Points of Vibration (with Conan O'Brien and Allen Stare)

Summary

The Severance Podcast with Ben Stiller & Adam Scott Episode: Points of Vibration (with Conan O'Brien and Alan Stair) Release Date: June 26, 2025

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Introduction: Restarting the Podcast

At the outset of the episode, Ben Stiller and Adam Scott announce the revival of "The Severance Podcast" following the season two finale of the workplace thriller Severance. They express excitement about delving deeper into discussions surrounding the show and addressing ongoing questions from their listener hotline.

Ben Stiller [00:40]: "And in each episode, we'll be talking about the movies and TV shows that have influenced us while making the show."

Welcoming Conan O'Brien: A Comic Giant Joins

The hosts introduce their special guest, the legendary late-night host Conan O'Brien, highlighting his stature both physically and within the entertainment industry. They humorously reference Conan's new travel show, setting a light-hearted tone for the conversation.

Adam Scott [01:21]: "Physical mass."

Ben Stiller [02:01]: "What's it like being tall?"

Light-Hearted Banter: Knicks, Recognition, and Personal Stories

Ben and Adam engage Conan in playful banter about Adam's recent misfortunes at New York Knicks games, suggesting a humorous "curse." They share anecdotes from their experiences, including a memorable screening of Severance at the Dolby Theater, complete with an impromptu marching band performance.

Ben Stiller [03:30]: "I felt like everybody who was watching it had sort of watched it already."

Conan O'Brien [06:51]: "I was sad for the city of New York because I love New York City so much."

Conan's Insights on Fame and Public Life

Conan delves into the challenges of being a public figure, discussing the inability to remain unnoticed due to his distinctive appearance. He shares humorous experiences of being recognized and his strategies for handling constant attention.

Conan O'Brien [12:47]: "There are downsides. You cannot hide."

Conan O'Brien [14:57]: "I've been trying to communicate we are good."

Appreciation and Mutual Admiration

Ben and Adam express their admiration for Conan's comedic talents and recount their long-standing relationship, including past collaborations and memorable moments. Conan reciprocates the appreciation, highlighting the ease and spontaneity of their current podcast format compared to his previous long-term projects.

Ben Stiller [13:05]: "You're so in tune with your craft."

Conan O'Brien [23:01]: "We can talk for literally 50 minutes and go down weird roads."

Discussion on Severance: Themes and Aesthetic Appeal

Conan shares his fascination with Severance, emphasizing the show's meticulous attention to detail, set design, and ability to blend serious themes with unexpected comedic moments. He appreciates how the show's aesthetic and craftsmanship draw him in, fostering a deeper connection with both the narrative and his family.

Conan O'Brien [25:29]: "I love any work. I mean, sometimes I come home and I watch very depressing things."

Conan O'Brien [26:49]: "I'm at the mercy of the show, which I really like."

Hotline Questions: Audience Engagement and Humor

The podcast shifts to addressing hotline questions from listeners, featuring humorous and irreverent responses to inquiries. Conan adds his comedic flair, poking fun at celebrity superfans Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard.

Ben Stiller [42:23]: "Nobody wants to hang with them."

Conan O'Brien [43:45]: "Daxie, Kristen are reviled."

Introducing Alan Stair: The Ultimate Severance Podcaster

The hosts welcome Alan Stair, the creator of Severed: The Ultimate Severance Podcast. Alan shares his passion for Severance, detailing his extensive research and dedication to dissecting the show’s intricacies. He discusses his favorite elements, such as the show's central conceit and the depth of character development, particularly focusing on Tramell Tillman's role.

Alan Stair [56:24]: "I remember in the second episode when we saw what was happening through the portal..."

Alan Stair [62:07]: "The performances are fantastic. The writing is so tight."

Deep Dive into Severance Theories and Analysis

Alan presents thoughtful theories about the show's plot mechanics, including the nature of the severance chip and the structure of Lumen Industries' office. Ben and Adam engage with his questions, maintaining the mystery while appreciating the complexity of the show's universe.

Alan Stair [64:10]: "Is the severance chip a switch or is it a storage device?"

Ben Stiller [66:30]: "We have a plan."

Conclusion: Continued Exploration and Future Episodes

The episode wraps up with Ben and Adam expressing gratitude to Conan and Alan for their insightful contributions. They encourage listeners to engage with the podcast and tease future discussions about the influences behind Severance. The hosts highlight the collaborative effort behind the podcast, giving thanks to their production team and reminding listeners to rate and review the show.

Ben Stiller [68:19]: "If you like the show, be sure to rate and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your other podcast platform of choice."

Adam Scott [68:30]: "Our executive producers are Bari Finkel, Gabrielle Lewis, Naomi Scott and Leah Rhys Dennis."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Conan O'Brien [12:47]: "There are downsides. You cannot hide."
• Conan O'Brien [25:29]: "I love any work. I mean, sometimes I come home and I watch very depressing things."
• Alan Stair [56:24]: "I remember in the second episode when we saw what was happening through the portal..."
• Ben Stiller [66:30]: "We have a plan."

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Key Takeaways

• Revival of the Podcast: Ben and Adam restart the podcast to provide deeper insights into Severance and engage with their audience’s questions.
• Special Guests: Episode features Conan O'Brien and Alan Stair, offering a blend of comedic and analytical perspectives on the show.
• In-Depth Analysis: Conversations explore the intricate themes, character dynamics, and aesthetic elements that make Severance compelling.
• Audience Interaction: Engaging hotline segments add humor and relatability, enhancing listener connection.
• Future Episodes: Hosts hint at continued discussions on cultural influences and behind-the-scenes aspects of Severance.

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This episode of The Severance Podcast showcases a unique blend of humor, deep analysis, and fan engagement, providing both seasoned viewers and newcomers with valuable insights into the beloved show. Through the interactions with Conan O'Brien and Alan Stair, listeners gain a multifaceted understanding of Severance, enriched by personal anecdotes and expert theories.

Transcript

[Adam Scott]

I've never felt like this before.

[Ben Stiller]

It's like you just get me. I feel like my true self with you. Does that sound crazy? And it doesn't hurt that you're gorgeous.

[Adam Scott]

Okay, that's it.

[Ben Stiller]

I'm taking you home with me. I mean, you can't find shoes this good just anywhere. Find a shoe for every you from brands you love, like Birkenstock, Nike, Adidas and more at your DSW store or dsw dot com. Hey, I'm Ben Stiller. I'm Adam Scott, and this is the Severance Podcast with Ben and Adam.

[Adam Scott]

Now, we recorded our last podcast episode when the season two finale aired a few months ago, and there was so much more we wanted to talk about. And we're still getting new questions from the hotline, so we figured, why not start the podcast back up? So starting today, we've got new episodes for you coming out every Thursday for the next five weeks.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. And in each episode, we'll be talking about the movies and TV shows that have influenced us while making the show. And we'll bring on Severin super fans, which I'm excited about. Like today's guests, we've got a big severance superfan. Like physically big. Big in stature and import in show business, too.

[Adam Scott]

Physical mass.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, physical mass and height. We're talking about Conan o' Brien. Conan's on the show.

[Adam Scott]

Oh, my God. Conan o' Brien.

[Ben Stiller]

And he has this new show, this new travel show.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah. Conan o' Brien Must go.

[Ben Stiller]

Yes. Which I haven't seen yet. But you've seen it. You said it's great.

[Adam Scott]

It's so good. It's hilarious.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. It's interesting to me that Conan can't go through life without being recognized. And I'm gonna ask him about it. What's like.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, he can't, like, hide in a crowd because he sticks up because he's nine feet tall.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, exactly.

[Adam Scott]

So after all that, we're also gonna be joined by another Severin super fan, Alan Stair, who. Who hosts Severed the Ultimate Severance Podcast.

[Ben Stiller]

I am going to ask him how tall he is.

[Adam Scott]

Also, I'm going to ask if he likes staring at things.

[Ben Stiller]

Oh, yeah. Good. All right, so here's the spoiler warning. In this episode, anything and everything from the entire first two seasons of Severance is on the table. So I don't know why you're listening to this at this point, unless you just stumbled on it, but if you aren't caught up yet, just go do that. And then this podcast episode will always Be here waiting for you.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, we're just waiting for you. Like, if you. I think it's good that we be clear. Like, both seasons in their entirety are up for grabs, spoiler wise. Like, if you watched all of season one and the second half of season two, you're out of luck, because the first half of season two, we may be talking about that.

[Ben Stiller]

Right. And I feel like if you had done that, you should listen to the podcast episodes in order. Right. Yeah. So probably, if you're hearing this, this is not an issue for you.

[Adam Scott]

So how have you been? It's been a few months since we've been doing this. So how have your few months been. Been stiller.

[Ben Stiller]

You know, honestly, doesn't it feel like a lot longer than a few months?

[Adam Scott]

It does.

[Ben Stiller]

It feels to me like a really long time since we did a podcast and since the show stopped, you know, like we had the last episode. It seems like a. I don't know, it just seems like forever ago.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah. The finale feels like a year ago.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

Like, when the finale came out and we. Big screening, which was so much fun, watching the show with a theater full of fans.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. That was literally one of my favorite experiences in life of screening something was to be in that theater, the Dolby Theater, and with all those fans. And I felt like everybody who was watching it had sort of watched it already. They might have watched it the night before, so they kind of knew what was going on, and it was just so much fun. And then the crazy USC marching band coming in at the end.

[Adam Scott]

Incredible. And Tramell marching in with them, and the crowd just went bonkers.

[Ben Stiller]

And that was Tramiel just freestyling. Totally.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah. Afterwards, I was like, how long did you guys rehearse that? And he was like, we did. Not that. We kind of just did that, which is crazy.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, it was great.

[Adam Scott]

So how are you doing as far as the Knicks go?

[Ben Stiller]

Well, you know, look, it was a really, really good season. I don't want to, like, make people have to deal with my Knicks stuff if they're not interested in it. Just suffice it to say the Knicks had a, you know, went to the Eastern Conference finals, which is a huge, huge thing for them. First time in 25 years. And then they proceeded to let go of Tom Thibodeau, the coach, which was kind of a rough thing. And we're, as of this recording, we're still in process with that, so there's a lot of mixed emotions, but it was a great run. I had so much. So much fun Never been more invested. And, you know, you have to have a few weeks maybe at the end of it, because it always ends badly, you know? Right. It's like always, not unless you win the championship. There's always going to be some sort of frustration. But it was fun. In terms of severance, it was cool because we had, like, a little Karl Anthony Townes severance crossover for one of his hype videos for the first round of playoffs.

[Adam Scott]

And wouldn't they play the theme, too, during games?

[Ben Stiller]

Sometimes, yeah, they would play it when. Like, sometimes when someone go to the foul line. When. Which is pretty cool.

[Adam Scott]

It's amazing.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. I have to say, when the severance theme played at Madison Square Garden, that was sort of like all the elements of my life coming together. Perfect bow.

[Adam Scott]

I mean, that has to be. That's like REM Going on stage and playing the Severance theme song or something.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

I have a question, though. I went to two Knicks games this season, and as you pointed out, both games I'd been to, they lost.

[Ben Stiller]

Correct.

[Adam Scott]

So I was just wondering your feelings generally about that and if you think I'm some sort of a curse on the New York Knicks.

[Ben Stiller]

I don't think you're a curse. I think you might be just not, you know, it might be bad luck.

[Adam Scott]

Just bad luck.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I think. Look, this happens with anybody who shows up at a game, who doesn't usually show up at a game, at an important game. And it gets. It throws off the energy. It's like. Just look at the data. It's like, okay, Adam shows up, loss. Adam shows up, loss. So I'm just saying, no, not necessarily a curse, but are you gonna be first in line for, you know, to go watch a game with next season? Maybe early in the season, but come playoff time, I think we have to, you know, think long and hard about that.

[Adam Scott]

Like, when it really matters, you're. You would go out of your way to make sure I am not allowed in the doors at Madison Square Garden?

[Ben Stiller]

No, no, no, no, no. I would never do that. I just would, you know, make it difficult. Whatever strings I could pull, maybe throw.

[Adam Scott]

An obstacle or two in my way, I have.

[Ben Stiller]

When the Knicks lost and you entered that game, did you feel anything? Did you care at all? Did it bother you at all?

[Adam Scott]

I was sad for the city of New York because I love New York City so much.

[Ben Stiller]

I don't feel like I don't buy any of that.

[Adam Scott]

You don't care about that. You don't care about New York as much as I do what I felt, though, mostly because a few minutes beforehand you had yelled quite loudly, hey, Adam, last time you came to a game, they lost two. Cause I was a few seats over. So you had to project and there were a lot of people around. So when they did in fact lose while being sad for the city of New York and the incredible team members of the New York Knickerbockers, I was happy how sad.

[Ben Stiller]

You were cool. All right, can you name two team members from the New York Knicks?

[Adam Scott]

Of course I can. So is Conan, Is he okay?

[Ben Stiller]

Conan's here. Conan o' Brien is here. Let's bring him in. Let's bring him in.

[Adam Scott]

We're going to take a break.

[Ben Stiller]

We'll be right back with Conan o' Brien. At Lumen Industries, collaboration is limited, information is siloed, workflows are mysterious, and departments rarely interact. The macrodata refinement team, like many others, operates in isolation, tracking cryptic information without clicking clear context. Now imagine what would happen if they introduced a new tool like Notion. Notion brings structure to the chaos without the need for white walls that go on forever or severed minds. With shared workspaces, customizable databases, and AI assisted search, teams like Marks could track their quota progress, manage project documentation, and even gain insight into the elusive work of other departments all in one organized platform. Need to organize data into tables, boards, or timelines. Easy. Coordinate across departments without unauthorized hallway wandering. Completely possible in a world where memory ends at the elevator. Notion helps keep everything connected, connecting what's been severed. Explore [e-mail] severance.

[Adam Scott]

Hey, what's up, Flies?

[Ben Stiller]

This is David Spade.

[Adam Scott]

Dana Carvey. Look, I know we never actually left, but I'll just say it.

[Ben Stiller]

We are back with another season of.

[Conan O'Brien]

Fly on the Wall. Every episode, including ones with guests, will.

[Alan Stair]

Now be on video.

[Adam Scott]

Every Thursday, you'll hear us and see us chatting with big name celebrities.

[Conan O'Brien]

And every Monday, you're stuck with just me and Dana. We react to news, what's trending, viral clips follow and listen to Fly on the Wall. Everywhere you get your podcasts.

[Adam Scott]

Say there's a Lumen employee who's had enough of the white walls, the waffle parties and the work life balance and wanted to work remotely. What's the first thing he packs? Nothing. He just activates one of the new Olafly plans. With Olafly plans, he stays globally connected until he decides to come back with no local SIM cards, no airport kiosks or annoying data top ups at all. Olafly plans offer unlimited data and hotspots in more than 160 countries in just one ESIM with instant activation. Select your plan, activate it, and get globally connected in less than two minutes. They could be filing a report from a mountaintop cafe or moving mysterious numbers on a beach in Lisbon. As they can share Internet between devices, Olafly Plans keeps them synced with their team even while the rest of them are still stuck in the office. Trusted by over 8 million travelers and rated 4.5 on Trustpilot, Olafly helps you avoid up to 85% in roaming fees without compromising on connection. If you're traveling and want to stay online effortlessly, check out Olafly.com and get started with a plan that's as flexible as you are. Olafly Unlimited data, zero break rooms. I love doing Conan's show.

[Ben Stiller]

I mean, he's sort of the man in terms of podcasting. Oh, yeah, it's probably the easiest show to do because you just get into a conversation and you forget that you're being recorded. And also, Conan has no. Hi, Conan.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, I'm here. You're talking about me. It's rude. It's rude. I've been listening to you guys for 40 minutes.

[Ben Stiller]

Well, cool. We were just watching your zoom screen that just had your name, but then there was a mute thing. And so we were just sort of doing what they call tap dancing or, you know, in showbiz, when you got to do filler.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, filler. My whole life has been filler. It's been. I was once in front of a huge, giant crowd at Bonnaroo and I did whatever short thing I was going to do because comed, he doesn't play in a venue like that. So I did my short, quick thing. Crowd seemed happy. And then I was about to get off and I looked at the guy beside was doing this stretch. Stevie Wonder still wasn't out of his trailer. And I. I said, okay, Stevie Wonder's coming. He'll be here sometime soon. And just walked off. And the guy was like, hey, man, I told you to do this. And I was like, yeah, fuck you. I'm not going to get chewed up because Stevie Wonder is getting a foot massage.

[Adam Scott]

That's actually a great. That's a great. I have to remember that for when someone tells me, hey, you didn't do this thing that I asked you to do. Just say, hey, fuck you.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, I do that with my. I started doing that with my wife recently.

[Adam Scott]

How'd that go?

[Conan O'Brien]

She's like, I told you. I thought I told you to pick up our son at the airport. I'm like, Fuck you, I'm on television. And then she says, no, you're not really. It's a podcast. And then it's sad.

[Ben Stiller]

That's the beauty of a long term relationship.

[Conan O'Brien]

Exactly.

[Ben Stiller]

That's sort of like those shortcuts.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, she's. She's packing right now, so.

[Ben Stiller]

By the way, what we didn't mention in your introduction, I think I just talked about your, your immense height and how like, kind of slightly jealous I am of it. And I. That was one of my questions. I wrote down, what's it like being tall? That I was going to ask you at some point, but later in the interview. But maybe you want to think about that.

[Conan O'Brien]

Well, I'll tell you this. There are downsides. You cannot hide. And it's really funny because when I put on like sunglasses and a baseball cap, it looks like Big Bird from Sesame street is wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap.

[Ben Stiller]

That's what we said. We said that in your intro that you cannot hide. As a famous person, what is it like in life for you to walk down the street? You can't hide.

[Adam Scott]

People are just like, hey, Conan.

[Conan O'Brien]

Well, have you guys watched. If you've watched the movie King of Comedy, there's a great sequence where Scorsese just shoots Jerry Lewis walking down the street. And very smart. Yeah, he had Jerry Lewis played Jerry Langford. So every. And he records everyone on the street shouting, jerry, Jerry. And this sounds like I'm humble bragging or something. I'm not. People between my hair and my height and a certain kooky face, people just shout. And so I kind of act like I'm an elected official and I just, I'm like, yeah, buddy, right back at you. Oh, look out for him. Hey, you. That's some salami sandwich. I'll join you in an hour. I just, I'm constantly just shouting stuff at people and, and they love it. I don't know what they do, but I, I mix it up with people. Like, I just use. There's an Irish politician side of me that's just. I act like I'm running for something. And I don't know. I'm sure a really good. Either a CAT scan or a good therapist would trace it back to some incredible deficit inside.

[Ben Stiller]

But, but then we wouldn't have that career that you've had if you had gotten the CAT scan back in the day and figured it out.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yes, yes. As my father once said. I've repeated this many times, but it bears repeating. My father was a scientist and he once looked at me and he wasn't kidding. He looked at me and he went, I think I understand. You're making your living off of something that should be treated. It's like, I love you, too. I love you, too, dad.

[Adam Scott]

Wow.

[Ben Stiller]

And Conan, by the way, congrats on the Mark Twain Prize for humor.

[Conan O'Brien]

Thank you.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, man, thank you.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. And I saw recently that, yeah, they had a whole event at the Kennedy Center. I missed it because I was, I guess, not invited or we. Or my publicist. Something I got caught up in.

[Conan O'Brien]

What happened was you called me early on and said, I'd like to be there. And I said, we're good, right? We're good.

[Ben Stiller]

I thought you meant we're good. Like, we're great. Let's do it.

[Conan O'Brien]

I know, but I was really trying to communicate we are good. And I was under the mistaken impression that since, you know, the Ben Stiller show, you hadn't done much. And I. I said, look, that's nostalgia. And that was cool. And you guys won that Emmy. And you and Odenkirk and what a great team. And then I was horrified to learn that you have had this just explosive power, incredible dominance in film. And I was embarrassed. That's on me.

[Ben Stiller]

That's cool. That's cool. It's weird because I was at Sandler's Mark Twain Prize thing, which I think you were at, too.

[Conan O'Brien]

I thought you were a caterer. I thought you were catering.

[Ben Stiller]

No, no, no. I did a tribute to.

[Conan O'Brien]

I thought they let the caterer have a shot.

[Ben Stiller]

That was part of my bit. That was part of my bit. But I thought. I honestly, I thought I killed. I had, like, a really good thing. Yeah, you did. And afterwards, there was, like, a lot of talk amongst the group. It was like Dana Carr and people. They were talking about, like, who's gonna get the next one? Who's gonna get the next one? And I thought that, like, okay, they just did a Jewish guy my age, probably not me next year. But I thought I was, like. I thought I was rising into. And Chris Rock killed, too. Even though Rock didn't even prepare, but he still killed. And I thought, okay, you know, I feel like my name's gonna be in the Mark Twain people's consciousness. Cause they saw how good I did at Sandler's. And not only have I not gotten. This was years ago now, like, three years. I didn't even get called for your thing.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah. You know what's interesting? This is true. All joking aside, they wouldn't tell me anything. No one told me anything about who's coming. They don't tell you, they don't tell you. They don't tell you anything. Which is really nerve wracking. And of course, the predominant feeling I had was I'm embarrassed that anyone's going to be put out, you know, like, I don't want.

[Ben Stiller]

Of course, of course.

[Conan O'Brien]

And then I had some people apologize. Like, they contacted me and, you know, I can't do it and I'm really sorry. And I go, no, no, no, no. I don't know anything about it, you know, and they're like, no, no, I'm really sorry, Conan, I know you asked. I'm like, no, I didn't. And then they would say, I'm in Washington D.C. next door that night and I don't have much to do, but I still won't do it.

[Ben Stiller]

Right. That's rough. Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

Isn't there an event the night before as well?

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, and that was fantastic. Everyone was great. I mean, the craziest thing is, you know, I use my assistant on my podcast. We put her in the podcast and then she's just, she's so great and she's done so many great remotes with me. And the trick with her, I found, is, as you guys know, most people who are. I'm just going to use the term civilians because it's so derogatory towards non performers, but most people, if you just put a camera on them, they change. Everyone changes when you put a camera on them. Sona does not. So we would bring her out on the late night show and she would destroy. And then it was over. And she would say, okay, I'm going to get a sandwich and then I'm going to go home now. Bye. So they asked her to speak and she followed a bunch of really professionally funny people. And she got up there like she had been playing the Catskills for 700 years.

[Adam Scott]

Wow.

[Conan O'Brien]

And she just, you know, and in the audience, I mean, David Letterman came to the dinner the night before and so Dave's in the audience and she just destroyed and had this casual. And then I went up to her afterwards and I said, sona, I hired you to be my assistant. There was never any indication that you'd ever become a known person. And you just got up there and she was like, oh, yeah, no, I think it went well. Anyway, you know, I'm gonna go, I want to get some. There's a chicken salad sandwich in room service. And then I gotta get to sleep and I'm gonna call my kids. And you're just. I mean, she's really remarkable.

[Adam Scott]

I wonder if Sona has that deficiency, that fear deficiency, that. That guy, that free solo. Yes.

[Conan O'Brien]

Free solo guy is missing something in his amygdala. He has no fear. I don't know, but it is quite remarkable.

[Ben Stiller]

Does Sona. Does she like to free.

[Conan O'Brien]

She also. Yes. Oftentimes when she's on the podcast, she's not there in studio. She's hanging off a cliff.

[Adam Scott]

That's incredible.

[Ben Stiller]

Conan, thank you for being on our podcast. I honestly, I was saying it before, but you are like, we've known each other for a long time. I'm a huge fan of yours. You're amazing as a comedic writer. That's when I first met you at SNL86, I think. But you are, like, one of the best podcast people, so I appreciate you. Yeah, you really are. And we'll get into severance and just, like, what you love about severance in a second. But I just want to say, like, when you do your podcast, I'm curious how you prep for it, because when I sat across from you last time, I did. I've done a couple of times. You don't really have notes. You kind of have a little notebook or something. But it just. It just goes. It just flows. And is there, like, some sort of prep you do, or do you just kind of.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah. I think about the person, and I think. Think about how do I connect with this person? And I'm very sentimental. So if I'm talking, you know, to you, Ben, I think about knowing about your parents, because I was a fan of theirs and meeting you at snl, but knowing that, you know, Stiller, and that's still Ramira's kid, that's been. And then just the different ways we've crossed paths. And also what it is that you do that has resonated with me, like, where are our points of vibration that I feel? And so I'm really just thinking about whoever I'm talking to. Adam. When I talk to Adam, it's just. It's hard to access anything.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

So cold.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, well, that's just. That's just so cold.

[Adam Scott]

Nothing to connect with.

[Conan O'Brien]

But I write myself little notes. What's really funny is I was talking to Harrison Ford once, and sometimes I just write a bunch of different things. And I hadn't written much about Harrison Ford on my notepad, because you don't need to, but there was a point I wanted to make about Han Solo. So I just wrote Han Solo, and I'm talking to him, and he looks at my pad and he just is like, what the fuck? And he grabs my pad and he goes, han Solo. You had to fucking write the name Han Solo. And he's screaming at me in the podcast. I think people know Han Solo. And I'm like, no, it's not to remember. And it was too late. He had won the comedy battle. He was screaming at me for. Bring up this. What's that name again? Was he Luke or Hann? So, yeah, I just try and find things that, you know, if. If Adam's coming on, I'll want to talk about. Yes. There's so many things that people know about Adam's career that are no brainers, and we're going to talk about those. But I also want to make sure I mention the time my whole family and I were in Seattle and we stayed up all night to watch his crazy recreations of classic. Was it 80s and 90s television shows?

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, that opening credits.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah. You go to this insane length to. It's. It's hilarious.

[Ben Stiller]

They're amazing. I've seen them. What's it called? The greatest television event in history or.

[Adam Scott]

Greatest event in television history.

[Conan O'Brien]

Look, ghost. Look at greatest event in television history that Adam made. And so what I have to remind him of is that we were. My family and I went to Seattle because my wife's from there and we're staying at this hotel. And we'd stayed up quite a while watching all of them and just howling. And then in the morning, we go downstairs to get breakfast. And while we're eating breakfast, we finished breakfast and we're headed to the elevators and the elevator doors open and Adam walks out with his son. And my kids thought that I had ordered him online or something. Like, if you liked greatest event in television history, click here. And Adam will step off an elevator tomorrow, wherever you live. That's what it was like. And so there are things like that that I know are just gonna be hot points and then something will spin off of that.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. Well, I love that you go from your. Just so of your gut and sort of like. Just sort of like you said, like, vibe with or like those. What resonates with me?

[Adam Scott]

And after so many years of doing your TV show, is it almost like doing the podcast and getting to talk to people on the podcast for large chunks of time without commercial breaks and everything? Is it everything you kind of always wanted to do, interview wise?

[Conan O'Brien]

You know, it's interesting. It would be a mistake for me to say I prefer this. What I would say is, I prefer this now.

[Adam Scott]

Right.

[Conan O'Brien]

You know no one knows more than Ben, because Ben was. We had trouble early on. We were. The word was we were going to get canceled and we'll be gone soon. And Ben would show up and roll up his sleeves and say, I have this crazy, insane idea. And Ben was a known quantity, much more than I was. So that was a great gift. That was what my people call a mitzvah. And Ben would show up and he would do these things and.

[Ben Stiller]

And I've never heard that word.

[Conan O'Brien]

What is that? I'll tell you later.

[Ben Stiller]

Mitzvah.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, please. There isn't time right now. But over the years, all the different things that Ben did, he was nice enough to come on the show just regularly to talk about it. I liked the ladies and gentlemen, Ben Stiller. Crowd goes crazy. Ben comes out. I'm like, ben. And then I know what to talk about, and I know that I have five minutes get out on a laugh commercial band. It's a very unnatural environment. But I kind of loved being in that crazy, insane world.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

But now I love that if you and Ben come on, we can Talk for literally 50 minutes and we can go down weird roads and there's no harm, no foul. I mean, I always tell my guests, this is not a gotcha podcast. This is for you. You're here because I admire you. And so this is, you know, this is as much for them as it is for me. So I love the spontaneity of it, but I think it's this time of my life that I like it. I really love that I got to do the other thing. For 28 years, I loved it, but I very also happy that it's over. I very much knew this has got to stop.

[Ben Stiller]

I can only imagine what that is. By the way, here's a question. Severance related. Why do you think late night hosts love Severance? Because you love Severance. Jimmy Kimmel loves Severance. Colbert loves Severance Fallon. I don't know. And I know Jimmy pretty well, and I feel like. I don't know if he's really. I don't know if he likes it.

[Adam Scott]

I think he hates it.

[Conan O'Brien]

He's told me he hates it.

[Ben Stiller]

Really?

[Conan O'Brien]

In song? Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

Oh, in like a funny song.

[Conan O'Brien]

And it's really fun and it's trending, but that's cool.

[Ben Stiller]

Another one of viral videos. So what is it? Conan? Seriously, like, you know, you're busy, you're living your life, you're doing all your stuff. Like, do you watch a lot of television? What is it like that connected you with this show.

[Conan O'Brien]

I think that I can't speak for the others, but what I can say is, and I don't know if there's anything particular to late night hosts, but I know that myself, my whole day is comedy. And when I get home, I do not want to watch a standard sitcom where someone enters and there's laughter. I don't usually want to watch a comedy. What I want to watch is something that's highly well done and if it has great comedic moments, terrific. But I love any work. I mean, sometimes I come home and I watch very depressing things. But what I know that I love about severance is that my work philosophy has always been God is in the details. I used to watch sctv and I used to love that they're putting so much thought into this and they have a religious belief that other people are going to see what they're doing. They're putting so much work into their comedy. What I found about severance right away is the aesthetic, the set design, the look. There's a mix of so many different textures. I just found myself falling in love with the care, the craftsmanship that went into it. And so for all those reasons, I know the work has been done, it's been done beautifully. And I find myself, I'm really pulled into it. It's something I. It's a connection point between my son and I because he loves it, he's a very smart kid. And we talk about it and then my, my wife will get into the conversation and we're. We'll really drill down on it and discuss things. And that is my favorite thing is shows that invite discussion, debate afterwards. When someone else makes a world that I believe is real, I'm taken for this great ride and I am invited to be part of it. And it's just, you know, joyous. It's great. You guys built a world and is.

[Adam Scott]

Part of it too, like mired in comedy all day and kind of. I mean, whether you like to admit it or not, you're one of the people who have Modern American comedy is the way it is largely because of you. Are you a person that like. Like one of the reasons the last thing you want to do is turn on comedy is because whether it be a sitcom or another late night show or whatever it is, you know exactly what's around every corner. You can predict absolutely every rhythm that's coming up.

[Conan O'Brien]

And if not you, you just find yourself in the rhythm of. Even if I can't, if I don't quite know what's going to happen. You spent your day making donuts, and then you come home and you're, you know, your partner says, we're going to make donuts tonight for fun. That's kind of how it can feel sometimes. And I also like the format. In Severance is something very serious is happening. And Mark has. We know that he's widowed. Believes he's widowed. He's gone through a terrible tragedy he wants to escape. It's very dark. There's some truly dark moments. But then Tramiel will, as Seth Milchick, will go into that dance. And I laughed. I mean, I stood on my feet when that happened. I just. Because when you set up a world like Severance, when the comedy does come in, or not even comedy, just this, something comes in at an odd angle. And there's so many very funny moments. But it can come 30 seconds after someone really believes that the love of their life is gone forever. And so I'm at the mercy of the show, which I really like. I'm not. I'm just there to witness this world. I also have to say, I love the. The way the computers look, the way there's this kind of mid-80s, late-80s design ethic. And so the cars are very generic and square and all of the stuff, I just, I find myself looking at the stuff and the way it's lit and the way the shots are composed. And, you know, we live in this world now where people say, was it a TV show or is it a movie? I think. Well, I think we're beyond that now because, yes, this is technically a television show, but as someone who has hosted the Oscars, I don't really see the difference anymore. You know, you string all of Severance together with different edits and you make some cuts here and there and you make something that's three and a half hours long. And I don't see why that's not an Oscar worthy film.

[Ben Stiller]

That's actually what we're doing. We're about to do that.

[Conan O'Brien]

I think it's a little. I think it's late. I mean, I'm sorry.

[Ben Stiller]

It's a good idea, though.

[Adam Scott]

No, we're gonna. We're gonna submit it as a movie next year. The same material.

[Ben Stiller]

Cool.

[Conan O'Brien]

Same material. And all it has to do is, I think, is play in a movie theater for 11 minutes.

[Ben Stiller]

That's cool.

[Conan O'Brien]

I ran into a movie theater and projected my HBO travel show onto a screen in Westwood, onto the screen illegally. And I was arrested and taken away. But I know that that's now an.

[Adam Scott]

Oscar It's a movie.

[Conan O'Brien]

It's a movie, right?

[Ben Stiller]

Absolutely right. So you do what you have to do.

[Conan O'Brien]

You do what you have to do. That's something.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

When I first met Ben, he said he was so. He remembered, he took me aside, he said, hey, you do what you have to do. And I was like, why is he.

[Ben Stiller]

Saying what you got to do?

[Conan O'Brien]

And you were dressed as Eddie Munster in shorts. You were like, you do. And you were smoking. Do what you got to do. So weird.

[Ben Stiller]

And my father was standing behind you.

[Adam Scott]

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[Ben Stiller]

Okay, I have to ask. I have one question I have for you, and then I want to ask you if you have any burning questions about the show.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yes, yes.

[Ben Stiller]

But my question for you is, when I came on your podcast, I said to you, there's a scene in the last episode of season two that I think you will appreciate.

[Conan O'Brien]

There are so many scenes. I mean, that's why.

[Ben Stiller]

But there was one specific scene.

[Conan O'Brien]

You're asking me, what's the best sandwich I had in the last two years? I'm like, wait a minute.

[Ben Stiller]

There was like a weird scene in the last episode that involved Tramel Tillman and it involved the Keir Egan statue. Oh, my God, the comedy routine.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yes.

[Ben Stiller]

I just thought of you when I was making that because I thought, oh, really? This thing is so weird. And the first edit of it, there were like, two more jokes between the statue and Tramiel that didn't go well. And I was. Honestly, when we cut it together, I was like, this might be my favorite scene ever been a part of. And then everybody, when they got the first cut of the episode was like, hey, the scene with Tramiel and Kira, the statue thing, it's really great. Maybe we could cut it down a little bit. It goes on for 45 minutes.

[Conan O'Brien]

Well, that's what always fascinates me is what did it start as? Do you know what I mean? What was the original conception of it?

[Ben Stiller]

But the idea of bad jokes, of doing this comedy routine with a mannequin and somehow bombing, but then also him going off script, I just thought. I thought that would be like something somebody might do on your show. Back in the day.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yes, back in the day, we would have done that. We actually used to do a thing where we'd pretend that a guest had canceled. And I would go to a big glass box, it said, in case of emergency, and it was called emergency guests. And I'd break it, and I would put the guest in a dummy in the chair. And my favorite thing is that it was just a crash test dummy in a tuxedo. And then the last one we did, the dummy threw to a clip that we spent a fortune on where the dummy is riding. It's a crash test dummy in a tux that doesn't speak. Riding on a horse, having a shootout with it was insane. We didn't. We blew our budget for the year on that. But, yeah, I love the. I mean, I loved that. I love when Milchick gets the drawings throughout the years, the paintings.

[Ben Stiller]

There's.

[Conan O'Brien]

There's a. What I like is that some people say, oh, yeah, that's great. Cause it's weird. And I think, no, it's exquisitely weird, which is the term I would use. I always think there are comedy writers that say, oh, I. I get it. Arbitrary. I like things that are just arbitrary. And I think there's good arbitrary, which is hard to find. And then there's just arbitrary, which is not that interesting to me. So when someone says, a guy comes out in a gorilla suit and throws a pie in the air and it comes down, it's not a pie anymore. It's a balloon. I go, I'm not laughing. But if someone changes the equation a little bit and some different things happen, there's a little bit of backstory. I'm laughing really hard. So I think that Milchick is someone who has so bought into this Completely. He's deified here and now.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. And he's also having to deal with the reality of where he. You know, how the company's treating him at that point, too. And he is. He's wrestling with that, and it's in a weird comedy routine also, I have to say.

[Conan O'Brien]

You did this. It was an episode where we see Milchick leave, and he puts on a motorcycle jacket and a helmet and gets on this motorcycle, and he's got a tie. And I watched it, and it was aspirational for me because I thought that's how I want to go through the world. I want to. I want. I've always loved, like, a really good, cool leather jacket to ride a motorcycle like that with a tie. I thought he was. I just wanted that to be my life. I wanted my life to be.

[Adam Scott]

He looked incredible.

[Conan O'Brien]

He looked fantastic.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

And I just thought, yeah, that's the way. Why would you ever not dress like that and drive around on a motorcycle at night? And I want to. I want to be him. I want to. I want that for myself. I don't want to get into my car and drive slowly down the 405 to go do a podcast. I want to be darting through the night to accomplish something. But it's very important that my white shirt is perfect. My black tie is perfect.

[Ben Stiller]

I love it.

[Adam Scott]

I think that comedy routine thing, that Tramiel and the mannequin feels like a old Conan bit. But the thing about it, as far as where it occurs in the show, we're also getting essential information about Milchick. It's not just like you were saying, Conan. Like, oh, it's cool because it's weird. Yeah, maybe it's weird, but it's also. We have to learn this information about this character. It's essential to get from A to B. This little bridge right here.

[Conan O'Brien]

And this is the thing that invites rewatching, which I think there are many shows below deck that don't merit rewatch.

[Adam Scott]

I don't know about that.

[Conan O'Brien]

I'm sorry. That was a crazy thing to say.

[Ben Stiller]

And I brought Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Merits rewatch, for sure.

[Conan O'Brien]

You're in a bunch of those.

[Ben Stiller]

I know I am not in any of the.

[Conan O'Brien]

You're in the background.

[Ben Stiller]

They do actually. They do recaps within the show because something will happen. They go to commercial, and then they come back and they recap what you.

[Adam Scott]

Always go back 15 minutes.

[Conan O'Brien]

Thought of this bit a long time ago, and maybe someone's done it, but I thought of. I had this idea which is a show that recaps so much that it goes backwards. So you never. They just keep saying is, you remember on last episode? And they. It goes for 15, 10 minutes about the last episode, and then they say they open on the new one, and someone just drives up and opens the door. And then they start recap. They go to commercial and recap starts.

[Ben Stiller]

Going into the past.

[Conan O'Brien]

And. Yeah, and then it just starts before you know it. Like, Lincoln's there, and it's just you. You're being pulled backwards. It's like the last line in Great Gatsby just pulled backwards, fighting the tide.

[Ben Stiller]

Oh, my goodness.

[Conan O'Brien]

But anyway, that's something for you guys to make happen.

[Ben Stiller]

Great. We're gonna work on that. Do you have any burning questions about the show before? We're gonna have a couple of questions from Colin people, but, yeah. Any burning questions?

[Conan O'Brien]

Well, burning questions. And I don't wanna. Obviously, you can't tell me a lot of things, but I love Gwendoline Christie. I also think she's absolutely hilarious and divine.

[Ben Stiller]

And I. Yeah, amazing.

[Conan O'Brien]

And when we did the panel, I was so happy that she was there. I hadn't seen her in a couple of years, and she was so. She's so funny and vibrant. That was a delight. I want more of her. But one of the things that is, you know, Brit has this challenge as heli and Helena, which is. I feel like I've had to go back and try and figure out when Helena is pretending to be Hellenic. It gets so nuanced. But trying to. This is so nerdy. But trying to figure out, well, first of all, I was obsessed with is it cheating? You know, for Adam's character, for Mark, is it cheating? And basically, that's just me trying to find loopholes wherever I can. I was severed, Liza.

[Ben Stiller]

Would you want to be severed, Conan.

[Adam Scott]

Ever, For the sole purpose of cheating? Cheating, yes.

[Conan O'Brien]

Because then I can say, yeah, it wasn't me. You know, there is something. I've thought about this. There is a reason why people drink and do drugs. They want to sever 100%.

[Ben Stiller]

I think that there's a lot of metaphors within the idea of severing.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah. And people in. Who are going through grief, the classic thing for them to do would be drugs and alcohol repeatedly, over and over and over again because they need to sever. So, yeah, there have been, obviously, times in my life where I've thought, I'll just have a couple of glasses of wine after that show or after that disappointment, because I never got into drugs. But I'LL I just want to numb that and. Oh, this now I'm not, I'm not worried anymore. But of course it doesn't work in the long run. People learn that.

[Ben Stiller]

No, but, but it's part of human nature.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, for sure. Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

But I, so I'm. I want, I'm just. I don't know. My burning question would be where does heli stop and Helena start? Where does Helena start and heli start? But there's not really an answer to it. It's just something that kind of fascinates me, you know, for good reason, I think.

[Ben Stiller]

For sure. I mean that's. To me, what's so interesting about the whole premise of the show is like how much of Mark is, you know, that he's cutting off from. Is integral to who he is, no matter any or outtie, you know, besides what memories they share. Just like, just general, like the makeup of what makes a person a person.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, I. When you say any burning questions, there are too many. And almost in a way I want to let my mind play a lot with a lot of this stuff and rather than be told, no, you're wrong, which I don't think you would do anyway.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, no, no, I agree, honestly, because we get asked it all the time, you know, what is this about? What does that mean? And it's like, of course you don't really want to tell people because you want them to have the experience of their own interpretation. I think people just want to know that you have a plan.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, I don't think anyone actually wants to know the answers to any of the questions. It's just fun to think about.

[Conan O'Brien]

I'll say this, that there have been shows with this kind of power before and this kind of, you know, attention and that have drawn people in and everyone can talk about it and make their cut down videos and give their theories. There have been these kinds of shows before. I use that broadly because I think the show is exceptional in its execution. But there've been this kind of thing before. And then the television audience at some point starts to get the feeling that the people driving the boat don't really know where they're going.

[Adam Scott]

Right.

[Conan O'Brien]

But that has not happened with severance and I feel like I'm in good hands.

[Ben Stiller]

Well, I'm glad you feel that way.

[Conan O'Brien]

You don't know what you're doing, do you? I see you writing, I see you randomly. What if you, what if you ask me how do you think it should end? Why? Just, just what would you do if you didn't have an ending. I mean, I do. What would you do?

[Ben Stiller]

All right, we have a couple of hotline questions. Adam.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, Conan. While the second season was airing, we asked fans to call in with questions and reactions and stuff. And we got so many voicemails, people are still calling in. We'd love to have you help us answer a few of them if you're. If you're in.

[Ben Stiller]

Sure.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yes, I will.

[Adam Scott]

The first one comes from Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard, who they've been fucking harassing me throughout season one and two.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, look, this is a. These are terrible people.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

And really within the business. Reviled.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah. No one likes.

[Conan O'Brien]

Please continue.

[Ben Stiller]

Nobody wants to hang with them.

[Adam Scott]

So this one they sent after receiving screeners through episode six, but before the rest of the season had aired. So they were stuck in that limbo having seen six episodes and then having to wait so we can play that one.

[Alan Stair]

Well, here we are again.

[Ben Stiller]

You've led us to the slaughter once again, you selfish prick.

[Adam Scott]

Only thinking about yourself and your craft.

[Ben Stiller]

What a dick move. Give us six and then shut off the floodgates. It's unconscionable.

[Conan O'Brien]

You should be ashamed of yourself.

[Ben Stiller]

And then even worse to say that you were delivering the next four. And here we are sitting with our dicks in our hands, looking like fools with our family in town. You embarrass me in front of my father in law.

[Adam Scott]

Sick.

[Conan O'Brien]

I'm glad that someone else had their dick in their hand while they were watching Severance. I don't feel like a perv anymore.

[Adam Scott]

That's our goal.

[Conan O'Brien]

Again, I cannot stress enough. I know that these, you know, I like their commercials as much as anyone else, but they are within the industry and Adam and Ben agree. They are reviled. Daxie, Kristen.

[Adam Scott]

Very cute, both of them.

[Conan O'Brien]

I didn't say they weren't maybe two of the most attractive people I've ever seen, but reviled.

[Adam Scott]

That's right.

[Ben Stiller]

It's the contrast with how attractive they.

[Conan O'Brien]

Are, but yet it's the devil. The devil will come to you as a very good looking successful businessman or actor. But I do, I see where they're coming from, which is they're living in their. I'm not in the bubble, the Hollywood bubble. I've just was never invited like I wasn't invited to. You're in the bubble.

[Ben Stiller]

Mark Twain thing. Okay.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, no, you're in the bubble. So in the bubble that no one had the guts to call you.

[Ben Stiller]

Right. That's what I've heard too.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, no. You're like a Director.

[Adam Scott]

In the bubble.

[Conan O'Brien]

You are. Yeah. You're so in the bubble. You're in, like, three bubbles. Adam's in and out of the bubble. He. You know, he came to the bubble late. He's not. He's still trying to find. That's right where things are in the bubble.

[Ben Stiller]

He's on the bubble.

[Conan O'Brien]

He's on the bubble inside a bubble.

[Adam Scott]

I'm still getting used to.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, you're still acclimating.

[Ben Stiller]

Where is Michael Buble? Is he. Where does he fall?

[Conan O'Brien]

He's in the Buble.

[Ben Stiller]

Okay. He's in the Buble.

[Conan O'Brien]

So stupid, but it's making me happy. But I think that's a common thing. Celebrities like that, who've been in the bubble so long think I get to watch. They think they're the president and that Ben Stiller is going to come and screen all of Severance at the Oval Office, you know.

[Ben Stiller]

Right.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah. They get to watch whatever they want, whenever they want.

[Conan O'Brien]

And that's the kind of arrogance if they're listening. Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

Entitlement.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah. Dax. And I'm. I don't even think Dax is his real name. I don't think that's. That's some kind.

[Adam Scott]

Of Course not.

[Conan O'Brien]

Gigabyte or something. I don't.

[Adam Scott]

It's probably Richard.

[Ben Stiller]

Yes. His real last name is Shmulovitz.

[Conan O'Brien]

I knew it.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. Okay, here's question. Another question. Question 2.

[Conan O'Brien]

Hi, my name is Vanessa, and my question is, what do you think the cast for Severance would be in the Muppet remake of the show, a la Muppet Treasure island or Muppet Christmas Carol? I play this with my husband, and the rules are everyone is a Muppet except for one person who is a human. So just curious what your thoughts might be. Thanks so much. We're enjoying the show. Bye.

[Adam Scott]

Okay, so these are people who think about the Muppets quite a bit, I have to say.

[Conan O'Brien]

This is tricky for me because I haven't watched a Muppet Venture in quite some time. I know Jason Siegel did a very good Muppet Boot. That was very good.

[Adam Scott]

That was awesome.

[Conan O'Brien]

It was really good. And I remember watching it and loving it. And he actually invited me on set. I've never been invited on set anywhere. Ben, were you on.

[Ben Stiller]

Oh, sorry. Were you on Sesame street ever?

[Conan O'Brien]

I think I was, yes. I was on Sesame street and had one of the most horrifying experiences of my life, which is they invited me to that. That studio, that iconic studio, and I walked in and I was gonna shoot my thing on Sesame street, and I looked up and snuffalophagus was being stored. So snuffalophagus was lashed to the ceiling, and it looked like Anthony Hopkins from Silence of the Lambs had gutted him and flayed him out the way he does with the security. The policeman in the guard in Charles Matthew Lambs. Yeah. Yes, exactly. And it just looked like he was the victim of a cruel, sick mass murderer. And I just thought, if you're going to store him, put a tarp over that because it's upsetting. That's a really good question. I don't. I think Michael Chernis, who plays Rickon, I think he's the Swedish chef.

[Adam Scott]

Oh, 100%.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

Perfect. That is perfect. This is interesting. I have to think about this, too, because also, there's the other layer of the Muppet Treasure island or Muppet Christmas. So then there's like a Muppet character, and then there's another character on top of it.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, you're right.

[Adam Scott]

There's like the Muppet characters playing characters.

[Ben Stiller]

That's even more confusing, right? Yeah. Like, if they're just a Muppet, there's one thing, but then if it's like Ebenezer screwed who. Who was the Muppet? Scrooge. Was it? I guess it must have been.

[Conan O'Brien]

Was it Kermit?

[Ben Stiller]

Kermit. Kermit. I guess he got all the leads.

[Adam Scott]

Michael Caine played Scrooge in the Muppet Christmas.

[Ben Stiller]

Oh, wow. Oh, not Kermit. It was like they got a.

[Conan O'Brien]

Another amazing actor. Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

So maybe Michael Caine would play Mark.

[Ben Stiller]

I think Kermit would be Mark, right?

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, probably.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. How many female Muppets are there?

[Conan O'Brien]

I just realized there aren't nearly as many. You know.

[Ben Stiller]

What?

[Conan O'Brien]

Muppets. Now we're realizing. Boys Club.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, Right.

[Adam Scott]

That's right.

[Conan O'Brien]

I hope I didn't just say something that topples an empire, but if I did, you know, My apologies to Lisa Henson and the Henson gang.

[Ben Stiller]

Okay, let's do one last question. One last question.

[Conan O'Brien]

Hello, Ben.

[Alan Stair]

And I assume Adam.

[Conan O'Brien]

I'm just calling because I'm wondering if you guys can discuss some of the inspirations that went into severance. You know, movies, TV shows, books, that kind of thing. It's such a cool and unique concept. I guess I'm just wondering what, you know, brought together. Anyways, precure. Lots of love, Mark.

[Adam Scott]

Talk to you soon. First of all, what does he mean, Hello, Ben? And I assume Adam.

[Ben Stiller]

I guess he just assumes that you're on the podcast, too. Pretty weighted sometimes.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, I think. Yeah, it's kind of said, like, look, we know, yeah, Ben's there, and I guess Adam's probably wormed his way in, you know.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, he's. He might be there somewhere. Who cares?

[Conan O'Brien]

Cowering. Cowering.

[Ben Stiller]

Can you tell us what our inspirations were?

[Conan O'Brien]

Yes. I think I'm going to take this question. This will enrage this fan that I don't let you guys talk about what the inspirations were. There's so much I could say, but it feels stupid for me to talk at all during this. I think you guys have the mic and you should go. Go.

[Ben Stiller]

You know what I would just say to that? Going back to what you're like when I asked you about you doing your interviews for your podcast, how you said you kind of go from this is what resonates, or whatever I feel like, because I've been asked that question a lot. We've been asked about what are the influences. But at this point in our lives, when you've been doing this stuff for a long time, I feel like a lot of the influences of things are just sort of the things that are in you and that you're in tune with and that you resonate with, like you were saying. And you kind of go to an image or to. Of course, we pull out photographs and talk about movies and things like that, but ultimately it's something that just resonates within you, that feels. Feels familiar, but its own thing. And I try to go off of that as much as possible because it's getting back to the thing of like, okay, what are you interested in when you're talking to somebody? Is the same thing when we're making something. It's like, what am I interested in seeing? What would I want to see?

[Conan O'Brien]

Also what comes to mind and feels right in this moment. And that's at this point for all of us. It's not a choice. I could spend my life stream to recreate the war room in Dr. Strangelove. That's what I want to do. Oh, I always think of it because it's the same thing in music. Imagine you're a blender, and since you were born, people have been throwing stuff in there, or you've been adding things. Things have been going in there that resonate with you. So I'm a blender that's got Warner Brothers cartoons, the Marx Brothers, but it also has, for better or worse, insane 70s television, but also SCTV, but also watching Johnny Carson with my dad. And Johnny Carson's a blender that watched a lot of Jack Benny. So I've picked up stuff from people I Don't even know. And so a good musician, they're supposed to have big ears, which is be listening to everything. And then they're channeling. They might be channeling something they're not even aware of. And so I think I agree with what you're saying that you're not consciously coming in saying, okay, last night I watched Bridget Jones Diary and that I want that to be the aesthetic for the show, which is.

[Ben Stiller]

But that was actually the original.

[Conan O'Brien]

I know, but you failed. But that's. I can just see that we're making decisions that we're not even aware where they're coming from.

[Ben Stiller]

But maybe at this point, if, you know, like, at least knowing enough to try to trust a little bit, to take. Right. To sometimes take those chances and just go, okay, at this point, like, if it fails, yeah, it sucks. If it fails, it doesn't feel good. But it's not the end of the world. And so you just kind of go for it.

[Adam Scott]

There's also that, like, almost sixth sense that you have to have of this thing will work or this thing works and this does not.

[Ben Stiller]

Yes.

[Adam Scott]

And that sort of fine line between something working and not working is an educated guess based on all of the things we've absorbed over the years.

[Conan O'Brien]

And it's a guess. It's always a guess. And that's. When I talk to young people, I say, that's the bad news is I always think I'm maybe 30 seconds away from making a very bad choice or making something that's not good. And you need that little frison of fear of, I'm afraid. I'm afraid this might not work out. And I think that's the secret sauce. I hate to say it. Be nice if we were just happy. Go lucky chaps. Making stuff. And it was all great, but that's not how it is. So you can mostly trust your instincts, but then you have to ask people around you, did we overdo it with the ochre color that we're using? Is this ceiling too low in the shot? Is this. There's always gotta be self doubt.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, for sure.

[Conan O'Brien]

Making stuff means there's a risk. There's a risk. And even though you guys have had great success with all kinds of stuff, I'm sure you're like me in that it doesn't matter. When something doesn't work, it really hurts. It's still painful.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, not for me. I figured that out. Conan, thank you for coming on our podcast.

[Conan O'Brien]

This was not a chore. This is like, hey, do you want to hang with these two people you really love and admire and talk about your favorite show. And I go, yeah, I'll do that.

[Ben Stiller]

That's nice, man. Well, thank you, man.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah. I really am very excited for what comes next and happy for both of you that the show has been recognized and hailed and it means so much to so many people. This is great.

[Ben Stiller]

It's great. Thanks, man.

[Adam Scott]

Thank you.

[Ben Stiller]

And I'm happy for you. You just killed in the Oscars and you're hosting next year, and I think that's incredible.

[Conan O'Brien]

You know what I could do on the Oscars next time around is just announce quickly. I'll just bring an envelope out and say in the winner is severance.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, see, I was going to say that'd be great if you could.

[Ben Stiller]

Thank you.

[Conan O'Brien]

$75 venmo. If you each venmo. Me.

[Adam Scott]

75 bucks.

[Conan O'Brien]

75 bucks from each of you.

[Ben Stiller]

Okay. We could figure that out.

[Adam Scott]

Comes to over $150.

[Conan O'Brien]

I think that's $300. It's been a while.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. We could actually put that on the budget of the podcast.

[Adam Scott]

Sure.

[Ben Stiller]

Thanks.

[Conan O'Brien]

Thank you, guys.

[Ben Stiller]

Wait.

[Conan O'Brien]

Take care.

[Adam Scott]

Thank you, Conan.

[Ben Stiller]

Thanks, man. Thanks. Take it easy, man.

[Adam Scott]

Oh, that was great. Conan's the best.

[Ben Stiller]

He is. He is really so friggin funny. Yeah, it's annoying, right?

[Adam Scott]

It is annoying. And I, I'm. I'm glad you said that because I also wanted to talk about. Just aside from how annoyingly funny he is, also just annoying generally.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, I know he's always on and like, I love him, but I wish there was an off switch. You know what I mean?

[Adam Scott]

Me too. Me too.

[Ben Stiller]

Right? Like a little.

[Adam Scott]

Just. I love that you were able to articulate it.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Well, our next guest we are not going to talk about after they're off the show.

[Adam Scott]

Not at all.

[Ben Stiller]

This is exciting though, because we have an expert severance podcaster. He's the host of Severed, the ultimate severance podcast. He stole our name because that's what we wanted.

[Adam Scott]

I know we did.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. So we should talk to him about that. His name is Alan Stair, also known as Alan S. Alan S. Welcome. Thank you for being with us.

[Adam Scott]

Hey, Alan S. How you guys?

[Alan Stair]

Oh, my goodness. I feel like I know you guys. I've been talking about you for so long. It is so wonderful to meet you.

[Ben Stiller]

Thank you, Alan. You have a great time voice. Are you. Do you have a radio background?

[Alan Stair]

I started in radio in 1980 at 15 years old. Three months before my 16th birthday, I walked into a radio station. They Were looking for somebody and I got a job.

[Ben Stiller]

You obviously have the more professional radio voice. And thank you for devoting your this time to the show and creating this podcast, which is incredible and goes so deep. I mean, how did this begin?

[Alan Stair]

Well, this is my retirement hobby, basically. This. This podcast thing.

[Ben Stiller]

Wow.

[Alan Stair]

During the Pandemic, my business, I had an advertising marketing little, little company that I ran out of my house. I had a couple dozen clients. Most of them closed because they were retail. So the Pandemic shut them down. So it was kind of a situation where I'm closing in on 59 years old. It's like I can go out and try and build the business back up or. And what if I just quit? So I retired and I still had all this audio production equipment. So we're bopping around the house just looking for something to do. I'm a huge fan of WKRP in Cincinnati. It was the reason I got into radio from 1978-82, the sitcom.

[Adam Scott]

That's great.

[Alan Stair]

Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

So great show.

[Ben Stiller]

I love that show.

[Alan Stair]

So we did this 90 episode WKRP podcast, and my wife did it with me, and we just had a blast. So when it was all done, I was looking for another podcast project, and I was seeing Seth Meyers talking about this incredible show he'd watched called Severance. And then Stephen Colbert is talking about Severance. And I thought, I ought to check those guys out. And I knew Adam Scott was involved with it. Who I always, you know, I'm a big fan of yours going back years and years. I was a big Parks and Rec fan.

[Adam Scott]

Thank you so much.

[Alan Stair]

I binged it that summer after it came out, summer of 22, and I watched the entire thing in one night, did all episodes. I was so drawn into it. And the first thing I did was go look for a podcast talking about the show. I wanted to know who wrote it, where'd you shoot it, what are the motivations for it, who directed it? Just everything. And there were at the time only like four or five podcasts out there. So I got on a couple of them and listened. And they were people sitting around a microphone going, wasn't that cool? That was amazing. Can you believe they did that?

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Alan Stair]

And I'm like, where did they shoot it? I want to know what that building is, where they show up in that first episode. That was the first piece of information I looked up about the show. I googled where did they shoot those scenes? And I found the Holmdel Complex, and that kind of launched me into it. And it was six months of writing and research and finding articles and finding interviews and working on scripts. And it was not until the following January of 23 that I dropped the first episodes covering the first season.

[Ben Stiller]

Oh, my goodness. So you actually prepared for this and you.

[Conan O'Brien]

I wrote.

[Ben Stiller]

Wow, you wrote stuff.

[Alan Stair]

Well, I'm in advertising, man. You don't say anything off the top of your head in advertising. Every word is written out. So I. I just don't do that. I'm. I'm not much of a. Of an extemporaneous kind of guy, so I do write out all the scripts and that. Also, I'm concerned about getting the info and the details right. As this is going on, I search out interviews, and I'm looking for interviews with people who are actually involved with the show. You guys, your crew, the cast, anybody who's directly involved with the show is going to know the most about what's going on. For the first season, I bookmarked about 100 articles that contained information about the first season and were interviews and type things.

[Ben Stiller]

Things.

[Alan Stair]

We're currently at over 600 articles about season two.

[Ben Stiller]

Wow.

[Alan Stair]

Research that is going on going into this. These podcasts I'm creating for season two. So it's taking a lot longer and it's winding up. I'm doing two to two and a half hours on a single episode of the show because we've got so much more information out there. And I'm taking a couple of weeks off because I need to kind of catch up.

[Ben Stiller]

I was going to say, Alan, I think you should take a vacation. You deserve a break.

[Alan Stair]

This is, like I said, this is my hobby. My wife in retirement is painting and needle pointing. I'm making podcasts. I get up every day, looking forward to. It's like, oh, I'm scripting this, or I'm gonna. I'm gonna edit this. I'm, you know, working. Working on something new here.

[Ben Stiller]

I mean, what a treat for us, you know, to be able to have this conversation with you and. And really feel how passionate you are and also how much attention you pay. I know it's there, but, like, it's honestly, like, I've never. I've been doing this for a long time. It's like, very rare that people pay this much attention and care this much about something to analyze it and to, you know, ask the question. So it's. I just want to say really, really appreciate it and it's really cool for us. So let me ask, what's your favorite part of the show? What is it? That you love about the show the most in terms of, like, what pulls you into it and really draws you in.

[Alan Stair]

It's the overall conceit of the severance theory, of the severance procedure, the idea of that. And I remember in the second episode when we saw what was happening through the portal, the doorway portal, with heli and how things were happening on the other side, that's when it dawned on me. And when we had Mark coming down in the elevator again and again and again, and then that. That relentless repetition of being an innie, it just bowled me over at the. This is so cool. That so intrigued me. And I got it, like, you know, the first time it was presented, I'm like, ooh, I understand that. And, wow, that would be a weird existence. And that is really what drew me into it, was that central conceit of the severance procedure.

[Adam Scott]

That is so cool, Alan, because that is exactly what drew me in the first time. Ben just sort of told me the idea over the phone before I had ever even read a script or anything. He just told me the central conceit, and I was like, that is cool. That's it. That's cool. And it's something you can just keep turning over in your mind and start kind of thinking about and considering all of the potential of this idea, that's really, really so much fun that that's the thing that triggered your interest.

[Alan Stair]

It was so different, so unique, so, you know, so out there, but then also so incredibly relatable as someone who spent. Spent 12 years out, you know, at an advertising agency in cubicle land. Yeah. If you could switch your brain off for eight or 10 hours a day, that might be cool. Sometimes, not always, but, you know, some days it just might be a really good thing to do. But, yeah, that was the thing that really drew me in. And then the performances are fantastic. The writing is so tight, and so there's. There. There's rarely a clunky scene where you feel like, you know, didn't feel natural or the text didn't come off very well there. You guys really, you know, really, the writing is so great. So just. Just a lot of that came together to. To draw me into it. But I think that just that being severed. Right now I'm working on the rewatch episodes for season two, going back through and ripping those all apart in great detail. And I'm right now working with the scenes, actually, where you're talking to Heli in the hallways after it's been revealed that she was the imposter. For four episodes. And she's trying to convince you she's really helly r. And you're very hesitant to believe that. And that added another layer onto it. It's like, wow, not only are you potentially this innie, but now you could maybe not be the innie. And that even adds another level of intrigue to it. And, you know, now looking, you know, the way I am going back through starting this rewatch and really ripping apart every detail and looking at every scene very, very closely. There's so much foreshadowing, by the way.

[Ben Stiller]

I have to say that's a director's dream to have something to rip it.

[Alan Stair]

Apart frame by frame, cut by cut. Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

I mean, that's amazing that you actually are spending the time doing that, but it actually is appreciated, as when you're making this stuff that somebody cares enough to spend the time watching it like that.

[Alan Stair]

Well, it is that good.

[Ben Stiller]

What's the biggest sort of interaction you have with people in terms of what they ask you about or what people are interested in discussing? Because there's so many different things. Is there one area or one question that comes up a lot or anything that even thoughts. Questions that you have about. About the show?

[Alan Stair]

I have sitting in front of me here some notes that I've been putting together one of them, and I base this. Okay, now, I've got a very strong theory on this, and I firmly believe one way versus the other. But when we saw the elevator panel in the security office, I identified that as being. The severed floor is 13 levels below Judd's desk. You are down 130ft plus when you're on the severed floor. And there are all these floors in between that are listed there on that panel that show you. You know, there's. I T, I think, and, you know, there are a couple of executive suites. There are so many folks that believe that window in Cobell's office has natural light coming from, like 20ft above it, that you're just a level or two below the main building, where I believe we're 13 floors below ground. And that is entirely artificial light outside of Cobell's floor. So that is my question, and that is. That is a debate that I could throw that out right now and have 50 people jump on it on Reddit and tell you you'd have 50 different explanations of what's going on. So are they really 13 floors below ground?

[Conan O'Brien]

I.

[Ben Stiller]

We can neither confirm nor deny any of these things.

[Alan Stair]

All right, so that. Okay, so that's one.

[Ben Stiller]

Well, that's a Good. What's the other one? What's the other one?

[Alan Stair]

Okay.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, this.

[Alan Stair]

This is a big one. And I've also got a very strong belief one way or the other on this. Is the severance chip a switch or is it a storage device? I've always believed it's a switch, and it uses the storage capacity of the brain by partitioning the brain like it's a hard drive. So one hard drive is your. Any. One hard drive is your Audi. You might have multiple. Like with. We find out with Gemma, she has multiple hard drives. She's been partitioned into, you know, 25 different rooms. So there's a big faction out there that believes the chip is a storage device, that we're actually loading the entire Innies personality onto that chip, which then means that chip could be moved from one person to another and carry an. Any personality to another or to a goat. You know, that's also out there. So that is another one of those huge questions. Is it a switch or is it a storage device?

[Ben Stiller]

Well, my background in neuroscience speaks for itself, Alex.

[Alan Stair]

Yes, your years and years. I know. Your.

[Ben Stiller]

No, we did. You know, look, I'm not gonna say anything either way on this at all, but I feel personally that I have a clear sense of what it is, too. And I think at the end of the day, we're trying to, like, just be true to the rules of what we've established. And you don't want to have any things that feel like, oh, this was created for convenience or things like that, or you're.

[Alan Stair]

So you're changing the rules down the line.

[Ben Stiller]

Exactly. That's when you're not allowed to change the rules down the line.

[Adam Scott]

That's not happening. But, Alan, can I just say, these are such excellent questions and observations.

[Ben Stiller]

I know.

[Alan Stair]

Oh, good.

[Adam Scott]

All I'll say about that one, the storage device versus a switch. Those are two vastly different things. That's all I would say about it. Well, we can't thank you enough, Alan. We hope you cover this podcast appearance on your podcast. Everybody listen to Severed the Ultimate Severance podcast with Alan S. Alan Stair, our buddy.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

Appreciate it.

[Ben Stiller]

Appreciate you keeping the word alive in between seasons, too.

[Alan Stair]

Thank you so much, guys.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, man.

[Alan Stair]

Me be on the show. This is amazing.

[Adam Scott]

So great.

[Ben Stiller]

All right, man. WKRP in Cincinnati.

[Alan Stair]

Yes. Yes.

[Adam Scott]

All right, that's it for this episode. We are so happy to be back. And the severance podcast with Ben and Adam will be back next week to talk more about the movies and TV shows that have influenced us.

[Ben Stiller]

And you can stream every episode of Severance on Apple tv.

[Adam Scott]

Plus the Severance Podcast with Ben Stiller and Adam Scott is a presentation of Odyssey Red Hour Productions and Great Scott.

[Ben Stiller]

If you like the show, be sure to rate and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your other podcast platform of choice. It really makes a difference.

[Adam Scott]

If you've got a question about Severance, call our hotline [phone]. We just might play your voicemail and answer your question on the podcast.

[Ben Stiller]

Our executive producers are Bari Finkel, Gabrielle Lewis, Naomi Scott and Leah Rhys Dennis. This show is produced by Ben Goldberg. It's mixed and mastered by Chris Basel. We have additional engineering from Javi Cruces.

[Adam Scott]

Show clips are courtesy of fifth season music by Theodore Shapiro. Special thanks to the team at Odyssey, Maura Curran, Eric Donnelly, Michael Lavey, Melissa Wester, Kate Rose, Kurt Courtney and Hilary.

[Ben Stiller]

Schuff and the team at Red John Lesher, Carolina Pesikov, Gian Pablo Antonetti, Martin Valderruten, Ashwin Ramesh, Maria Noto, John Baker and Sam Lyon.

[Adam Scott]

Annette Great Scott, Kevin Cotter, Josh Martin and Christy Smith at Rise Management.

[Ben Stiller]

Thanks again to our good friend Conan o' Brien for joining us on the podcast. I'm Ben Stiller.

[Adam Scott]

And I'm Adam Scott.

[Ben Stiller]

Got thank you for listening.