An Ode to Wet Hot American Summer w/ Alison Leiby

Summary

The Nightly – "An Ode to Wet Hot American Summer" w/ Alison Leiby

Date: June 9, 2026
Host: Josh Gondelman
Guest Co-Host: Alison Leiby
Theme: A nostalgic, affectionate, and comedic exploration of the cult classic film Wet Hot American Summer on its 25th anniversary, blended with meandering pop culture chat and cozy bedtime vibes.

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Episode Overview

Josh Gondelman and Alison Leiby, both comedians and pop culture devotees, reminisce about Wet Hot American Summer (2001) in honor of its 25th anniversary. The conversation weaves between first encounters with the film, its impact on their comedic sensibilities, the unique comedic tone of the movie, and how it fits into the broader landscape of sketch and absurdist comedy. The warmth and friendship between the hosts, as well as their love for quirky, offbeat humor, permeate the episode, making it as much a love letter to comedic community as to the film itself.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Love for Wet Hot American Summer and Its Cast

• Nostalgic Celebration [00:47 – 01:36]

  • Both hosts are deeply fond of the movie, listing the notable ensemble cast: “Michael Ian Black and David Wayne, Amy Poehler, David Hyde Pierce and Janine Garofalo. And a very young Bradley Cooper.” (Josh, 00:53)
  • Alison particularly notes the impressive consistency and timelessness of actors like Elizabeth Banks.

  "Looks the same in a way that I'm like, how are you doing this? What magic trick are you pulling?"
  — Alison [02:26]

The Film’s Unique Style and Comedy

• Structure & Humor [01:36 – 02:47]

  • The movie is described as being “strung together sketches almost,” with non-sequitur subplots and a vibe that’s both silly and singular.
  • Discussion of favorite comedic bits, especially the infamous Paul Rudd cafeteria tray scene.
  • Alison and Josh highlight their shared love of “when people play comedy very seriously”—citing Janine Garofalo’s deadpanning as a standout example.

• Comedy as a Litmus Test [17:05 – 17:37]

  • For both, Wet Hot American Summer served as a “litmus test for friendship” in college, defining group dynamics and personal comedic taste.

Formative Comedy Influences

• Imprinting on a Young Audience [03:52 – 05:32]

  • Both hosts discovered the movie in high school, relating how it resonated for some but mystified others—“if that kind of comedy doesn’t strike you, there is no on ramp.” (Alison, 03:47)
  • Alison recalls gravitating toward The State, Strangers with Candy, and other offbeat shows over more mainstream teen fare like Dawson’s Creek.

• Sketch Comedy, Kids in the Hall, and Monty Python [05:32 – 06:44]

  • The hosts compare the movie’s style and comedic lineage to sketch troupes like The State, Kids in the Hall, and Monty Python, noting personal preferences and how each influenced their sense of humor.

Extended Comedy Family: SNL, the Simpsons, and Beyond

• Appreciation for Comedy Legends [06:49 – 08:59]
  • A loving tangent on Phil Hartman—his SNL sketches, Simpsons work, and commercial parodies—emphasizing how earnest delivery elevates absurd material.
  • Quick references to other SNL greats and underrated sitcoms like NewsRadio, with shoutouts to Steven Root and Dave Foley.

The Place of Wet Hot in Comedy History

• Generational Influences & Shifts [09:59 – 12:35]

  • The conversation compares Wet Hot to other genre parodies like Airplane and Naked Gun, noting how those films spoofed decades-old tropes whereas Wet Hot lampooned more contemporary (for them) summer camp films.
  • The Wet Hot sensibility is described as “a little less linear and a little more gonzo and a little dirtier even... this isn’t your parents’ parody movie.” (Josh, 11:21)

  "It felt weirder and kind of that early absurdism that became a little dominant in at least the alt comedies that we have seen. But it was my first exposure to kind of that absurd weird."
  — Alison [11:46]

Specific Scenes and the Show’s Legacy

• Iconic Moments and Absurd Plots [12:35 – 14:21]

  • Memorable bits: Paul Rudd’s exasperated plate pick-up, the absurd summer camp saving-the-world subplot, Christopher Meloni’s chef talking to a can of vegetables (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin).
  • Discussion of the boundary-breaking romantic subplot between Michael Ian Black and Bradley Cooper, highlighted as ahead of its time for its sincere, non-mocking depiction.

• The Importance of Direction and Tone [14:26 – 14:58]

  • David Wain’s direction is credited as essential for balancing absurd humor with sincerity.

Adaptability and World-Building

• Transition to Series & Comparisons with Other Parodies [15:13 – 16:38]
  • Discussing the Netflix revival series, they note how well the movie’s world translates into episodic format—a testament to the “rich, weird world” the film created.

The Movie’s Enduring Influence

• Friendship and Insider Comedy [17:53 – 18:16]

  • Wet Hot American Summer becomes a kind of “friendship lore,” its references forming inside jokes that bond groups together.

• Contemporary Absurdism and Comedy Evolution [18:16 – 19:09]

  • Alison and Josh pivot to discussing I Think You Should Leave and Tim Robinson, noting how comedy for "real comedy sickos" has become mainstream—parallel to the cult path of Wet Hot.

• Comedy Culture Crossovers [19:09 – 19:56]

  • Josh tells a charming story about Shaquille O’Neal possibly referencing Tim Robinson on NBA coverage, underscoring how today's alt-comedy is now pop culture currency.

The Film’s Lasting Personal Impact

• Professional and Creative Influence [21:05 – 23:06]

  • The movie’s “silly and weird and specific” humor validated their comedic identities and inspired both to pursue creative work that feels like “goofing around with your friends.”

  "This was the kind of stuff that made me be like, oh, it can be goofing off with your friends. That's the thing I'm good at … I want my job to be goofin'."
  — Alison [23:06]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Elizabeth Banks and Hollywood Immortality

  “Looks the same in a way that I'm like, how are you doing this? What magic trick are you pulling?”
  — Alison [02:26]

• On the Style of Comedy

  “I think we both are fans of when people play comedy very seriously. That's when it is its most fun for me.”
  — Alison [02:32]

• On Finding Your Comedy People

  “Was it a litmus test for friendship? Like, oh, is your sensibility in comedy as weird as mine?”
  — Alison [17:10]

• On Absurd World Building

  “I like a rich, weird world.”
  — Alison [16:38]

• On Professional Inspiration

  "I want my job to be goofin’."
  — Alison [23:06]

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Important Timestamps

• [00:47–02:23] — Introduction of Wet Hot American Summer, cast rundowns, favorite comedic bits
• [03:05–04:33] — First experiences watching the film, and differing reactions from friends
• [05:32–06:44] — Comparing comedy influences: The State, Strangers with Candy, Kids in the Hall
• [06:49–08:59] — Phil Hartman appreciation and comedy deliveries
• [10:11–12:35] — Parody film lineage (Airplane, Naked Gun) vs. Wet Hot’s contemporary absurdity
• [13:06–14:21] — Legendary scenes (chef and can, gay love scene)
• [15:13–16:38] — Adaptability to TV series, differences with other parodies
• [17:05–17:37] — Litmus test of friendship via Wet Hot references
• [18:16–19:56] — Discussing I Think You Should Leave, Tim Robinson, and absurdism
• [21:05–23:06] — Comedy as community; influence on career outlook

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Episode’s Language and Tone

True to the show’s concept, the episode is cozy, affectionate, and playfully meandering. Both speakers are warm, witty, and engage in gentle, nostalgic banter, often finishing each other’s thoughts or building on a shared joke with an overtone of late-night, pillow-fort camaraderie.

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Closing Thoughts

Josh and Alison’s ode to Wet Hot American Summer is really an ode to the power of weird, specific comedy to bring people together, inspire careers, and linger as the inside jokes that define friendships. The movie’s legacy, both personal and cultural, is wonderfully alive in their sleepy, silly, and loving chat.

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For a full, cozy journey through pop comedy nostalgia and to hear more from comedians who cherish both the broad and the bizarre, you can always tune in nightly to Hatch Podcasts’ The Nightly.

Transcript

[A]

Audio for sleep by hatch.

[B]

Hello and good evening everyone. I'm Josh.

[A]

And I'm Alison. Welcome to the nightly from Hatch where your late night thoughts go to rest.

[B]

Alison, it's so nice to see you here again this summer. We've got lots of cool and exciting guests coming in to co host in the pillow fort and I'm so glad to be co hosting this week with my friend Alison leiby.

[A]

Josh, happy 25th anniversary to a movie we both love. Wet Hot American Summer.

[B]

Yeah, gosh, I love Wet Hot American Summer. For people who don't know, Wet Hot American Summer came out in 2001. It is like a very silly comedy starring a lot of the cast members who used to be in the state that had a show on mtv. So it's Michael Ian Black and David Wayne, Amy Poehler, David Hyde Pierce and Janine Garofalo. And a very young Bradley Cooper.

[A]

Yes. He was a favorite of some of the early Michael and Michael sketches. He's in one of my favorite ones.

[B]

Yep. Michael Showalter, of course, came Marino, Joe Trillio.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, the state folks.

[B]

And it's like a, I guess a parody of summer camp movies which hadn't really been a thing for a while, but I think it must have been something they had nostalgia for. And it's so silly and so fun.

[A]

Yes. It's like strung together sketches almost. And then you're like, oh, I know what this movie's about. And then you're like, oh, that's a weird subplot.

[B]

Shaft. Oh, also, of course, I mean, my favorite bit from it is the Paul Rudd, who he hadn't even mentioned yet, dropping the cafeteria tray of food and picking it up exasperatedly. But there's just so many bits. Just like we have gone several minutes just naming actors in the movie. Yes.

[A]

Elizabeth Banks.

[B]

Elizabeth Banks.

[A]

So good in it.

[B]

So good.

[A]

Looks the same in a way that I'm like, how are you doing this? What magic trick are you pulling?

[B]

Yeah, what's your secret?

[A]

I love Janine in it. I think we both are fans of when people play comedy very seriously. That's when it is its most fun for me. Especially when it's so silly and they're being so serious. And I feel like she really does that.

[B]

Yeah, she's great in it. She's just always great. Janine's the best.

[A]

I just can't believe I remember. When did you first see. I remember watching it in. I guess it would have been high school.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Cause I remember my friend Steve and I were really into it.

[B]

I also saw it in high school, and I have a pretty specific memory of watching it in a small group in my high school girlfriend's basement. And they had. It was, like, mostly an unfinished basement, but they had a. It was like the middle bench seat or the back bench seat from, like, a minivan that was their couch. So that's what we were sitting on. And I remember vaguely that it was, like, kind of polarizing amongst my high school friends. Like, some people were, like, interesting. Oh, I've been waiting all my life for this movie. And then some people are like, no, this is wrong.

[A]

Yes. People, Really? I think it's like, if that kind of comedy doesn't strike you, there is no on ramp.

[B]

Yeah. And you can't, like, logic yourself into it. Like, there are certain things, you know, where you can go, oh, it's this, like, slow, meditative contemplation. And so you can't watch it looking for excitement. You have to really sink into the texture. And this is not that.

[A]

No, no. It felt so singular. Obviously, it's, like, influenced from other things and, like, lives in a world that, like, other comedy existed at the time. But just, like, being young and being exposed, I just remember being like, whatever this is, I need it to be part of my life forever. And I'd watched this. I had been a State fan. Were you a fan of the State?

[B]

I was not. Cause I didn't grow up with cable until I think we got it after my bar mitzvah. So I kind of missed the State as a phenomenon and then caught up with all those performers and writers in their later projects. I've seen it since. And it's so funny.

[A]

Yeah, it's so funny. Yeah. Again, it's just like. Just felt like the right age for my sensibilities to encounter some of those characters and actors and those sketches they were doing. I was just like, yes, yes. Because I was so uninterested in so much other tv that was for our age group, the Dawson's Creek, all of that, which I watched after the fact, some of those. Just to be like, what did I miss? And then I was like, not much. I mean, I understand the popularity, but, like, it just, like, wasn't for me. I was like, oh, I was never gonna have been into this, but, like, I was up at night watching, like, Strangers with Candy and the State.

[B]

Were you a Kids in the hall person?

[A]

A little bit. I mostly, like, experienced it through Comedy Central airing it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I liked all the guys involved.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But it didn't always Hit for me.

[B]

Yeah. I like their weird Canadian vibe, but it wasn't like sketch to sketch hitting for me like a Mr. Show or the State.

[A]

Uh huh. Like Monty Python. I feel similarly where I'm like, the things that are funny are very funny to me, but like, on the whole, I'm like, this isn't quite for me in the way that, like, other groups with other styles were.

[B]

Yeah. And you know, honestly, when I think about it, I feel like kids in the hall. I went backwards from being a fan of Dave Foley on newsradio.

[A]

Huge fan of Dave Foley on newsradio. He was so good on newsradio. One of the most underrated sitcoms.

[B]

Yeah. I think justice for news radio. Joe Rogan's finest work. Certainly.

[A]

Steven Root. So good.

[B]

I love Steven Root.

[A]

I know.

[B]

And Maur Tierney. But Phil Hartman. That's what I was gonna say. Phil Hartman. I was such a huge Phil Hartman fan.

[A]

Me too.

[B]

As a little kid. I mean, especially, like, he's so great on the Simpsons.

[A]

I know. I've been watching a lot of the Simpsons lately and just like, really missing Phil.

[B]

When I lived uptown, I had a bunch of roommates, and one of us, it might have even been me. I have no recollection of how this came to Our apartment had the best of Phil Hartman SNL dvd. And there were sketches. Like, there was some stuff that was like, oh, he's Bill Clinton and He's stopping at McDonald's on a jog on the campaign trail. And it's like, okay, sure, that 20 years later doesn't have the same oomph to it, but there was so much stuff he did that was just so, so funny and stuff that I'd never seen in its original airing.

[A]

Yeah. And I feel like he is one of. I'm always obsessed with any sketch actor, comedy actor in general who can nail the commercial parody, who really can give gravitas an authority from a commercial sales trustworthiness, which he was so good at. Him. And Kevin Nealon.

[B]

Oh, gosh. Kevin Nealon's so funny. The range, though, of his Simpsons regular characters. Right. Of Lionel Hut's a Sham attorney. Troy McClure a movie star. Like, it all kind of feels like he has that, like, broadcaster voice that just like, feels so real.

[A]

Yeah. And like, both, like, it's everyone and it's only him. Like, that could be anybody. But it's like. But it's only Phil Hartman.

[B]

But he's the one. Right. He's the, like, prototype almost, it feels like, of that, especially as a Bit.

[A]

I don't think I've ever laughed as hard as when he was Troy McClure and he was like, you know, you may know me from other self help books as like, smoke yourself thin or get confident stupid. It's like I remember the first. I remember, like, I watched the Simpsons growing up, much to the chagrin of all my friends parents. Cause they were like, no, we don't let our kids watch that. But my parents were like, this is good comedy and you should be aware of it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I just remember, like, I remember the first time I saw that, like being in like tears laughing.

[B]

Yeah. Gosh, it's so funny. We've been talking about Wet Hot because we're like, you and I are thinking about a new project to write. And like, you brought in Wet Hot American Summer as like kind of the mood board. As like a mood board item for it. And I. I just want more things to feel like that. Yeah. And it felt like maybe the first, like that kind of like pastiche parody comedy that was like, for our generation. It was really great. Mel Brooks was such a big influence for me as a little kid, but the movies he was making, like in my living memory and is making, still felt like it was like that kind of older generation applied to contemporary stuff.

[A]

Yeah. And I even feel like, I mean, one of the important movies in my life, just like personally and professionally is Airplane.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But even that, you know, that came out in like, maybe before I was born.

[B]

1980, mid-80s, right? Early mid-80s, yeah.

[A]

I remember, like, at one point I saw when it came out and I was like, oh, it's like older than me.

[B]

Or 1980. Wow.

[A]

1980. Yeah, it's older than us. And I remember, like, I was like, I get all the comedy that's happening, but I'm not getting the film references of the fact that it's parody and not just this is a silly movie.

[B]

It was years after I saw it that I realized it was a specific parody of a specific movie of Airport or whatever.

[A]

And I feel like even Naked Gun, it was a little later before I was able to pick up on some of the more fun, referential parts of it that weren't just silly comedy. And I feel like when Wet Hot came out, I was like, oh, I am familiar with these summer camp movies and tropes because those were just a little bit older than us versus being a decade or so older than us.

[B]

And the sensibility of it, I think, being a little less linear and a little more gonzo and a little Dirtier even than some of the other stuff that I grew up loving. Even Naked Gun and Airplane in Wet Hot, where it just felt generationally like, truly like, this isn't your parents parody movie. You know what I mean?

[A]

Yeah, I agree. It felt weirder and kind of that early absurdism that I feel like then became a little bit more dominant in at least the alt comedies that we have seen. But it was my first exposure to kind of that absurd weird. Like, I don't want to say this phrase because I think it's, like, incorrect, but, like, kind of like vibes based almost versus, like, an airplane. I feel like everybody plays it so straight to like, make the references versus, like, a lot of the laughs and a lot of the jokes, like Paul Rudd picking up the plate and being like, ooh. It's just like, you know, I think that's, like. I don't think that that's the kind of joke that would have appealed to the Airplane audience or writers even.

[B]

Yeah. And even, I think the plot, which we kind of hinted at earlier, about the campers and the counselors having to stop a satellite from crashing into Earth. Right.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

It became ultimately what it's about. And so even just those stakes being so comically high and just the people at the summer camp being the only people who could save Earth felt like such a silly, absurd heightening. Yeah.

[A]

Right. And like, the chef, Christopher Maloney. The chef.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Oh, my gosh.

[A]

Talking to a can of corn mixed vegetables.

[B]

And the can is H. John Benjamin, who is the voice of Archer and Bob Belcher on Bob's Burgers. So the can just like, hey, how's it going? Which is also my Stallone impression.

[A]

Pretty good for both of them, if we're being perfectly honest. But, yeah, that kind of super weird, almost cartoon in the sense of how quickly scenes moved and how weird things were. And you're just like, I guess I have to just go with this.

[B]

Yeah. There's also a very tender, erotic love scene that is played both, like, played for laughs because it is played so sincere.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

I just remember that blew my mind where it was like this character that was always talking about hooking up with girls. And then there's this extremely steamy gay love scene with. It's Michael, Ian Black and Bradley Cooper. And you're like, whoa, in 2001. I remember just being like, they could do that in movies now.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. It felt like boundary pushing and not at the expense of queer people.

[B]

Right, right. It was like, oh, the joke is that everyone had this Expectation of what these guys were up to and what they were about. And then it's like, oh, no, they're in love with each other.

[A]

Yeah. And the way it was shot was also a part of the joke, which I think is, you know, David Wayne's an incredible director, and I think the movie works because he's a good director. I mean, it works for a million reasons, but in the hands of somebody less skilled and less adventurous, I think it would have been kind of just flat.

[B]

Yeah, totally. And I also love the movie he made. They came together. The similarly rom com parody that I think is less of a cult classic, but I really liked it. I saw it in theaters and was like, this rules.

[A]

When I think about Wet Hot American Summer, I'm also trying to think of favorite scenes and why they work, but I'm just like, I also am confusing when they did it as a series, what, 10 years ago maybe?

[B]

I think so. I remember watching it at a place that we moved out of in 2017. So it was at least nine years ago.

[A]

But the fact that I remember watching it, I was like, this feels like the movie. In a way, that's kind of a credit to the movie being something that could keep going. Whereas I don't know if you could remake Airplane. I mean, I know we just remade Naked Gun, but I don't know that

[B]

you could extend Airplane into a series the way that Wet Hot did. Cause I do think you could kind of go further back and do Naked Gun as. What was it? Police Files, the series with Leslie Nielsen, Police Squad. Yeah.

[A]

And I think it's a testament to world building. Like, Airplane is about an experience, like an event versus Wet Hot and Naked Gun are more like, this is a world we're living in. And once you establish this world, then we can go wherever in it and meet all the other people in it and have all kinds of different adventures off of this main story in a way that is, for me, very satisfying. Because I like a rich, weird world.

[B]

Yeah, me too. It's really, really fun. And, like, I have so much affection for that movie. Cause it also felt like by the time I got to college a couple years later, it was like Anchorman and Mean Girls were like the big, big comedies, which are so good, like movies I love. But, like, Wet Hot just has this place in my heart of, like, being a little bit less blockbuster comedy.

[A]

A lot less.

[B]

A lot less. A little more. If, you know, you know, the mark

[A]

of some of these really special comedies for me is was it a litmus test for friendship. Like, oh, is your sensibility in comedy as weird as mine? If you can quote Anchorman and Mean Girls, Like, I'm on board because those are good movies.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Can you quote Wet Hot American Summer? Like, do you have a favorite moment from that movie? Like, I just. It was such a foundational point of, like, my group of friends in college that was, like, inseparable to a point of psychosis.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I think that was, like, the most re watched DVD in our house.

[B]

Oh, yeah, I for sure had it on dvd.

[A]

I think I had it on, like, vhs. And then eventually on dvd, I had a handful of VHS tapes. And I'm always trying to piece together. I'm like, I know it was the cutting edge, and I don't, you know,

[B]

like, what else was that? The ice skating?

[A]

Yes, of course. But, yeah, it's like, I feel like there's something so special about those comedies that, like, become friendship lore, even though you didn't create them. And especially when it's like, other people don't know those references. And so it becomes kind of like they become an inside joke, even though they're a piece of media and not something somebody said to each other.

[B]

Totally. I remember 2019 was when the first season of I Think youk Should Leave came out with Tim Robinson's show, and it felt like that was for real comedy sickos. It's so abrasive and so gonzo. And, yeah, the characters are all so bizarre. The sketches have, like. They don't build to a point and then explode and then resolve weird lengths and structures. And now it feels like that has hit kind of mainstream in a way that I didn't expect.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I do feel like even him making the movie and having the HBO series is like, a kind of testament to enough people. Like this guy and the stuff he does that will keep giving him kind of like, bigger and more expensive places to do that, which I appreciate personally.

[B]

And then it has crossed over into, like, because I'm a. I'm. I'm a big basketball. I absorb a lot of basketball media podcasts. I watch games and stuff. And Shaquille o', Neal, Shaq, the one and only, was talking about how Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs star center, was playing, like, a combination of the spurs hall of Famers Tim Duncan and David Robinson. And then he was like, I'm gonna call him Tim Robinson. And I was like, is Shaq aware of the famous Tim Robinson, the comedian? Because I would love to watch Shaq watch Tim Robinson.

[A]

A question I think we all want answered.

[B]

I wonder if, Vicki, you can write into Inside the NBA with questions for Shaq.

[A]

I mean, I'm sure people have.

[B]

We'll send him a letter.

[A]

I just don't know where those letters go.

[B]

I'm really excited to rewatch it as we work on the project, this other project that we're working on, and I'm excited for the kind of anniversary celebration. 25 years is wild.

[A]

I know. And it both feels like, oh, my God, I've loved that movie for so long. It's like the fact that high school and college was the heyday of me watching it, but then it also. So much of it feels kind of timeless, and there's so many people in it who are still making really good, cool comedy now, as opposed to. I feel like sometimes you. You have an old movie where everybody was young and doing kind of weirder indie stuff and then eventually go on and kind of sell out to just do kind of super commercial, broad stuff. And I feel like everyone from that movie still touches down into some weird stuff every once in a while. So it doesn't feel as far. Not everybody, obviously. Bradley Cooper has gone on a very specific trajectory, but a lot of the people involved, like, still are popping up in, like, fun little things and, like, doing weird comedy. That feels like, oh, that's still you.

[B]

Yeah. I definitely think that, like, that was such an influence on me as a young person of, like, oh, you can just be silly. And that doesn't have to be, like, a stepping stone to, like, the Jim Carrey serious actor career.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And this stuff felt, like, so silly and weird and specific that when I found people that were like, oh, this is my. This is what I'm into as well, I feel like that was like doing improv and sketch in college and going like, oh, these are the people I want to be around, the people that get this and want to do stuff that emulates this for sure.

[A]

Because I never wanted to be, like, a comedy actress, even just, like, a real comedy actress. I'm not an actor, but I was just like, oh, but this is stuff I could kind of get into. This is something I'm like, I would want to write that I would want to. Something about this world. And being around people like, this is like, I need to devote the rest of my life to that. I only want that and this.

[B]

And honestly, a huge influence on me when I was that age was early Adam Sandler and all of this stuff, I was just like, yeah, that's like. And even before it occurred to me as like a career. I was like, I just want to like get into all this stuff.

[A]

Yeah, right. It's like. And it took me a long time between like watching some of these movies and TV shows and comedians and like actually pursuing comedy as a profession of any kind. Even like an even, like, I'll see what improv's all about. Like, it's still. I was still like in my mid-20s before I started doing any performance based writing. I was doing other writing and Onion and stuff like that. But I feel like, yeah, then when you're like, oh, you can just. I think it's just goofing around with your friends. Which is not what I got from other, more polished, bigger commercial, broad pieces of comedy.

[B]

Totally.

[A]

This was the kind of stuff that made me be like, oh, it can be goofing off with your friends. That's the thing I'm good at. I wasn't good at anything else yet. Cause there wasn't anything to be good at. Cause you're young. But then I was like, oh, that's, that's what I want. I want my job to be goofin'.

[B]

I love a goofing off based economy and I'm very grateful that it exists.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And it was so nice to goof off with you this evening.

[A]

It was so nice to goof off with you this evening.

[B]

I would like to. Before we go, I'd like to say goodnight to you, Alison. Good night to all of our listeners. You know, I'm gonna wish a goodnight to Janine Garofalo, wherever she is. Probably not far from where we are.

[A]

Probably pretty close. Josh, I would like to wish you a good night. And I would also wish good night to my college friends, Team Aviators. That was our group name, who were obsessed with wet hot American summer. And I'm pretty sure we all still are.

[B]

Sa.

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

To learn more about our phone free light and audio experience, head to Hatch

[A]

co. You can also follow us at HatchPodcasts.