"RE-RELEASE: "Tina Fey"

Summary

SmartLess Podcast Episode: "RE-RELEASE: Tina Fey"

Release Date: May 15, 2025

In this special re-release episode of SmartLess, hosts Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett welcome the iconic Tina Fey as their mystery guest. The conversation delves deep into Tina's illustrious career, creative processes, work-life balance, and her perspectives on the evolving landscape of comedy. Filled with candid anecdotes, insightful discussions, and the trademark humor that SmartLess is known for, this episode offers fans a comprehensive look into the mind of one of comedy’s brightest stars.

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1. Career Journey: From Second City to SNL and Beyond

The episode kicks off with Tina Fey sharing her transition from performing to writing and back to performing, highlighting the pivotal moments in her career.

• Starting at Second City: Tina recounts her early days in Chicago, emphasizing the importance of improvisational theater in shaping her comedic style.

  “I started at Second City and met Amy Poehler and a bunch of other incredible talents.” [08:27]

• Landing on SNL: Tina discusses her initial challenges and eventual success at Saturday Night Live, thanks to her strong writing skills and perseverance.

  “I submitted my writer's packet to Adam McKay, and it paid off.” [10:17]

• Transition to Mean Girls and 30 Rock: The conversation moves to her breakout role in Mean Girls and the creation of 30 Rock, where Tina balanced multiple responsibilities as a writer, producer, and star.

  “Being the head writer and showrunner was insane but rewarding.” [07:50]

2. New Endeavors: "Girls5Eva" and Future Projects

Tina introduces her latest project, Girls5Eva, a comedy series about a girl group trying to make a comeback.

• About the Show:

  “Girls5Eva is about women in their 40s reuniting their girl group. It’s really funny.” [05:39]

• Cast and Creative Team:

  “The show stars Sara Bareilles and Renee Elise Goldsberry, both incredible talents.” [06:04]

• Creative Process:

  “Writing is only fun after it’s over, but performing is fun in the moment.” [14:57]

3. Balancing Work and Family

A significant portion of the discussion centers around managing a demanding career while maintaining a healthy family life.

• Pandemic Adjustments:

  “The pandemic was tough, but it was nice to be together as a family.” [40:54]

• Children’s Interests:

  “My daughter Alice might be interested in directing, but she’s not into performing.” [27:25]

• Exhaustion from 30 Rock:

  “30 Rock involved 18-hour days and was incredibly exhausting.” [40:06]

4. Insights on Comedy and Writing

Tina shares her thoughts on the current state of comedy, the challenges of writing, and the differences between performing and writing.

• Writing vs. Performing:

  “Writing is more work, while performing is enjoyable in the moment.” [12:19]

• Current Comedy Landscape:

  “It feels like comedy films are scarce, and the landscape has shifted towards streaming platforms.” [45:19]

• Influence of the Internet:

  “The Internet has become the great equalizer for discovering comedic talent.” [08:52]

5. Personal Anecdotes and Stories

The conversation is peppered with entertaining stories from Tina’s personal and professional life.

• High School Theater Horror Story:

  “In high school, our set caught on fire during a Dracula performance. My dad, a firefighter, saved the day.” [30:14]

• Casting Her Daughter:

  “I let my daughter audition for a role on Girls5Eva, and eventually, she got to be part of the show.” [28:12]

• Comedy Influences:

  “I’m a huge fan of Chris Redd and always admire his comedic talent.” [20:10]

6. Future Plans and Retirement Thoughts

Tina reflects on her desire to possibly retire or shift her focus, expressing readiness for a change after years of intense work.

• Considering Retirement:

  “I’m ready to retire, but writing is something I never want to stop.” [43:27]

• Interest in Travel:

  “I want to see a couple of places, but I’m increasingly just a homebody.” [44:27]

7. Final Thoughts and Farewell

As the episode wraps up, the hosts express their admiration and gratitude towards Tina, highlighting her impact on comedy and their personal appreciation.

• Hosts’ Admiration:

  “Tina is the funniest and most brilliant writer I know.” [47:47]

• Closing Remarks:

  “Thank you so much for taking your time to do this, Tina.” [46:53]

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Tina Fey on Writing:

  “Writing is like, it’s only fun to have written something. Like writing’s only fun after it’s over.” [14:57]

• Sean Hayes on Tina’s Leadership:

  “Tina, you’re such a great leader. Incredible leader.” [47:55]

• Tina Fey on SNL Casting:

  “Lorne is gloriously lazy about casting. He looks inside his own eyelids for who’s available.” [14:03]

• Tina on High School Theater Disaster:

  “The set caught on fire, and my dad, a fireman, saved the day.” [30:20]

• Jason Bateman on Social Media Influencers:

  “Is there still a way to make a bunch of money on social media? Influencers, right.” [25:19]

---

Conclusion

This SmartLess episode provides an intimate glimpse into Tina Fey’s multifaceted career and personal life. From her beginnings at Second City to her pivotal role at SNL, and now her latest endeavor with Girls5Eva, Tina offers valuable insights into the world of comedy and the intricacies of balancing professional success with personal fulfillment. Her candid storytelling and reflective thoughts make this episode a must-listen for fans and aspiring comedians alike.

Transcript

[Jason Bateman]

Hello, friends. Jason here. We are so excited that Smartless has officially joined the SiriusXM family. We can't wait to announce new surprise guests who we know that you'll love. And if you want to be the first to hear new episodes ad free and a whole week early, subscribe to SiriusXM podcasts plus on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial today.

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[Will Arnett]

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[Sean Hayes]

Sean, you'll never guess what we're going to do today.

[Will Arnett]

Are we going to record an episode? Did I just guess it right?

[Sean Hayes]

Well, first. Man, how many times? Baby steps. First thing we're going to do is we're going to welcome our audience and we're going to say, welcome to. Welcome to Smart List. Try to do it in time.

[Will Arnett]

Okay, sorry. One more time. One, two, three.

[Sean Hayes]

No, the moment's gone. Welcome to Smart lesson. Smart, Smart, Smart. Speaking of hydrating, did you. Do you run six miles yet today? Babin?

[Jason Bateman]

No, no. It'll be after this.

[Sean Hayes]

I didn't think so. Just looking at you, I didn't think so.

[Jason Bateman]

I'm holding a little water right now. Yeah, it's going to be after this session. So I got real tight. I got a heart out. In 55 minutes, I was on my.

[Sean Hayes]

I was boxing today. I did my. You know, I'm doing this. This thing. Boxing at home. I mean. I know. Listen, it's a tough guy thing.

[Will Arnett]

Obviously you box at home, like in your garage.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, like, just with boxes. Like, I'm just putting boxes together.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, beautiful.

[Sean Hayes]

What did you think I meant?

[Jason Bateman]

Do. You don't really have. You're not one of those dorks With a. With a heavy bag. A heavy bag hanging in your garage?

[Will Arnett]

That's gross. Are you really have one?

[Sean Hayes]

It's. It's not hanging. It's on a stand. I got one of these things on the ground.

[Jason Bateman]

He just tackles it.

[Sean Hayes]

Thoreau talked me into it. And then you look at Thoreau's arms. He's on the COVID of Esquire. Justin Thoreau. Thank you, Jesus.

[Jason Bateman]

Why haven't we had Justin on the show yet?

[Sean Hayes]

Because we want to talk about him more. We. We haven't talked about him enough on the show to then have him on.

[Will Arnett]

I would like. I met him like once or twice. Such a nice guy. But I don't know him like you guys do. I would love.

[Jason Bateman]

Okay, well, Will, which one of us. They can't really be surprised. One of us has got a.

[Sean Hayes]

Well, one of us is going to get on it and the other one's going to be surprised that the other one did it first. Look, anyway, we got to get to our guest. Our guest is an incredible writer. Performer. Started as a performer, became a writer, then started becoming a performer again. And the second I mentioned, one of the things you're going to be like, I know exactly who this is. We've talked a lot over the episodes with people who've been on snl. We haven't had anybody who's been on the anchor desk. This person was on the anchor desk for many years.

[Jason Bateman]

Tina. Tina, Tina, Tina, Tina.

[Will Arnett]

Tina.

[Sean Hayes]

She wrote Mean Girls.

[Jason Bateman]

Tina.

[Sean Hayes]

She wrote everything. She did everything. It's Tina.

[Jason Bateman]

Tina.

[Tina Fey]

Hi. My three buddies. How are you?

[Will Arnett]

Oh, look at her. She's outside.

[Sean Hayes]

You can't say anything and then not know that it's Tina.

[Tina Fey]

Thank you.

[Will Arnett]

Wait, are you in. Is that an outside area of your apartment that I never saw the outside?

[Tina Fey]

No, I have a. I have a weekend home now. Since the last I saw you, Sean.

[Jason Bateman]

There's no apartments in the Hudson Valley.

[Sean Hayes]

No, she weekends in the Hudson Valley. This is. Yeah, this is her weekend home.

[Tina Fey]

It's my weekend home.

[Will Arnett]

Tina, do you and I have the exact same frames?

[Tina Fey]

I think yours look black and white, mine look are a little tortoisey. And can I tell you something just so you know, like something what I'm dealing with here. There's an incredibly passive aggressive 9 year old out here with me who will not vacate the area.

[Jason Bateman]

Really?

[Tina Fey]

And she's playing some basketball, which is like, this is probably the first day in her life that she's chosen to play some basketball. And it's during this podcast.

[Will Arnett]

But that's okay. It's a great.

[Tina Fey]

Here it comes.

[Will Arnett]

It's great ambient sound.

[Sean Hayes]

Incoming. Incoming.

[Will Arnett]

It's great ambient sound.

[Sean Hayes]

So, Tina. So, Tina, tell me what. So, yes, we've all been at home for the last year or some version of home or in one of our many homes.

[Tina Fey]

Many, many.

[Will Arnett]

So relatable.

[Sean Hayes]

But. But do you. Do you. So what. What does that mean for you right now, getting back to it? Because you're always. I always feel like you're always create. I know you've just created a new show.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah, right.

[Sean Hayes]

That's about to start.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah, well, I just. We have a. I produced a show, it's called Girls5Eva that comes out on Peacock on May.

[Will Arnett]

Wait, what's it called?

[Tina Fey]

It's called Girls5Eva and it's a comedy. It's super funny and it's got. It's.

[Jason Bateman]

It starts you out with a laugh. There we go. Yeah.

[Tina Fey]

Girls 5 Eva, about a bunch of women who were in sort of a Danity Kane level girl group around 2000. And then I love that their song gets sampled now and they're like, should we. We're all 40. We should get our band back together. Right? And it stars.

[Jason Bateman]

It's a good idea.

[Will Arnett]

It's really funny.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah, it's really funny. It's. Meredith Guardino is the creator on it. And it stars Sara Bareilles, who is a delight. And her voice is ridiculous and she's incredible. And also she's like a lovely natural actress. And then Renee Elise Goldsberry, who you know from. Oh, I don't know. Fucking Hamilton. Will.

[Jason Bateman]

Jesus, you get the look off your face.

[Sean Hayes]

You're saying that because I'm the only. For so long, I was the only person who hadn't seen it. And it was my badger of honor because I was like, I want to see a fucking musical. Stop telling me it's so great. It's a musical.

[Jason Bateman]

And did you.

[Sean Hayes]

I get it. I did see it. It was great. Yeah, it was great.

[Tina Fey]

It was great. Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

I was wrong.

[Tina Fey]

And then. Wait, let me tell you, the other two ladies busy. Phillips.

[Sean Hayes]

Sure, sure. She's great.

[Tina Fey]

And American Treasure, Paula Pell.

[Will Arnett]

Oh, she's the best.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, my God. Paula Pell. We were just talking about Paula.

[Will Arnett]

So Paula, a writer on Saturday Night Live Forever and now. And not now, but always kind of an actress and now. But people are finally recognizing her.

[Tina Fey]

So that's great. Well, she's sort of. You know, we always joke with Paul that she finally aged into her type because she was always the kid at like 12 years old. She was in the play with gray spray in her hair. And that's. Now she's like, she's her actual type now. Gray spray acting just reeked of gray spray for 30 years of her life.

[Sean Hayes]

Sure. So, Tina, we have to do this because. And, but for you, it's, you know, obviously you hate going back over like, oh, this is what I did. But it's interesting to everybody who listens. And it's super interesting because not to embarrass you, but you're such a huge piece of the comedy landscape and have been for so long and you're such a great voice, incredible writer, incredible performer. You started. Yeah, I've just always.

[Jason Bateman]

There's a but. Hang on, Tina.

[Sean Hayes]

No, there's no but. Usually is very fond of you. And. And I, I'm such a huge fan, in awe of, of your talent. You started in. You moved to Chicago in early 90s.

[Tina Fey]

I. Let me think. Yeah, 90. I graduated in 92. Spring of 92. I graduated from the University of Virginia. So I think I moved in the fall of 1992. Yes.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. So you're from Pennsylvania and then you move. I know. So you move to Chicago. You start Second City, right?

[Tina Fey]

Yeah. So I went to UVA kind of randomly and then I went to Chicago and I started Improv Olympic first and class at the Second City. And that's where I met Amy Poehler.

[Sean Hayes]

Sure.

[Tina Fey]

And a bunch of other people that only Amy Poehler and I know. But like, but like Kevin Dorff and Brian Stack and Miriam Tolan. All those guys. Dratch. Rachel Dratch.

[Sean Hayes]

Dratch. Those were your contemporaries. I remember. Like, those were. That was kind of your crew, all those people.

[Jason Bateman]

So is it crazy that like three of those people end up on Saturday Night Live? I mean, that's, that's like the odds of that is crazy.

[Tina Fey]

I mean, it is and it isn't, I guess, because. Well, then at the time there's like the Groundlings. Stand ups. The Groundlings. And. And Second City were the places they looked. Now, you know, the Internet has become the great equalizer. And find people on YouTube. You find people on TikTok, presumably.

[Will Arnett]

I'm so surprised I didn't run into you.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah. You were a musical director. Well, you didn't run into me because I don't sing. Because you were a musical director out in the burbs, right?

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, in the burbs. But I was always downtown Chicago, always around the. I had some friends at Second City. I'm just surprised. We never.

[Sean Hayes]

And the bus station.

[Will Arnett]

The bus station, yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Wait, so, Tina. So you. That. Those are kind of your peeps. I know that. Like, Dratch and Amy and. And Stack and Miriam and all those kinds of guys were your.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah. And Horatio.

[Jason Bateman]

Another one.

[Sean Hayes]

Blazer. Like, all those kinds of people were there, too. Right. Like in Chicago, Glazer.

[Tina Fey]

I was Glazer's understudy. I was John Glaser's understudy. Yeah. And then he left to do Dana Carvey, right?

[Sean Hayes]

Yes.

[Tina Fey]

And I got to go onto the main stage when he left. Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

So then you move from Chicago to SNL, like McKay and those guys were kind of seniors when you guys were freshmen. Is that kind of the idea?

[Will Arnett]

Adam McKay.

[Tina Fey]

Exactly. Adam McKay was already head writer at SNL, and he. I submitted my writer's packet to him because I had been on stage at Second City and Lorne Michaels and Marcy Klein had come to scout talent and zero interest in me as a performer. So I was like, well, writer's packet it is.

[Will Arnett]

And then, just for people who don't know, Adam McKay was Will Ferrell's business partner and writer of SNL and writer of all these amazing movies. And then he directs crazy, huge movies now. And.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, now he directs a lot of, like, dramatic movies.

[Tina Fey]

He's an Oscar winner now, guys.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. Yeah. But also for Wisconsin, There is a. You can either be a performer or a writer on Saturday Night Live, and.

[Sean Hayes]

Sometimes you make the leap. You get hired as a writer. Like Sudeikis. I remember Sudeikis this first year was a writer.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah, Sudeikis was a writer. Did not want to be a WR writer. Conan was a writer.

[Sean Hayes]

The best part about Sudeikis being a writer and not wanting to be a writer was that he let everybody know. So in the best way. In the best way.

[Will Arnett]

Tina, did you? Did you. Were you one of those people that always dreamed of being on a Saturday night? Because I hear so many alums saying, oh, when I was a kid, all I ever wanted. And then they get their. And then their dream comes true and they're on Saturday Night Live.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah, it is. I. I feel like I so wanted to be on Saturday Night Live that to me, I would like to. It would be hard for me to understand meeting anyone who didn't want to do that.

[Will Arnett]

Right, right. Yeah.

[Tina Fey]

What do you mean you don't want to do that?

[Jason Bateman]

And then were you disappointed that they didn't. That they didn't select you for the performing part, or were you more comfortable writing?

[Tina Fey]

Anyway, I was always a bit more of a writer. Even the way I contributed to the company at Second City, I definitely was like an idea person. I wasn't someone. I didn't have that. That magic thing that Horatio Sands or Rachel Drash have where, like, they come out and you're just like, oh, this is gonna be good. Like, they just are sparkly, you know?

[Jason Bateman]

Don't you feel like, to a certain extent, like you're kind of. I don't know, this is gonna sound mean for performers, but you're kind of overqualified to be a performer. Like, it's really hard to be a writer, I think. Really hard to be a director. Less. Less hard to be an actor, because everybody does that every day anyway, whether you're an actor or not. I mean, people change their behavior when they're with their grandmother versus their best know how to adjust the way in which they come across. Like, that's acting. But writing, direct, I feel like that's really difficult stuff.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah, I mean, I think it is. It's more work, the writing and directing. It is like, people who are really good actors. Listen, acting is like 99% having a good face. It doesn't have to be a beautiful face. It's like an interesting face. It could be. You know what I mean? It could be. It could be Lupita Nyong' O. It could be Steve Buscemi. But you gotta have a face that people want to look at, right? And that's like 99% of it. And then the other, like, then 0.4% beyond that is talent.

[Will Arnett]

But I think you have that. I think, you know what you're saying about Horatio and Rachel, you have that thing too, where you come out and people are like, oh, my God, that's gonna be so good. Because it's you. It's Tina Fey. It was always fucking funny and always delivers. So I think people get just as excited.

[Tina Fey]

That's very kind. I think now I think I've, like, slowly worn people down. I think it's been like. It's mirrored my dating life in every way. I'm just like, I'll wear you the. I'll wear you down.

[Sean Hayes]

But, Tina, you gotta admit, like, in the best way. Like, you kind of Trojan horse them. Like, you know, Marcy and Lauren come in and they sort of like, okay. And they don't even see you or whatever. And then you come and you submit your packet. Obviously, McKay wants. You know, he knows that. How brilliant you are. You come, you start submitting on snl, and then you. Your talent just shows through and you end up getting it in spite of them and become like the biggest star on the show for many years. That's gotta feel kind of gratifying. I don't mean that in a shitty way, but it must feel like, yeah, I always knew I could do this in a real way.

[Tina Fey]

It was, you know. Yeah, the long grift sort of paid off. I mean, there's a couple factors. There's like the team of gay scientists that fix my appearance, you know.

[Jason Bateman]

That'S the title of your next series, by the way.

[Tina Fey]

And then like I always say, don't underestimate how gloriously lazy Lorne is about casting. Because this is like Conan. Like, do you think someone was like going all over town being like, where's a pasty seven foot redhead that we can put that we can give a talk show to? It's like, no, he was around the office being funny around the office. And that's the same thing happened here. It was like, we need to new update anchors. Like, let me look inside my own eyelids for like, who's available.

[Will Arnett]

Do you prefer one of the one over the other? Acting and writing, like, do you miss performing when you're not in a writer's room and vice versa.

[Tina Fey]

Writing is like, it's, it's only fun to have written something. Like writing's only fun after it's over.

[Will Arnett]

Right.

[Tina Fey]

And performing is like fun while it's happening. And then for me, if you're me, you usually look back after and go, oh yeah, that wasn't.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, that would include my. I would include myself in that. Yeah.

[Tina Fey]

Do you think that? Yeah, yeah.

[Will Arnett]

No, I just like, like I'm beat myself up all the time.

[Tina Fey]

Well, you're crazy.

[Will Arnett]

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[Jason Bateman]

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[Tina Fey]

Yeah, well, Chevy was first, right? He was mostly just that.

[Jason Bateman]

He was not a performer that much on the show, was he?

[Tina Fey]

Not too much. He was a little bit right. He did Gerald Ford and some commercial.

[Jason Bateman]

Is it common for the head writer to be the anchor?

[Tina Fey]

It is now. Cause Jost and Che are the head writers.

[Jason Bateman]

I think among Seth as well was yes.

[Tina Fey]

Seth was yes. Yeah. You know what I really did learn that time too was that I learned after Jimmy left and then Lauren was like, well, do you want to do it by yourself? And I thought like, well, I'm supposed to want to do it by myself, right?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Tina Fey]

And I think we even did like that. And then at the last minute, I was like, I don't want to. I want to do with Amy. And I realized that's where I learned I don't. I don't work a single.

[Sean Hayes]

Right. Yeah, I kind of remember that. I remember that first. That was a very late breaking decision.

[Tina Fey]

Very late. Rudely late.

[Sean Hayes]

And then it turned out to be obviously great. And you guys, that was such a exciting time for the show. You guys were so good and it was so much fun. And it was fun to have a front row seat to that. It was amazing. And then you guys at that kind of. Right. In that same year you guys were doing Mean Girls at the same time, that first year you started. Right. You guys were shooting while you were doing Update. Remember that? It was crazy.

[Tina Fey]

Maybe. I think you're probably. I'm going to assume that you're right about that. So many things I dragged to Trash. I don't remember a lot of things dragged to Trash. That's the name of my biography, but that seems right.

[Will Arnett]

Tina, is. Are you still a fan of snl? Of course you are. I'm sure you are. Is there anybody that you just are completely drawn to that's on now that you're like, want to work with or.

[Tina Fey]

Oh, yeah, well, that's. I am a fan. And what's really exciting now is my older daughter Alice is 15, and so we stay up and watch together. So that's fun to like, be at that age with her where she's into it, you know, and. Yeah, Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

I mean, does she go back and watch your episodes?

[Tina Fey]

No, no, no. Do your kids want to watch your stuff?

[Jason Bateman]

They don't give it up. My kids, my wife. No one thinks I'm doing anything but counting paperclips when I'm at work.

[Tina Fey]

Healthy, though. That's healthy, I think.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Tina Fey]

And they watch everything. They like. She watched parks and rec 100.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Tina Fey]

The office 100.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

[Tina Fey]

So, yeah, I mean, I'm still a fan of Keenan. That's never going to change. I think Chris Redd is super funny.

[Will Arnett]

Chris Redd Chris Redd was on Will and Grace and he was supposed to be a recurring character. And as they were trying to make his deal, he got a call like a week later, and like a week or two later, he's on Saturday Night Live. I was like, that's so crazy. He just did like a couple episodes of Will and Grace.

[Tina Fey]

That is Crazy.

[Jason Bateman]

So, Tina, how do you manage being so great, physically fit at what it is that you do? And physically, like, how do you decide where to point your. Your work? I mean, you can do so many different things, whether it's television or film or theater, musicals, on camera, behind camera. Like, I would imagine it would be somewhat burdensome to try to figure out what to prioritize.

[Tina Fey]

I mean, I think TV sort of where I'm most comfortable because I feel like it's the most interesting place right now. There's more interesting things happening in tv, especially for comedy. I feel like the movies is kind of glacial paced. And it's not that I don't want to do movies, but it also just feels like there's so many more chances for people to fuck it up in movies.

[Will Arnett]

Well, it takes seven years to make a movie.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, it takes seven years and takes seven years to shoot it. Don't you always find that, like, there's nothing more boring in a lot of ways than making a movie and being on a movie set? It's so slow, and it's not conducive to that immediacy that you have when you're making a show. When you've got to shoot nine pages in a day and you got to get the scene and you've got to move, it's got to be quick and. And that lends itself to being funnier rather than shooting one side of it, you know, for one day. And then, you know, you shoot like three eighths of a page. Like, there's the worst. And TV, you know, you did 30 Rock. You guys would jam through the. You'd have those huge packed days with just like a million scenes, and you just got to get it.

[Tina Fey]

Also, we all joke about, like, remember when we used to make 22 episodes of things? That's, like, ridiculous now. Like, everyone makes like three episodes, collects their awards.

[Will Arnett]

Don't you think those days are. Those days seem like they're over, don't you think?

[Jason Bateman]

The 22 episode days.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. Or 100 episodes of a show.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah, I think so.

[Jason Bateman]

What about writing books? Is that a good time pace for you or is that somewhat glacial as well?

[Tina Fey]

I just did that the one time, and I remember I was like doing 30 Rock at the same time I was doing. I think I started it. I remember I was on the set of Date Night with Steve Carell and I just had like a notebook on the set. I was like, yeah, I guess I said I would write this book. And then as short as that book is, I felt like, it near about killed me because, again, I don't work a single. And I was so used to having a writer's room, and I was like, not so much that it was more work, but it was just so vulnerable of, like, if this book comes out and people are like, boo, it's a hundred percent my fault. It's a hundred percent a rejection of me personally. It's not a novel. It's just like, here's what my deal is. And if people were like, booze it. I've never felt so nervous about anything.

[Will Arnett]

I walk into, like, a grocery store, and people go, boo.

[Jason Bateman]

Sure, boo.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, but that's.

[Sean Hayes]

That's just because they've seen your work. That's.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, that's what I'm saying.

[Sean Hayes]

Go ahead.

[Tina Fey]

Are you in, like, a old person's bathroom?

[Sean Hayes]

What is that, by the way? You should know. You should know. So this is my. My home booth, and these are actually handles for a bathtub. I'm no joke, because usually when I record, my real VO is I'm standing up, and I like to lean and hold on. So I had the guy get these, and they are for somebody who needs help getting in and out of a tub. Now, how much harder or what would you have to navigate to become. To do what you do today if you were starting out and you were 22 today and trying to get into comedy? Fuck. Right.

[Will Arnett]

Well, you get advice, right?

[Sean Hayes]

Not even advice. Just, like, what would you do to yourself? Like, what. How would you do it if you were graduating? I'm not necessarily saying hey to young writers out there. Listen, I'm like, literally, what would you do?

[Tina Fey]

Yeah, that's a good question. What would I do? I probably would be trying to blow up on TikTok or something, right? I would be cutting out the middleman, which. Listen, it's worked well in porn.

[Sean Hayes]

Sure.

[Tina Fey]

Who needs Hugh Hefner anymore, right?

[Will Arnett]

It seems like. I mean, unless I'm wrong, it seems like people on TikTok Tock really want to be in television or film, and the people in television or film aren't making that money anymore, so they want to go blow up on TikTok. It's. It's.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

Don't you feel that way?

[Tina Fey]

Yeah. I think broadcast TV especially doesn't mean, like, to my kids. That doesn't mean anything to them. Like, they don't. They don't understand what's happening.

[Jason Bateman]

Is there still. I'm gonna sound like a real old man here. Can you still, like, make a bunch of money on social media? Like, Saying, I like this kind of chocolate. I, I, I say this like, I think so, right? That's a whole industry, right?

[Tina Fey]

I think so, yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

Like taste. That's not, that's not what taste makers are called, is it, Is that influencers? Influencers, right. And, like, people have agents for that and stuff, dude, I think so.

[Sean Hayes]

Take yourself out back and just end it, man. This is fucking. By the way, this is a great opportunity to mention. You said chocolate, Jason, for us to mention Reese's. Jason's been asking me to reach out to the people at Reese's because he wants free peanut butter cups.

[Jason Bateman]

Because I just think he doesn't make.

[Sean Hayes]

Any money over on the Ozarks.

[Jason Bateman]

But I'm so sick and tired of hearing your dumb voice sell candy on tv. I'm like, if I gotta listen to it, if I gotta listen to it, then why don't you get me a free box of those, the peanut butter cups that are wrapped in peanut butter with the peanut butter inside. It's double, triple peanut butter. And I'm not sorry. Whatever it is. I need some of that for free for having to listen to your crap.

[Sean Hayes]

Great. Okay, I got it. I wrote it down. And they're obviously listening right now. So thank you. Everybody at Reese's in to Jason Bateman.

[Jason Bateman]

Should I give my address over the earth?

[Sean Hayes]

Number one, deadline Hollywood Way.

[Will Arnett]

Tina, did you ever imagine it would be this amazing being on this podcast?

[Tina Fey]

I mean, I thought about it, thought.

[Jason Bateman]

About saying no, and then thought about, yeah.

[Tina Fey]

My tip on Reese's, though, you know, this is my tip on all candy.

[Sean Hayes]

Sure.

[Tina Fey]

Whenever there's holiday candy where it's like the Reese's shaped like Santa Claus, always buy that candy because it's fresher.

[Will Arnett]

Fresher. Nice.

[Tina Fey]

Because they just made it. You could get a regular candy bar.

[Jason Bateman]

That's a good point.

[Tina Fey]

Could have been in the CVS for seven months.

[Jason Bateman]

Really good point.

[Will Arnett]

We, we often ask this question of, of people who are in the public eye who have children. Would you do your kids want to do what mom and or dad does? Or do you discourage them from getting it? Or you just say, follow your dreams and I'll support you?

[Tina Fey]

It's funny you should ask that. Our older daughter, you know, I think if anything, maybe would be interested in directing. I think she would be horrified to perform. And I never, like when she was a little kid. I think all little kids think they want to, and I think I let her be. I think she was in some still photographs. Alice, she played young Liz Lemon. But in a series of Photographs at the end of the end and end of 30 Rock. And. And that was like, that's enough. Like, let's keep it measured. And then this other one that you. That you now know what I'm dealing with. During the pandemic, it came up. We were for girls 5eva. We had to cast a kid to play Busy Phillips and Andrew Rannell's child, who is like a little YouTube villain. And I had always said about that one, I was like, you know what? That's a Nelly. I got a Nelly Olsen right here.

[Sean Hayes]

Jason knows Nellie.

[Tina Fey]

I know. Small world. Stand up. I believe me, she really. I loved her. Yeah. I remember, like, she became a stand up for a while, right?

[Jason Bateman]

I want to say Allison Ingram is.

[Tina Fey]

That dude, if you don't know.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, my God.

[Will Arnett]

Alison Arngrim.

[Jason Bateman]

Did I said that? I said it, right?

[Tina Fey]

Allison Arngram. Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Tina Fey]

There you go. Anyway, we. So I let her audition for this part because it was sort of like.

[Jason Bateman]

Wait, you made your daughter read?

[Tina Fey]

Of course I made her read. Yeah. Because I thought that was going to be the end of it. And then her audition was pretty good.

[Jason Bateman]

And I thought I was the bad parent on this.

[Tina Fey]

Oh, it's gonna get worse. And then. So then we had just. And then, you know, she did pretty well. And then there was another kid who was like an actual experienced kid. And we're like, well, this. And I'm. I was like, this will be good for her. She, you know, we hired the kid with more experience. And then. And so I had to tell her, like, well, you did really well. And I was making it up. I was like, you're in. You were in the top three. And. But, you know, we had. And then she was like. Basically was like, I didn't book it and you didn't book it. I was like, you're half tfa. And that bitch never booked anything. And so I was like, you didn't book it. But then, because it was the pandemic, this other poor kid, they were like, well, she can work as a local hire, but she's in Michigan right now. And the quarantine, it fell apart. And so then I was like, back up. All right, homegirl, you're up. So she's in it. And now we're faced now. And it was. At the time, it was like, you get to leave the house and get a test and work during quarantine. And I will say she was incredibly professional. I said she was like, a little bit like, mommy. She was like, very prepared and a little dead eyed. You've all acted with me. That's what it is. But she was good and a little dead eyed. Oh, my God, if she hears a clip of that, she'll murder me.

[Will Arnett]

So listen, Tina, I'm kind of obsessed with horrible theater stories and theater stories gone wrong. I have so many. Do you have, like a favorite of, like a play you were in or at Second City or something?

[Tina Fey]

Oh, a favorite theater horror story. I do have a pretty good theater horror story. It's from high school theater.

[Will Arnett]

Yes.

[Tina Fey]

So, okay, in my high school, I played Van Helsing in Dracula because feminism.

[Will Arnett]

Did you borrow Paula's gray spray?

[Tina Fey]

I probably did.

[Jason Bateman]

Nice callback.

[Tina Fey]

Nice callback. And so, okay, so let me think about this. So I was Van Helsing and Dracula, and we did like a total of two performances and everything went wrong. And I can't remember this story. Like, the first thing that kind of went wrong would be like, our theater was. Was a thrust stage and the seats went up. Is that arena so like, like tiered? Tiered, yeah. Like, so this. The stage was on the ground and the audience was up, and we had like a rubber bat on, like a very long string. Like, scene one. The bat's supposed to fly by. The bat gets stuck. It's just. Just dangling in on the stage. The rest of the night we're like, oh, that's not good. Then I give some big speech. There's this guy Harker says to me, like, professor, what is a vampire? And I give a speech. Like, I give like a page and a half speech of what is a vampire? And this kid was just like, not listening. So he goes, what is a vampire? And I give the whole speech. And at the end of it, he looks at me, he goes, but, professor, what is a vampire? Gave me the same cue again. Then the kid who played Dracula was this kid, John Doyle, who was like, very like Bon Jovi based. Like, his personality was Bon Jovi based.

[Jason Bateman]

Beautiful hair.

[Tina Fey]

Rocker hair. Beautiful hair. His mom was a hairdresser and his mom was also a professional Angelian impersonator. Side story.

[Will Arnett]

Anyway, let's get back.

[Jason Bateman]

We'll double back to that.

[Tina Fey]

We'll double back. And so John, you know, because he was like, he was like, oh, he takes rock singing lessons in New York. Like, he was a cool guy. He was not an athlete. And so there's a scene where there's a mirror and Dracula, like, sees the mirror and he's supposed to throw this like, chalice or something and smash the mirror. And so John being like, not an athlete. And in this open arena, like, I go, a mirror. And then he, like, throws the thing, misses the mirror entirely. So then I'm, like, trying to improvise. Like, what am I supposed to say? And then A full, like, 20 seconds later, a little techy kid comes out, like, in full view of the audience with a hammer from behind and smashes the mirror. Oh, at one point also. Then the set caught on fire a little bit.

[Will Arnett]

Jesus.

[Tina Fey]

There was like a little flash pot. And the fake rocks of the castle were foam and started to catch on fire. And then my dad, who was. Had been a fireman and does not. Did not fire around. He stood up and he was like, fire. And we were like, okay. Like, he stood up in the audience and yelled, this is like all act one. And then put the fire out. We continued. It's a longer story than you wanted. And then again, the techies, like, there's a part where, like, there's a techie just, like, in a bay window, just, like, in full view of the audience with a fog machine, just being, like, knowing he's just like a total hero. And then the end of the. The whole thing ended with, like, Van Helsing kills Dracula with a spike through the heart. And it was. And I'm down and I'm like, acting so. And I'm doing this whole speech and then I just hear laughter. And I was like, this. This can't be good. This is the end of the whole play. Because again, the stage flat audience here. I was like, lightning flashing. I'm killing the vampire. And I look up and just a toddler has wandered onto the stage toward me. And that's how not scary it was.

[Jason Bateman]

A toddler joined us.

[Tina Fey]

That's my story.

[Will Arnett]

That's hilarious. So I'm in New York right now, and every single time I'm in New York, that means I'm going to be walking a lot, and I mean a lot outside. So when I leave my apartment, I have to make sure I have a backpack or something on me with something that's going to hydrate me. And that's where Liquid IV comes in. No day bag is complete without Liquid IV. Break the mold and own your ritual. Just one stick and 16 ounces of water hydrates and better than water alone, providing three times the electrolytes of the leading sports drink. It's powered by Liquid IV Hydro Science, an optimized ratio of electrolytes, essential vitamins, and clinically tested nutrients that turn ordinary water into extraordinary hydration. Drink one before a workout when you're feeling run down after a long night out or whenever you need a little extra hydration throughout the day. Like I said, I put Liquid IV in a water bottle, I fill the water and I go out the door here in New York because I know I'm going to be out long. I need to drink something that's going to hydrate me and it's perfectly convenient. Ready up for a long day with extraordinary hydration from Liquid IV. Get 20% off your first order of Liquid IV when you go to liquidiv.com and use code smartless at checkout. That's 20% off your first order with code [e-mail].

[Jason Bateman]

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[Will Arnett]

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[Sean Hayes]

By the way, you mentioned your dad. I always think about this. I met your parents a couple times, but I remember your dad. I remember going to your wedding, and we had only met a couple times going to your wedding. Your dad described me as.

[Tina Fey]

He's like, that guy's Brooks Brothers handsome, right?

[Sean Hayes]

He said, no, he's an arrow shirt. Do you remember that?

[Tina Fey]

Yeah. My dad was very taken with Will. He's like, oh, God, that guy. That guy looks like an arrow shirt model.

[Sean Hayes]

But it was very specific. Do you remember arrow shirts, like in the Sears catalog? Like, that guy's an arrow shirt.

[Jason Bateman]

And I was like, yeah, they just made him for.

[Sean Hayes]

For.

[Jason Bateman]

For thick dudes. Is that what the. Was it special for?

[Sean Hayes]

Excuse me?

[Jason Bateman]

Nothing. Oh, no.

[Tina Fey]

Will was thin then. He was really thin then.

[Sean Hayes]

I was thin then.

[Jason Bateman]

I don't believe it.

[Sean Hayes]

I was really.

[Will Arnett]

Tina, because. Because of your theater background, would you ever want to do multi cam? Now for the audience? The difference between multicam and single cam is single cam. There's no audience multi cam. There's a live studio audience. That's when you hear laughing, like cheers and Will and Grace and Friends and Seinfeld and all those. Would you ever want to do a multicam? It seems like you'd be perfect for that.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah, I do think it would be so fun. I feel like in some ways it's hard to. Will and Grace was one of the last ones that, especially on NBC, they don't really do them so much anymore. And I also have reached an age where I can't really be photographed from the waist down. So, like. But I do think it'd be fun.

[Sean Hayes]

But wouldn't it be great to hear all that laughter through the masks?

[Will Arnett]

No, but. Or if you don't want to be in one, just, like, create one and write one. I think you'd be so amazing.

[Sean Hayes]

Are you saying that you want Tina to create a multicam for you?

[Will Arnett]

No.

[Jason Bateman]

What about. What about hosting a talk show? Would you ever do that? Tina, it seems to me like you'd be fantastic at that.

[Tina Fey]

Oh, thank you. I thought. I don't know that. I think I'm very shy. I think to me, it sounds super stressful. I've never wanted to pursue that I'm really shy too.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, we can tell.

[Jason Bateman]

I am. I don't like being the center of attention.

[Tina Fey]

Well, and also those kind of late night talk shows, like, that's it. That's a grind. That's like.

[Sean Hayes]

But you. I remember when you were doing 30 Rock. I mean, you came off SNL, which was a grind because you were head writer and you were doing Update and it was a lot, a lot, a lot. And especially leading right up till, you know, 2008 and everything that was going on. Oh, sorry. You were already doing 30 Rock at that point, but you were doing so much. Then you go to 30 Rock and it just kind of amps it up even more because you're showrunning 30 Rock and you're writing it all and then you're starring in it as well and having 16 hour days. So you're not pulling all nighters every night, but you are going 18 hours or 17 hours a day. Like that was fucking really rough. Right. For many years in there.

[Tina Fey]

It was insane. First of all, also, if you hear weird breathing sounds, it's the dog. It's not me. Listener.

[Jason Bateman]

She now has her dog. Her white. What is it? A cockapoo.

[Sean Hayes]

He's a poodle.

[Jason Bateman]

Straight poo.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah. Looking back, I didn't mean to say.

[Sean Hayes]

That you look tired in those years. I just meant to say more that I know that you were very exhausted. You talked about it like you were, like getting crushed.

[Tina Fey]

It was insane what we did. I don't know. We were just. I was what, 35 and had some juice left and doing 22 episodes? And also my baby Alice was one when we started. And it was crazy. It was crazy. Like, I look. I look back and shudder at just what we. Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

Did you enjoy the shutdown in the pandemic to kind of recharge a little bit or did you stay super duper busy?

[Tina Fey]

I wouldn't say I enjoyed it. I mean, like. Yeah, it's always one of those things where if you're like, oh, I'm lucky enough that nobody in my family died, so, like, it's okay, then just quietly say, like, it was nice that we were together.

[Jason Bateman]

I guess what I meant is enjoyed the. The period that you could not work.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

You know?

[Tina Fey]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Nice, right?

[Tina Fey]

Yeah, it's kind of nice. I think, like, I would. I'm. I'm ready to retire, guys. I'm ready.

[Sean Hayes]

I've been. Me too. By the way, I was saying the same thing. And I was saying. I was talking about it with certainly with Amy. Too, where she's been feeling the same way, which is just that feeling of like, oh, my God, you know, much like you kind of did the same thing. Had, you know, had Archie, went right into Parks and Rec. And those first few. When you have both your girls have those, like, little babies and you're working those insane hours on those shows, it's crushing. It's like, it's soul crushing because you're not at home as much as you want to be, and you've got little kids and you're trying to balance it all. It just.

[Tina Fey]

Right. And it's all, you know, nothing compared to someone who's doing all those same work hours on a job that they hate, that doesn't pay well.

[Sean Hayes]

No, no, no. Of course it's the same as being a working parent on any job, but, like, just in the sense that, like, of any working parent, especially working mom who's working any job that's taking them long stretches, whatever it is.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

And of course, there are a lot of people who could say, well, you get paid really well. Like, okay, sure. But, like, you're still working all those hours, you know, and. And it's. It's tough, you know, and it's hard to.

[Tina Fey]

Once you get to stop, it's hard to go back. Like, I've worked on a couple things. I did a little small part in this show that Steve Martin and Marty Short have, and it was that thing of like, and Your pickup is 5, 10, and you're like, oh, yeah, that used to be every day.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Tina Fey]

Especially for ladies because the hair and.

[Jason Bateman]

Makeup people have really gotten used to working at home, too. Right. In. In any occupation. I wonder how that's going to all transition back. I. I think.

[Tina Fey]

I know. I do like to go to an office.

[Will Arnett]

I like it.

[Jason Bateman]

Right. But five days a week, or would it be great? Like, just two days a week, three days a week? I feel like that's going to be the transition.

[Sean Hayes]

Sean, you like going to the office, too?

[Will Arnett]

I do. I. I prefer, like the old man, nine to five kind of one place, one stop shop.

[Sean Hayes]

Jason likes that, too.

[Jason Bateman]

I like a routine.

[Sean Hayes]

Jason likes that, too. We had this little company a couple years ago, we had this shared office, and he'd always be like, you fucking dick. We've got this off and you're never in here. And I go, well, yeah, my dad worked his ass off for 40, 50 years. I don't want to have to do that. Why do you think I do what we do? So that I can not go to an Office. So you know what I did? I found a portrait of myself and I put it behind my desk so he could look at me even when I wasn't there. That's a true story.

[Jason Bateman]

That. That really was counting paperclips at that place.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, it really was.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

So, Tina, like, you joke about retiring, but of course you're never gonna wanna stop writing, and you're never gonna wanna stop doing that kind of. Wow. Oh, really?

[Tina Fey]

No, come on.

[Will Arnett]

Wait. So wait, Tina, what would you do, though? Is there anything, like, picture the girls are grown and out, and it's you and Jeff and you're at home and what, you still would be writing, or is there something that you'd wanna be doing? Or.

[Tina Fey]

I wonder. I so wonder. It's like that thing of you, you know, the improv training, right? You go back to it and it's like, when do you enter a scene? This is the trick, the thing that trips people up. Does anyone remember, like, when are you supposed. And the answer is when you're needed. It's the only time you're supposed to enter. You're not supposed to enter because you have a funny idea. You're not supposed to enter because it's going well and you want a piece of it.

[Jason Bateman]

What about the notion of, like, you and Jeff just doing just globetrotting and having some wanderlust, and once you guys become empty nesters, just start traveling the world and knocking down and getting all cultured? Is that something that's appealing to you, or are you as soft as I am and you need CNN and thread count?

[Tina Fey]

Oh, yeah. I want to see a couple places, but I don't need to see everywhere.

[Sean Hayes]

I know.

[Tina Fey]

I'm increasingly just a homebody. I know. You know what I wish one of us should write is, like, someone should try to be Neil Simon. Right? Like someone should write a play.

[Jason Bateman]

I nominate you.

[Tina Fey]

As if that's easy to do, but like, to write a comedy, a hard comedy. Cause I'll tell you what, I go to these Broadway plays and what passes for a joke, Sean, right. Is like mentioning Brooklyn is a joke.

[Will Arnett]

Just the word. And that you have to do it out. You have to play it out. Brooklyn.

[Jason Bateman]

What about the films that Neil Simon, they adapted and became great. You know, like California Suite.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah, California. Sweet. Goodbye Girl is one I like.

[Jason Bateman]

And the Blake Edwards stuff. I mean.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, what about those.

[Jason Bateman]

Those big commercial films? I mean, someone's got to write them, Tina. They don't write themselves.

[Sean Hayes]

Nobody goes to that shit.

[Tina Fey]

I don't think they make comedy Films anymore. They make. Like.

[Jason Bateman]

We put them on Netflix. Let's. Let's do that.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

I don't know, man. You. Why? I saw some poll online today. It was like, if you could only live with three of these film franchises, which one would it be? And it was like, Marvel, Star wars, like Harry, you know, all. Harry Potter, like, all these. And I was like, wait, that's what it's become? That's it. Those are the film that, man.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

And nobody's funny. This is crazy. I can't wait for the letters and the comments. Oh, nobody's funny anymore. Wait. Yeah, okay. Yeah, you're hilarious. I love it. Bring it on.

[Jason Bateman]

You're not saying that. You're saying that comedies are not in the theaters anymore. Really?

[Sean Hayes]

Yes, that's what I'm saying. Nobody's making comedy films.

[Tina Fey]

No one's gonna make, you know, the in laws now, the original in laws.

[Sean Hayes]

No, nobody's making. You can't make Rushmore today. Nobody's making Rushmore.

[Tina Fey]

You'd make it for Netflix.

[Jason Bateman]

I guess, but I'm fine watching it at home on my couch. I don't. I don't need to drive to a theater to see that, Right? I mean, I go to a theater to see some big, huge format, right? A big IMAX thing or something.

[Tina Fey]

You come ask them.

[Jason Bateman]

Is that Penelope?

[Tina Fey]

What's your question? How much longer?

[Sean Hayes]

Okay, we're almost done. Sorry. We're almost.

[Will Arnett]

Wrap it up now. We're wrapping up.

[Sean Hayes]

Your.

[Jason Bateman]

Your agent looks real young. Yeah, we are. We are past our hour here.

[Sean Hayes]

I know we've been taking up way too much of your time. I'm sorry that we're keeping you from the fact. Because I want to keep you on. I want. I just want your opinion on everything. I feel like anytime I get your opinion, it feels like it's really the right one.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

So that's why we've been keeping you around.

[Tina Fey]

But opinions are all I have anymore. Go.

[Sean Hayes]

No, it's so good. You're.

[Jason Bateman]

We're going to dismiss you, but we're going to reserve the right to call you back with any questions we have.

[Sean Hayes]

That's right.

[Tina Fey]

Anytime, guys.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, you're the best. Thank you so much for taking your time to do this.

[Will Arnett]

I love you, Tina.

[Sean Hayes]

You're the best.

[Tina Fey]

I love all three of you.

[Jason Bateman]

Love you, Tina. Go have fun with the rest of your day with that sweet girl.

[Tina Fey]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Okay.

[Will Arnett]

We're gonna let you go.

[Tina Fey]

All right, guys.

[Jason Bateman]

Love you, Tina. Thank you.

[Sean Hayes]

Thanks, Tina. Bye.

[Tina Fey]

Bye, buddies.

[Jason Bateman]

Boy, just another.

[Sean Hayes]

She wanted to get off there at the end.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. Do you think she gave a cue to Penelope to come in and say, okay, now this is the time where I need you?

[Tina Fey]

No.

[Sean Hayes]

I bet she was. She had it.

[Jason Bateman]

No, she, she.

[Will Arnett]

Everybody knows who she is. Everybody knows how brilliant she is. Everybody knows. Everybody's a fan. It seems like that's the one person everybody can agree on. Right? That's. Oh, my God. She's.

[Jason Bateman]

I would like to find the person that. That doesn't like Tina Fey. Like, who? Who. Who? Yeah, Who's. Who's that person?

[Sean Hayes]

How could you possibly not. Yeah, I know. She's the most. She's just so freaking funny. She's such an unbelievable writer and a great joke writer. I mean, just the funniest.

[Jason Bateman]

Doesn't take herself or anything too seriously.

[Sean Hayes]

The funniest joke on everything.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, it's.

[Sean Hayes]

It's scary. It's intimidating.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, she's. She.

[Sean Hayes]

It must be for someone, you know, for you guys, a great.

[Jason Bateman]

A great leader. Seems like a great leader.

[Sean Hayes]

Incredible leader.

[Will Arnett]

I'm very drawn to her.

[Sean Hayes]

It was great. Sean, you were on. You were on 30 Rock a few times or once?

[Will Arnett]

Just once. The finale of that first season.

[Sean Hayes]

Just once.

[Jason Bateman]

Well, you were on it a bunch of times, weren't you?

[Sean Hayes]

I guess. Well, that's what the four Emmy nominations tell me. But, you know.

[Jason Bateman]

Wait, what? Come on.

[Sean Hayes]

It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter.

[Jason Bateman]

Wait a second.

[Will Arnett]

Is that true? Is that true?

[Jason Bateman]

Honestly? Were you on for four seasons?

[Will Arnett]

But did you get nominated four times?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

Congratulations.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, four.

[Will Arnett]

Congratulations.

[Jason Bateman]

Wait, so. Guess so. So you do. You did four episodes. You got nominated for all four?

[Sean Hayes]

No, I did more than four episodes. I did a bunch. I did, like the first season. I did one or two. It was not their first season. It was like.

[Will Arnett]

So do you want me to do an impression of your mom really quick?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, go ahead. Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

Well, it would have been more impressive if you won.

[Sean Hayes]

That's true. That's very true. Should be much more impressed if I had won. Yeah, she's listening. No, we can keep it my. You know, the first time. Jason, you know, this story. The. We were coming back. The Arrested Development had won the comedy. The Emmy for best comedy and 2004, whatever that was. And the next day, it was. That was a Sunday night. The next Monday, we had to be at work early. You and I were in that scene. Do you remember? We had the Emmy. Those guys. Chuck Martin brought his on set. We were so excited that we won, improbably because we were such a low rated show and I'm driving to the Fox lot from Venice and my mom calls and it was like 6am LA time. And I've been up until 3 because.

[F]

We were so excited.

[Sean Hayes]

I was like, oh my God. Did you watch, did you see the Emmys last night? No, we won. And she goes, I did. Now your sister is going through. And then just complete. I was like, okay. It was a very sort of Canadian. Like the whole idea is always like, don't get too big for yourself.

[Jason Bateman]

Right.

[Sean Hayes]

You know, and don't like, oh, you think that you're better than anybody else. Like, I, I guess I don't. I'm sorry, I don't. I think I'm worse. And like, there we go. That's more like it. You know, the idea. Have you ever heard the story about the two lobster fishermen, one Canadian, one American, walking down the road and the American lobster fisherman says to the Canadian, he says, I noticed that you don't have a lid on the, on your lobster pot. Thereby, aren't you worried that your lobster is going to get out? And the Canadian says, no, these here are Canadian lobsters. If one of them tries to get out, the other ones will pull them back down. That's Canada. Oh, Lord, that's Canada. That's what I grew up in.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, bless.

[Sean Hayes]

And I love Canada. I love it to death. And I grew up like that too. It's a very. There's a very sort of. Anyway, I don't know.

[Jason Bateman]

Speaking of Canada, have you given any thoughts. I imagine you're gonna book the guest for our. For our Toronto stop for our. For our tour. Our. Our tour. Which listener? It does look like it's firming up. It does look like we're gonna, we're gonna actually do this and we're gonna go to a few cities just inside the new year. Just inside the new year 2022 and.

[Sean Hayes]

We'Re starting the tour in Toronto.

[Jason Bateman]

Is that right?

[Sean Hayes]

Eh, we can say that. Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

And then some New York and some Boston, some Chicago, some Madison, some la. Is that right?

[Will Arnett]

I think that's right. Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

So who would we let. Can we. Will you try to.

[Sean Hayes]

I have a couple people in mind that I want to have for Toronto. You know, I know that we should.

[Jason Bateman]

Start taking suggestions for guests.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, we should.

[Will Arnett]

Idea.

[Sean Hayes]

Does saying the expression tap Lincoln bio, does that mean anything?

[Jason Bateman]

Tap link in bio. Who's Lincoln bio?

[Sean Hayes]

That's what, that's what you say on like Instagram, you know.

[Will Arnett]

Oh, tap link in bio. You know what else they say sometimes on Instagram don't you do it?

[Jason Bateman]

Not yet. We're still talking.

[Sean Hayes]

We're still talking. Jesus Christ.

[Jason Bateman]

He gets so excited when he figures out a pie.

[Will Arnett]

Perfect.

[Sean Hayes]

I know. It would have been perfect, but we need. We have a few more things that we need to do about the tour, to talk. Because the tour is becoming a reality.

[Will Arnett]

Yes, yes.

[Sean Hayes]

Sean, do you have a person in mind for Chicago?

[Will Arnett]

I do, I have several, but I don't want to say them out loud.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, don't say them out loud yet.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. How are we going to decide who's booking what cities?

[Will Arnett]

Well, why don't we.

[Sean Hayes]

Well, here we have to do dibs. And I'm. I want to do dibs. You ready? Toronto and Wisconsin.

[Will Arnett]

Oh, you want Madison, you're going to take. I want Madison, even though it's my sister.

[Jason Bateman]

Wait, but we got. Are we going to Madison? Strictly to see Sean's niece. Nephew.

[Will Arnett]

My sister.

[Jason Bateman]

Your sister.

[Sean Hayes]

And how could Tracy be his nephew?

[Jason Bateman]

Man, I've met a couple of Tracy dudes.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, I do, too. Yeah, yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

But all these guests need to be sort of germane to the location. Yes, that's right.

[Sean Hayes]

That's right. That's the whole idea, is we're gonna have guests who are germane, hopefully like a very sort of organic, not shoehorned in pick. So think about it. I think that what we got to do is though, we gotta make sure.

[Jason Bateman]

Here it comes. You have a buy.

[Will Arnett]

But for the tour, though, if you want to talk about the tour.

[Sean Hayes]

No, I'm not saying that there's rules. I'm not saying that there are rules to this. I'm just saying that you have to check the by laws so bad.

[Jason Bateman]

Okay, goodbye.

[Sean Hayes]

Smart, smart laws.

[Jason Bateman]

Hey, friends. Jason here. We're so excited. The smartless has officially joined the SiriusXM family. We can't wait to announce new surprise guests who we know that you'll love. If you want to be the first to hear new episodes ad free and a whole week early, subscribe to SiriusXM podcasts plus on Apple Podcasts or visit siriusxm.com podcastsplus to start your free trial today.

[F]

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