INTRODUCING: We Need A Fourth with Brian Baumgartner, Cooper Manning and Kenny Mayne

Summary

SmartLess Podcast Summary

Episode: INTRODUCING: We Need A Fourth with Brian Baumgartner, Cooper Manning, and Kenny Mayne

Release Date: September 16, 2025
Hosts: Will Arnett (A), Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes
Guests: Brian Baumgartner (B), Kenny Mayne (C), Cooper Manning (D)

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Episode Overview

In this lively episode, Will Arnett engages with the hosts of the new podcast “We Need A Fourth”—Brian Baumgartner, Kenny Mayne, and Cooper Manning. They riff on their shared love of golf, the unique chemistry of their trio, and the ethos behind their show, which blends deep friendship, golf talk, and candid story-swapping. The discussion goes beyond golf, touching on male friendship, competitiveness, and the art of genuine conversation—on and off the green.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Genesis of “We Need A Fourth”

• Will Arnett introduces Brian, Kenny, and Cooper as "the absolute royalty of golf podcasting" (00:09).
• The show's title reflects both their search for a golf foursome and a desire for more camaraderie:
  • Brian: "Really we’re just looking for a fourth to hang out with." (03:17)
  • The trio jokes about their varying degrees of golf passion, with Kenny as the biggest golf lover, though Cooper and Brian note Kenny has the most to learn about actually playing (00:55).

2. Each Host’s Relationship with Golf

• Kenny Mayne: Admits to loving the game deeply, but jokes, “It doesn’t love me back. Now I’m a disabled senior, and I play way back...” (01:11).
• Cooper Manning: Values fun and chemistry over prestige. He’ll only join games with people he likes, noting, “If it’s a bunch of bozos, Coopy is out. I’d rather go play an absolute muni with two guys wearing football jerseys and smoking weed.” (01:53)
• Brian Baumgartner: Sees golf as meditation and a break from life’s chaos:
  • "I don’t do yoga, but I use golf as meditation. 100%…it totally resets me." (03:42)

3. The Heart of the Podcast: Beyond Golf

• The hosts desire real, holistic conversations that go beyond the game:
  • Kenny: "We want the whole person. We’re peeling back...there’s nothing left of the...onion by the time it’s minced and we break the person down." (02:41)
• Will likes golf for its ability to disconnect from distractions and invite organic conversation:
  • "You’re just there and you get to kind of shoot the shit and, and have a good time." (03:00).

4. Male Friendship, Competition, and Golf as Social Litmus Test

• Cooper reflects on the revealing nature of four hours on a course:
  • "You can’t hide from getting a read on someone... Is this a good fellow? Do I want to hang around him again?... Sometimes people don’t ask me anything in return. I go, well, I got that guy figured out, but he doesn’t know shit about me. And that’s fine, too." (04:01)
• The group jokes about the differences between what men share during a round vs. what spouses expect ("I don’t know—he had an 82. He had a good day." (04:38)).

5. Golf Stories & Comic Moments

• Will shares a Chris Pratt golf story:
  • Pratt has to leave with a thrown-out back, but spends hours lying beyond the 18th hole to reconnect with them (06:00-07:01).
• The group jokes about injuries and classic mishaps:
  • Kenny’s leg brace is a recurring joke ("Okay, let’s go make fun of wheelchair people next, guys.” (07:46))
• Cooper and Kenny’s banter about the leg brace and teasing establish the show’s irreverent, playful tone.

6. Podcast Launch Details

• “We Need A Fourth” launches September 15, with two episodes dropping.
  • Brian: "Every Monday, dropping two on the 15th. So there’ll be two there." (08:27)
  • Will quips about the phrase "deuce on the 15th," keeping the humor free-flowing (08:32).

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

On Golf as a Social Activity

• Brian: "I don’t do yoga, but I use golf as meditation. 100%...it totally resets me." (03:42)
• Cooper: "If it’s a bunch of bozos, Coopy is out. I’d rather go play an absolute muni with two guys wearing football jerseys and smoking weed." (01:53)

On Male Friendship

• Cooper: "You can’t hide from getting a read on someone if you spend four hours playing...I got that guy figured out, but he doesn’t know shit about me. And that’s fine, too." (04:01)

On Not Sharing Details

• Kenny: "I forget which comic does it. The joke where I’ll come home and my wife will ask, so how’s so and so doing? You know, is he dating anyone? Like, I don’t know. He had an 82. He had a good day." (04:38)

On Golf Injuries & Banter

• Will (on Chris Pratt): “He gets out of the car, bent over, and he walked. And he’s like, see you, man. That was a great date. Fully bent over.” (06:00-07:01)
• Cooper (re: Kenny’s leg brace): “Okay, let’s go make fun of wheelchair people next, guys.” (07:46)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:09 — Introduction to “We Need A Fourth” hosts
• 00:55 — Discussing love for golf and family dynamic on the course
• 01:53 — Cooper on the importance of choosing your golf company
• 02:41 — How the podcast goes deep into guests’ personal lives
• 03:42 — Brian equates golf to meditation
• 04:01 — Cooper on friendship, learning about people on the course
• 04:38 — What men discuss on the golf course
• 06:00 — Chris Pratt’s golfing mishap
• 07:46 — Banter about Kenny’s leg brace
• 08:27 — Podcast launch details

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Tone & Atmosphere

The episode is lighthearted, bantering, and honest, brimming with the chemistry and comedic timing listeners expect from “SmartLess.” The new podcast promises a winning mixture of golf stories, camaraderie, meaningful chats, and the kind of zany, affectionate humor that makes both shows relatable and fun.

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Final Note:
“We Need A Fourth” launches Monday, September 15, dropping two episodes to start. If you like golf, friendship, and offbeat storytelling, “We Need A Fourth” is sure to be a hit—a sentiment that Will, Brian, Kenny, and Cooper share with infectious enthusiasm.

Transcript

[A]

Smart.

[B]

Bless media.

[A]

Well, guys, I am. I am so honored. I am joined today by the absolute royalty of golf podcasting. Honestly, royalty of personalities, too, if I'm being fully honest. The co hosts of We Need a Fourth, Kenny May, Brian Baumgartner, and my boy, Cool Per Manning. Boys, welcome. I'm so excited for you guys. I'm so excited for the podcast.

[B]

Thank you so much. This is great. We've been having a blast.

[A]

This is the threesome that we didn't know we needed in America. And then when I tell people that we're doing that you guys are doing this podcast that everybody's very excited. You all love golf to varying degrees. Explain a little bit about your relationship to golf.

[B]

Well, first off, well, I would say that Kenny loves golf the most for sure. Like, I don't think. I think Kenny loves golf more than Cooper and I love golf combined. He just needs to learn how to play it. Yeah.

[C]

I mean, that doesn't love me back. Now I'm a disabled senior, and I play back, way back with those guys from the tip, so keep that in mind. I'm just.

[A]

That's not fair.

[C]

I'm trying to learn. I'm trying to learn. I got a lot more to learn. But I do love the game.

[B]

You know, I was going to ask you about your hockey team up there in Canada and whether you get distraught. I get incredibly competitive. When it's over, I'm done. Like, it's not. It's not.

[A]

Like, I don't carry.

[B]

I don't carry the joy or the pain for longer than, like, 25 seconds.

[A]

Right. And Coop, Coop, you don't get. You're not very competitive in that way. Like, golf for you is a lot of fun. You like to have fun. I mean, you like to bet or whatever.

[D]

But I've gotten to the point where I do not like playing golf as much as I love playing golf. I do not like playing golf with people I do not like. And I won't. You can. Someone can invite me on the greatest trip we're going here. And I'm like, who's going? And if it's a bunch of bozos, Coopy is out. I'd rather go play an absolute muni with two guys wearing football jerseys and smoking weed and get a story out of it. Thank you, stum stiff at, you know, some fancy schmancy spot.

[A]

Well, that makes sense. And. And this podcast, obviously, is. Is, you know, we need a fourth. So it's golf centric, but you guys kind of delve into. You it's safe to say that you guys go on tangents that aren't necessarily golf related. I know there's an upcoming.

[C]

Yeah, and we also get very deep as you, you know, interviewed with us. I mean, we talked highlight, we talked Canadian football, we talked about your love of hockey and your love, we try to, we want the whole person. We're peeling back. There's nothing left of the fucking onion by the time it's minced and, and we break the person down.

[A]

I guess I like the social aspect of it. I love that for that time you're out there, there's nothing to do. You're not on your phone, you don't have a million things coming at you. You're just there and you get to kind of shoot the shit and, and have a good time. And that's, that's what I like. And that's kind of the vibe that you guys have here on the, that's.

[B]

The, that's what we're trying to do. I mean, looking for a fourth to play golf with, but really we're just looking for a fourth to hang out with. And like you will, for me. Golf. I, I, I don't do yoga. I know that's surprising to a lot of people.

[A]

This is, by the way, this is breaking news. By the way.

[D]

That was going to be the name of this show.

[C]

I don't do Yoga. He's more tight.

[B]

She, I don't do yoga, but I use golf as meditation. 100%. Like, you get four hours and you're thinking about nothing. You know, not work, not family, not whatever distracts you on your phone, but you're just focusing on putting this little stupid ball into this little stupid hole and that it totally resets me.

[D]

But don't you think as a, as a man in the world you live in today, there's rarely a scenario where you're going to spend four hours with three other guys doing something everybody's enjoying and, and not. You can't, you can't hide from getting a read on someone if you spend four hours playing someone. Yeah, you're going to find out a lot. Like, is this, is this a good fellow? Do I want to hang around him again? What's he. You can you find out? Because you can ask him anything and it's always fun. I usually learn a lot. Sometimes people don't ask me anything in return. I go, well, I got that guy figured out, but he doesn't know shit about me. And that's fine, too. I like that.

[C]

Well, it's Also sort of like, I forget which comic does it. We have the joke here where I'll come home and my wife will ask, so how's so and so doing? You know, Is he dating anyone? Like, I don't know. He had a 82. He had a good day. Like, you know.

[A]

Yeah, I did. Kenny, that is so funny. You say, my. My buddy. I don't play golf with anybody more than I do with. With our pal Jason Bateman. JB and jb. Jakey Bates and his. His wife. She'll. She'll double back on me. We'll play, and then we'll have dinner that night. And she goes, what? Jason didn't tell me any of the stuff that you're telling me. I asked him and he didn't. She goes, what do you guys talk about? I go, I don't know. We're just, you know, we're just shooting the breeze. Yeah. Next shot. Ribbing each other, having a laugh about something. But we don't, you know, you don't get too deep. It's not like, you know, we don't tee off and go and start walking and go, hey, man, you know, I just. I'm really depressed. Like, doesn't make for a great. Not good.

[D]

At home, I get eight or seven.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

Mark, our producer, should be noted, as is a. Is a stick. He's a very good golfer. I played with him many times over the years, and he reminded me of a story. One time we were playing years ago in New Jersey, which Coop, I know you like. I can almost stop there.

[D]

In New Jersey.

[A]

In New Jersey, I can almost just stop. 10 years ago. This is like 10, 15 years ago in New Jersey. Mark and me and Chris Pratt, TV and films. Chris Pratt, who we adore, hilarious guy, great guy, funniest dude in the room. And Pratt, about the second or third hole, I forget what it was. Hits a shot and he's like, threw my back out. And he says, I'm gonna go in. We're like, do you want to sweep? You guys keep going. I'm just going to go in and. Let me just go deal in, and I'll see you guys later. So Mark and I continue to play. We play full 18. We're coming in. It's. It's kind of like Twilight. We're coming into 18, and just behind the 18th green, we see this. This thing, this being lying on the ground with his knees up, and it's Pratt, and he's been waiting there for hours for us to come in. Lying on the grass, just beyond 18, by the way. We drove him back to the. Because we were his ride to the city. We drove back here to New York City. He gets out of the car, bent over, and he walked. And he's like, see you, man. That was a great date. Fully bent over.

[D]

I love when people get hurt. I don't know why. Pain and a grown man like it's.

[A]

Self kill a goose. Once I saw a guy off a tee at. At Diker out in. Out of Brooklyn off the tee. This guy was a terrible golfer and he hit a goose and he killed it.

[D]

Oh, I had two clients. One time I was playing with and one guy was up ahead in the bunker kind of trying to figure out something, and someone's just absolutely hit this shin high two iron right in the lower back. And the guy went, oh, you know, goes down and those two started getting in a fight. And I just said, you know, I just laughed my face off. But by the way, you just said.

[B]

I love when someone gets hurt.

[D]

Doing something, you know, they're supposed to be doing. You know, like.

[C]

Well, that's why you guys both ridicule me for the leg brace. I got a ruined. Will doesn't know this. I got a wrecked ankle from football way back when. So I wear this leg device that lets me do stuff with no pain. These guys and jb, the Jasoner, those, they killed me for it. It's like, okay, let's go make fun of wheelchair people next, guys.

[D]

I know, but carry it. You carry it around like you're carrying an. An urn of your dead uncle.

[C]

Like walking around like dead ankle.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

So guys, listen, we're really excited about. We need a fourth. This is going to be. This is going to be a lot of fun. When does it drop?

[B]

September 15th.

[A]

September 15th is a drop date. Thank you, Bomber.

[C]

This is our only every Monday.

[B]

Every Monday, dropping two on the 15th. So there'll be two there. If you're listening to this on the.

[D]

6Th, deuce on the 15th. Deuce on the 15th.

[A]

JB. I mean, let's reword that. I don't think it's going to give us the best deuce on the 15th. Fantastic. We need a fourth. Brian Baumgartner, Kenny Maine Cooper. And guys couldn't be more excited. Psych for you guys and can't wait to listen.

[B]

Thanks so much, man.

[D]

Appreciate Willie.

[C]

Thank you.

[A]

Smart.