The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast

Listener Q&A Episode 9 | Episode 91

December 23, 2025

Overview

This episode is a spirited Listener Q&A in the absence of Seth Meyers, with The Lonely Island trio—Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone—fielding questions, riffing on fan emails, and spinning off into classic digressions and inside jokes. They recount personal stories, debate the semantics of “chunks” as podcast structure, discuss SNL memories, thank fans for quirky gifts, and muse about burritos, ads, and “burrito brain”—all with their trademark blend of warmth and absurdity.

Key Moments & Discussion Highlights

1. "Cherry Battle" Feedback & Jon Hamm’s Praise

00:08–01:31

• Jorma confesses to not having listened to the last episode, but enjoyed rewatching “Cherry Battle,” noting its playful simplicity and the funny singing cherry character.
• Akiva relays a text from Jon Hamm:

  “You guys had some tricks left in the bag. Made me crack up hard... it’s Criterion.” – Jon Hamm (00:39)

• Discussion about how friend Tucker’s praise after the show made Akiva proud of the short.

Notable Quote:

“An easy guy is a perfect way to put it.” – Andy Samberg (00:29)

2. Physical Comedy and Animal Intrusions

01:31–06:17

• Andy describes nearly wishing his “cherry guy” voice would emerge during a fall off a ladder.
• Akiva shares his tale of a rat infestation, complete with a matter-of-fact exterminator who reacts, “Oh, cool,” upon seeing a trapped rat.
• This launches a riff on “let’s fucking go” as an over-the-top exclamation in inappropriate settings (ballets, births, exterminator calls).

Memorable Moment:

Jorma: “I was 110% sure he was gonna say, let’s fucking—”
Akiva: “He did later about something else. But the cool was the first, most important part.” (05:23–05:43)

3. Snake Guy vs. Spider-Man?

06:04–08:22

• Andy and Jorma riff on Akiva’s “snake guy” (literal snake wrangler) and ponder if a “snake guy” should be half-snake, half-man.

• The debate spirals into whether Spider-Man or Snake Guy would win in various contests—notably, relaxation.

  “If it’s in a contest of who can relax more, I think a snake guy is going to win.” – Andy (07:28)

• Running joke: “Let’s fucking go” as a universal celebratory phrase.

4. On Podcast Structure: “Chunks” and Ad Complaints

09:50–16:46

• The group riffs on the recurring criticism that their show is "half ads," acknowledging but poking fun at it.
• Detailed breakdown of how ads are spaced—and why "ads are not a chunk."
• Comparison of podcast “chunks” to Quibi’s failed short-form format.
• They read a fan's snarky email about skipping “40 times” to get through all the ads, defending their approach:

  “We put work into some of the ads to make them a little bit more entertaining... But you wouldn’t know that, James, because you skip them.” – Akiva (24:37)

• Banter about old NYC apartment locations, with Friends and Sex and the City references.

5. Fan Interaction: Gifts, Patches, and Listener Stories

27:32–29:46

• They showcase a listener-made fully embroidered "Quaid Army" patch on a Vietnam era army jacket, describe its symbols, and praise the artistry.
• Discussion of a custom license plate frame ("Qu Army for life") and fan-made pins—highlighting the creative engagement of their fanbase (“Quaid Army”).

Notable Quote:

“That is so sick, bro. That is really cool.” – Andy (27:46)

6. Pop Culture, SNL & Comedy Fan Debates

32:32–41:01

• Andy discusses “Karate Guy” as their best and funniest song.
• Strong recommendations for an HBO/Adult Swim show; plan to review it in a future episode.
• Quick debate about the “Three’s Company” theme song being pervy, pivoting into musical cues for the “Merv the Perv” sketch from SNL.
• Read a touching email from Barbara, a listener with “no ties” to SNL/Lonely Island who now loves the show:

  “I have virtually zero ties to any of you. I have listened to and loved every single episode.” – Barbara (35:32)

• Calls for Barbara to write back and explain how she stumbled onto the podcast.

7. Inside Baseball: The New York Times Rivalries

37:12–41:13

• Multiple listeners from New York Times-related outlets (Wirecutter, Games, the Athletic) send in emails, sparking tongue-in-cheek territorial squabbles.
• Banter over “cute butts on the football team” and SNL’s infamous “Mondo Butts” reference.

8. Parenting, Censorship, and Cursing in Humor

53:02–55:15

• Listener shares how her own son—averse to cursing and innuendo—thought Lonely Island’s material meant his mom was a “pervert.”
• All discuss how their own kids handle cursing in music and what’s appropriate per family.

9. "Burrito Brain" and Aging

55:48–61:11

• Extended bit about "burrito brain" (BB): feeling mentally foggy or sluggish after consuming too much burrito.

• The trio reminisces about their younger days when eating multiple burritos was easy, lamenting middle-age metabolism.

  “Now I go, half a burrito. I’m fucking burrito branding all over the place.” – Akiva (59:58)

• Propose launching a “NAB – non asada burrito” as a joke product: an easy-to-digest alternative for aging burrito lovers.

10. Spider-Man Multiverse, Campaigns & Movie References

57:44–61:41

• They joke about wanting a “burrito brain” Spider-Man in the multiverse films, likening Akiva’s campaign to Donald Glover’s for Miles Morales.

  “Nobody with burrito brain has ever been Spider-Man.” – Akiva (59:16)

• Group assigns their Spider-Man incarnations (“Spider-Ham,” “Ben Reilly,” etc.).

11. Listener Letters: Costumes, Gonks & Names

48:13–50:44

• 14-year-old listener Abigail shares a photo of her Lorne Michaels Halloween costume, to much affection.
• Listener from the UK shares the tradition of calling Christmas gnomes "gonks," leading to jokes about “not a gonk.”

Notable Quotes

• “An easy guy is a perfect way to put it.” – Andy Samberg (00:29)
• “We put work into some of the ads to make them a little bit more entertaining... But you wouldn’t know that, James, because you skip them.” – Akiva Schaffer (24:37)
• “If it’s in a contest of who can relax more, I think a snake guy is going to win.” – Andy Samberg (07:28)
• “Nobody with burrito brain has ever been Spider-Man.” – Akiva Schaffer (59:16)
• “If you know, if a Spider-Man or anyone you know has had burrito brain… hit us up.” – Jorma Taccone (60:26)

Additional Timestamps for Important Segments

• Cherry Battle Discussion & Jon Hamm’s Text: 00:08–01:31
• "Snake Guy" Bit: 06:04–08:22
• Ad/Chunk Structure Riffing: 09:50–16:46
• Listener Gifts & Patches: 27:32–29:46
• Fan Story: New Listener “Barbara”: 34:47–36:47
• NYT Internal Turf War: 37:12–41:13
• Parenting, Cursing, & Kids: 53:02–55:21
• Burrito Brain/Spider-Man Campaign: 55:48–61:41

Tone & Style

Conversational, loose, and self-aware; typical of The Lonely Island’s playful, meta-comedic energy. There’s a strong sense of camaraderie, gentle ribbing, and frequent detours into parody and surreal hypotheticals. Fan interaction is warm and inclusive, if irreverent.

Summary

A quintessential hangout episode—bouncing between podcast meta-jokes (especially about “chunks” and the prevalence of ads), fondly ridiculous personal stories, listener mail, and the group’s affection for both fans and one another. Highlights include Jon Hamm’s adulation for "Cherry Battle," Akiva’s exterminator saga, riffs on podcast structure, playful bickering about New York institutions, and the introduction of “burrito brain” as their new favorite aging complaint. Beneath the absurdity, the trio’s gratitude for quirky listener engagement—with patches, pins, costumes, and emails—shines through.

If you love inside jokes, SNL lore, or just a fun, self-aware group riffing with undiminished chemistry, this episode is a treat.