that's what I get most excited about when it comes to you. And so when we're asking about the new music, I just want to know, like, are you writing now? Like, what's happening? Like, what's inspiring you?

[Mariah Carey]

Yes, I am writing now, but the more I talk about new music and that I'm doing this, and it's probably coming out in whatever, a year or two years, everybody gets mad at me because they're like, why are you telling us this? And then it doesn't come out in a year, and then it's. You know what I mean?

[Bowen Yang]

We ain't mad at us.

[Mariah Carey]

What I. Do some people be mad?

[Bowen Yang]

No, they just need to let you work. It just does feel like, you know, six years, we already 20, 25 is the year.

[Mariah Carey]

I'm saying it, and I will concur.

[Bowen Yang]

Okay.

[Matt Rogers]

Okay.

[Bowen Yang]

We have a concur.

[Matt Rogers]

A concur is not a commitment. Like, if it gets pushed, will understand.

[Mariah Carey]

Yes. It really does need to happen.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Matt Rogers]

Yes, we agree. We are over here agreeing. We had Caution on during a drive up State. I remember in 2018, and it was just like, damn, every track. You know, I mean, I feel like you have this quality as a vocal producer where you, like, are clearly working with these collaborators that you love. Like, you're Jermaine Dupree's and you're Ryan Michael Cox's. But it's like, when do you know as an artist like, that your stamp is on it, that it's done, it's ready to go? Because I imagine that this process is like capturing a cloud and trying to put it down into a words or a sound or something. What is your signature as A vocal producer.

[Mariah Carey]

Hmm. Well, it takes a while. I run it down once and then I'm like, okay, that was cute. And then I don't know how long I take a while, you know, so that I can live with it and just really let it sink in.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

And then I'll know, like, okay, there's about five words that I want to redo. The way I sang that, you know, I didn't like that.

[Matt Rogers]

Uh huh.

[Mariah Carey]

Or it's okay. But I want to try something different.

[Bowen Yang]

Right, right.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah.

[Matt Rogers]

And that's a different process from like the songwriting of it because. Right. Because that's just getting it down.

[Mariah Carey]

It's. How do I say it? It's an interesting. Like a sandwich.

[Matt Rogers]

Okay, got it. Yes.

[Mariah Carey]

Yes. Because.

[Bowen Yang]

Famously stacked.

[Mariah Carey]

He's famously stacked. But yeah, it's because it's so important to write this song first and then if you don't take your time and it's part of the process to do that, like, go in, change this, go in, change that.

[Matt Rogers]

I mean, you were talking about how Hero was one of the songs that came the fastest to you on a writing level. But then I imagine the production of that was a longer process.

[Mariah Carey]

It actually went. The whole thing was sort of like at the same time. It happened at the same time. Because they were explaining to me about Dustin Hoffman's new movie that was called Hero. And then I took a walk to the loo and started hearing then. Then a hero comes along and with the strength to carry on and walked back in and said to Walter A. Who I used to work with.

[Bowen Yang]

Yep.

[Mariah Carey]

I was like, this is how the song goes. Like, can you start playing it? Yeah. And humming to him the. You know, so just.

[Bowen Yang]

It's wild that that can come to you so quickly and then it becomes one of the most famous hooks of all time. Does that ever, like, feel strange? It's like one of the things that you thought of really on the way to and from the loo then becomes that thing that like, really hits hard and maybe something you work on for a very long time, like doesn't.

[Mariah Carey]

Doesn't get to that point. Yeah, well, I wasn't trying to write this big heroic, like, anthem for the ages, an anthemic heroic moment. I wasn't. I wasn't searching for that.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

But it, you know, it kind of happened.

[Bowen Yang]

It's what arrived.

[Mariah Carey]

It's what arrived. But then some songs I am working on, you know, longer and maybe I'll end up liking them better. Like a song like Fly Like a Bird, like, I love that. Song. And yet it's not Hero in terms of, like, how major hero was in terms of success.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

But I still love it. It's a Grammy winner. Yes, it is.

[Bowen Yang]

You don't have enough of those, by the way. True five. I'm like, come on now. They trifle with you. They really do. They play with you.

[Mariah Carey]

The Grammys toy with me.

[Bowen Yang]

Can I ask what's a better vocal performance in terms of pop music than Heartbreaker? Can we talk about the end breakdown of Heartbreaker? I really want to get into this.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

Like, there's four different vocal lines of you coming on at the same time that all call back to different parts of the song. I remember hearing that song for the first time and being like, I don't know how she did this again. But yet, of course, just like that stacking that happens at the end, it's pure vocal performance. It's incredible. And I wonder, is that, like, something you're particularly proud of? Cause to me, that is pop excellence.

[Mariah Carey]

Thank you.

[Bowen Yang]

I mean, Heartbreaker is everything.

[Mariah Carey]

I appreciate that very much because it's one of my favorites that I've done. And that ending was just me figuring out, like, the song is written over a loop.

[Matt Rogers]

Yes.

[Mariah Carey]

Right. So in order to do, like, all those different parts, it wasn't that difficult because it's all. It was pretty much the same, the song itself, because of the way it's written over a loop.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

So then doing the little parts and having them interwoven with each other was just what. It's like what I like to do. So.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

And just pulling it out and, like, isolating those hooks was just like a genius way to end that song. And that last Give Me a Love is just like. It's just like that little cherry on top that, like, you could live happy for the rest of your day when you're. When you've listened to that and just to speak to that moment and also that tour. So when you're doing that song, do you see the video at the same time? Because that's probably one of the best music videos ever.

[Mariah Carey]

You versus Bianca, the Heartbreaker music video.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. And I want to know where she is now.

[Mariah Carey]

I know. We got to find her.

[Bowen Yang]

She was low down. She was low down.

[Mariah Carey]

And there was a girl on the set who was actually. She was like a stand in.

[Matt Rogers]

Right.

[Mariah Carey]

And she was from a different country, and. Cause she had an accent and she's pretty girl, you know? And we're there and everybody's throwing the popcorn. Like, you know, we're Throwing the popcorn.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

And she got so mad. She's a stand in to be there and whatever. The girl had popcorn on top of her hair, glued on top of her hair, like that's what it was supposed to be. And she got so mad, she walked out.

[Bowen Yang]

No, not her being a diva on your set.

[Mariah Carey]

Her being a diva on my set.

[Matt Rogers]

No, no, no.

[Mariah Carey]

Yes.

[Matt Rogers]

The injustice.

[Mariah Carey]

The injustice.

[Bowen Yang]

Adding hours to the day.

[Mariah Carey]

It did. And then I went out to her trailer and was like, hi. We really didn't mean to do anything to upset you or, you know, da, da.

[Bowen Yang]

She was just like, oh, wow. She was really giving Bianca.

[Mariah Carey]

She was so, you know, Bianca. We were insp. Inspired all the more for that conflict.

[Matt Rogers]

That tete a tete. Where did the name Bianca come from?

[Mariah Carey]

I just made it up.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. As you want to do. It's another word that is pulled from wherever.

[Matt Rogers]

Yes. An immaculate conception.

[Bowen Yang]

I wanted to just say. And also ask, in addition, the Butterfly album, I think that. I don't know if this is true, but I would guess that of all the lambs, like, and all the fans that come up to you across the world, that that's one that probably comes up a lot. I know for me, I listened to it at a time when I was like, really, like, discovering myself. And it will always be so important to me. And I guess I just wanted to ask about that album, like, does that have special significance to you as it does to your. I know, your fans?

[Mariah Carey]

That particular album, it definitely has very special significance to me. I think it's probably my best album.

[Bowen Yang]

I don't know how that doesn't have all the accolades from all those awards.

[Mariah Carey]

It has zero accolades.

[Bowen Yang]

Zero. I don't get it.

[Mariah Carey]

I think I'm pretty sure it has zero accolades.

[Bowen Yang]

I was looking earlier just to check, and I was right. You had some nominations for it, but not anywhere near the respect that that album deserves for not only what it did in terms of the metamorphosis of you as an artist in your career, but I know how it insp. Inspired so many artists.

[Mariah Carey]

So many. I mean, I love that album. It has a certain feeling when you listen to it. And then there's the. It's just got a lot of diversity. Like, it's. It's. I don't know. Yeah, you go from Breakdown to the Butterfly to my all.

[Bowen Yang]

My all is. I mean, we all know, but like my. It's just like again, hit play on it. And I listened to a lot of the discography this morning. Happily in getting ready for this. But just like, honey, just the way that the album starts, you know, we're in a new era. You know what I mean?

[Mariah Carey]

That's true.

[Matt Rogers]

It's innovative. It's just. It's one of those albums that we had Kelly Clarkson in this chair, like, a year ago, kind of stanning you. Stanning you.

[Mariah Carey]

Oh, really?

[Bowen Yang]

Yes. She loves my all.

[Mariah Carey]

Oh, wow.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

It's so nice.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. But I mean, like, just that album, and particularly the roof, and I was so happy that you got so into it.

[Mariah Carey]

She was talking about the roof.

[Bowen Yang]

No, no, Kelly was talking about my.

[Mariah Carey]

Okay, I'm talking about the roof.

[Bowen Yang]

Okay, but she could be talking about.

[Mariah Carey]

The roof because I said it's not as well known.

[Bowen Yang]

No, but you know what, though? The Lambs. That's a number one hit for the Lambs, I'm telling you. So back in the day, we did. On this podcast, we did a book club reading of the meaning of Mariah Carey.

[Mariah Carey]

Oh, really? Yes, we did.

[Bowen Yang]

Because it is my favorite book, and it is, like. I think it's a piece of music history.

[Matt Rogers]

It's a piece of music history. It's the best celebrity memoir. It's like 100%. The audiobook is the best celebrity audiobook.

[Mariah Carey]

Did you like the audiobook? Of course.

[Bowen Yang]

Where was the Grammy for that?

[Mariah Carey]

Oh, yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

Spoken word.

[Mariah Carey]

They could have had. Yeah, yeah.

[Matt Rogers]

They could have stop playing in this woman's face.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. It's really ridiculous.

[Matt Rogers]

It's crazy.

[Bowen Yang]

Not that it matters what you think, but, like, in a world where it would be nice. It would be nice, wouldn't it? But anyway, like, they had it right in the beginning. But anyway, like, what I'm saying is.

[Mariah Carey]

You mean the first.

[Bowen Yang]

The best new artists, they got it right the first year, and then they were like, let's continue to sleep on.

[Matt Rogers]

They fell off a cliff after, like.

[Bowen Yang]

As if you weren't leagues ahead of everyone else. And all respect to everyone else.

[Mariah Carey]

But anyway, we love everybody.

[Bowen Yang]

We love everybody. A famous line. We love everybody.

[Mariah Carey]

We love everybody.

[Bowen Yang]

I just remember you talking about the roof, and that was such. It almost felt validating for me as a kid, because the roof was not a track I could get over. It was like you could feel the discovery, like, even just in the lyrical imagery. The rain hitting your skin, the way that you were waking up. I honestly think in that moment, I was, like, waking up to being queer and who I was. It's just such a vivid, beautiful song. And I wanna say there actually was a moment where I was in third grade. And we would go in and we would have writing time. Like, you could write anything in your journal. So I just wrote the lyrics to the roof.

[Mariah Carey]

Oh, wow.

[Bowen Yang]

And then we had to hand the journals in.

[Matt Rogers]

I love this story.

[Bowen Yang]

So my teacher read.

[Mariah Carey]

Hated me.

[Bowen Yang]

Well, no, no, no. She must have been listening to someone else at the time. Maybe she had been playing Celine Dion because she thought it was my writing. And she goes, I don't know what you're going through, but you are a beautiful writer.

[Mariah Carey]

Aw. She was.

[Bowen Yang]

But literally, it's me talking about, like, you know, like, having this moment on it.

[Mariah Carey]

Finish the moe.

[Bowen Yang]

Finish the moet. I'd probably spe spelled it like M O A Y. I know.

[Mariah Carey]

Everybody says to me, like, why do you pronounce it that way? I'm like, that's just how I always.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. I mean, but listen, like, it worked and. But I probably should have wrote sprite or something.

[Matt Rogers]

Right.

[Bowen Yang]

But just to know that, like, that's the kind of song that is, like, I didn't have to get it to really get it and have it be meaningful to me. And that's, like, a testament to your writing and that album and what must have been such a incredible breakthrough creatively for you at that time.

[Mariah Carey]

Thank you. Yeah, it. It definitely was just to be able to be free to write and perform in the way that I wanted as opposed to other people saying, do this. Even if I wrote Hero, that doesn't mean that's the only song or type of song that I wanted to write.

[Bowen Yang]

Right. And you were very famous for that type of song for a long duration of time, right?

[Mariah Carey]

I guess.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

Well, no, you were.

[Bowen Yang]

And then all of a sudden, this, like, new person came out because you felt, I don't know, emboldened or how would you.

[Mariah Carey]

Liberated.

[Bowen Yang]

Liberated.

[Matt Rogers]

Liberated, yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Matt Rogers]

A good vocab word.

[Mariah Carey]

It's in the song we're talking about. That's the only reason I remember.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. Oh, yeah, of course.

[Mariah Carey]

Started feeling liberated.

[Bowen Yang]

Started feeling liberated. Yeah. And I mean, iconic. But then your music got funnier, too, I think. Do you think that there's a link there? Cause all of a sudden you started making jokes.

[Mariah Carey]

I had jokes.

[Matt Rogers]

But how do you feel about the jokes now?

[Mariah Carey]

No, I do. I still do. I just haven't put out a new album in six years, as you pointed out.

[Matt Rogers]

And look, as someone who does not believe in time. Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

What's time?

[Matt Rogers]

What is time?

[Mariah Carey]

You don't know what that is, so then it's irrelevant.

[Matt Rogers]

Right. And it's also part of the process it's like it needs time to cook, it needs time to develop, and so it's all.

[Mariah Carey]

It's got to baste.

[Matt Rogers]

It.

[Mariah Carey]

It requires basting.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, it requires basting.

[Mariah Carey]

It requires basting.

[Matt Rogers]

It requires basting.

[Bowen Yang]

It's like Thanksgiving, you know, and then.

[Mariah Carey]

At the end, you get a fabulous meal with people that you love.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, of course.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

Do you like Thanksgiving, or are you wanting to rush through it to get through your season?

[Mariah Carey]

I like Thanksgiving as well. I'm just. I'm very. You know the word I'm gonna say. Festive.

[Bowen Yang]

Festive, yes. And that includes the Turkey Day, of course.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

Because you're festive for Halloween, you're festive for Thanksgiving, you're festive for Christmas.

[Mariah Carey]

Yes, yes. Valentine. Fourth of July.

[Bowen Yang]

Well, yes, of course. Another great track.

[Mariah Carey]

Thank you. I have a song called Fourth of July.

[Bowen Yang]

Yes. They know. If you don't know, it's ridiculous.

[Matt Rogers]

Why are you listening to that?

[Bowen Yang]

I actually, I made. I remember I made. At the time of doing the.

[Matt Rogers]

The audiobook.

[Bowen Yang]

The audiobook. I made playlists for everyone who, like, for some reason, didn't know. And this is my intermediate Mariah playlist. Ready? Roof. Hate you, Clown. One of the great tracks.

[Mariah Carey]

I love Clown.

[Bowen Yang]

Clown is so good. And we agree with you. Ex girlfriend. Co written by Kandi Burruss.

[Mariah Carey]

Yes.

[Matt Rogers]

Wow.

[Bowen Yang]

We love Kandy Burris.

[Matt Rogers]

We love Kandy.

[Bowen Yang]

Forever the distance. Your girl.

[Mariah Carey]

I love you.

[Matt Rogers]

Your girl. Are you kidding me?

[Bowen Yang]

Vanishing, sweetheart and all I've ever wanted. Those are my. Those are my.

[Mariah Carey]

Wait, it's so funny that vanishing is on there after John just.

[Bowen Yang]

I know, right? We were talking about vanishing just over there. Because your incredible performance of it on Saturday Night Live all those years ago. Hello.

[Matt Rogers]

Hello.

[Mariah Carey]

That was a fun moment.

[Matt Rogers]

Patrick Swayze was the host. Yes. And that was, like, early. That was, like, the beginning.

[Mariah Carey]

The very beginning of my hair. Yep.

[Matt Rogers]

If you were to walk back in there in that space, like, you would just. You would have even more of a command on it, I think. Right. Like, I feel like it's.

[Mariah Carey]

No, I think I had less. What's it called? I wasn't quite as nervous back then for some reason. I don't know why.

[Matt Rogers]

Totally. I mean, it makes sense. Like, I understand what you mean, because I feel like there's this thing that, at least as it relates to snl, people say that, like, oh, the longer you stay there, the more nervous you are, which is. It shouldn't work that way. It should work in the inverse, where it's like, oh, you should be more comfortable and yet something about being on display or just having your work be celebrated. I'm talking about your work be celebrated. Must mean that there is this comfort that people are expecting from you. And it's a lot to provide that.

[Mariah Carey]

I imagine, especially so early on in one's career.

[Bowen Yang]

Right. Did you feel like it was very fast? Because in the book you talk about, it was only a few years into your career that it was the Tokyo show that you really realized just how international and how big you were. But before that, it was not.

[Mariah Carey]

Well, because the Tokyo show was in a gigantic Tokyo dome. Was ginormous.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

So, you know, I found myself there, and it wasn't like being at even, like, on Saturday Night Live, which is bigger in many ways, but this was spatially huge and across the world, Right?

[Bowen Yang]

Yes. You know, and a totally different type of fan probably responding in a different way. Were they a very, like, engaged crowd? Did they know the words in their own way or.

[Mariah Carey]

Well, my experience at that time was that everybody had to kind of be polite. Yeah, people in Japan were very polite.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

And so it was like, you know, I would sing whatever the song was, and then it would just be.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, there's like, applause, and then we're done.

[Mariah Carey]

Done.

[Matt Rogers]

Punctuated.

[Mariah Carey]

And somebody came up to me and like, please don't think that we're not appreciative of your music. This is just our culture and how it was so nice that they did that. Cause I'm sitting there like, I don't know why.

[Bowen Yang]

I think. Was that the show too? Where. Or maybe not that show, but there was another show where you were trying to teach the crowd, Always be my baby. I think you performed it for the first time.

[Mariah Carey]

I think it was that one, and.

[Bowen Yang]

It was the da da da da. And you were trying to get them to do it, and they were just like, we're not.

[Matt Rogers]

We can't match those. We can't match the streak.

[Bowen Yang]

Probably another one of your greatest ever. Always be my baby.

[Mariah Carey]

Oh, thank you.

[Matt Rogers]

How do you feel about just this standard now in the industry, in the music industry that you've set, which is. Or this convention, really, where it's like a beautiful vocal can be paired with a great hip hop feature. You know, like, those two things are complementary, which. I mean, no one at the time that you sort of innovated on that thought would work at all.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. Fantasy Heartbreaker pioneered that.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah, that was. I mean, there were other ones, too. I'm trying to think of all the records I did, like, with Jadakiss, and.

[Bowen Yang]

I Mean, even Breakdown at the time.

[Mariah Carey]

Breakdown, Bone Thugs and Harmony. I mean, that was definitely unexpected.

[Matt Rogers]

That is such a huge part of your legacy. Like, how does that sit with you watching literally everybody sort of follow the blueprint that you've set?

[Mariah Carey]

It's swinteresting. But I. You know, I didn't even say odb, which, you know, fantasy. Probably the biggest. One of the biggest.

[Bowen Yang]

Yes, absolutely.

[Mariah Carey]

And I really. I wanted so much to work with hip hop artists. I really did. I wanted to do my thing and then be able to listen to their vocals.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

You know what I mean? And so then, luckily, I was able to do it. But a lot of people told me, oh, this could be the end of your career, you know, don't do this.

[Bowen Yang]

That the worlds had to be separate.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

So crazy now, because in music, it feels like, what is genre, right? You know, it's wild. Like, you see, like, you know, with Beyonce's album Cowboy Carter, like, yes, it's country, but it's also rock. It's also Americana, it's pop. It's all these things. Now it feels like, if you're not blending genre, what are you doing?

[Matt Rogers]

Right?

[Bowen Yang]

Exactly.

[Matt Rogers]

And having that moment at the Grammys with you and Miley this year felt like such a perfect encapsulation of that too. And it makes everyone really excited for whenever the new stuff is coming. Not to bring it back to this, but it's like, I think you can. You are really gonna take advantage of this sort of blending.

[Mariah Carey]

Of it all. Blending, Yeah. I agree. And I loved that moment with Miley.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, she's the best.

[Mariah Carey]

She was so great.

[Bowen Yang]

And so does that.

[Mariah Carey]

She sent me flowers. Yeah, well, she sent me beautiful flowers after that. And I was like, she's incredible.

[Bowen Yang]

When she gave you your props there, I mean, like, she was like, no, you have to stay right here, I think, because I would imagine that she looks up to you and, like, feels indebted to you for what you've done, as everyone does and should.

[Matt Rogers]

Matt, not to get too serious, but seasonal affective disorder is a real thing. And even if you don't personally experience the winter blues, there's no doubt you've experienced the winter blahs.

[Bowen Yang]

Mm. And you know what really drags me out of my doldrums, Beau? When I see amazing contemporary theater, I'm talking about hitting Broadway hard. And, you know, tis the season. I am so excited to see death becomes her. I can barely handle myself. And if you want to dress up and be around people but not be outside for too, too long. There's nothing better than a night out at the theater.

[Matt Rogers]

Courtesy of TodayTix TodayTix offers the best prices on tickets to shows both on and off Broadway for the winter season.

[Bowen Yang]

Just download the Today Ticks app to see their offerings. From star studded cast to highly anticipated revivals, they've got a great mix of shows to pick from.

[Matt Rogers]

You know, I can't wait to go for my second viewings of Cabaret and Sunset Boulevard.

[Bowen Yang]

Oh, they're both so good. I've actually already seen Cabaret twice. That's how good it is. And you know what? I'd go again. Sun and Sunset Boulevard too. I've also seen twice both those shows I've seen twice. Get into it. The app is super easy to use too. Find your show, pick your seat and check out in just a few taps. Then your phone is essentially your ticket. Go to todaytix.com dink dong and use promo code Ding Dong to get $20 off your first Today Tics purchase.

[Matt Rogers]

That's promo code Ding Dong at todaytix tix.com dingdongnospace todaytix.com Dingdong the new JBL.

[Unknown]

Tour Pro 3 earbuds are unlike any earbuds you've heard or seen because they're the first earbuds on the market with a touchscreen smart charging case. But the big news is that you can control everything through the touchscreen. You can adjust volume, advanced song songs next, but no matter what you're listening to or from, it'll sound great. The true adaptive noise canceling reacts to your environment in real time. JBL Spatial360 sound makes audio from any music, movie or game an immersive experience. And the smart charging case doubles as an audio transmitter so you can connect your earbuds to almost any source. If you're wearing JBL Tour Pro 3 earbuds, now you know what I'm talking about. The rest of you have to use your imagination. The Tour Pro 3 touchscreen smart charging Case displays all the important info battery life, song and artist messages, or who's calling Mom. She never texts first. Doesn't follow the new JBL Tour Pro 3 earbuds Grab a pair of JBL.com.

[Matt Rogers]

Do you like podcasts, music and audiobooks? Because when you subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited, you get all three in one app. Imagine listening to your favorite podcasts and music on the go to work, school, the gym, or better yet, vacation. I love those. Now imagine being on vacation with your favorite audiobook from Audible and then listening to a new one Every month from a huge selection of popular titles. While not on vacation. That sounds like a pretty good vacation, right? Audible is now included on Amazon Music Unlimited. Download the Amazon Music app now to start listening terms, apply.

[Bowen Yang]

Mariah Carey. We have to ask you the question that's the centerpiece of our podcast.

[Mariah Carey]

The centerpiece.

[Bowen Yang]

The centerpiece. The snow globe. The Christmas snow globe of our podcast. Mariah Carey, what was the culture that made you say culture was for you, that formative pop culture, Whether it be music, movies, it can be anything that you can look back and be like, mariah was becoming Mariah because of that thing.

[Mariah Carey]

Well, there's a few things.

[Bowen Yang]

Yes.

[Matt Rogers]

Give it to us.

[Mariah Carey]

I would have to say, looking at from the time I was little. Little Michael Jackson when he was a kid, and then when he did, like, on Motown 25, when he was there making, like, history.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

Not the album, but making history.

[Matt Rogers]

Yes.

[Mariah Carey]

You know, just being himself, being on there, moonwalking, doing everything. I mean, it was just a moment where everybody was just watching that.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

And also Prince. I love Prince. And it's so sad that he's no longer with us.

[Bowen Yang]

He truly is.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah. I still listen to Prints all the time.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

And, yeah, I would say, like, Little Red Corvette.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. Banger.

[Mariah Carey]

Yes.

[Matt Rogers]

So good.

[Mariah Carey]

So good. And then, you know, my mother always loved Marilyn Monroe. And I walked into her room one time, and she was watching, like, when they would do those, talking about, like, Marilyn was this and that because she had passed away years ago. And she was watching one of those retrospectives, and at that point, they were looking at Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. And I didn't know who she was. I just saw this, like, doll, like, woman.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

And I was like, oh, my gosh. And I was a kid, and my mother told me who she was. And then from then on, I was a huge fan of hers and looked up all her, you know, stuff from her life, books about her, books by Norman Mailer, you know, just like, incredible.

[Matt Rogers]

So those are three very good answers.

[Bowen Yang]

I mean, I feel like the thing that ties them all together, too, is they all have such iconography. You know what I mean? Like, you look at them and you say, that's Marilyn. There's only one. That's Prince. There's only one. That's Michael. There's only one. And you think of him doing the moonwalk, and you immediately, that's a monoculture moment. And so do you think that that imprinting on them had something to do with the fact that. That you felt, like, almost othered and that you would grow to be. You knew you could grow to become an individual. And there was something about them being so singular that you identified with.

[Mariah Carey]

I promised myself I would grow to be someone that had a successful career.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

Because I did feel so othered and being of mixed race, coming from a family that was very dysfunctional, that was a difficult road for me. And so I kind of had to adapt this strength that was like, you know, I'm going to do this. I'm not going to tell anybody that I'm going to do this, but this is what I'm gonna do.

[Bowen Yang]

Move in silence.

[Matt Rogers]

Move in silence.

[Mariah Carey]

Real G's do it.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. Move in silence until we're using our five octave range and then we're actually.

[Matt Rogers]

Taking up some space. Some space. But yeah, between the three of those, it's like there's. There's vocal trademark, there's artistic trademark, there's aesthetic trademark, and those all kind of converge in you. And I mean, you really are just a singular, all time great person and who's created all this joy. I mean, you've created this world and this feeling that people will never detach from, that they'll always carry with them. It's really. It's really incredible.

[Mariah Carey]

Thank you.

[Bowen Yang]

I think also, people don't realize how tough Long island can be. Yeah.

[Matt Rogers]

Talk about the long island of it all.

[Bowen Yang]

I mean, like, it is, though, like, you know what I mean?

[Mariah Carey]

Like, it's like strong island.

[Bowen Yang]

Strong island, baby. Are you a seafood person? I know you love your linguine with white clam sauce.

[Mariah Carey]

I do. That was my dad's recipe. That's why. Why? What do you think?

[Bowen Yang]

I'm just a seafood person.

[Mariah Carey]

Like, it's a Long island thing.

[Bowen Yang]

I'm just saying we're by the sea.

[Mariah Carey]

Where in Long Island?

[Bowen Yang]

I'm from Islip, but my parents grew up in Lindenhurst, so I'm a South Shore kid.

[Mariah Carey]

Oh, yeah. Okay.

[Bowen Yang]

Why do you laugh?

[Mariah Carey]

I laugh because I had such a traumatic experience growing up in a place that's so racist. And that was a thing where, you know, my mother always wanted to live there or different places around there, and I had to be there. Didn't love it.

[Matt Rogers]

Right to the point where, like, you know, you go, oh, the struggles that I've been through sort of define who I am. But it's like there are certain things and experiences and settings in life where you go, I could have. I think I could have done without that.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah, a few things.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. I mean, not to get bleak about what you can read the Book. But, like, I honestly think it's so important that you speak so truthfully about that stuff, because I think when we listen to your music, like, when we listen to the song outside, when we listen to Close My Eyes, and this is stuff that you really opened up about in Butterfly and had maybe sort of hinted at in your earlier work, but never really got into the darkness. And then you started to let us in in reading the book. That's just. It obviously had to be painful to be explicit about those things and also to know that there's other people's, you know, feelings and their people are going to have opinions about what you say. But it's so important to be so truthful because, I mean, people feel seen by it. And I want to know, like, do you feel like you felt like a reconnection to your fans again, who had already felt that way about your music, and then the book made them come back and, like, was it even more emotional?

[Mariah Carey]

Hmm. I love writing the book. I collaborated with Michaela Angela Davis.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. Amazing.

[Mariah Carey]

And she's awesome. I mean, when I read the book for the audience, you know, for Audible.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

It was 11 hours of rereading the book. So all the time, you know, spent writing the book and then reading it over and having, you know, what's the guy that comes? And the editor. Yes, James is his name.

[Bowen Yang]

Yes.

[Mariah Carey]

Hi, James. Hey. Hey. It's time. It's time. You know, just going through this stuff with the editor and doing all that, and then being like, I'm gonna spend 11 hours doing this, you know, speaking. This book.

[Bowen Yang]

Right.

[Mariah Carey]

And. And it was right at the beginning of COVID Right. And so that was that. And, yeah, I actually really loved the whole process, the process of writing and reading it aloud.

[Bowen Yang]

And did it feel therapeutic?

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah, it definitely felt therapeutic. I mean, I was crying when I was writing. It was a lot of just intense, emotional kind of.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

Feelings. But, yeah, it was. It's.

[Bowen Yang]

It's still.

[Mariah Carey]

I still, you know, when I see the book and people come and ask me to sign it and everything like that, I'm just like, you know, I feel proud that I. We did this.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah. You know, because it's an opportunity for people to connect with, like, the truth about your life. And I imagine reading the audiobook felt like almost like it is a performance, you know, like, besides the singing of the lyrics and your work and this thing that people connect to it is like you reading about your life experience is its own kind of showmanship or something.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah. Well, it's a lot of exposure. You know, you're exposing your life and these details that you already put out there and wrote. But then now you're gonna read it. And yes, sometimes I sang, sometimes I decide figured out, okay, I'll sing this or I'll. We'll write this as a melody or whatever, you know? But it's. It's one of my things that I've done that I'm most proud of.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, I would imagine too, that, like, the fun moments of it were probably so fun to relive. Like, even, like, obviously it was like a tense moment. Like the divas live of it all, you getting prepared and Aretha being like, Mariah. They're playing games.

[Mariah Carey]

They're playing games.

[Bowen Yang]

But that had to be so fun to relive in a way. Like that night that's actually been mentioned on this show many times.

[Mariah Carey]

I know there used to be a skit.

[Bowen Yang]

Yes, there was.

[Matt Rogers]

Yes.

[Mariah Carey]

You mean on Saturday Night Live?

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. Was it. It was Anna Gosteyer, Molly, Shannon and Sherry. Right. Doing Shania, Mariah and Celine.

[Matt Rogers]

Yep. Yep. Oh, my God, that's so fun. That is like, truly. They don't make a show like that anymore, you know?

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah, no, they don't.

[Matt Rogers]

Ugh.

[Bowen Yang]

They have to.

[Matt Rogers]

They have to, though.

[Mariah Carey]

I mean, but will it be as big ever? I don't know. Look how long it's been in existence.

[Matt Rogers]

I know, I know.

[Bowen Yang]

You know what, though? I would say it's like that's the type of thing now that you think they would reboot because they're rebooting everything.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

You know what I mean? And so much success comes with, like, you know, we're seeing the cast of Friends together again. Harry Potter gets back together and does an eight part whatever on hbo. Like, you know, they did mean Girls again, which I wanna talk to you about. Like, it just feels like diva's live. Like, obviously we can't bring everybody back, but to have y'all come back and, like, I think all get together and some of the new generation I think would be amazing.

[Mariah Carey]

It could be. It could be.

[Matt Rogers]

I mean, I feel like this has been a really banner year in, like, women and music. And I feel like it's the perfect period on the whole year for you to come back with.

[Mariah Carey]

With the Divas live.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah, well, with the Divas live. But I'm also just saying, like, Merry Christmas and its 30th anniversary and you going on tour again.

[Bowen Yang]

It's like synergy there. It's like you are the ultimate.

[Matt Rogers]

Been waiting for a year when so.

[Bowen Yang]

Many people have, like, made these amazing pop efforts. And then at the end of the year, there will be Mariah's 30th anniversary during Christmas, which doesn't get bigger, it.

[Matt Rogers]

Doesn'T get more timeless than that.

[Unknown]

The new JBL Tour Pro 3 earbuds are unlike any earbuds you've heard or seen, because they're the first earbuds on the market with a touchscreen smart charging case. But the big news is that you you can control everything through the touchscreen. You can adjust volume, advanced songs next, but no matter what you're listening to or from, it'll sound great. The true adaptive noise canceling reacts to your environment in real time. JBL Spatial360 sound makes audio from any music, movie or game an immersive experience. And the smart charging case doubles as an audio transmitter. So you connect your earbuds to almost any source. If you're wearing JBL TourPro 3 earbuds, now you know what I'm talking about. The rest of you have to use your imagination. The TourPro 3 touchscreen smart charging case displays all the important battery life, song and artist messages, or who's calling mom? She never texts first. Doesn't the new JBL TourPro 3 earbuds? Grab a pair of JBL.com do you.

[Matt Rogers]

Like podcasts, music and audiobooks? Because when you subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited, you get all three in one app. Imagine listening to your favorite podcasts and music on the go to work, school, the gym, or better yet, vacation. I love those. Now imagine being on vacation with your favorite audiobook from Audible and then listening to a new one every month from a huge selection of popular titles. While not on vacation, that sounds like a pretty good vacation, right? Audible is now included on Amazon Music Unlimited. Download the Amazon Music app now to start listening terms apply.

[Bowen Yang]

Do you get tired of doing All I Want for Christmas this year?

[Mariah Carey]

No, she says, no.

[Bowen Yang]

No way, darling.

[Mariah Carey]

It's so funny. We were doing, you know, my show in Vegas, and I went out onto the stage during this one part where we didn't do the song I was supposed to do, which was Circles from Mimi.

[Bowen Yang]

I love Circles.

[Mariah Carey]

I mean, I do it every other night, but on this night, I was like, okay, we're not gonna do that. And you guys start playing the beginning of All I Want for Christmas Is yous and I'll run out there. And that's what happened. It was funny. It was cute.

[Matt Rogers]

You like Vegas? Cause you keep going back. It's a nice girl keeping back.

[Mariah Carey]

Cause people Keep booking?

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, they keep booking. And then they can come to you.

[Mariah Carey]

Well, no, I mean people that work for me.

[Bowen Yang]

Wait, now that we've talked about circles, I have to ask. So we talked about Butterfly, and that's like a landmark. Like, that is like, definitely you think one of your best. Like, I think a lot of your fans would agree, but then there was Emancipation. And of course, all your albums are incredible, but emancipation, like, what did that feel like? To, like, release that and have everyone. Not that you proved everybody wrong, but obviously there was a period there where there was some tumult for whatever reason. And then you come back with emancipation, which is talk about track by track.

[Matt Rogers]

Oh, my God.

[Bowen Yang]

I mean, your girl I mentioned before. It's on my intermediate Mariah playlist.

[Mariah Carey]

I love that playlist.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. No, honestly, I'll send it to you.

[Matt Rogers]

It's very tasteful. It's very good.

[Bowen Yang]

You'll love it.

[Mariah Carey]

It is tasteful.

[Matt Rogers]

It is tasteful.

[Bowen Yang]

And it's eclectic. It's a diverse, eclectic, tasteful mix. It's very demure.

[Mariah Carey]

It's mindful as well.

[Bowen Yang]

Yes.

[Matt Rogers]

Not like other girls.

[Bowen Yang]

I felt I was being mindful when putting it together.

[Mariah Carey]

Absolutely. This was years ago, of course.

[Bowen Yang]

Wait, what do you think about all I've ever wanted being on there? Cause that's an old one.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah, I don't. No, no, no, I like it. I like that song. Like, when I think about it. Yeah, yeah, it's good. It's not like I would do a couple of kind of genre specific, ish ones. Like one that with the Mimi songs that are just like your girl circles, maybe fly like a break. I can't name them all now, but, you know. And then Butterfly to the floor also.

[Bowen Yang]

That was on the other day, and I was like, God damn.

[Mariah Carey]

To the floor hits everybody to the floor.

[Bowen Yang]

Yes.

[Mariah Carey]

It's like that never released, though.

[Bowen Yang]

What do you mean? Like, as a single. Yeah, that album was me to singles. But then you went to the deluxe. Right. And then we got don't forget about Us, which was a bop.

[Mariah Carey]

Yes. I love Don Pop.

[Matt Rogers]

I wish you knew. No, I wish you knew. It was on the.

[Bowen Yang]

No, I wish you knew. He was on that.

[Matt Rogers]

That. See, I listened to that song and for you to do that, like, arena moment where you're just like, talking.

[Mariah Carey]

I just did it in.

[Bowen Yang]

You did it.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah. That's a moment. Overseas as well.

[Bowen Yang]

Overseas as well.

[Mariah Carey]

Overseas as well. I knew that the album was strong fire. Yeah, yeah. So, you know, when it did what it did in terms of the charts and Then having it go platinum and then re releasing and all that stuff. I felt so good. Yeah, of course.

[Matt Rogers]

Is there a potential for it to be a trilogy where it's like 3mc or something? You have e at e equals mc squared, but then you have like.

[Bowen Yang]

The math isn't gonna fly out.

[Matt Rogers]

The math is flying out. I mean, I feel like there's something neat about it being like a three part. A three part.

[Mariah Carey]

A three pronger.

[Matt Rogers]

A three pronger. A three pronger. Like a trident.

[Bowen Yang]

Triangle.

[Mariah Carey]

Triangle, yes. I just call it a three pronger.

[Matt Rogers]

A three prong.

[Bowen Yang]

A three pronger is great. A jingle hopper.

[Mariah Carey]

Is there a chance of like another album with a different type of like naming it?

[Matt Rogers]

Well, actually, people have drawn the comparison of cautioned into like that sort of like emancipation sort of like sound or like that like philosophy. And so like, I don't know. Do you consider caution to be like the third installment of this or do you think like, it's coming in the future? Like, is there a vision for this?

[Mariah Carey]

I think it's coming in the future. Oh my God, yes.

[Matt Rogers]

Wow.

[Bowen Yang]

That would be thrilling.

[Matt Rogers]

Okay, I just got chills and I.

[Mariah Carey]

Hope you like it.

[Bowen Yang]

Oh, we're. Please, we will. How many times do you watch Mean Girls a week?

[Mariah Carey]

Oh, I haven't watched it in a while.

[Bowen Yang]

Okay. Because sometimes even your favorite movie, you can't. Like, I used to watch Clueless like at least twice a month. And then I have put it away for now.

[Mariah Carey]

I need to put bring Mean Girls back and watch it tonight.

[Bowen Yang]

Honestly, tonight might be the night.

[Mariah Carey]

It might be tonight. Because in honor of this moment.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, absolutely. Tina was here and she's thrilled that you love Mean Girls so much.

[Mariah Carey]

She is.

[Bowen Yang]

Yes.

[Matt Rogers]

I saw y'all play that trivia game.

[Mariah Carey]

Yes, I won.

[Matt Rogers]

You did. You knew everything.

[Bowen Yang]

You beat her at her own film.

[Mariah Carey]

Beat her at her own film. We love you, Tina.

[Bowen Yang]

What about a return to acting for you anytime soon? Because you were brilliant and precious.

[Mariah Carey]

Oh, God, thank you.

[Bowen Yang]

Did you watch the new.

[Mariah Carey]

No, I didn't. I know was Glenn Close. Yeah, I heard all about it.

[Matt Rogers]

What do you think about what you've heard?

[Mariah Carey]

Well, I'm not a person that likes to watch horror.

[Matt Rogers]

Sure.

[Bowen Yang]

Yes. Hard and very scary.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah, I don't want that to be in my head, like, you know, I'll say no. I'll say no to that.

[Bowen Yang]

When you go to Disney. When you go to Disney World. Because we know you're a fan.

[Mariah Carey]

Uh huh. I am.

[Bowen Yang]

Do you do scary rides?

[Mariah Carey]

I do Tower of Terror.

[Bowen Yang]

That's A classic.

[Mariah Carey]

It's so good. Truly a classic.

[Bowen Yang]

And they better never touch it.

[Mariah Carey]

No.

[Matt Rogers]

You and Ariana Grande have the same feeling about Tower of Terror. She has written an entire notes, app statement, a petition, basically, to Disney that she has saved. And I can reveal this. She wouldn't mind me blowing up this spot, but she is like, if you do anything to Tower of Terror in Orlando, there will be a revolt. There will be you.

[Mariah Carey]

Right. Because they did it in la.

[Bowen Yang]

They made it the Guardians of the Galaxy, which is cute.

[Mariah Carey]

Which is not bad.

[Bowen Yang]

No, it's not bad at all.

[Mariah Carey]

But it's not the Tower of Terror.

[Bowen Yang]

It's not a classic. Yes.

[Matt Rogers]

See?

[Mariah Carey]

So.

[Bowen Yang]

But you can do that kind of spooky scary.

[Mariah Carey]

Well, yeah, but it's also. Because it's a ride, but you're in it.

[Matt Rogers]

You know, you're in the spook.

[Bowen Yang]

Well, that's the thing is, like, I don't like scary movies at all, but I can do a haunted house because I feel like I can run away. You know what I mean? It's like when you have me on foot, I'm very spry, Mariah. I'm very spry.

[Mariah Carey]

I understand.

[Bowen Yang]

So I can get away from the terror. But when I'm sitting in a chair, it feels like it's happening to you.

[Matt Rogers]

Maybe you identify.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah, I hear you.

[Bowen Yang]

Do you have top three favorite Disney rides?

[Mariah Carey]

Oh, my gosh.

[Bowen Yang]

Tower of Terror is up there.

[Mariah Carey]

Tower of Terror in Orlando? Yes, yes, yes. Where I used to like, and I guess it's not there anymore. Splash Mountain.

[Bowen Yang]

Splash Mountain. It's now Princess Tiana.

[Mariah Carey]

Oh, it is, it is.

[Bowen Yang]

So now it's called. We call it Princess Tati's Bayou Dip, but it's called Princess Tiana's Bayou Adventure.

[Mariah Carey]

Okay?

[Bowen Yang]

And the story goes that she has to collect ingredients. She has to collect ingredients and get her band together to create a performance at the end. And I hear it's cute. Jennifer Lewis is in it.

[Mariah Carey]

Do they still let that drop and everything?

[Bowen Yang]

You still drop. You still get your frills and your thrills.

[Mariah Carey]

Well, I'll give it a shot, then.

[Bowen Yang]

Give it a shot.

[Mariah Carey]

Get down there.

[Bowen Yang]

Okay, so that's two. One more.

[Matt Rogers]

One more.

[Mariah Carey]

What else at Disney do? Oh, my gosh. Well, it's not Disney, though.

[Bowen Yang]

What is it?

[Mariah Carey]

I was gonna say Harry Potter.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. You know what? This is the NBC Universal Trail, too. We love them.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

I love Disney. Yay, Disney. But I do love all the corporations, all the corporates in the land.

[Matt Rogers]

No one should be left out.

[Mariah Carey]

No one should be Left out.

[Matt Rogers]

Speaking of corporations.

[Bowen Yang]

What?

[Matt Rogers]

We have a very important question to ask you about two lyrics.

[Bowen Yang]

Oh, yes.

[Mariah Carey]

Okay.

[Matt Rogers]

Okay.

[Bowen Yang]

We wanna say, if you have to choose one or the other of your two lyrics, these are two of our favorite lyrics that you've ever done.

[Mariah Carey]

Okay.

[Bowen Yang]

It's them chickens is ash and I'm lotion.

[Matt Rogers]

Or you mom and pop.

[Bowen Yang]

I'm a corporation. I'm a press conference. You.

[Matt Rogers]

A conversation.

[Mariah Carey]

That one.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. That is for all time.

[Mariah Carey]

It's for all time.

[Bowen Yang]

And it really does say what you need to say. I mean, you're. You, are you. I'm all this. I'm a press conference. Are you A conversation.

[Matt Rogers]

So.

[Bowen Yang]

So wait. And by the way, just like, not to call it bizarre, but that is. Where does that come from?

[Matt Rogers]

Yes.

[Bowen Yang]

Like when you.

[Mariah Carey]

What do you mean?

[Bowen Yang]

When you get that riff together, where does that come from? Because it is. No one else would think of. Hello.

[Matt Rogers]

It's truly original. It's truly original.

[Bowen Yang]

It's so singular. How does that come to you?

[Mariah Carey]

I don't know. I was just writing the song and that was just an ad lib. After laying it down, are you in.

[Bowen Yang]

The studio being like, play it back, play it back, play it back. And then giving different vocals, like again and again and again.

[Mariah Carey]

Or sometimes.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

Sometimes I do that.

[Bowen Yang]

I think that's the most fascinating part of recording.

[Matt Rogers]

Oh, yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

Like the stacking and the harmonies and like, that has to be fun.

[Mariah Carey]

The stacking and harmonies is so much fun.

[Bowen Yang]

Yes.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

Because then you get the sound that you want.

[Mariah Carey]

Yes.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. When you write, are you hearing it as a full song or are you hearing the bare bones? Like, when you. When you are struck, is it like you can hear. Is it like a. A turn of phrase that inspires you? Or is it like a melodic thing usually? Or is it always different?

[Mariah Carey]

It's always different. But if there's just like a melody that's coming to me and let's say I'm. Somebody's playing the piano and I'm like, no, play, don't. Don't play. You know what I mean?

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

But both of those could be different. Like, melodically on top of each one.

[Matt Rogers]

Sure.

[Mariah Carey]

Because if you're just singing in front of the. On top of the plain one, that's. You can just make up anything and it's easy. Something else you have to follow or work around what the keys are doing.

[Matt Rogers]

Right. It's holding the center too much. But do you have any sort of synesthesia? You think about. Like, you hear a sound but you also sense something else. You see it or you feel it, or, like, does that make sense? It's.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah. It's a sensory situation, and you feel it and hear it. And if it's really something that's gonna end up being close to your heart, then you just go in and do it.

[Bowen Yang]

And, like, how often do you write? Like, are you writing, like, all the time? Like, let's just say, like. Could you write tonight?

[Mariah Carey]

Not tonight. I mean, I could, but I'm, like, not. I'm staying in a hotel.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You need your atmosphere.

[Mariah Carey]

Well, yes, and it'd be nice if. Let's say I'm working with a bunch of different people right now. And let's say I say, oh, I want to go work with such and such from across town.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, from across town. My girl. Across town.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah, across town.

[Bowen Yang]

I know a guy. Across town.

[Mariah Carey]

I know a guy.

[Bowen Yang]

I like him.

[Mariah Carey]

Eh.

[Matt Rogers]

I like him.

[Mariah Carey]

He's all right. Is that right? He'll do.

[Bowen Yang]

He's the character.

[Mariah Carey]

He's all right.

[Bowen Yang]

He'll do.

[Matt Rogers]

He'll do. He knows.

[Mariah Carey]

No, but, you know, so that's the thing. I would say, let me go work with the guy from across town. Not that really good. Let's say maybe. Probably keyboard player is what I usually like to work with. And then we could pick up where we left off. We could write something new. Say, I had a different idea. Could we work on this and then sing it to them?

[Matt Rogers]

But the guys across town.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah, you gotta get there.

[Bowen Yang]

But.

[Matt Rogers]

No, but are you going there or is he coming to you?

[Mariah Carey]

Probably. We'll meet at a studio. Okay. Somewhere in the middle.

[Bowen Yang]

Do you have a favorite studio you record in? Like, is there, like, an iconic place that you go that, like, you feel, like, brings out a certain Maria Ness.

[Mariah Carey]

The iconic studio of my house.

[Bowen Yang]

I see. Well, there you go. I mean, we were so happy during the pandemic when you were. When you were giving it to us.

[Matt Rogers]

Those were great.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. We belong together in particular. That was amazing.

[Mariah Carey]

Thank you.

[Bowen Yang]

And also, wait, shout out to that thing you did recently. There was, like, you and Brandy together.

[Mariah Carey]

Oh, that was fun. We did the roof.

[Bowen Yang]

Yes.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

Yes.

[Mariah Carey]

I gotta. I need to see Brandy. Hi, Brandy. Where are you?

[Bowen Yang]

She's a legend, too.

[Mariah Carey]

She's amazing.

[Bowen Yang]

Just one of those, like, all timers, all time. I always say, have you ever.

[Matt Rogers]

Oh, my God.

[Bowen Yang]

Have you ever. Is one of those songs.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

It's like, you hear it and you're like, oh, wow. And then you actually, like, you attempt to sing it. It's so rangy.

[Matt Rogers]

It's a rangy. But that's another, because I think the beginning of that song is also.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, yeah. That was sort of.

[Mariah Carey]

She loves to do that. Yeah, she's really. She's great at that.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

Because when we were working together, she was like, we were having fun stacking.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

Adding little parts.

[Bowen Yang]

Because you guys together. Your voice is together. It's extremely complimentary.

[Mariah Carey]

Well, I love her voice.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

So much.

[Matt Rogers]

I remember it was actually the night of the Grammys. I was with Ari, and she was telling me at the time it was not officially up. She was like, mariah's gonna be on the Essien remix. I was like, oh, my God, yes. And that was gonna be such a gag. And then we. And then we saw Miley go up. And then, like, I just remember it being such a nice moment where everybody in the room was just so happy for you.

[Mariah Carey]

It really wasn't.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

Even all the history that we have with the Grammys, I know ours, they.

[Bowen Yang]

Can still make it right. Well, they can't ever really make it right, but they could do something. Meet in the middle. Like, we meet that guy across town.

[Mariah Carey]

We meet that guy. You can make it happen. Why not?

[Matt Rogers]

We have our own award show called the Culture Awards.

[Mariah Carey]

Oh, you do?

[Matt Rogers]

We're doing a big venue. We might give Butterfly a retroactive award.

[Bowen Yang]

Why don't we?

[Mariah Carey]

Oh, my gosh, that's amazing.

[Bowen Yang]

Album of the year.

[Matt Rogers]

Album of the year. We're gonna do that. We're an official awards body.

[Bowen Yang]

We are an official awards body. You can win the Emmy, the Grammy, the Oscar, the Tony, and the Cultch.

[Matt Rogers]

It's the Culture Award.

[Bowen Yang]

So you can win the Cultch.

[Matt Rogers]

The Cultch. But you Culture, So, you know, stay tuned.

[Mariah Carey]

I'm done with that. I'll write it down.

[Bowen Yang]

Write it down. By the way, whenever you call. Also from that album, one of the great songs. I mean, I loved it with you and Brian, but just how it was too. That is. That's like all time Mariah to me as well.

[Mariah Carey]

Thank you.

[Bowen Yang]

Whenever you call love. That's a good one.

[Matt Rogers]

Also growing up, I remember there's an Irish band, Westlife.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, love Westlife.

[Matt Rogers]

I mean, you have your own Against All Odds, you know, track. But then I liked it when I also really enjoyed the work when you guys were featured together.

[Mariah Carey]

They came up to the studio in Capri where I was working.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

And that's when Simon was Simon Cowell.

[Matt Rogers]

It was Simon. I think it was Simon.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah. Yeah. He was their manager and. And they came up there and we filmed it and everything.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

And they. The guys did their parts and I kept mine.

[Matt Rogers]

Those are some cute guys.

[Bowen Yang]

They were adorable.

[Matt Rogers]

They were adorable. And I love that video because it is like one of those. And we need videos like this where it's in the. It's just shot in the studio.

[Bowen Yang]

It's everyone just singers.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah. Yep.

[Matt Rogers]

I mean. And you belt in that song.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Matt Rogers]

Oh, my God, I love that song. Anyway, well, wait, okay.

[Bowen Yang]

Before we get. I don't think so, honey. I have to ask one more question, which I promised myself I would ask. Can you drop that grunge album?

[Mariah Carey]

I know, right?

[Matt Rogers]

Drop it.

[Mariah Carey]

I'm so mad that I haven't done that yet.

[Bowen Yang]

But you don't have to be mad.

[Matt Rogers]

Because you're in control. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do it.

[Mariah Carey]

I am, but who do I drop it with?

[Bowen Yang]

Should we start a label?

[Mariah Carey]

Maybe.

[Bowen Yang]

Just put it. You know what would be kind of chic? If you just put it out on, like, GarageBand or something. Like a grungy thing.

[Mariah Carey]

I could do that. It's a good album.

[Bowen Yang]

I want to hear it.

[Mariah Carey]

Oh, you haven't heard any of it?

[Bowen Yang]

No, I mean, we've heard, like, what you allowed us to hear, just those little snippets, but, like, we need to hear that.

[Mariah Carey]

Okay.

[Bowen Yang]

And the fact that you just heard that, incredible.

[Mariah Carey]

That was just like, I was getting life from that. Like.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, you could tell.

[Mariah Carey]

Seriously.

[Matt Rogers]

But that's like the prince in you. Like, that's like the genre thing. It's like, oh, it doesn't matter. Like, I can. I'm a musician. I'm an artist. I can do it in any kind of thing.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah. And it was jokes as well. There were lots.

[Bowen Yang]

See? And I want to hear what the jokes were at that time.

[Mariah Carey]

I mean, they're everlasting.

[Bowen Yang]

They are everlasting jokes. Everlasting jokes. Title of app.

[Unknown]

The new JBL Tour Pro 3 earbuds are unlike any earbuds you've heard or seen, because they're the first earbuds on the market with a touchscreen smart charging case. But the big news is that you can control everything through the touchscreen. You can adjust volume. Advanced dance songs. Next. But no matter what you're listening to or from, it'll sound great. The true adaptive noise canceling reacts to your environment in real time. JBL Spatial360 sound makes audio from any music movie or game an immersive experience. And the smart charging case doubles as an audio transmitter. So you can connect your earbuds to Almost any source if you're wearing JBL Tour Pro 3 earbuds.

[Matt Rogers]

Now.

[Unknown]

Now you know what I'm talking about. The rest of you have to use your imagination. The Tour Pro 3 touchscreen smart charging case displays all the important battery life, song and artist messages, or who's calling Mom. She never texts first. Doesn't follow the new JBL Tour Pro 3 earbuds. Grab a pair of JBL.com do you.

[Matt Rogers]

Like podcasts, music and audiobooks? Because when you subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited, you get all three in one app. Imagine listening to your favorite podcasts and music on the go to work, school, the gym, or better yet, vacation. I love those. Now imagine being on vacation with your favorite audiobook from Audible and then listening to a new one every month from a huge selection of popular titles. While not on vacation. That sounds like a pretty good vacation, right? Audible is now included on Amazon Music Unlimited. Download the Amazon Music app now to start listening terms apply.

[Bowen Yang]

Okay, so now we'll do I don't think so, Honey, because I'm happy we've now convinced you to release it and we can count on it.

[Mariah Carey]

Yes, I should. No, you're right.

[Bowen Yang]

Honestly. And just know that no one's forgotten about it after you dangled it, so.

[Mariah Carey]

Okay.

[Matt Rogers]

And we've not forgotten the people.

[Mariah Carey]

Okay, this is.

[Bowen Yang]

I don't think so, Honey. This is our segment that we do on this podcast each and every time where we take one minute to rant against something in pop culture that needs a rant. And I'm gonna do it because two women really tore me up this morning.

[Matt Rogers]

This is Matt Rogers. I don't think so Honey's time starts now.

[Bowen Yang]

I don't think so, honey. Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager making me cry this morning. I was already feeling an emotional type of way because I knew Mariah was coming, and I was so excited. And then Hoda has announced she's leaving the Today show, and her and Jenna Bush Hager sobbing at each other. Ma'ams, you didn't have to be so legendary at us. That was so emotional. They are so real. We've met them before. They are incredible. Hoda, I support you in whatever you do, but not making me sob like this. Seriously. I was on my way to listen to. I was trying to listen to Mariah get prepared. And I had Hoda Kotb making everyone break down. It was like we had lost a great leader this morning on the Today Show. All them clasping hands like they were ready for the Titanic to go down. I'm like, oh, my God. It really feels like the end of an era, because it is. Hoda, we love you. Please don't leave NBCUniversal for good. Please come do some special reports. We love you, but also spend time with your kids and babies, as it were. And we love you, Hoda, and we'll miss you every day on Today.

[Matt Rogers]

And that's one minute. I mean, it was major news. Like, I was like, the Times, Washington Post, they were all, like, breaking. Hoda Kabi announced that she's leaving today. It's like.

[Bowen Yang]

It's a major. It's gonna be a huge void. Amen. You take for granted, Hoda, every day.

[Matt Rogers]

On the Today show, just a comfort. It was giving the Broad City finale, like, the two of them saying goodbye to each other. I was like, oof, these girls. But, yeah, we love you, Hoda.

[Bowen Yang]

We love you, Hoda.

[Matt Rogers]

And Jenna, that was a really special moment.

[Bowen Yang]

Okay, this is Bo and Yang's. I don't think so, honey. Okay, are you ready, Beau?

[Matt Rogers]

I am ready.

[Bowen Yang]

This is Bo and Yang's. I don't think so, honey. As time starts now.

[Matt Rogers]

I don't think so, honey. Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, sometimes celebrated in Canada and the U.S. this is the origin of Boxing Day. It was a day meant for servants and poor people so that they could get gifts, and now it's just an extra day to shop. So it's giving. It's giving like class warfare. Either way you slice it, you know, it's like a holiday for poor people. It's giving separate but equal. Just lump it in with Christmas and don't extend the holidays after the 25th. We're done. 30 seconds. Our guests, this legend is off the clock. Don't make her work a second longer than she needs to. Just implies that, you know, oh, well, then people have to make a Boxing Day album. No, no, no. 25th, it's over its curtains. The holidays are a time for joy and peace and togetherness and warmth and all these cozy things. The 26th, it's a weird number.

[Bowen Yang]

Five seconds.

[Matt Rogers]

I don't like it. 12, 26. We're in that dead zone between then and New Year's, and it should stay that way.

[Bowen Yang]

And that's what I'm in it. He says on 9. 26. New Year's, overrated.

[Matt Rogers]

New Year's overrated. Cause it's like, you know what? I had a great time just staying in the city for New Year's this past New Year's.

[Bowen Yang]

Oh, yeah, we stayed in the city. And we usually do a trip. The trip on New Year's is always overrated.

[Mariah Carey]

Definitely. Because you're surrounded by drunk drivers.

[Matt Rogers]

Yes, yes.

[Mariah Carey]

And all of that.

[Bowen Yang]

Stay local, Stay local, stay local, stay chill. Also, it's like when you're a kid, New Year's is fun. Cause it's like you're staying up till midnight.

[Mariah Carey]

Yes.

[Bowen Yang]

And then all of a sudden, the novelty of that is gone. It's like I'm up till midnight each and every night.

[Matt Rogers]

And there you go.

[Bowen Yang]

Oh, I'm not a nerd. Anyways, no, actually, these days, I am going to bed early.

[Matt Rogers]

I am going to bed early.

[Bowen Yang]

Okay, Mariah Carey, are you ready? Do you have something on your mind?

[Mariah Carey]

There's always something on my mind.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah. Okay. Well, we are excited to say this is Mariah Carey's. I don't think so, honey. Her time starts now.

[Mariah Carey]

I don't think so, honey. Listen, I can't with the overhead lighting. Why do they do it to us?

[Matt Rogers]

Why?

[Mariah Carey]

And I shouldn't even say us, because it's not us is me. I'm the one that gets the most tortured by the hideous lighting in every elevator doorway. Gyms. Not that I go to the gym, but I'm just saying it's hideous lighting.

[Matt Rogers]

The sun.

[Mariah Carey]

The sun is okay if it's at sunset.

[Matt Rogers]

Yes.

[Mariah Carey]

And then I will gladly go outside and put the, you know, 30 seconds, the hat on or whatever. And that'll be pretty because it's sunlight caressing your skin, of course, but it's bad for you, so you gotta be careful of that. But overhead lighting. I don't think so. Honey, please stop it. Every place I go, I shut the lights.

[Bowen Yang]

15 seconds.

[Mariah Carey]

Turn them out. I don't wanna see them no more.

[Bowen Yang]

Yes, no more.

[Matt Rogers]

Honey, there's 10 seconds.

[Bowen Yang]

One more thing on overhead lighting.

[Mariah Carey]

One more thing on overhead lighting. It makes me sick.

[Bowen Yang]

And that's what the fact that we got Mariah Carey's I don't think is money on overhead lighting is an all timer. How did we do it today?

[Mariah Carey]

We did pretty good. We did good because these are like, you know, here and here. I noticed that, you know that I.

[Bowen Yang]

Said to them, really, I was like, let's get this lighting together.

[Matt Rogers]

We cannot miss on this. You guys, I think people are catching up to you with the lighting.

[Mariah Carey]

They're trying.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah, well, you know, now it's like we're gonna clue everybody in on this. Like a classic gay guy's apartment now is no overhead lighting. It's just mood lighting in different corners. That's it. It's a little sexier that way.

[Bowen Yang]

Those little orbs that are lit up.

[Matt Rogers]

Orbs on the floor.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah, those, like, soft orbs around.

[Matt Rogers]

What's the home rig like, what's the home situation?

[Mariah Carey]

I feel that the best way is. Is recessed lighting.

[Bowen Yang]

Yeah.

[Mariah Carey]

And then you're walking and it's like, splash of light.

[Matt Rogers]

Splash of light.

[Mariah Carey]

You know, it's not anything more than that that's needed.

[Matt Rogers]

Sumptuous. Sumptuous.

[Bowen Yang]

Sumptuous.

[Matt Rogers]

I think that's a word. If you can try to include that in the.

[Mariah Carey]

Try that for that next time.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah. And a song and, you know, throw.

[Bowen Yang]

Sumptuous in a song.

[Mariah Carey]

I feel like I did that.

[Matt Rogers]

I'm sure you have.

[Mariah Carey]

I don't know if I did.

[Bowen Yang]

Wait, there was a word.

[Matt Rogers]

That's a Mariah word.

[Bowen Yang]

There was a word just now in your island. Thanks to Honey Caress and go back in time. Yes. Okay. Wait. Dem babies. Are you excited to take them to see Wicked?

[Mariah Carey]

I'm excited to hang out with them whenever I can.

[Matt Rogers]

Yes, of course.

[Mariah Carey]

Like, they're just always doing something else.

[Bowen Yang]

Are they 13?

[Mariah Carey]

Yes.

[Bowen Yang]

No, that's the age.

[Matt Rogers]

You had them on 12 last year, though.

[Mariah Carey]

Yeah, I did. They were 12.

[Matt Rogers]

They were 12 and now. But it's such a huge difference.

[Mariah Carey]

Teens.

[Matt Rogers]

They're teens now.

[Mariah Carey]

I know. I can't think about it. I'm gonna have to rant again.

[Bowen Yang]

Them. Dem babies are dem teens.

[Matt Rogers]

They're dem teens now.

[Bowen Yang]

Wild.

[Matt Rogers]

This is so sublime. Thank you so much for joining us.

[Bowen Yang]

We. I mean, I just can't say enough. Like I said, I think you're so much of the reason why I am who I am. And thank you so much for everything that you've given, of your talent, of your gift, of your songwriting. I mean, we could sit here and talk to you forever. You really are just the best. And you will always be that for me. And I'm so happy to meet you.

[Mariah Carey]

Thank you so much.

[Matt Rogers]

The way you've shaped the culture and the industry and the way you've shown people how to navigate it is truly invaluable. And we all think there's a hero.

[Bowen Yang]

We end every episode with a song. Oh, and actually, this one. One. I really want more respect on this.

[Matt Rogers]

Okay. Okay.

[Bowen Yang]

Dream love, come rescue me Take me up, take me down Take me anywhere you want to, baby, now and for the rest of that, you can listen to the fantasy record.

[Mariah Carey]

No, that's Music Box. That's Music Box.

[Bowen Yang]

Cut it out. Do not let me have this knowledge and then flap at the end.

[Mariah Carey]

How can that happen?

[Bowen Yang]

Finish line. Oh, my God. Thank you, Fred.

[Matt Rogers]

Lost Cultures is a Production by Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and iHeartRadio Podcasts.

[Bowen Yang]

Created and hosted by Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, executive produced by Anna Hosnier.

[Matt Rogers]

And Han Sani, produced by Becca Ramos, edited and mixed by Doug Babe and Monique Laborde.

[Bowen Yang]

And our music is by Henry Kamirski. Hey everybody, it's me, Matt Rogers, letting you know tickets are on sale now. To see me on tour. The Prince of Christmas tour, that is. I'm doing my whole album. Have you heard of Christmas? Plus a lot more with the whole band all throughout December. Go to www.mattrogersofficial.com. to see me in a city near.