
The pod gets electric when surprise guest Sarah Silverman flies in to shock the guys with her charm, sass, and funny-bone. A stand-up comedian, writer, actor, and host of The Sarah Silverman Podcast, Sarah gets down and dirty with the guys, and Will gets a rapid Covid test. This episode was originally released on 11/30/2020.
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Sean Hayes
Is everyone caught up on Severance on Apple tv? I am. If not, now's the time. Because no innie or outtie is safe from spoilers lurking around every corner. Like, what's the deal with the baby goats? What are they doing with the numbers? And how is Adam Scott so ruggedly handsome? The drama from executive producer and director Ben Stiller and creator Dan Erickson has been hailed as groundbreaking, mind bending and the best show on tv. Severance stars Adam Scott, Britt Lauer, Tramell Tillman, Zack Cherry. With John Turturro and Patricia Arquette. Learn more at fyc.appletvplus.com.
Jason Bateman
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Sean Hayes
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Jason Bateman
Mmm.
Sean Hayes
So tasty. So I love this. I had the summer Berry refresher delivered to my house from Starbucks. I drank it in like one gulp. It was so delicious. And it's blue. And those little like pearls at the bottom, the little raspberry pearl. Oh my God, it was just so refreshing. I loved it. I'm gonna drink it all the time anyway. However, your summer, your summer favorites are ready at Starbucks. Hey gang. Welcome to Smartless. We are a sweet new podcast starring myself, Sean Hayes, Jason Bateman and Will Arnett. And we are complete idiots. So what we do is we bring on a guest and we ask them stuff and they make us smarter. Hopefully it's super cool. So please come with us. Enjoy the show.
Jason Bateman
Smart, smart, smart. Now listen, I need to say this before we get too deep into this. I'm about to have a COVID test because it's 2020 and I get them done like once a week or every 10 days. We have to with the kids and everything, and mine just happens to coincide with us doing. So at some point during the podcast, I'm gonna have somebody come in and she's gonna come in and give me.
Sean Hayes
That's not true.
Will Arnett
Yeah, why? Why does it have to be during our time? And what is Covid?
Jason Bateman
Oh, bless him.
Will Arnett
Why does she have to do it during our time?
Jason Bateman
Because it was bad scheduling. Bad scheduling, but a lot of things conspiring because tomorrow afternoon I'm busy.
Sean Hayes
Oh, that's always boring with you.
Will Arnett
Wait, what?
Sean Hayes
Oh, you guys golfing?
Jason Bateman
No, no, no. We have a business meeting.
Will Arnett
We're going charity.
Sean Hayes
I guess I'm busy too.
Will Arnett
Yeah, feeding kids. Is he making smiles?
Jason Bateman
Charity meeting.
Sean Hayes
I thought you're going to say after your COVID test, you were going to have like. Like a reveal party of the results.
Jason Bateman
Oh, yeah. You know, people get mad because I keep doing on the subway, I used to do gender reveals all the time. I'd wear a trench coat and I just go, hey, you know. And I just reveal my gender to people.
Sean Hayes
Stupid.
Jason Bateman
I know, it's so dumb. And people got mad for my gender reveals on the subway.
Sean Hayes
Well, next time you. You have the results, I hear a.
Will Arnett
Female laughing, so your guest already, I can tell, is a female or a.
Sean Hayes
Fella who is happy.
Will Arnett
Might sound careful. Like a female. Yes, might sound like a female.
Jason Bateman
Good for you. Good for you. That's restraint. Look at. Look how much you've grown.
Will Arnett
Oh, wait, so let me guess. I know it's a woman.
Jason Bateman
It is. It's a really. I don't know if you can tell by her laugh, because mostly people are laughing at what she's doing.
Will Arnett
Okay.
Sean Hayes
As a Phyllis Diller.
Will Arnett
So she's a comedian.
Jason Bateman
She's a comedian. Well, I mean, she's a lot of things.
Will Arnett
Stand up or act.
Jason Bateman
Let me. You ready for this? All of the above.
Sean Hayes
Oh, God.
Jason Bateman
She started as a standup, then got into acting, then did sketch, then did snl, then did her own show, won two Emmys. Is a hilarious, just all around hilarious person. She's got a brand new podcast that is killing it. Ladies and gents, Sean and Jason.
Sean Hayes
Uh oh.
Jason Bateman
Sarah Silverman is on the show today.
Will Arnett
Come on, Sarah.
Jason Bateman
Look at that. Good.
Sean Hayes
Why are you embarrassed?
Will Arnett
Because you're smoking the skinniest cigarette I've ever Seen.
Sarah Silverman
It's a toothpick.
Sean Hayes
Oh, yeah. She's tough today.
Will Arnett
Oh, I'm so excited you're here.
Jason Bateman
I know. How good is this?
Sean Hayes
So cool.
Jason Bateman
Look at this. Can you believe it?
Will Arnett
It's going. Will.
Jason Bateman
I know, guys, going, we're all such fans of yours. You're such a super comedy, hilarious person.
Will Arnett
There she is. Will, what's your first question since you've had time to work on good questions? It's your guest.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Will Arnett
Let's have your best one, right?
Jason Bateman
Okay. Sarah.
Sarah Silverman
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
How's it going?
Sean Hayes
Oh, that's good.
Sarah Silverman
No, listen, gender reveal on the subway is the funniest joke, by the way.
Jason Bateman
So dumb, right? It's so dumb.
Sarah Silverman
That's a great joke. Oh, my God, I need to tell.
Jason Bateman
That for, like, four days. I've been.
Sarah Silverman
When you said it, you know when you hear something and you can't wait to tell a friend, you know, it wasn't quite that, but it was like almost that.
Jason Bateman
Can I tell you something? So. So I'm going to tell you this, Sarah. One of my favorite jokes that I have told many times, over and over, or I've retold the scene which is people's least favorite thing to hear when you're like, hey, do you remember the scene where was from the. Your old program? So I'm going to start in the middle from the Sarah Silverman program where you did on Comedy Central, Such a funny show. It's so good. And you did this bit, by the way. I don't know if you could do it today. It was the episode where you wanted some good news, so you decided to get an AIDS test, right?
Sarah Silverman
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
And first of all, there are like 80 jokes crammed in this tiny scene. And you go. She goes, did you ever had unprotected sex? And you said, is there any other way? Then she said, in the 80s? And you said, no.
Sarah Silverman
Yeah. She goes, did you ever have unprotected sex in the 80s? And I go, oh, my God, yes. And she goes, you did? You had unprotected sex in the 80s? And I go, oh, no. I thought you said in Haiti.
Jason Bateman
So then she says, tell me how many times? And so you take a piece of paper and you start writing and you hand it to her, and she goes, what's that? And you go, that's the number. And she goes, there are two numbers. And you said, yeah, for the front and back. And she goes, they're the same number. And you said, yeah, I'm kind of OCD like that. It was like a Domino effect of jokes. It just like started and it was just non stop. Fuck me, man. That's such a funny bit. And it's such a. You're just. Everything about that scene was. Again, I don't know. I think people might be offended today. I don't know.
Sarah Silverman
There are a lot of problematic things looking back, but, you know, such is comedy. It's not evergreen.
Sean Hayes
Right? So that's my thing is like, you've always been such a. I don't know, such a fucking stupid word. Edgy, but, you know, cutting it good for you. Thank you. Thank you.
Will Arnett
You're getting prayer hands. Yep, go ahead.
Sean Hayes
Prayer hands. Prayer hands.
Jason Bateman
That.
Sean Hayes
What is it? It's always about the messenger of the joke. It's never really about the. So you can say, like on the Sarah Silverman program, you could do a joke about AIDS like that, and people embrace it and laugh because it's you saying it. So what do you think is the difference between you saying it and somebody else saying it and not getting away with it? It seems like you get away with a lot of stuff because you're so fucking funny. But it's. Some of. It's pretty dark.
Sarah Silverman
I think it's the intention behind it. Like, this is a math term, but it's kind of like the absolute power of the joke. Like, especially back then, I always said the opposite of what I thought, you know, and that was the joke kind of. And then hopefully the truth transcends that. I don't really feel this way. Not to break it down in the least funny possible way. But it is also interesting too, because, like, that comedy I did, you're right, it was like, oh, it's okay, because you know, I don't mean it. But then it also is kind of like we're liberal so we can say anything. So we could say, you know, the words that are unsayable or whatever. Like, you know, I don't mean it. So I could say it. Like there is kind of like a liberal, like, douchiness about it. I think in retrospect, I mean, I don't know. It's a weird balance.
Jason Bateman
I think you're right. I was thinking about that the other day, which is like, what's been gone is things have gotten so serious because everybody who's not liberal is so serious and so dark and so. So real about their negativity or hate or racism or whatever it is that it's taken all of that away. You're like, well, I don't even wanna joke about anything. A lot of Things that are rough or maybe pushing boundaries because you feel like, I don't want it to be taken the wrong way because there are so many people who mean it.
Sean Hayes
Right?
Sarah Silverman
Yeah. There's not enough distance, you know, it's like, so close. Like, people go, oh, it's so funny. I saw, like, a comment in Spanish of something that I wrote, and I go, ooh, I have a fan that's Spanish. Then I press translate. And it was just, why don't you stick to comedy and leave politics out of it?
Sean Hayes
I was like, oh, so wait, I'm sure you've had your share of criticism. Like, we all have, like, positive, negative. But is there someone in your life that mattered to you who said that you may have taken certain materials too far or something like that?
Jason Bateman
Which of your friends have you offended.
Will Arnett
Sarah, and lost forever?
Sarah Silverman
I've actually kind of made friends that started out as, like, them calling me out.
Jason Bateman
Interesting.
Will Arnett
You know, I would guess, and please correct me, but I would guess that one of the things that appeals to you about. About comedy, about thinking of funny stuff and crafting it into something, you know, in order to deliver to an audience, is about identifying that which makes some of us uncomfortable, as opposed to some people. Look, it seems to me, look at other things in. That makes them excited about comedy with you. It seems like there. You have an affinity for. As do I, to identify the thing that all kind of makes us a little bit uneasy because it's. It only exists in our smallest place, and you want to kind of bring that out and amplify that and. And share a common sort of reference point. So are you finding that you're frustrated that outside sources seem to be narrowing those borders and those walls and. And now you have to kind of think twice and three times about that.
Sean Hayes
Or do you not listen to that?
Sarah Silverman
I think, like, what you said, edgy or, you know, I know it's corny or whatever, but it's like, you can't have it both ways. Like, if you do something that is risky, you have to be risking something. Like, there are consequences. You can't get mad that there are consequences. And I don't mind. I like when young people, like students or whatever, they teach me new language. I'm into that because I feel like they're always on the right side of history, and I want to learn new words and pronouns, even though I fuck up all the time.
Will Arnett
Fire, by the way, is a new one for something that's good. Okay.
Sarah Silverman
That's not that new fire.
Will Arnett
No, it's brand New. It started yesterday.
Jason Bateman
That's not new, Granddad. I had a guy tell me. I had a guy tell me on Twitter. Made me think about. You know, there's an ad that came out for Biden with Sam Elliott doing the voice for it. I don't know if you heard it. And so I just. I retweeted. I said, the VO master, right? Cause he's just like the voiceover idol of mine. Like, he's so good. All I said was, VO master. And this guy responded, stick to comedy. And I thought I was like, wait a second.
Sean Hayes
Do you do voiceovers, Will?
Jason Bateman
Who's asking?
Sarah Silverman
You have to be one thing. You have to be the one thing I know you as.
Will Arnett
Right? Yeah.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, exactly.
Sarah Silverman
You are a monolith.
Jason Bateman
And it was within my. And I'm like, I can't even comment on voiceover. Like, wait a second.
Sarah Silverman
Also, like, whoever's saying that, what do they do for a job? Are they a critic? I hope that they are only a critic.
Jason Bateman
I hope so, too.
Will Arnett
No.
Jason Bateman
So speaking of sticking to what you do, you started. You started doing stand up when you were young, right? Like. Like a.
Sarah Silverman
17.
Jason Bateman
17.
Sean Hayes
That always blows my mind when stand up starts.
Jason Bateman
It's so scary.
Sean Hayes
The courage. The.
Will Arnett
You have more courage at 17, don't you? I did.
Sarah Silverman
I was a bedwetter until I was almost 16. So by the time that I did stand up. But, you know, nothing is humiliating. Nothing competes with that kind of humiliation.
Sean Hayes
But how did you know how to write at that young of age? Like, how did you know, Craft and construct a joke?
Sarah Silverman
I mean, I wasn't good. You know, I just did it. I wasn't a good comedian. I, like, did, like, jokes about, you know, I went to a high school, actually, that was really. They'd have an assembly on Mondays and Fridays, and they'd let me do, like, a couple minutes.
Jason Bateman
No way.
Sarah Silverman
And I had a math teacher that would let me, like, tell a joke at the beginning of every class as long as I shut up the rest of it.
Sean Hayes
Oh, wow.
Sarah Silverman
And it was. It was like. It's really encouraging.
Sean Hayes
I studied piano. I know this is where everybody passes out. I studied piano and classical music when I was much younger. And I remember in high school, my dentist told me that he and his wife were throwing a Christmas party, and I would. I come over and play background music at the party on the piano. And I'm like, yeah, totally. Wow.
Will Arnett
And serve drinks.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, and serve drinks.
Jason Bateman
And wear this outfit.
Will Arnett
And can you park cars or.
Sean Hayes
Right.
Jason Bateman
Do you mind wearing a mask?
Sean Hayes
The Point is, when I was done, he handed me $100 and I was blown away that I got paid for a talent, that I got something in exchange, you know, for the years I, you know, put into honing this craft. Do you remember the first time you got paid as a standup and like, what that was like, did you report it and do you remember how old you were?
Sarah Silverman
When I was 19, I did a road gig at a club called Joker's Wild. And what's the town that has Yale in it? But it's like, besides Yale, it's gross. Okay, sorry. I mean, wonderful. So it was like this low rung, mob run place called Joker's Wild. I was the emcee for six shows. I got altogether $100 less than Sean got for them. And they harassed me the whole time and kept asking me to do cocaine. And I had to find my own place to stay. And I stayed with these elderly cousins of friends of my mom's that were both deaf. It was like a rough week. It was really odd.
Will Arnett
And you're all jitsed out too.
Jason Bateman
Oh, so you're all jitzed out?
Sarah Silverman
No, I did not. I did not do cocaine. But yeah. And the headliner that week, I won't say is you probably wouldn't know him, but he ended up kind of losing everything. He was like, at that point he was married, he just had a kid, and he was such a nice guy, mostly impressions. But then I heard a friend of mine was in NA with him and he did a brilliant thing. You know, comics are so dark. They're very close to criminals, you know, but he would go to open houses and use the bathroom and steal all their drugs, you know, all their medications and stuff.
Will Arnett
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Sean Hayes
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Will Arnett
My next question is, what's the perfect balance for you from comedy? Like, what do you like to do that balances you out on any particular day or week or month, hobbies or.
Sarah Silverman
I'm so boring.
Will Arnett
I love nothing.
Sarah Silverman
Television.
Will Arnett
Television. Watching television.
Sarah Silverman
Ozark. Oh, my God.
Will Arnett
There we go. I got it.
Sarah Silverman
Oh, my.
Will Arnett
Great interview, guys.
Jason Bateman
She hasn't said it's good yet. Let her finish. Those are what?
Sarah Silverman
So it's such a solid B of a show. No. Yeah, it's a. God, I just. I thought so. Anyway, you don't need to, but thank you. I just am a big fan of all of you.
Will Arnett
Likewise.
Sarah Silverman
But mostly individually. I could go off, but I just want to say you're in your. You know, all of you are brilliant actors, brilliant performers, but your directing is like, it's really beautiful. Thank you so much. And I thought season three was phenomenal.
Will Arnett
Come on.
Sarah Silverman
And that's all you get.
Jason Bateman
That's a lot.
Will Arnett
Thank you. I will take it. That'll get me to sleep tonight.
Sarah Silverman
And will your Reese's commercials.
Will Arnett
Yeah, Sorry. Not sorry. Unbelievable. Sorry. So you like watching drama stuff or do you watch it Dramas. What about like reality shows? Like what about Bachelor? Do you have like a guilty pleasure like that?
Sarah Silverman
I am watching the Bachelor with my lover. Yeah. And we have a lot of fun.
Will Arnett
My wife loves that.
Sarah Silverman
It's just fun. It's so dumb, but it's so fun. It's just big laughs all throughout. But besides that, I like dramas.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Will Arnett
Do you want to act in one of those or do you just want to watch them?
Sarah Silverman
Yeah, I would like to act in one of those, but I love watching them. I think it's like watching comedy can be when it happens, I'm like, I enjoy it, but it's never my go to because it's just kind of a little more stressful than watching a thriller.
Sean Hayes
I would say. It's like, you know, doctors don't run home and watch Grey's Anatomy.
Sarah Silverman
Right?
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
It's like you've never said that, John. That's a fucking lie. You've never said that.
Sarah Silverman
Sean always says that. He does. Yeah, but a thriller. Yeah. I'd love to be in a. Like a. Or like a tactical. Is that right? Like a born. A born movie or like a. Oh, yeah. You know what? I started recording because they've been playing them. I'm is old columbos from the 70s and they're so good.
Sean Hayes
Oh, Columbus.
Sarah Silverman
They're like watching a 70s movie like they're on film.
Will Arnett
And that's Peter Falk.
Sarah Silverman
Right, Peter Falk. And the episode we watched was Ruth Gordon in a rare role as a rich lady.
Will Arnett
Love her.
Sarah Silverman
She's my favorite.
Will Arnett
Harold and Maude.
Sarah Silverman
Yes, of course. And my favorite movie is Where's Papa?
Sean Hayes
Every which Way but Lose.
Sarah Silverman
Huh?
Sean Hayes
Every which Way but lose with Clint.
Will Arnett
Eastwood, which she goes in any which way you can.
Sean Hayes
Sure, any which way you can. With one of my favorite lines in any movie when the orangutan is on the thing and she goes, what are you doing eating all the Oreos, crapping all over the place. That's one of my favorite lines.
Sarah Silverman
She always leads with her thumb.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
Let me ask you this. So, Sarah, I want to go back to when you started doing. Do you remember?
Sarah Silverman
Hi, you guys.
Sean Hayes
Hi.
Sarah Silverman
I'm just happy to see your faces. Sorry, Go on. No, no, no, we'll let it all this. We'll make it clean.
Jason Bateman
No, we don't have to. I'm only asking questions. Cause Sean gets really mad if we don't stick to asking questions.
Will Arnett
He doesn't like conversation.
Jason Bateman
He doesn't like conversation. And then he feels that the people in the middle of the country in Wisconsin are mad if we're not getting information out of our guests. So our guest today is Sarah Silverman. Just to remind everybo. Buddy, Sean, Happy now? And Sarah, I just wanted. I was thinking about you being 17, being on stage, and you're trying to write jokes, and you were joking that, like, they weren't any good, but can you remember, like, your first joke that you thought was funny, that maybe still is?
Sarah Silverman
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Sarah Silverman
My friend Eric Noyes said, does my breath smell like tacos? And I said, I don't know. Do you put shit in your tacos? That was in high school. But I found an old notebook. Like, I save all my notebooks. I found a notebook from when I was, like, 19, and there were jokes in there that were so bad. Like, and reading it written, you know, it goes. And a lot of my jokes early on were like, I don't know. I'm just. And so it was like, I don't know why my goldfish died. I put it in a tank. Dot, dot, dot, beet top.
Sean Hayes
A tank top? Yeah, sure.
Will Arnett
Do you have a. A set time each day that you dedicate to?
Sean Hayes
All right.
Will Arnett
I'm going to stare at the wall. I'm going to think of stuff I can write down for possible performance or script or whatever it is. Or do you just kind of just let stuff happen to you and you always have a little thing in your pocket and you could be at a red light, you can think of something. You write it down.
Sarah Silverman
Mostly the latter.
Will Arnett
Yeah.
Sarah Silverman
When I'm my best self, I do sometimes I'm just sitting in a chair, and it really is like, I remember someone calling me, and I was just sitting in a chair in my room, and that they're like, what are you doing? And I'm like, working. And I know I was being defensive, but I do feel like a lot of it is just sitting, you know, stillness, if you can.
Jason Bateman
I thought about the title for your memoir, if you haven't got one already. And I want you to consider.
Sarah Silverman
Okay.
Jason Bateman
Goldfish in a tank top.
Sarah Silverman
That does sound like a comedian.
Jason Bateman
Doesn't it sound like a comedian? That would be great.
Will Arnett
You have to put the ellipses in between tank and top.
Sarah Silverman
Goldfish in a tank. Dot, dot, dot, turn page, flip over.
Will Arnett
Top, and then in parentheses, get it right upside down. Question.
Sarah Silverman
Lol jk J, K jk jk as.
Jason Bateman
Far as the eye can see.
Sean Hayes
Sarah, I have to ask the cliche question to another funny person. Like, what do you like?
Will Arnett
Favorite food?
Sean Hayes
What the fuck happened to you as a kid that made you funny?
Sarah Silverman
Well, I mean, I think I was extremely hirsute. You know, I was growing up in New Hampshire. Really. I didn't know Jews. I didn't, you know, I didn't go to, like, a lot of people go, oh, all the bar mitzvah season and all that stuff. I didn't have any of that. Like, my parents are atheists. They call themselves agnostic to be more polite, or Jewish to be even more polite. But, like, there weren't Jews. So we, like, my sister says we thought being Jewish just meant being a Democrat because that's how we were different in New Hampshire, you know? But I think, like, because of that, I was like. I was really hairy, too, and.
Jason Bateman
Wow.
Sarah Silverman
Yeah. Like, my dad goes, you know, you want your dad to just think you're so beautiful? And he does, but he would, because, like, in high school, he goes, if you want to spend a summer getting electrolysis, I'll pay for it. And I was like, why would I do that?
Will Arnett
Jesus.
Sarah Silverman
No, never mind. He really just meant it to be nice. But then I think he was horrified because I was like, why would I do that? We should be acknowledging this, by the way. I'm sorry.
Will Arnett
Yeah, well, you know, you don't need to do the brain scratcher anymore. Why?
Jason Bateman
Yeah, I want to be thorough.
Sean Hayes
Did they just stick a thing up your nose for the.
Will Arnett
Yes, the shallow ones are thorough. As. So is a saliva one now. I mean, if it doesn't.
Jason Bateman
Dude, if it doesn't hurt, if there's no pain, then it's not valuable. Have you not learned that lesson in life?
Sean Hayes
That's what my dad said right before.
Jason Bateman
My dad was right when he said, God, you're stupid. What the fuck is wrong with you? You'll be nothing.
Will Arnett
You're not listening to your cry.
Jason Bateman
Right? In between the times that he never told me he loved me.
Sarah Silverman
You know what's interesting about that? So you know how that, like, makes people go into show business? Like my mom, only she just read People magazine and she didn't look up from it. She didn't come to my games. She didn't, you know, so it's like, I think a part of me wanted to get into People magazine. You know what I mean?
Sean Hayes
Right, right.
Sarah Silverman
And I think all of us have. I'm sure that.
Will Arnett
Yes, Sarah, you mentioned that your parents didn't go to your Game my dad did. What game? What sport did you play?
Sarah Silverman
Every sport. I. I was. You know, listen, it. I'm not bragging. I was a fast pitch pitcher for the state of New Hampshire.
Jason Bateman
Come on.
Sarah Silverman
Of softball. And not to minimize it.
Sean Hayes
So.
Sarah Silverman
And, you know, and I played soccer, and I played basketball. I still play basketball, although I haven't since COVID And now I'm like, do I still play basketball? Because, like, my bones are so rickety now.
Will Arnett
But when you do play, it's not. You're not going down to, like, the local park and doing a pickup game. You have an organized game. A bunch of your friends get together.
Sarah Silverman
I have gone to pick up games, and I do play pickup games, but the two games I've been playing out here for the past couple years, I. I don't know anyone there outside of that game. Like, I don't.
Sean Hayes
What's the difference between a pickup game and a game?
Will Arnett
It's all strangers. Yeah. You just show up and you say, hey, I want to play.
Sean Hayes
All right, well, maybe I'll sign up for one.
Will Arnett
Yeah.
Sarah Silverman
But the last time I played outside, I played with this guy. We smoked pot together. You know, he was adorable. Whatever.
Sean Hayes
Thank you.
Sarah Silverman
And then we were all playing, and then at the end of the game, we finish, and that guy had left a little early. He had taken, like, five different people's car keys.
Jason Bateman
No way.
Sarah Silverman
And then pressed them to see what went.
Sean Hayes
Boop, boop.
Sarah Silverman
And then got in one and stole one of the guy's cars.
Will Arnett
Wow. This is. This is the cute stoner who's all.
Jason Bateman
He's all stoned up. He's all weeded up.
Sarah Silverman
Yeah, Well, I like to smoke pot when I play basketball because I become incredible or terrible. But it's a grab bag. I'm willing to.
Jason Bateman
Oh, hang on, hang on. We'd love to get you to repeat that for a psa. If we could real quick, just.
Sarah Silverman
Hi, I'm Sarah Silverman. You know, when I play basketball, I feel marijuana enhances my game or puts me into a ball, but either way, it's worth the risk.
Sean Hayes
But you also like to smoke it when you're not playing basketball.
Sarah Silverman
I like to have a puff at night.
Sean Hayes
That's nice.
Jason Bateman
Sure.
Will Arnett
A little night, night. Puff, puff. Now, do you follow professional basketball? Are you a Laker fan?
Sarah Silverman
You know, I like watching it. I mostly like watching, like, a close game in the last half, last quarter. I'm not. I don't have, like, a team that I'm obsessed with or something.
Will Arnett
It's tough to watch the first three.
Sarah Silverman
Quarters like any underdogs, I mean. But then again, I also like the warriors just because I love Steve Kerr and yeah, you know, he's cool. And I like the Lakers and I like the Celtics, but only just because of various reasons.
Jason Bateman
So Sarah, your, your, your resume is so crazy because not only you incredible standup, but you've been part of some just great memorable shows. You know, SNL, iconic shows. I should say. SNL, Mr. Show, Larry Sanders. I mean, it's incredible that you got to be part of all these things that for somebody shows that really, that really kind of.
Sarah Silverman
Are you gonna cry?
Jason Bateman
I'm trying to keep it together. Give me a second. I'm trying to fucking cry. Jesus. You just broke it. Now I'll never get there. Now I'll never get there. But, but these are shows that like, you know, Mr. Show and Larry Sanders were. They showed me. I was like, oh wait, I want to do that kind of shit.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, they're like comedy gold shows.
Jason Bateman
Oh my God. Yeah. Like you like. Yeah, set the standard.
Sarah Silverman
I mean, I got to be on all of those are iconic shows that I had nothing. I was like Zelig. I just got very lucky and ended up in.
Jason Bateman
Not true.
Sarah Silverman
I'm not being modest. I just, you know, I had nothing to do with creating the, you know, I mean. But yeah, it is. I've been in a lot of like very culty Star Trek, Voyager.
Sean Hayes
I know, I love that. Wait, what was your time like at SNL and do you watch it now?
Sarah Silverman
Yeah, I watch it. I watch it and I'm a fan of it.
Jason Bateman
Did you take the pause out and post?
Sarah Silverman
No, no, no, no. I mean, I had the year that was there I would never want to take back. It was like hard and it was long and frustrating and you know, but I got along with everybody, you know, and, and stuff. It was really a different time, you know, I mean, it was. I mean, they didn't have computers. Like we wrote our sketches on legal pads and gave it to a room of typists.
Sean Hayes
Right.
Sarah Silverman
Wow.
Will Arnett
Well, how did you like living in New York?
Sarah Silverman
I love New York. Yeah. I moved there when I was 18. I love new York. I love just walking through the streets.
Will Arnett
Do you wish you still live there? Well, why do you? Because I'd love to live there, but I have to live here for other.
Sarah Silverman
I'd love to live there too, but I, I mean the last time I had an apartment there, it was $450. You know, I lived on a five floor walk up where I. You know, we. There was a guy who lived on our floor. We had our own bathroom, but it was a building that had a lot of like padlocked bathrooms in the hallway that the apartments shared. It was a real dark kind of place. And then this guy who just got out of prison lived in on our floor. And my roommate and I were walking downstairs and he was walking behind us with a friend and he dropped a box of bullets. Bullets were just running down our legs, running through our legs, down the stairs. And neither of us acknowledged it. We just acted like it was not happening. We were so scared.
Jason Bateman
That's hilarious.
Sean Hayes
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Sean Hayes
Sarah, who do you find absolutely hilarious? Like, either growing up or now? Like, who? You're just like, oh, my God, I can't get enough of blank. Because they're so funny.
Sarah Silverman
So many people I know. If I start off, have you seen Kate Berlant? She's incredible. I love Tig Notaro. I love Zach Galifianakis. I love Kyle Dunnigan. This guy, Kyle Dunnigan, he's a. He just, you know, they're people that just make you.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Sarah Silverman
You know, or like that.
Will Arnett
For me, Zach kills me.
Sean Hayes
So funny.
Sarah Silverman
And then he's just got this huge heart, too. And, you know, he's just like a good. Such a solid, lovely person. And he's so funny, you know, that's. I like.
Will Arnett
What about back in the day, somebody who made you laugh that. Well, I guess you can't really say who made you laugh back then, but based on how your sense of humor has changed now, kind of doesn't. I mean, there's certainly television shows and movies that I thought were funny back then that I would watch today and go, oh, no, that doesn't hold up. Or my sense of humor's just changed.
Sarah Silverman
Yeah. I mean, I've gone so many directions. Like my friend Mark Cohen Years ago, when I first started, he'd put a nickel on his head and say, Jewish Ash Wednesday. And I cried because I was so sensitive. And then I went, like, 180 degrees, you know, But I'm the same inside, you know? But, like. Like, I was so upset by that, you know?
Jason Bateman
Oh, really?
Will Arnett
Yeah. An example of how people change. People's tastes change. And you kind of have. Do you find yourself trying not to factor that in when you're thinking of stuff that might be best suited for something that needs to appeal to a wide audience? Because the people who are financing this don't want it to appeal to a narrow audience. Do you have to?
Sarah Silverman
Well, I mean, that's why I think I. I prefer to be niche.
Will Arnett
Right.
Sarah Silverman
You know what I mean? Like, yeah, yeah. You know, it's. There's a lot of rules in the mainstream.
Will Arnett
Right.
Sarah Silverman
That's why I'm doing this podcast now.
Will Arnett
Yeah.
Sarah Silverman
And called the Sarah Silverman Podcast. And the one cool thing about it is, like, even if you're on cable or streaming or something, I mean, you can really say anything. I think I said fuck way too many times in the first few episodes because I felt so free. And you have to have the kind of get those same lessons that you have when you do standup, where it's like, now it's just gratuitous. It's lost any power. It isn't cool. You're using it as a crutch. But I had to kind of learn it over again. Cause I was suddenly so excited to get to say anything I wanted that I was like, fucking this and fucking that. And I listened back, and I was just like, what?
Jason Bateman
I always thought you did such a great job of doing. You do it when you were, like, on a panel, like on your guest on a talk show or whatever. You found ways to. I think a lot of people, you were for a long time considered kind of, like, dirty. Or you would do. You would dress jokes up. You. You never knew what you Trojan horse. Like, you'd come in and you'd dress it up and be kind of super bright about it. And then the punchline would be really dark. And you found a way to constantly. It's kind of going back to Sean. I feel I sound like an old man. Like, you were edgy, but you found ways to push the boundary. And you didn't necessarily swear, but you did not shy away from making jokes that. That were hit really hard.
Sarah Silverman
I never felt dirty. Like, everyone would be like, she's a putty mouth, and she's dirty. And I guess I am, but, like, I never feel that way because I was raised in a house where you used just the words weren't taboo, you know, so it's not like I swear a lot, really. It's more like I use technical language or explicit maybe, you know.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, right. You didn't say. You didn't say fuck a lot. You didn't do that at all. Like, you found a way to bring people to a punchline that was potentially really. They hadn't heard it before, and it was kind of dangerous, and you were kind of pushing the boundaries. Can I ask you this? So are there any kind of. Jason asked you if you want to do, like, a drama or anything like that, but are there any, like, comedy people for reals that you would want to work with or comedy directors that you think like, oh, I can.
Sarah Silverman
You know, I haven't done a lot of comedy. Well, this is the thing, is the things I've been in in comedy, like, in movies, it's like, this has changed a lot. But since, you know, it's the angry girlfriend or the angry roommate or the sleaze bag executive or. But it's like. So I go. After a while, I go. I just don't even want to be in comedies because the access I have to comedies is I can't be a comedian in a comedy playing a straight role. It doesn't. It's stupid of me. It doesn't. I don't make money from doing movies. I lose money making movies.
Jason Bateman
Of course. Yeah, of course.
Sarah Silverman
The least amount of money, I can't be on the road, you know, so that's why it's like dramas or something where I'm in, like, someone else's domain. It just makes sense. I just want to play. If I'm in a comedy, I want to be funny in it. And otherwise, you know, I just want to do interesting things. You know, I like acting, but I like doing everything.
Jason Bateman
Sarah, I don't even know where to go. I mean, we could talk to you all day. It's so fun having you here.
Sarah Silverman
We've been talking for so long. I can't talk. I'm so sorry.
Jason Bateman
We've taken a lot of your time.
Will Arnett
Very generous.
Sarah Silverman
I. I'm so happy to be just seeing you and talking to you.
Sean Hayes
Likewise.
Sarah Silverman
But we'll wrap it up. Let's someone wrap it up.
Jason Bateman
We're gonna wrap it up. But we're gonna say, you're an absolute delight. You are a. You're a comic titan. I'm Gonna say that I find you to be so consistently hilarious. You've made me laugh so many millions of times. So thank you.
Will Arnett
Royalty.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, royalty.
Sarah Silverman
Doesn't it make you feel old? I remember when Joan when you'd go, oh, Joan, you're a legend. She'd be like, fuck you. I'm still vital, you know, like it makes you feel done.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Sarah Silverman
The next thing I do you know how like your agent will go, ooh, but we got with or and for the credits. And you go, who cares? Why is that a thing I want? And introducing that's really Sure. I want them to fight for that.
Jason Bateman
My thing I keep going to is I'm asking my. I'm like, I want to fight for in advance. Fight for my position in the in memoriam segment on like the Emmys and stuff.
Sarah Silverman
I'm already working on my react.
Jason Bateman
I want to get the final.
Will Arnett
Yeah, final card.
Jason Bateman
Fuck. And I want to bring down the fucking house.
Sean Hayes
Do you know the song Will? Do you know the song you want played?
Jason Bateman
$5 foot long. $5 foot long. $5 Foot long. I love that fucking song.
Sean Hayes
We love you, Sarah.
Jason Bateman
Thank you, Sarah.
Will Arnett
Bye, Sarah. Thank you.
Sarah Silverman
Bye.
Sean Hayes
Bye, Sarah Silverman.
Jason Bateman
Bye. Thanks so much.
Sean Hayes
So funny always, you know, there's that gross word again. But always edgy, dark, like she's the kind of comedy you choose when you really want to. It's like truth comedy, you know?
Jason Bateman
Yeah, I always thought of it and she's one of the cool kids. Like, she was just so funny in such a great, real like way. You're like, man, I just don't want to up around her. Yeah, she's so funny, you know, that's.
Will Arnett
How I don't want to be unfunny at any.
Jason Bateman
I don't want to be a loser. You're so stupid to even think that. And then I just don't even get out of my car.
Will Arnett
I'd love to go see her do stand up. I don't think I've ever.
Sean Hayes
I saw her do a stand up at the Improv in Melrose and her opening joke was about race rape.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Will Arnett
Just sort of drop the flag and say here, here it comes.
Sean Hayes
Yeah. So yeah, you have to be a fan and. And be open minded. But I am and I'm a huge, huge.
Jason Bateman
Well, I think, you know, and she made such a great point you. She's made a lot of jokes that like has taken people aback over the years or whatever. But she's right. It's all about intention. And her intention is good. She's A good person and she's going the right direction. And she wants, I think that. That sometimes she has to make jokes like that to kind of shed light on the other side.
Sean Hayes
And that's her style.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Sean Hayes
And I love it.
Jason Bateman
I respect it. And she's got a new podcast, the Sarah Silverman Podcast. And it is great. Of course.
Sean Hayes
I've heard it. It's fantastic.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, it's super good. And she's a stone cold babe.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, she's stone cold babe. She's babe.
Jason Bateman
She's a stone cold babe. Babe.
Sean Hayes
And you know what the third thing is? Yeah, we can say that the third thing is.
Jason Bateman
Smart. Smart.
Sarah Silverman
Less.
Sean Hayes
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SmartLess Podcast Episode Summary: "RE-RELEASE: Sarah Silverman"
Release Date: June 12, 2025
Timestamp: [05:11]
The episode kicks off with the hosts—Sean Hayes, Jason Bateman, and Will Arnett—introducing Sarah Silverman as the mystery guest. The introduction is filled with enthusiasm and admiration for Sarah's multifaceted career in comedy, acting, and podcasting.
Jason Bateman says:
"She's a comedian. Well, I mean, she's a lot of things. Let me. You ready for this? All of the above. She started as a standup, then got into acting, then did sketch, then did SNL, then did her own show, won two Emmys. Is a hilarious, just all around hilarious person. She's got a brand new podcast that is killing it."
Will Arnett adds:
"Come on, Sarah."
Sarah makes her entrance, bringing immediate humor to the conversation, including playful banter about her "toothpick" cigarette, which sets a light-hearted tone for the episode.
Timestamp: [13:03] - [15:39]
Sarah delves into her beginnings in stand-up comedy, revealing that she started performing at the age of 17. She shares anecdotes about her early experiences, including challenging moments such as being a bedwetter until almost sixteen and her first paid performances.
Sarah Silverman shares:
"When I was 19, I did a road gig at a club called Joker's Wild... I was the emcee for six shows. I got altogether $100 less than Sean got for them. And they harassed me the whole time and kept asking me to do cocaine. It was a rough week."
She humorously recounts her interactions with fellow comedians and the tough environments she navigated early in her career, highlighting her resilience and dedication to comedy.
Timestamp: [08:15] - [10:13]
The conversation shifts to the evolution of comedy and the challenges comedians face in balancing edgy humor with social responsibility. Sarah discusses how societal changes have influenced what is considered acceptable in comedy.
Sarah Silverman reflects:
"There are a lot of problematic things looking back, but, you know, such is comedy. It's not evergreen."
Sean Hayes probes further:
"What do you think is the difference between you saying it and somebody else saying it and not getting away with it?"
Sarah attributes her ability to push boundaries to her intention behind the jokes, emphasizing that her aim is not to offend but to shed light on various issues through humor.
Sarah Silverman explains:
"I think it's the intention behind it... I don't mean it. So I could say it. Like there is kind of like a liberal, like, douchey-ness about it."
She acknowledges the fine line comedians walk and the importance of context and delivery in maintaining the impact and reception of their humor.
Timestamp: [19:01] - [28:35]
Will Arnett inquires about Sarah's personal interests outside of comedy. Sarah candidly shares her love for television, particularly dramas like "Ozark," and her enjoyment of watching "The Bachelor" with her partner.
Sarah Silverman mentions:
"I like to have a puff at night."
She also discusses her involvement in various sports, including fast pitch softball and basketball, and shares humorous stories from her experiences playing pickup games, highlighting her playful side.
Sarah Silverman recounts:
"I like to smoke pot when I play basketball because I become incredible or terrible. But it's a grab bag. I'm willing to."
Her openness about personal habits and hobbies adds depth to her persona beyond her professional life.
Timestamp: [29:02] - [41:24]
The hosts engage Sarah in discussing her extensive career, including her time on iconic shows like "SNL" and "Mr. Show." She expresses gratitude for the opportunities and mentors that shaped her comedic style.
Sarah Silverman shares:
"I've been in a lot of like very culty Star Trek, Voyager."
She talks about her transition from mainstream comedy to more niche projects, such as her own podcast, where she feels more freedom to express herself authentically without the constraints of traditional media.
Sarah Silverman states:
"That's why I'm doing this podcast now... I can really say anything."
The conversation also touches on her perspectives on fame, awards, and the legacy of her work. Sarah emphasizes the importance of intention and staying true to her comedic voice, regardless of external pressures.
Timestamp: [41:24] - [44:35]
As the episode wraps up, the hosts express their admiration for Sarah's talent and impact on comedy. They humorously discuss her new podcast and tease about incorporating some of her humor into their own projects.
Jason Bateman concludes:
"You're an absolute delight. You are a comic titan. I find you to be so consistently hilarious. You've made me laugh so many millions of times. So thank you."
Sean Hayes adds:
"It's all about intention. And her intention is good. She's a good person and she's going the right direction."
The episode ends on a high note, with mutual appreciation and laughter, leaving listeners with a comprehensive understanding of Sarah Silverman's journey, comedic philosophy, and personal anecdotes.
Jason Bateman at [06:18]:
"One of my favorite jokes that I have told many times... It's like a domino effect of jokes. It just like started and it was just non stop."
Sarah Silverman at [09:28]:
"I don't mind. I like when young people, like students or whatever, they teach me new language... I'm into that because I feel like they're always on the right side of history."
Sean Hayes at [24:54]:
"What the fuck happened to you as a kid that made you funny?"
Sarah Silverman at [40:45]:
"I just want to play. If I'm in a comedy, I want to be funny in it. And otherwise, you know, I just want to do interesting things."
This episode of SmartLess offers an in-depth and entertaining look into Sarah Silverman's life and career. From her beginnings in stand-up to her reflections on modern comedy's challenges, Sarah provides insightful commentary interspersed with her trademark humor. The hosts' genuine admiration and engaging conversation style make for a rich and enjoyable listening experience, capturing the essence of Sarah’s journey and comedic philosophy.