
Ladies and gents, it’s our pal Tig Notaro. Party bits, dabbling for decades, a lesbian flying a helicopter, and a dream come true. Pop on your eagle jacket and hop in your Zamboni; it’s an all-new SmartLess.
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Jason Bateman
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Sean Hayes
Rosetta Stone's immersive lessons guide you to think in a new language from day one. There's a reason why Rosetta Stone has been a leader in language education for over three decades. So I'm gonna check in with Scotty about his goals using Rosetta Stone to learn German. And I need to sit down with him and set goals because I can't wait till he starts speaking in German. I think that's really. It's one of the greatest languages in the world. I could riff on that for a while, but I'd just get back to the call to action. Today, smart listeners can take advantage of Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership. For 50% off, visit rosettastone.com smartless that's 50% off. Unlimited lifetime access to 25 language courses@rosettastone.com smartless While Hilton is always expected to have top notch service, you'd be surprised at the unexpected places they're offer. They've partnered with Auto Camp, which offers insanely cool Airstreams and iconic outdoor destinations. Hilton also has an exclusive partnership with small luxury hotels of the world, providing Hilton Honors members access to over 300 luxury boutique hotels across the globe. And they've added romantic and refined nomad hotels and graduate hotels in your favorite college towns to their portfolio. Explore all the new ways to stay with those Hilton Honors points you've been saving@hilton.com, hilton 4 this day. Hey guys. Welcome to the show today. Hope you're feeling really good. I got a hat on. You guys. Don't. Are you jealous of my hat?
Will Arnett
I've got a microphone though. I'm ready to go with a microphone and a couple of headphones here. Let's.
Jason Bateman
And that just leaves me. And all I got is a really bad attitude.
Will Arnett
Oh, no. And a bad speech thing we're doing.
Jason Bateman
Welcome to the smart list.
Will Arnett
Oh boy.
Jason Bateman
Smart.
Will Arnett
Smart.
Jason Bateman
Smart.
Will Arnett
You know, Sean, you look like you look a little bit more blonde today.
Sean Hayes
I know. I got.
Will Arnett
Did you do a rinse this morning?
Sean Hayes
No, I got a Haircut yesterday. And. And I didn't color it. I got to color it. It's a little try.
Jason Bateman
I. I saw Sean yesterday, happened to be at cvs and he was buying. He bought three things of sun in and he. Bunch of sun and it is a.
Sean Hayes
Little lighter than normal and I don't like it. So I'm going to color it a little bit now.
Jason Bateman
Wait, but what color? Sorry, go ahead. You go ahead.
Will Arnett
Sorry. Yeah, because I. Hang on a sec. Will, this is important. What kind of color Schevo, though? Skew. The greatest name of hairdressing. Yeah. Sean, what is the color that one tries to target usually? Is there a name for it?
Jason Bateman
A name for it?
Sean Hayes
There's no name.
Will Arnett
Burnt sienna.
Sean Hayes
No, it's like number five and number two or whatever they have.
Will Arnett
Yeah, well, you blend. It's a blend.
Sean Hayes
It's a blend. But I know you don't like when I color my hair. But I like it.
Will Arnett
Well, you. Well, I want. I like what you like. Um, but I just want to make sure you know that I need no color to love you any more than I do.
Sean Hayes
Well, that's true.
Will Arnett
I'm at Max.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm still reeling. I can't believe you blend five and two. I honestly, I think the coloring world is going to be. I'm going to have to call Eli. Our buddy Eli. Thomas Skeva. We should have a conference of all the hair guys we know. We'll get McMillan in there.
Will Arnett
Old, sweet, sweet Chris.
Jason Bateman
Chris McMillan. And. And we'll bring them all in.
Will Arnett
Is Skevo short for anything?
Sean Hayes
No, he is a shorter fellow, but. No, his name. His full name is Scheven.
Jason Bateman
I met it.
Will Arnett
Do you call him anything for short? What would be Chef? Hey.
Jason Bateman
Oh, sometimes you drop the O, huh? What? Like if you're in a rush.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
If you just gotta. If you're running a bunch of errands.
Will Arnett
And what's his last name? Because usually last name's more spicy than the first.
Sean Hayes
I'm gonna tell you right now. We can cut out this pause while I look it up.
Jason Bateman
Please, please be Miller.
Sean Hayes
His last name is Zamba. Zambila. Zambila.
Will Arnett
Zamboni.
Sean Hayes
Zambilis.
Jason Bateman
Would you say that you guys are tired?
Will Arnett
Hey, Will, by the way, I played golf the other day with the guy whose grandmother. I believe I'm getting this right. Semi right. Reinvented the Zamboni.
Jason Bateman
Oh. Oh, I've played. I've played golf with that guy, too.
Will Arnett
Yeah, and it happened down here in, like, Paramount, California. Surprisingly not In Canada.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Will Arnett
And, Tracy, the Zamboni is the machine, the little. The sweet little car or truck or minivan that you drive over the ice rinks to make it smooth and.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Will Arnett
And shiny.
Jason Bateman
Cleans the ice, use, you know, hot water and thing, and then drags and smooths it out. It's the one thing for hockey that's hurt it in terms of viewing because they have to ice between periods, and therefore, the intermissions are so long. And it's Pedetria. It's, you know, 20 minutes. And it's detrimental.
Will Arnett
There is no alternative. Why don't they get two out there?
Jason Bateman
They do. They generally do pro games. They do. Yeah.
Will Arnett
Maybe they need three.
Jason Bateman
They might need three. I don't know.
Sean Hayes
I was. You know.
Will Arnett
Wait, Sean's got something on this.
Jason Bateman
Yep.
Sean Hayes
Well, Michelle Pfeiffer's character's name in Greece, too, was Stephanie Zanoni. I always thought it was Zamboni.
Jason Bateman
Huh.
Sean Hayes
So, listen, we.
Jason Bateman
Sorry, do you want to go down. Do you have a list of stuff you misheard over the years?
Will Arnett
Okay, dudes. Every once in a while, we get to have a guest on that is also our friend. Today is one of those days. I love every moment I spend with this woman and always wish for more. She's funny, but never on. She's kind and warm, but never one of those smiley creeps. She's done movies, television, radio, podcasts, written a bestseller. She's been nominated for Emmys and Grammys. She's got two kids, one wife. She started in Mississippi, and now she's right here. Say good morning to the great Tig Notaro. Tig.
Sean Hayes
Oh, Tig.
Will Arnett
Tig.
Sean Hayes
Tig Notaro. There she is.
Tig Notaro
I love that I was described to a tee and Sean's still like, who could this possibly be?
Will Arnett
Yeah, I had to zip through it.
Tig Notaro
Yeah, you sound remotely familiar.
Jason Bateman
I knew you didn't know. I knew and I knew, and I didn't say anything because I didn't want my disappointment to come through the microphone so early. I didn't want my. And not even disappointment.
Will Arnett
Outrage now. Hey, Tig.
Sean Hayes
Tig, your hair's growing out. It looks good.
Tig Notaro
Oh, I just started today. I'm surprised you noticed.
Will Arnett
No way has it grown out.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, you really pushed our hair.
Tig Notaro
I just started growing it out today. I woke up and I was like, you know what? I'm gonna grow my hair out. And I can't believe you noticed.
Jason Bateman
Day one. Please do one of those things. You take a snapshot every day for 365, and then put it together as a video and set it to a really sad song.
Tig Notaro
Okay.
Will Arnett
Hey, Tig, speaking of sad songs, are both your parents still with us?
Tig Notaro
All three are dead.
Will Arnett
Three?
Sean Hayes
Three.
Tig Notaro
Well, I had a stepfather that raised me, and, in fact, not only is he dead, but he's not coming back. He has no way back to town. A couple of years ago, when he died, and we were having his funeral in Mississippi, it was an outdoor burial. And we were talking to. The priest, was saying, how do you want to do this? It's more casual outside. I said, well, I was going to say something. And my brother said, well, I'll go first. I'll just say something really quick. And he walks up, and he fell into a grave.
Will Arnett
No, no.
Tig Notaro
Yes, he did.
Sean Hayes
Is that true?
Tig Notaro
It is very true. And my entire family is sitting there, and you just go, oh, shit. Oh, my God. And my brother. And there's, like, this tarp over the hole. And you just see my brother slowly.
Will Arnett
It.
Tig Notaro
Like, it caught him a little bit, but he's slowly going down. And.
Will Arnett
Yeah, I mean, that would be overwritten in a comedy.
Tig Notaro
I know. It's too much. And we're trying to help it out.
Jason Bateman
Had he had a few. Had he had a few.
Tig Notaro
No, no, it was.
Will Arnett
No, he's just blind.
Tig Notaro
No, they. The place messed up. They were supposed to put plywood over it. And you see the people from the. From.
Sean Hayes
I love that the. I love that the lawsuit says that place messed up. We're suing you because you messed up.
Tig Notaro
That's the legal terminology. Yeah, we messed up. We messed up.
Will Arnett
What was the effort, like, getting him out? Was it tough to get him out?
Tig Notaro
Well, we were like, oh, my gosh. Trying to help him out. He's like, no, no, no, I'm okay. And he's pulling himself out like the Night of the Living Dead, like, with his dirty suit just grab. You know, grabbing dirt and gr. Trying to pull himself out of the hole. Like, he was not gonna let anybody pull him out.
Jason Bateman
Have you ever had a nightmare with that? Has that imagery ever come back to you, like, sort of?
Tig Notaro
No, that was like a dream come true. That was a nightmare. That was like, oh, my God. I couldn't believe my stepfather did not get to see that happen.
Jason Bateman
Right. You couldn't believe your luck that you got to witness it, too.
Tig Notaro
Well, and immediately I thought, oh, my God, this must happen all the time. And then I was like, wait, this can't happen all the time in Mississipp.
Jason Bateman
In Mississippi is the end of that sentence.
Tig Notaro
And people Ask. They're like, oh, how come? What's it with, you know, all of these stories from the south and Mississippi? And I'm like, I have no idea. But I truly just show up, look around and head home with stories like that. I really.
Will Arnett
Well, was that. What about. Is that. Did you. Was army of the Dead about zombies? You did an army of the dead.
Tig Notaro
Ooh, good transition. Army of the Dead. I did do army of the Dead, Yeah. In fact, I did it on green screen.
Will Arnett
Right. Because famously, you replaced a fella on that. Right.
Tig Notaro
Yes.
Will Arnett
And so you had to shoot everything on green screen, and then they superimposed you into a film that was already shot.
Tig Notaro
That's right. Yeah. Easy.
Will Arnett
And then. Were there zombies in it?
Tig Notaro
There were. There were zombies in it.
Sean Hayes
So were you like, ah, Ah. But nothing was there.
Tig Notaro
Oh, Sean, you saw the movie, I guess.
Will Arnett
Well, I've done clearly red for it.
Sean Hayes
I've done some good screen acting.
Will Arnett
Yeah.
Tig Notaro
Yeah. I had to. I flew the escape, like, the helicopter to get in.
Will Arnett
I've got to take off.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Tig Notaro
And I had to. That's not my typical, you know, acting role where I'm yelling things and fighting things and had to do it all.
Sean Hayes
Screen, screen. Literally, like, three feet away. Is craft service just three feet away.
Tig Notaro
Yeah. Every scene you see me grabbing a donut and it's all on camera.
Will Arnett
But you didn't have to. You weren't a zombie yourself. You didn't have to get into any zombie makeup, did you?
Tig Notaro
No, I was just. I think a lesbian.
Jason Bateman
Zombies aren't flying a helicopter.
Will Arnett
Just a lesbian flying a helicopter. Is that what you said?
Tig Notaro
Yeah, I think that's what I am and everything.
Will Arnett
No take. Now. What about in Star Trek?
Tig Notaro
I'm a lesbian in space.
Will Arnett
There's lesbians in space.
Tig Notaro
There are now.
Will Arnett
There are, yeah. Now, do you have to wear any alien makeup in Star Trek?
Tig Notaro
No. No. In fact, they barely put any makeup on me, I think, because they really want to.
Sean Hayes
They're just gobs of lipstick and, like, really big eyelashes.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Will Arnett
Or you just sexually active?
Tig Notaro
Massive cleavage, too. No.
Will Arnett
Truly.
Sean Hayes
No, no, no.
Tig Notaro
My tits are in a dumpster.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Will Arnett
In Hollywood, isn't that the title of your new special?
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Will Arnett
All right. Hey, Tig, let's go back to the very beginning. All right, so we're in Mississippi. All right? We're in Mississippi.
Tig Notaro
Everyone's alive.
Will Arnett
Everybody's alive. Everybody's happy.
Sean Hayes
That's a good way to start.
Will Arnett
Now, but you did start as a rock band manager type of promoter. I'll help you get on stage and. From city to city type of person.
Tig Notaro
Yes, yes, yes.
Jason Bateman
Dude, have you ever spoken English before?
Will Arnett
What the fuck is going on? I'm such a journalist. No, but, but, you know, I do, I do love that about our show. Every once in a while, as I said in the. In the intro, we get a friend on here and I end up learning so much more about them than I've ever learned in our personal life.
Jason Bateman
And why do you think we should ask?
Will Arnett
I don't ask.
Jason Bateman
I'm gonna side for a second. You do. You don't ask questions about other people, right?
Will Arnett
Hey, Wayne. Keep it quiet, Wayne.
Jason Bateman
You know what I mean?
Will Arnett
So. So. But what about this? So you were. You managed bands?
Tig Notaro
Well, I really love music and I play a little guitar, a little drum.
Will Arnett
Drums. Yeah, I read that. I read that.
Sean Hayes
And you're a lesbian, you said.
Tig Notaro
Just, I'm a lesbian, so.
Jason Bateman
Oh, just a little bit. Sorry, I. I got confused.
Tig Notaro
And these.
Will Arnett
These are drums with sticks. Not the hand drums.
Tig Notaro
No, no, no, no, no. That's. See, I'm still dabbling as a lesbian, so I'm playing actual drums. Once you cross over, then you start doing drum circles and stuff. Yeah, I've been dabbling for decades. Not sold on it, but. But yeah, I. I was too shy to perform. I tried and it was nerve wracking. And so my first girlfriend played in a band and so I just started booking the band and working in music. In the music.
Jason Bateman
How long was that? You did that?
Tig Notaro
I don't know. Maybe three years.
Will Arnett
And are we driving around in a van? Are we? Yeah.
Tig Notaro
Wow. Like, we went on tour in a van. You mean like that? Like when we were touring? Yeah, we were in a van. One time we actually rented a friend of ours, Bronco. And while we were on tour, the hood flew up and like bent in half.
Will Arnett
And you couldn't see anything.
Tig Notaro
We couldn't see anything.
Will Arnett
Oh, my God. That's my worst nightmare. I. I literally thought about that just the other day. I was watching. I could have sworn the hood was vibrating a little bit. I thought, what if this thing flies up? It's like a Chevy Chase.
Sean Hayes
It could have like an SUV type of thing.
Tig Notaro
Yeah. But it was like an old Bronco.
Sean Hayes
And so if the top goes off, why can't you see? Because there's still a windshield.
Jason Bateman
The hood, the hood.
Sean Hayes
The hood, the hood. Sorry, sorry, I thought you meant the roof of the car.
Jason Bateman
Are you catching every. Are you catching every third word?
Sean Hayes
What about. Actually about every fourth word?
Will Arnett
So now. But Tig, what Kind of music.
Jason Bateman
What kind of music did. Was the. The band or. The band?
Tig Notaro
You know, I mean, folk. Folk rock, of course. Of course.
Will Arnett
So. But now. But you decided to. To help this band out because you wanted to have a seat that exposed to the spotlight. But then while you're doing this, you said, well, hang on a second. Maybe I actually want to be up front again. I want to do standup now. Where there's nothing between you and the audience.
Tig Notaro
Yes. Well, what happened? I moved my very good friends that I grew up with that are still very close to me. We moved from Denver. We were living in Denver at the time, and we moved from Denver to la, and they moved there to pursue TV and film. And I was newly out of a relationship and I was like, well, I guess I'll just go with you. And so I went. And then when I got there, I saw in the LA Weekly all of the different opportunities to do standup, which had been my top secret dream.
Sean Hayes
Oh, about that.
Will Arnett
Even though you were shy.
Tig Notaro
Even though I was shy. And so I spent the first two weeks going to every open mic I could possibly go to. And then I.
Will Arnett
How nerve wracking. I'm getting nervous just thinking about it. What was that first?
Tig Notaro
Don't worry, it all works out okay. I end up on Smartless.
Jason Bateman
Yeah. Ding, ding.
Will Arnett
Now, wait, would you just, like, climb into a bottom of a bottle before you got up there? Like, how did you get over this initial stage fright and get up there and start doing it?
Tig Notaro
Well, somebody had canceled at the show that I was watching, and I asked the person, which is. So I should dig this footage up. I have footage of myself talking into a flashlight in a mirror, working out material in my studio apartment.
Jason Bateman
Amazing.
Tig Notaro
For those two weeks. And so I was practicing in the mirror in my flashlight.
Sean Hayes
You just. All you had to do is flip it on. You could tell ghost stories right after.
Tig Notaro
Exactly. And so I had all of this stuff worked out over those two weeks that I had been living in la. And then I asked the person, I was like, hey, can I. Can I go on stage? And she was like, sure. And so I did. And when I say it went well, if you showed me the footage now.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Tig Notaro
Horrifying.
Jason Bateman
But, Tig, what was the first. What was the first thing you said?
Tig Notaro
Okay, the very first thing is a true story. My friend who I rented the Bronco from.
Jason Bateman
Yeah. Who's mad at you because of the.
Will Arnett
Returned it without a hood. Yeah.
Tig Notaro
We moved beyond that. We got the car fixed and remained friends. So my friend his name was Ro, and.
Will Arnett
Hey, Ro.
Tig Notaro
He. Well, he passed away sadly.
Will Arnett
But everyone.
Tig Notaro
Anyway, Ro called me and told me our mutual friend Johnny was going to be in Denver.
Jason Bateman
Can we say hi to Johnny?
Will Arnett
Johnny's still with us.
Tig Notaro
I don't know where Johnny is. Say hi to Johnny.
Jason Bateman
Hey, Johnny.
Will Arnett
Johnny.
Tig Notaro
So he told me that our mutual friend was going to be in town when I was living in Denver. He said, johnny's band is gonna be there. You should go see him. And he hooked me up with the road manager for me to get tickets to Johnny's show. This is some backstory.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, I'll say.
Tig Notaro
I'll say. Oh, there's more. And so I called Johnny's road manager.
Will Arnett
That was the number.
Tig Notaro
This is where the story kicks in.
Jason Bateman
Okay?
Tig Notaro
So I called the road manager and I. I say, I'm Johnny's friend. Could I get tickets to the show? And he said, yes. And then at the end of the conversation, he says, now, I don't feel comfortable calling you this, but I guess I'll see you tonight, Pig. And I said, oh. I said, I actually don't feel comfortable calling you or with you calling me Pig either. I said, my name is actually Tig. And he said, yeah, that's what I said, Pig. And I said, no, it's Tig with a T. And he said, tit. And then I just say, yeah, that's right. It's Pig. Tit. I'll see you tonight. So, anyway, that was my first. That was my first story.
Jason Bateman
No way.
Will Arnett
That must have killed. Now, your name, Tig, was given to you by your brother when you were 2 years old. Yeah, see, guys, I know how to research shit.
Jason Bateman
Well, it's more fun to just ask her how she got it, and then she tells us that. Rather. You know what I mean? Wait, you.
Tig Notaro
Okay, we can do it.
Will Arnett
Are we still rolling?
Tig Notaro
Do it a few different ways and then just see which.
Will Arnett
Let's just get.
Jason Bateman
Why are you sweating, Bateman?
Will Arnett
I mean, okay, he loves me. Your real name, I think, is one of the best names in the history of names.
Sean Hayes
I don't even. I've known you for 75, 000 years. I don't even know.
Will Arnett
Can we say it? We can say it. It's on.
Tig Notaro
I don't even know if you'd pronounce it correctly. I know what you think it is.
Jason Bateman
Oh, well, then, let's hear that. Let's hear what he thinks.
Will Arnett
Can I guess the correct pronunciat? Matilda.
Tig Notaro
That's correct.
Will Arnett
Matilda.
Tig Notaro
No, it's Ma.
Sean Hayes
Oh, Matil.
Will Arnett
Well, then what happens to the M.
Sean Hayes
A T H I L M A.
Tig Notaro
T H I L D E. But it's pronounced Matil.
Sean Hayes
Matil. So you don't just. The D E is. No, there's no use of.
Will Arnett
That's French Creole. Yes.
Tig Notaro
I think it's just French.
Will Arnett
French.
Tig Notaro
My mother was Matteel. My grandmother was Matteel. My grandmother went by Teal. My mother went by Susie, and I go by Tig.
Jason Bateman
Wow.
Will Arnett
And then why did. Why did your young brother come up with Tig?
Tig Notaro
He was older than me. He couldn't pronounce Tig. Or he. He couldn't pronounce Mattel. And somehow, somehow he came up with Tig. And so.
Will Arnett
And there's. His name is Ron Rudd.
Tig Notaro
Renault.
Will Arnett
Renault.
Sean Hayes
Renault.
Jason Bateman
R E N A U L T. Hanaud.
Tig Notaro
R E N A U D A U, D. Renault.
Jason Bateman
Renault.
Tig Notaro
Renault.
Sean Hayes
Who was French? So people speak French.
Tig Notaro
My mother.
Jason Bateman
Is Renaud still with us?
Tig Notaro
Yes. He's the one that fell in the grave and left.
Jason Bateman
Oh, he's the one.
Will Arnett
Renaud.
Jason Bateman
Let's just say shout out to Renault. Savara.
Will Arnett
One cigarette, one girlfriend, Baguette.
Jason Bateman
Wow.
Will Arnett
And we will be right back.
Sean Hayes
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Jason Bateman
And now back to the show.
Sean Hayes
Wait, I want to know. Like back to the stand up. And that was a really funny story. Did you know? Because you're welcome.
Jason Bateman
Jesus was there.
Tig Notaro
Come on, you know we'll stay out of this. Okay.
Sean Hayes
God was there. Did you know? Cause when I first did it, I was terrified.
Jason Bateman
This is where we take a break.
Tig Notaro
Sorry, did you stand up?
Jason Bateman
Hang on, Tig. We always do this where we're taking a break, Sean. And why don't you just tell Our audience knows, but tell Tig what your first joke was. Let's go ahead.
Tig Notaro
Well, I think it's not pig tit, is it? Sean?
Sean Hayes
It's a callback. My first joke was, well, I'll do two. Cause one's not even One was, they say ballet is one of the most difficult things you could do, so just don't do it. That was the first one. And then the second one was.
Tig Notaro
Wait, I'm sorry, that was the joke.
Will Arnett
There was a joke? Yeah.
Tig Notaro
Wait, you gotta say it again.
Jason Bateman
You're with it.
Sean Hayes
So they say, you're on it.
Jason Bateman
You're right on it.
Sean Hayes
Doing ballet is one of the most difficult things you could do. So I say, just don't do it. And then the second one was.
Tig Notaro
What was the second part of your speech?
Jason Bateman
Appropriate joke. Appropriate response.
Sean Hayes
And then the second one was really bad. There's not even a joke.
Will Arnett
Wait a second, it got worse.
Jason Bateman
Go ahead with the segue, Sean. You've got the audience now. You've got the audience.
Tig Notaro
He's on a roll. Let him go. And then what?
Jason Bateman
He had the audience with that first.
Sean Hayes
One and you didn't know how to write a joke.
Tig Notaro
What was your closer?
Sean Hayes
My clothes. My closer. Something like, hey, isn't it funny when you see people outside in public call their pet for the first time? Like, you know, hey, Spot. Hey, whatever. But like, what if it's like, hey, mustard, come here. Hey, ketchup. And it was. There's not even a joke. It's just bad. At 22 years old, I'm like, this is gonna kill. And it was terrible. I mean, I don't even know what the joke is.
Jason Bateman
Honestly. It's mystifying that somebody would not just have the balls to get up and do it. We know how scary that is. I'm not a stand up. And neither.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, but then be that bad.
Jason Bateman
But to go. But to go up and think.
Sean Hayes
Think right, that you could just talk.
Jason Bateman
I thought I could just say in front of a group fuck. As a comedy. Just to say out loud as a.
Will Arnett
Thought and to relay that in front of someone who was take. You had the number one selling comedy album in the world in 2013.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, number one.
Tig Notaro
Even without Sean writing my material.
Jason Bateman
Jake, is there. Jake, is there a way. Is there any way you can make Sean's. Either of Sean's. And I mean you use the term joke loosely. Would you ever be able to make that work on stage? Do you think that that's.
Will Arnett
Change the name of the animal from mustard a ketchup to something that would be a little bit funnier to hear yelled across a park?
Sean Hayes
Or just set the. Or just construct a joke about it? Which was my question. Which was I was getting at. Which was like did when you got up and. Cause you're a very great Storyteller. And a lot of your comedy comes from things that have happened to you in life.
Tig Notaro
Thank you.
Sean Hayes
Did you.
Jason Bateman
Fucking hell. Honest to fucking God.
Sean Hayes
Did you. How did you learn how to craft, like, the rhythm of a joke or a story? Because I got. At the point of me telling you how bad I was, I got up and thought I could just talk. And were you that way when you first started or did you know how to write?
Tig Notaro
I thought. And I realized I must be like everybody else that you go watch standup and you think, oh, my God, I can do this. Everybody that does standup thinks, oh, my God. And you know, there's. I get calls from people that are like, oh, my friend at work is so funny. He's moving to la. Can you meet with him? It's like, yeah, everybody in the office is hilarious. Everybody watching stand up thinks they can do it. And it just was, you know, I took the leap like everybody else and I think my first one did go well. And then I signed up for a competition the second time I did stand up and I bombed so hard. And the only thing I heard in the audience, aside from silence, was my friend Derek choking to death laughing at me. And then I ran off stage and we drove back from Orange county back to la. But. But it's just been a process of, you know, of. I mean, I thought I could do it. I have been doing it. And, you know, I started out doing kind of deadpan one liners and then they kind of got longer and I will say, Will, I'm talking.
Jason Bateman
No, I was gonna tell you something. I know we always interrupt. This is our hallmark of our show is interrupting our show.
Tig Notaro
Once I was finally. No, go ahead, Will.
Jason Bateman
Well, I just wanted to say what I was kind of agreeing. I wanted to say that it's not surprising and kind of going off what Sean said. It's not surprising because you have one of those. You are the type of person. And I don't know you that well, but we've known each other over the years a little bit and gotten to know each other a little bit more. You are a very funny. And it's not true for all standups and you're not just a standup, but you are a very naturally funny person. You don't have a choice in it. I will say that, like, I don't think that.
Tig Notaro
Thank you.
Jason Bateman
Now, sorry, Sean gets that one there first. And you are a very naturally. So, you know, I think that it does come. I'm not surprised that the first time you went up that you were able to sort of connect with the audience because you're a very naturally funny person. I will say that that's what I wanted to say.
Tig Notaro
Well, I appreciate that. Well, and certainly after I thought I had gotten my bearings in stand up, I thought, well, I've got this. And I booked my first gig on the road and it was like in this comedy club in a strip mall. And I had only done shows in Los Angeles and kind of hip rooms and whatever. And then now I'm like in the middle of nowhere strip mall. And I was staying with friends and they let me use their car, but the venue actually will put you up at a condo and they have a car for comedians. And I was like, oh, I don't need the car, but thanks. And this club was called Wit's End in Denver.
Sean Hayes
Oh, that's good.
Tig Notaro
And I bombed. This is my first road gig. I bomb the entire weekend and then I hear before the second show on Friday or Saturday, I hear the owner saying, where is our emergency fill in comedian? And I was thinking, oh no, what happened to Nancy? Because I was thinking something must have happened. I was mortified. I thought she died. And he was like, has anyone heard from the emergency fill in comedian? And I'm like, what the hell? And then he walks up to me and gives me my check and fires me. And it was so mortifying. It's again my first gig on the road. It's the holiday season. I walk out the front door and I'm like, oh no, I forgot my friends were coming that night. So my friends are in line to get into the show and they're like, woo, we're so excited. And I was like, I said, oh, I was just fired. My comedy was so bad it cost an emergency. And so they're bringing in a fill in comedian. Like they couldn't even stomach me for the rest like that last night. So they said let's all go meet at the Mercury Cafe. I'm like, okay. I go to get in my friend's car and I drive off, hit an ice patch, no spin, out of control like in a cartoon. I'm still in the parking lot of Witzen.
Sean Hayes
Oh my God.
Tig Notaro
Okay. And then the car stops and I'm of course pointed in the wrong direction. I'm mortified. I'm like, I thought for sure I was gonna be wrapped around a pole. And then I start laughing when I realize I lived through it. Cause I immediately thought, what if I had used their car? Their car was a station wagon from the 70s. That had clowns painted on it that said, follow me to Wit's End comedy club. And if I had died in that moment, wrapped around a light post after being fired. After being fired. Fired. So anyway, it's been a long road, But I'm almost 30 years in.
Will Arnett
Yeah. How did you stick with it, with that kind of a start? Why didn't you say, yeah, fuck this, I'm gonna start a different career?
Tig Notaro
You know, I feel like standup is like, if you're in an abusive relationship and you keep thinking it was good once, I can get that feeling back, you know, because the first time I did stand up, it was. I do think it went well enough. And then the second time I did not win the hundred dollars in the competition I signed up for.
Jason Bateman
Did you ever think about sending, like, the charts from your number one comedy special and sending it to the dude in Denver?
Tig Notaro
Well, he also died.
Sean Hayes
Oh, my God.
Will Arnett
Black widow.
Jason Bateman
Stay away.
Sean Hayes
Out of the path of pig.
Tig Notaro
Yeah, I mean, what.
Will Arnett
Well, how about. Do you think that your, your, your, your talent, your skill, your. Your angle on all of this has progressively been arcing up? Like, has it. Does it continue to get better and better and better and better?
Tig Notaro
My attitude?
Will Arnett
No, no. Doing standup and your experience with it. And like, my question is your attitude.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Will Arnett
Do you find. Do you find that. That you're getting? Is stand up a thing that can be. I find that I'm getting hopefully a little bit better each year. I continue on doing whatever the hell I'm doing.
Jason Bateman
Oh, really?
Will Arnett
I think.
Tig Notaro
I hope he's talking about golfing.
Jason Bateman
Let's be clear.
Will Arnett
Yeah, it's golf. Is that something that you're still enjoying? Are you still ascendant in your life?
Tig Notaro
Well, you know, I finished my last tour and put out my stand up special, and my last tour really kind of ran me into the ground. And I'm working in Toronto right now, so this painting behind me is not mine.
Will Arnett
That's not you. I was gonna ask you about that listener. It's just a shot of basically Jesus's home. It's up there in the clouds somewhere.
Tig Notaro
That's right.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Will Arnett
Go ahead.
Tig Notaro
It's a nice hotel painting, but I've been working on new material when I have nights off here, and that's felt good, but I've had this building need and interest in doing a one person show and so.
Will Arnett
But isn't that what you do?
Tig Notaro
No, I want it to be a little more of a theme and like a.
Sean Hayes
Like a two act, three act structure, like on Broadway.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, no, more of a like, but like a. More like like, I love you. You're perfect. Now change. Like one of those ones that used.
Tig Notaro
To pass down South Avenue. Singing, dancing.
Sean Hayes
Well, my Big Fat Greek Wedding was a. Was a one woman show that turned into a movie because it was her story. So you mean something like that?
Will Arnett
Like a Spalding Gray type of thing?
Tig Notaro
Something. Something like that.
Jason Bateman
Or like a talk radio. Are we gonna keep going with.
Tig Notaro
Yeah, keep guessing. More examples so I'll have a copy.
Sean Hayes
Sent to you today.
Will Arnett
So then it is. So then there's a theme to it and it's a little bit more scripted or fully scripted.
Tig Notaro
Well, I mean, my standup is scripted, but I do interact with the audience or if an idea comes to me while I'm doing a show, I'll just go with that and just kind of explore it. Because I don't sit down and write my comedy. I write on stage in front of a live audience. So I do it fully, you know, without a net type writing.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Jason Bateman
Do you, do you. I know you're up there in Toronto working. Do you do. When you have free nights or whatever, do you still go and perform out, like at clubs in Toronto? Are you doing that all the time?
Tig Notaro
That's what I'm doing is there's a comedy club. Yeah. Out here in Toronto. Comedy bar. And I've been doing shows like, I don't know, two or three nights a week.
Jason Bateman
Wow.
Sean Hayes
You get a comedy bar car, they send you a car that says comedy bar.
Jason Bateman
It's a Zamboni bar. Just for a callback.
Will Arnett
Now you dabbled in. You do, you, you do the, you do the acting as well. And then you dabbled in directing with Stephanie, your wife. Right.
Tig Notaro
We directed Sean Hayes.
Sean Hayes
Yeah. Good luck.
Will Arnett
Oh, boy.
Jason Bateman
Talk a little bit about that.
Will Arnett
Go ahead. Stage is yours.
Tig Notaro
We did. We made this decision last minute to hire him. We couldn't get anyone else in the room.
Sean Hayes
I was the emergency.
Tig Notaro
The emergency fill in actor.
Sean Hayes
I was Nancy. Yeah, that was super fun. I laughed so hard those two days. It was really fun.
Will Arnett
Is this a project we should plug? What's it called?
Tig Notaro
It's called Am I okay? Starring Dakota Johnson.
Jason Bateman
Am I okay?
Sean Hayes
It was out a couple years ago, Right. Or something like that.
Tig Notaro
It came out this year. So thanks for being on top of that, promoting. You've been such a good friend.
Will Arnett
So what kind of part?
Jason Bateman
You don't forget he does or you don't forget? He doesn't ask any questions. He has no idea. And he's not Curious about your life?
Sean Hayes
Yes.
Jason Bateman
Go ahead, Jason.
Sean Hayes
You know, I want to say something about the stand up thing, though, because you know what always blows my mind?
Will Arnett
You want to change subject from your.
Tig Notaro
No, he has more bits that he is.
Sean Hayes
No, no. You know what blows my mind is, like, when you. When people get up there and they can just. How can you just talk? Like, how do you have so much material that you don't? Cause I'm used to memorizing a script, right? And so. But there's nothing. And I know you've written it all, but just to, like, if somebody says a topic, you can have the perfectly constructed joke about that thing and you have it all at the bank of your head.
Tig Notaro
But it's not all perfectly constructed. It's that I just try to leave my mind open outside of what I've already written or thought about. And then if something crosses my mind or somebody in the audience says something, I allow myself to go with that, whatever that is.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, yeah, I got it.
Jason Bateman
And explore and find what's funny about that.
Sean Hayes
And now that you've had all of this tremendous success over the years, do people come up to you all the time and say, hey, I'm such a fan. Can you just do. Can you say that funny thing? Or, like, do they try to prompt you to perform for them?
Tig Notaro
I would. I would say the most common thing I get is that, no, no, people don't do that. But I did this, like 15 minute bit about running into the pop star Taylor Dane. I did this story years ago, and I did it on this American Life. I ran into her so many times, and the first time I ran into her, I genuinely said, excuse me, I'm sorry to bother you. I just have to tell you, I love your voice. And she was rude to me and she said, yeah, I don't do that anymore. And then turned and kept talking to somebody. And then I kept running into her. And every time I saw her, I was like, oh, my God, I'm gonna go up and say the exact same thing I said to her at that point.
Sean Hayes
And just for my sister, Taylor dan was a big 80s pop star. Like, just in case people don't know.
Jason Bateman
Who Taylor Dan was, your sister born after the 80s. The fuck are you doing?
Sean Hayes
That was mine.
Will Arnett
Me too, by the way.
Jason Bateman
Was it really? You didn't know who Taylor Daniel?
Tig Notaro
You don't know who Taylor Dan? Tell it to my heart Tell it to my heart Love will lead me back Nope.
Jason Bateman
Anyway, so you see her a bunch of times.
Tig Notaro
You keep the same I see her out to dinner. I see her at cafes. I see her everywhere. And I just walk up and I interrupted her every time and would say, hi, excuse me. I'm sorry to bother you. I just have to tell you, I love your voice.
Sean Hayes
I love your voice.
Tig Notaro
Yeah, every time. And it became this. It became this experiment that I was doing because I was like, did you.
Jason Bateman
Know it was you every time at this point?
Tig Notaro
No. No, she never resurrected. Never did.
Sean Hayes
No way.
Tig Notaro
Yeah. And. But anyway. Huh?
Will Arnett
Is she alive?
Jason Bateman
Did she die?
Tig Notaro
No, she's alive. And then. And then we actually became friendly because of this, because word got out that, you know, I was doing this story and then whatever. And I did this. On this American Life, they did the story and then invited Taylor Dane to that performance. And so I met her there.
Jason Bateman
No way.
Tig Notaro
But anyway, people come up to me all the time and say, excuse me. I'm sorry to bother you, but I just have to tell you, I love your voice.
Sean Hayes
Oh, that's amazing.
Jason Bateman
Wait, Tig. Tig. That's so good. I love that you did that. First of all, I love your commitment to shit like that. You've told me umpteen stories of things that you do, and one of my favorite. Please tell us about some of the things you'll do at parties, because it's my. These are my favorite party bits.
Tig Notaro
Sure.
Jason Bateman
Party bits.
Tig Notaro
Actually, you know what a bit that I did on radio, morning radio, when I first started doing standup, I'd have to go at six in the morning in some, like, Fargo or something to do to promote my show. And I would always ask the radio host to please, like, as soon as I come on the show, please talk about how gorgeous I am and just, like. Just go on and on. Like Howard Stern and certain people just like, you are beautiful. I mean, look at you. And. Because I thought, oh, maybe that'll get people to the show. But also, it really made me laugh to think of people showing up to see. This is years ago. And just seeing a disheveled, monotone lesbian on stage, you know, talking about my cats.
Jason Bateman
You're like, I didn't know I was going to an Indigo Girls concert. Hey, wait a second. But talk about. But talk about the party bits. The fucking.
Tig Notaro
God, I'm so one of. I feel like you really liked this one. But my friend Henry Phillips, who is one of the funniest comedians, please look him up and watch everything he does. He's so funny.
Jason Bateman
Hi, Henry.
Tig Notaro
Hi, Henry. And he has a couple of movies out. Punching Henry, Punching the Clown. I'M in one of the movies. But anyway, he and I do so many bits together. He's so good. And I used to live in Venice in California. And he was like, hey. He was like, I'm at a party near your house. He was like, I don't know any of these people. He's like, you gotta come do some bits with me. And I was like, yeah, sure, I'll head over.
Jason Bateman
I love the mischief of it.
Tig Notaro
So I go meet him, and we're just loose at this party doing all these different bits that are truly for our own amusement, which is what I do things for. And if people catch on or they enjoy it too, that's fine. But I love looking foolish. So I go in. I don't know anybody at this party except Henry. I go into the kitchen. There's like five people standing around, leaning against the kitchen counter, having a drink, chatting. And it's a Saturday night, maybe 9:30, and I lean in and I just tap the wall and I go, hey, guys, I'm gonna be going to bed in, like, 10 minutes. I have no idea if the owner of the house is in there. I have no idea if the host is in the kitchen. I don't know who those people are. And then I go find Henry, and I'm dying laughing. And I was like, oh, my God. I just told five people in the kitchen I was going to bed 10 minutes. And he's like, oh, my God. He said, there's like 200 people in the backyard. You have to go out on the deck and announce that. So I was like, no problem. And this is years ago, before I was, like, on TV regularly and whatever that is, really. And I walk out on the back deck, everyone's holding their solo cups and whatever, and I'm like, hey, everybody, just so you know, I'm gonna be going to bed in like, 10 minutes. And. And to me, I'm like, you know, it, it, it. I am. I. For all you know, I could be going home and going to bed in 10 minutes. That doesn't mean I own the house.
Will Arnett
They're bad. Not yours.
Jason Bateman
There's something about that that I've just always loved. I think it's the funny. It's so. That is profoundly funny. It reminds me, I used to always want to do this, but I never had the guts. I wanted to drive around, like, Beverly Hills, Bel Air, like, in a fancy car and pull up to gardeners as they're about to start on these big fucking estates and just go roll my window down and go I just spoke to the missus. She said, you guys can take the day off fully paid and just start relieving gardening crews around Beverly Hills and Bel Air. And they're, like, looking at each other, like, fully paid. Yeah, you guys, she's. The missus said, go ahead and take it off.
Will Arnett
She had a long night. You guys still turn that shit on? Get out of here.
Sean Hayes
I remember one time you texted me to. You said, I'm about to drive by your house. I want you to stand outside and look on your phone, but don't look at me as I drive by. And so I was like, okay, I'll do it. And I stood by and I couldn't look up. And you drove by and you said, hey, Sean. Hey, Sean. And I didn't look up. That was the bit. That was the bit. I had a beat buried in my phone. I didn't quite understand it, but it made me laugh.
Tig Notaro
You don't understand it.
Sean Hayes
It was like performance art.
Will Arnett
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
God, that is so good. You know, Tig, you'd like this. My buddy Pete Serafinowicz and all these English guys, they did this bit once. They'd go to a restaurant in London, and they all learned beforehand. They got together, they conspired, and they learned, and they sang. It was somebody's birthday. So they sang Happy Birthday, and then everybody at the table, like, eight of them, launched into a second verse that they had written. So they start singing a second verse to Happy Birthday, and everybody in the restaurant starts looking at each other like, hey, what is this? As if they've never done the second verse.
Tig Notaro
That is so funny.
Jason Bateman
How fucking funny is that?
Tig Notaro
Oh, my God.
Will Arnett
That's great.
Tig Notaro
I am so jealous.
Jason Bateman
I know.
Sean Hayes
We'll be right back.
Jason Bateman
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Will Arnett
All right, back to the show.
Sean Hayes
Take. What about the kids you now have with your wife, Stephanie? You have two little. The cutest boys ever.
Tig Notaro
And Max and Finn. They're doing well.
Sean Hayes
They have senses of humor.
Will Arnett
Seven.
Tig Notaro
They are eight. They will be eight and a half this month. And huge into golf these days. Truly, they are so into golf. Come on. They're so into. They're into baseball, basketball. They're on swim team. But yes, Sean, they have a sense of humor. My son Max, I think that. Well, I tell everyone he's bone dry. And we don't know where he got that.
Will Arnett
Was there a bone dry comedian that really kind of defined your comedic sensibility? Was it like, Steven Wright or somebody like that?
Tig Notaro
I was really into Steven Wright. And I also really loved Paula Poundstone. I thought she was so great at writing jokes, telling stories, and also interacting with the audience. I felt like she could do everything and still feel that way. But, yeah, my kids, they're, like, little. A friend of ours described them as like, little Midwestern uncles because they're just. They have, like, a certain maturity about them. And my son Max, one of my favorite things that he said when he was 4, Stephanie and I were sitting on the couch with Max, Finn, her dad, and our three cats. And Max got up when he was four, just got off the couch, and he said, I'm getting the hell out of here. All these damn cats walked out of the room. I was like, I like your style, kid.
Will Arnett
No way.
Jason Bateman
That is funny.
Tig Notaro
Yeah, they're the best.
Will Arnett
Never dogs for you.
Tig Notaro
No, I've had dogs. I've had a couple of dogs in my life, but we call our house Kitty City.
Will Arnett
Yeah. And do you like that the cats just sort of. They take care of themselves and they don't bother you. You don't bother them.
Tig Notaro
Yeah, I like that in a person.
Will Arnett
Yeah. A dog needs shit, right? A cat needs nothing.
Tig Notaro
I mean, but I do love an excited dog that's just, like, about to have a stroke. They're so excited to see Zoomies. Yeah.
Jason Bateman
Now, Stephanie, you really make Stephanie laugh, too, which is great. You guys laugh. Yeah.
Sean Hayes
I love Stephanie.
Tig Notaro
Stephanie really makes me laugh a lot.
Jason Bateman
Yeah. And she's really funny, too.
Tig Notaro
She's funny. She's so funny. And she's in love with Will. I'm in love with Jason. And we don't know where Shawn fits into this equation.
Will Arnett
Sean was with the kiddies.
Jason Bateman
I love Stephanie.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, I love Stephanie.
Will Arnett
I love Stephanie. Was there a meet cute there you want to share with us?
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Tig Notaro
We met on the movie Lake Bell's movie called In a World.
Will Arnett
The Great Lake Bell.
Tig Notaro
Yeah. And I was deathly ill. I didn't know I had three deadly diseases at one time. And then I collapsed, went away, and dealt with.
Will Arnett
Wait, was this the cancer?
Tig Notaro
It was cancer, pneumonia, and this intestinal disease called C. Diff. I had it all three at once.
Will Arnett
Christmas.
Tig Notaro
So I go away, and I was in a relationship. Stephanie had never dated a woman. We really enjoyed each other on set, but I wasn't thinking I was into her romantically, and she wasn't thinking that about me. So I collapse. I go away. Six months later, I resurface in the world. And the movie's going to Sundance. And we exchanged numbers. And I told her, I said, you know, I'm not the biggest texter. And I told her about this girl that texted me incessantly after coffee. And that she texted that night. She said, sweet dreams. The girl I had gone out with. And not that I thought Stephanie was into me, but I was just giving her the example that I'm not great at this. And that night, Stephanie texted me sweet dreams. And I was like, oh, that is hilarious. And then we start texting, and it's kind of building. And I'm thinking, oh, I'm really into her. And she had invited me. I was writing my book at the time. She invited me to come meet her and her friends at La Pobelle in Los Angeles. And I thought, oh, my God, it's 11:00. I haven't showered. I'm wearing this big wool Canadian wool sweater with an eagle on my back. I can't go meet her. And then I thought, oh, well, she's not even into me, so who cares what I look like? And it happened to be Valentine's Day. And so she's sitting at this table.
Jason Bateman
It happened to be.
Tig Notaro
But truly, she wasn't into women. And. And so she's at this table with friends. I walk into the bar, she is wearing a dark blue Canadian wool sweater with an eagle on her back.
Will Arnett
No way.
Tig Notaro
And I was like, this is insane. I said, let's switch sweaters. So we switch sweaters and her friend says, get together so I can take a picture of you. We go to hug each other and we start making out immediately when we touch each other. And then so we end up making out that night. And then she writes me a 5 million page email the next day. I get it. That's telling me how much she loves hanging out with me, how funny she thinks I am, she's not gay, but that she wants to be. Friend like goes, I can't tell you how long this email was. I'm reading this going, ah. Cause I realized I do like her, you know, but I thought I can't chase her because she's not into it. So I wrote back, okay, dyke. And that's the only thing I wrote. And then she said when she got that response, she just thought, okay, I like this person. And so now, yeah, that's great.
Will Arnett
And then, so I mean, you know, however you're comfortable relaying this, if there's any further in the story, you're willing to go, how does that do you guys just start seeing each other for what? Because you want to respect her sexuality but you want to continue seeing her, but you also don't want to like, you know, work on flipping her or like, how do, how does that go?
Tig Notaro
What happens? Well, so it's true.
Sean Hayes
That's a good question.
Will Arnett
I just don't like, how do you protect your own, how do you protect your own heart and like, you know, go to work.
Tig Notaro
I didn't know that she had that. Okay. I didn't know. Ok, dyke made the impression that it did. I just thought, I need to be light hearted, let this go and just see her as a friend down the road. But I knew it was gonna take me a beat. So I told her, I said, I get it, you know, like when we talked again, I said, I just need some space and then I'll be able to see as a friend and everything's fine. And so I went to Montreal and was doing shows there and she reached out to me like a few weeks later and she said, I'd like to see you when you get home. And I said to my friend who was there with me and I was like, why does she want it? What? And he was like, cause she likes you. And I was like, no, no, no, I know, but she told me she doesn't want to. He was like, what do you think? She's like, oh, I want to see you again so I can tell you for sure I don't like you. And I was like, I don't know, maybe. And then she told me you had.
Will Arnett
Multiple friends that were females that weren't gay. Right. You had multiple friends that were females that weren't gay. So you were thinking, you know, maybe this is just another one of those. Perhaps, right?
Tig Notaro
Yeah. I just didn't know what to think. But I got back to LA and she came over and she's just a very. She's a very confident, comfortable person, and she's very straightforward. And it's what I realized I'm so into about her. And so she sat down on my couch and she just turned to me and said, I realized that I want to be with you. And I was like, oh, what do you mean? And she said like, I want to be with you. I don't want to. I'm not saying I want to see how it goes or check things out. I want to be with you. And I was like, what? I was.
Sean Hayes
So you still had the eagle jacket on or.
Tig Notaro
I did.
Jason Bateman
You still hadn't shot. You still hadn't shot.
Tig Notaro
We took our eagle jackets off and we got down to it, and it was just pure.
Will Arnett
It wasn't about declaring as a label or anything. It was just like. All I know is I just really want to be with you. Whatever that is. It is. And yeah. Yeah, that's great.
Tig Notaro
Yeah. And we did. We make each other laugh a lot and very cool.
Sean Hayes
I love her so much and I love you so much. And I remember one time you were doing your live show and you wanted me as a guest, and it was at the Coral. Where is that? Largo. At Largo. And so we had such a good time and we laughed really hard. And then the next day, literally the next day, next morning I go, yeah, the next morning, I go to La Pan, this restaurant on Larchmont, and you walk in and we both have the exact same outfit on that we had that we were on stage in.
Jason Bateman
No way.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Will Arnett
We both slept in those clothes and.
Sean Hayes
Then woke up thinking, well, it's early. I just want an egg. I want a couple eggs. And I'm gonna go home and shower and change.
Will Arnett
Across the city, no one from the show is gonna be there.
Sean Hayes
Yeah. Do you remember that?
Tig Notaro
Except we live close to each other and dress alike.
Sean Hayes
Yes, exactly.
Tig Notaro
Oh, and you know what? I have to say? Also, Stephanie directed my latest standup special, no way. And was nominated for an Emmy. And so was the editor. And so was everyone else except me. I was the problem.
Sean Hayes
Really?
Will Arnett
Oh, no. Now, wait, what is the name of that one? Is that one hello again.
Tig Notaro
That is hello again. Yeah.
Will Arnett
Very, very nice. Very nice.
Sean Hayes
So, wait, Tig, are you in Toronto doing stand up or a movie stand up show?
Jason Bateman
Yeah, I pay attention because I know what she's doing because I did Star.
Tig Notaro
Trek with Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Sean Hayes
Oh, great.
Will Arnett
Wow. Do they have to wear the alien makeup?
Tig Notaro
Paul? Yes. Holly, no.
Jason Bateman
Are they lesbians in space, too? I haven't asked. Just for full.
Sean Hayes
For fairy.
Tig Notaro
Called Obsolete Academy. Lesbians in Space. That's the new series is.
Jason Bateman
I don't know, Holly Hunter. But we love Paul Giamatti. He's just a gem. He's a gem, gem, gem.
Will Arnett
Yeah, he is.
Tig Notaro
Yeah. And Holly's great, too, I'm sure. Obviously a real talent. And then I'm thrown in the mix.
Jason Bateman
Don't you dare. Don't you dare.
Will Arnett
Don't you say that. Tig Notaro's a gem.
Tig Notaro
But I do have. I mean, close to lesbians. Well. Well, it's across the spectrum, but my podcast, Handsome, is right here on Planet Earth. It's like my fourth podcast. I don't know if you know, I've been podcasting for a long time, you guys.
Jason Bateman
Yes.
Will Arnett
And how are you loving it? Are you loving it? You still loving it?
Tig Notaro
I really enjoy podcasting. Oh, my gosh. Yeah. I was so baffled by it in the early days. I think I started in, like, I don't know, 2006 or something. I have no idea. But I do enjoy it. It's such a different way to be comedic and tell stories.
Will Arnett
Yeah. And you can do it inside the comfort of an air conditioned room, in.
Tig Notaro
The comfort of an air conditioned or heated furnished apartment in Toronto.
Will Arnett
Up there with the Jesus painting behind you.
Jason Bateman
Do you want. I'll text her real quick. Guaranteed, she's available. Do you want to have lunch with my mom today?
Tig Notaro
I would love to.
Jason Bateman
Would you?
Tig Notaro
Yeah.
Will Arnett
She's close.
Jason Bateman
She's a character. She's a lot of fun.
Tig Notaro
She'll keep you on your toes.
Jason Bateman
Okay, I'm gonna hook it up.
Will Arnett
Tig, hurry home and get back to our Sunday rhythm.
Jason Bateman
Yeah. We miss you. We miss you.
Tig Notaro
I have missed you.
Sean Hayes
We would love to see you.
Tig Notaro
When does this come out?
Will Arnett
Today.
Sean Hayes
It's on right now. You gotta tell your family.
Tig Notaro
Yeah, I'm gonna tell all my dead.
Will Arnett
Parents to listen but hurry home so we can hang out again.
Jason Bateman
There's a better chance of them listening than of Sean's dad listening. Put it that way.
Tig Notaro
Wait, how can I naturally mention. Cause I wanted to naturally mention something.
Jason Bateman
You're doing it.
Tig Notaro
Naturally mention it.
Jason Bateman
You're doing it.
Tig Notaro
I have a documentary that just got accepted to Sundance.
Jason Bateman
You ready for this? You ready for this?
Sean Hayes
Fantastic.
Jason Bateman
And weren't you working on a documentary for a while?
Will Arnett
Yeah, I was gonna get to that. Will, you know, I've got a bunch of questions.
Sean Hayes
Jason.
Jason Bateman
No, Sean, you didn't. Jason, you didn't even know about it.
Tig Notaro
Thank you for asking. Will. Of course I have been working on a documentary, and I had called. They're incredible filmmakers. They did the Pamela documentary and the Dr. Ruth documentary, Serena Williams, all this. But I was like, I can't sell you on this person. You have to do a deep dive. Not even that deep on Andrea Gibson. And they called me three days later, and they were like, we're in. And they got on a plane, flew to Boulder, Colorado, and started filming.
Sean Hayes
When does it come out?
Tig Notaro
Well, it's gonna be at Sundance. Sundance.
Jason Bateman
Okay.
Will Arnett
That's January, right?
Tig Notaro
They still do that in January. But Andrea is a brilliant poet. Just a brilliant poet. Mind blowing.
Will Arnett
Yeah. What's it called?
Jason Bateman
What's the documentary called?
Tig Notaro
I believe right now. Come See Me in the Good Light. Come See Me in the Good Light.
Jason Bateman
The title's kind of shifting a little bit as we get closer to finish.
Tig Notaro
Well, I mean, that's the last I've heard is. That's the working title is Come See Me in the Good Light. But it's a phenomenal documentary about a phenomenal person.
Jason Bateman
Sorry. Mention Andrea's full name again for the.
Tig Notaro
Andrea Gibson.
Jason Bateman
Andrea Gibson.
Sean Hayes
Andrea Gibson.
Tig Notaro
Written eight books.
Jason Bateman
Oh, amazing.
Sean Hayes
Wow.
Tig Notaro
Incredible.
Sean Hayes
I'll check her out online.
Jason Bateman
Amazing. These guys will love the books.
Will Arnett
Yeah. Is there an audio version? And these are pictures now, that's. Are you gonna go to Sundance? Okay, good.
Tig Notaro
I'm gonna go to Sundance and. Yeah. Yeah. Going to Sundance.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Will Arnett
Well, that's good. Good Luck with it. Thank you. Congratulations on that. Finish strong there in Toronto and get your ass back home here.
Jason Bateman
Send our love to Stephanie, who we.
Tig Notaro
Also miss, and all of my love to your families, and I'll see you at Sunday Funday anytime. I'm home very soon.
Sean Hayes
Wonderful, Wonderful.
Will Arnett
All right. Love you. Thank you for doing this. Enjoy the rest of your day. Stay warm up there.
Tig Notaro
Well, truly, thanks for having me.
Sean Hayes
Of course.
Tig Notaro
Love you all dearly.
Jason Bateman
That was awesome.
Sean Hayes
Love you, honey.
Jason Bateman
That Was awesome.
Tig Notaro
Bye.
Will Arnett
Bye, guys. That was Tig Notaro.
Jason Bateman
Yeah. Yeah.
Sean Hayes
That was Tignatar.
Will Arnett
Spelled T I G. Yep.
Sean Hayes
That was such a funny story about her name. Good gourd.
Will Arnett
About the pig teeth. You know. You know, pigs do have teats. And you can get. Did you know you can get milk from a pig? That there's pig milk. There's certain countries, they drink pig milk.
Sean Hayes
Oh, God. I'll try it.
Will Arnett
Did you know that, Will? Did you know that?
Jason Bateman
No, I don't know what you're talking about, man.
Will Arnett
Pig milk.
Jason Bateman
Okay. Okay.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
And people drink pig milk. They put. Yeah, yeah.
Will Arnett
You knew that.
Sean Hayes
Cereal. I'll put in.
Jason Bateman
I. I didn't. No.
Will Arnett
No.
Sean Hayes
Good.
Jason Bateman
I actually. Actually, I feel worse for now.
Will Arnett
It's not true. I was hoping you would say. Yeah, of course.
Jason Bateman
I knew that. You.
Sean Hayes
How great is Take. Take. We've known for. I've known Tig for a long, long, long, long time. She's always been so funny and so unique. Like, there's nobody like her.
Will Arnett
No, they're really. Yeah. And I just. I love. I just love. Because I usually end up sitting next to her at Sunday, and I just. I love. I just drink it all up. I love her. I love every minute with her. Yeah. So, Willie, I say you call your mom and I might do it. I would have lunch with your mother in a heartbeat if I was in trouble.
Sean Hayes
Oh, my God. I would, too. I would love. When is she gonna come down here? I want to talk to her.
Will Arnett
You know what else I'd like to do? I'd like to go to your childhood home. I'd like to see your bedroom, which I bet is still pretty much intact.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
No, no, no, no. I've moved a few times since. Yeah.
Will Arnett
What would we see on your boyhood wall when you were growing up in the house? There were there, like, posters of hockey. Hockey players. Like, you know, 12, 13, 14.
Jason Bateman
Okay. Well, these are various. So, like, 11, you know, from the time I was, like, 6 to 11, I had a map of the world. This is true. Huge map of the world. And then underneath, on the sort of the legend underneath, it had all the countries and it just had. Listen. Just basic info about every country, capital, the size. It's, you know, sort of square mileage, population, et cetera, for every country in the world. So I had that.
Sean Hayes
Wow.
Jason Bateman
And then when I was a teenager, I ended up having, like. I went to boarding school, as, you know, for a few years, and then I came back and I had. I had a Smith's poster on My wall?
Sean Hayes
Yeah, sure.
Tig Notaro
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
I had a big. The World Won't Listen in a Morrissey poster.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Will Arnett
Were you kind of like a mod? Did you ever wear, like, eyeliner?
Jason Bateman
No, no, no, no. But I wore like. I wore like tapered, like green sort of Dickies type pants. I wear a lot of that. And I wore Doc Martens. Doc Marten brogues.
Will Arnett
What are brogues?
Jason Bateman
Like, like shoes, right? Like wingtips, sort of like. You know what I mean?
Sean Hayes
Yeah, yeah. Like ducky from. Pretty impressive.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, but I never. But, yeah, but like. But never. I wasn't a mod in that sense. But I. It. Yeah.
Will Arnett
You kept it tasteful.
Jason Bateman
Sure, yeah. Of course. You keep it timeless. That's the key.
Sean Hayes
Oh, 12 or 13. 12 or 13.
Jason Bateman
Did you have posters of yourself on your wall because you were in like Tiger beat and 16 and all that.
Will Arnett
All the different hairstyles and there's different sweater in each one, you know.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, yeah.
Jason Bateman
God, I wish it revealed that Sean had a post review in his room. It would be the best thing. That would be the.
Will Arnett
I had a. I had a. I think we said this when Rashida was on the show. I had a life cycle poster of Quincy Jones on my wall.
Jason Bateman
Did you really?
Sean Hayes
Oh, wow.
Will Arnett
That my dad just put up there for me and I just never took it down.
Jason Bateman
You never took it?
Will Arnett
Yeah.
Sean Hayes
All I had was Michael Jackson posters everywhere.
Jason Bateman
Did you really?
Sean Hayes
When I was a kid and. And my favorite one was probably Bailey Jean.
Jason Bateman
Oh, my God. Bye. Smart Less. Smart less. Smartless is 100% organic and artisanally handcrafted by Bennett Barbico, Michael Grant, Terry and Rob Amjarf. Smart Less.
Will Arnett
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 Sirius XM Podcasts plus on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial today.
Tig Notaro
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SmartLess Podcast Episode Summary: "Tig Notaro"
Episode Information:
In this heartfelt and humorous episode of SmartLess, hosts Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett welcome the incredibly talented Tig Notaro. From the outset, the conversation establishes a warm rapport, with Tig’s candidness setting the tone for an engaging discussion.
Tig delves into the origins of her unique name, revealing that it was bestowed upon her by her older brother, who found "Matilda" challenging to pronounce. This anecdote not only highlights her family dynamics but also sets the stage for her later stories about personal identity.
Tig shares her journey from managing rock bands to pursuing her passion for stand-up comedy. Moving from Denver to Los Angeles marked a pivotal shift in her career, driven by the discovery of numerous open mic opportunities that aligned with her long-held dream of performing.
Tig recounts her initial experiences with stand-up, including her first performance on SmartLess, which she humorously describes as "horrifying." Despite early setbacks, such as bombing her second gig in Denver, Tig's resilience shines through as she explains how these experiences shaped her comedic style.
A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to Tig's brave battle with multiple illnesses, including cancer, pneumonia, and C. Diff. Her openness about these struggles provides deep insights into her strength and how these experiences influence her humor and storytelling.
Tig shares a touching and humorous story about meeting her wife, Stephanie, highlighting the serendipitous and unconventional nature of their relationship. The tale of swapping sweaters on Valentine's Day and the ensuing connection underscores Tig's unique approach to love and life.
Currently based in Toronto, Tig discusses her ongoing work in stand-up comedy, her upcoming documentary "Come See Me in the Good Light," and her involvement in various creative projects. Her enthusiasm for podcasting and directing showcases her versatility and commitment to her craft.
Throughout the episode, Tig offers valuable insights into her comedic philosophy. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity, adaptability, and the ability to connect with the audience through genuine storytelling rather than rigid scripting.
Tig introduces her family, including her wife Stephanie and their two sons, Max and Finn. She shares adorable anecdotes about her children's sense of humor and her life at home, painting a picture of a joyful and supportive family environment.
As the episode wraps up, the hosts express their admiration and love for Tig, reflecting on her incredible journey and the laughter she brings into their lives. The conversation leaves listeners with a profound appreciation for Tig's resilience, humor, and the genuine connections she fosters.
This episode of SmartLess offers an intimate glimpse into Tig Notaro's life, blending humor with poignant moments. Through her stories of personal struggle, professional growth, and heartfelt relationships, Tig exemplifies resilience and authenticity. The hosts' genuine admiration and playful banter further enrich the conversation, making this episode a memorable listen for both long-time fans and newcomers.
Note: This summary focuses exclusively on the content-driven sections of the podcast, omitting advertisements, intros, outros, and non-content segments to provide a clear and comprehensive overview of the episode.