The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast

Episode: Firelight (Taylor Swift)
Date: September 2, 2025
Host: Seth Meyers
Guests: The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone)
Theme: Revisiting SNL Digital Shorts – Behind the scenes on “Firelight” (with Taylor Swift), news on Jorma’s accident, and a deep dive into “Bunny Business”

Episode Overview

This episode offers a rollercoaster of camaraderie and creativity. The Lonely Island trio and Seth Meyers begin with a candid, funny, and ultimately moving discussion of Jorma Taccone’s recent serious injury. They then dive into the making and critique of the SNL digital short “Firelight” (starring Taylor Swift), dissect its comedic shortcomings, and celebrate the unsung gem “Bunny Business.” Along the way, the group shares industry stories, playful digs, SNL memories, and inside jokes, all with their signature irreverent warmth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jorma’s Accident & Hospital Bed Podcasting

• Jorma details his recent fall from a 20-foot ladder (00:25–14:00)
  • Build-up: Jorma’s penchant for home projects (“I love building things. During the pandemic, I built a treehouse, clubhouse, dog house, all kinds of shit.” – Jorma, 01:07)
  • Accident description: He fell while hanging lights for his daughter's birthday, ignoring warnings about the ladder's instability.
  • Injuries: Shattered pelvis, detached sacrum, damaged disc (“Honestly, it’s been described as life-changing…” – Jorma, 05:01)
  • Hospital check-in: Jorma records from his hospital bed two days post-surgery.
  • Comedy even in crisis: The group jokes about when it’s OK to make light of the accident (“Do we think the door is officially closed on you dunking now?” – Akiva, 08:54)
  • Reflections on friendship: Balancing humor and sincerity, expressing how scary and real the situation was.

2. Taylor Swift, “Firelight,” and SNL Digital Shorts

Context & Pre-production

• Episode Theme: Breakdown of the "Firelight" digital short (Twilight parody with Taylor Swift)
• Taylor Swift’s professionalism: Praise for her songwriting and performance (“…her incredible acumen as a songwriter and knowing exactly what the assignment was,” – Seth, 48:33)
• Swift's SNL monologue: Taylor comes in with a fully formed song that becomes the monologue (“We were just dreading, like, how are we gonna get out of this?…And then she plays it and it’s perfect.” – Akiva & Seth, 48:02–49:29)

The Digital Short: “Firelight”

• Genesis: Written as a Twilight parody with Taylor Swift as the lead; Bill Hader as Frankenstein.
• **Seth & Akiva co-wrote; Jorma not involved (“He picked a great week to fall off a ladder,” – Akiva, 15:10, 36:06)
• Critique & Self-Deprecation:
  • The sketch is “technically great” but “soft” (“…the air comes out of it because it’s really just beat for beat the actual Twilight trailer” – Seth, 34:11)
  • Missed comedic opportunities – e.g., Andy as a mummy gets no gag (“Why didn’t you get a bandage caught and start unraveling…” – Seth, 44:43)
  • “The joke isn’t just that it’s Frankenstein, it’s about breaking Twilight’s overwrought tension.” – Group summary, 44:50
• Memorable Quotes:
  • “I would love another shot at it, that’s all I’m gonna say.” – Seth, 45:53

Shooting Experience

• Taylor’s attitude: “Delightful and a pro,” even pre-superstardom (47:24)
• On set: Akiva reminisces about filming in a real forest with both his dad and Taylor’s mom present; rare “parents on set” dynamic (46:18–47:11)

3. "Bunny Business": The Unsung Gem

Introduction & Production

• Quick shift to admiration: Despite “Firelight”’s letdowns, “Bunny Business” (another SNL digital short) is a recurring favorite.
• Format: Parody soundtrack medley for a (nonexistent) animated bunny movie. Each SNL cast member does a quick impression—Randy Newman, Natalie Merchant, Shakira, Adam Duritz, Eddie Vedder, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson—singing short, bland office-themed lines in their signature musical styles.

Writing & Behind the Scenes

• Concept: “Impression parade” where brevity is comedy (“Four lines and out. Just get the impression laugh and get out.” – Andy, 58:41)
• Animation woes: Sai ambition for Pixar-level visuals, but last-minute graphics end up delightfully amateur (“It’s actually funnier how shitty it looks.” – Seth, 57:45)
• Lauren Michaels' reaction: Lauren, friends with Randy Newman, was a bit glum about the parody (“He just looked at me sadly and is like, ‘That’s one of my best friends.’” – Rob Klein, 67:07)
• Notable song titles and bits: Keenan as Jennifer Hudson singing “And I am telling you, you are a bunny”; Eddie Vedder song “The Bunny Merger Went Through”; the frequent references to “pantsuits and send a fax”.

Legacy

• “It was so just fine that we did two more [sequels].” – Rob Klein, 67:25
• “Your Robert Smith [impression] is still pinnacle Sandberg for me.” – Seth, 67:28

4. Industry & Pop Culture Digs

• Andy’s new movie “Roses”: Press tours, filming in London, co-stars, and anecdotes about New York dinners (20:22–22:37)
• Tennis in movies: “Seven Days in Hell” makes Vulture’s list of best tennis movie scenes; debate over rankings and which films truly deserve the top spots (28:30–31:41)
• Pop culture aside: Jokes about Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, and the intersection of SNL with other pop moments (32:23–33:35)

5. Heartfelt Closer

• Love and admiration for Jorma’s resilience; group agrees that if anyone could handle such an injury—and still podcast—it would be him. (“If an optimistic outlook is important for this kind of recovery, he is the best of us.” – Seth, 24:21)
• Andy bids, “I love yor most of all this week, and I hope he’s on his road to recovery.” (70:56)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jorma on falling: “I literally have enough time as I’m falling to be like, ‘I’m gonna die.’” (03:14)
• Akiva to Jorma: “We’re glad you didn’t hit your head and that you’re not dead.” (07:25)
• Seth on Swift’s monologue: “She just ate your fucking lunch. Hands down. Everyone rolling in, pencils down.” (49:09)
• Andy on “Bunny Business”: “Four lines and out. Just get the impression laugh and get out.” (58:41)
• Rob Klein on Lauren Michaels’ response to “Bunny Business”: “Lauren just kind of looked at me sadly and is like, ‘That’s one of my best friends.’ And we were Parodying him.” (67:07)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–14:00: Jorma’s ladder accident, hospital details, and group banter
• 19:30–24:00: Andy’s press tour and new movie “Roses”
• 31:28–31:41: Tennis in movies, Vulture’s rankings, and “Seven Days in Hell”
• 32:23–33:35: Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce digression/clickbait jokes
• 33:35–35:00: Shift into “Firelight” discussion
• 41:05–45:53: Frame-by-frame critique of “Firelight”; what worked and what didn’t
• 47:24–50:44: Taylor Swift’s monologue song pitch—a behind-the-scenes SNL story
• 55:00–58:02: “Bunny Business” intro, animated limitations, explanation of “impression parade”
• 58:05–65:21: Playing and analyzing each “Bunny Business” fake song
• 66:02–67:25: Rob Klein’s voice note on writing “Bunny Business”
• 70:56–71:13: Outro, expressing love for Jorma

Summary by Section

Jorma’s Ordeal: Laughter in the Face of Pain

Jorma describes his dramatic ladder fall and resulting injuries, keeping the group laughing despite the severity. The guys joke about the timing, use their signature sarcasm, and reveal the support in their friendship. Jorma’s sense of humor shines, even as he records from a hospital bed (“That’s my goal—now you’re always going to have to outdo me if you want to bail on the pod.” – Jorma, 13:23).

“Firelight”: A Twilight Parody with Lost Potential

The digital short “Firelight”—which parodied Twilight with Taylor Swift as the ingenue and Bill Hader as Frankenstein—gets the full SNL-writer-room treatment. Seth admits the premise has “no third beat,” and the group agrees the sketch falls flat after strong opening moments. Andy as a mummy gets barely any business, and Akiva notes, “The joke is just remembering the movie, not adding anything new.” Nonetheless, recording with Taylor Swift (and their parents visiting the set) brings fond memories and lots of praise for Swift’s professionalism and musical instincts.

“Bunny Business”: The Joy of the Impression Parade

In contrast with “Firelight,” the group beams about “Bunny Business.” The sketch stacks musical impressions—Randy Newman, Natalie Merchant, Shakira, Adam Duritz, Eddie Vedder, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson—each singing about mundane bunny office life over intentionally lackluster animation. The group reflects on the value of brevity in comedy and how production limitations sometimes heighten the joke. Rob Klein’s behind-the-scenes voice note closes the segment, recalling Lauren Michaels’ slightly wounded pride at the Randy Newman parody but ultimately acknowledging the sketch’s success.

Comedy & Friendship in the SNL Trenches

Between production stories, the group discusses Andy’s movie “Roses,” their place in SNL history, tennis in movies, and their love for crossovers (and clickbait). The warmth of their friendship and their creative process pulses throughout, culminating in a sincere good-bye and well-wishes for Jorma’s recovery.

Final Thoughts

For fans old and new, this episode is a perfect capsule of why The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers are comedy fixtures: their ability to laugh at themselves, each other, and the quirks behind iconic SNL sketches. From hospital beds to recording booths, their blend of honesty, industry inside knowledge, and deadpan wit keeps even the lowest stakes (“just bunnies in pantsuits”) feeling iconic.