Sam Richardson

Summary

Podcast Summary: What's Our Podcast? with Beck Bennett and Kyle Mooney

Episode: Sam Richardson (Feb 4, 2026)
Guest: Sam Richardson (Detroiters, Veep, I Think You Should Leave)
Host: Headgum

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Beck Bennett and Kyle Mooney continue their tongue-in-cheek quest to figure out what their podcast should actually be about, this time seeking guidance from their friend and comedic star Sam Richardson. Through meandering, playful conversation, the three (joined by producer Richelle Chen) swap stories, riff on acting, discuss childhoods marked by nerdy obsessions, and ultimately dive deep into the topic of “focus” — both in the literal and philosophical sense. As always, the episode balances warmth, absurdity, and genuine insight.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Banter & Numerology (00:53 – 09:00)

• Beck’s “Enemy Year”: Beck explains a numerology concept where every twelfth year is considered an "enemy year," advising him to lay low and avoid launching big projects.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “But what I’m supposed to do this year is lay low.” (Beck, 02:28)
• Skepticism vs. Openness: Kyle compares astrology, tarot, and similar belief systems to religion — attempts to impose order on chaos but not something he sees as “real.”
  • Notable Quote:
    • “It’s anybody’s attempt to bring order to complete chaos.” (Kyle, 03:44)
• Tarot & Psychic Experiences: Producer Richelle shares a surprisingly accurate (if vague) psychic reading that nudged her to leave a draining job, feeding into the episode’s theme of how suggestion impacts action.

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2. Acting, Creative Origins & Early Friendships (09:49 – 22:32)

• Mutual Admiration: The group jokes about each other’s acting past and earliest work, giving shout-outs to childhood collaborators and student films.
• Sam’s Childhood in Ghana & Detroit: Sam recalls splitting his early years between Ghana and Detroit, receiving VHS tapes of Ninja Turtles, GI Joe, and Captain Planet from his dad to stay connected to American culture.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “Captain Planet. And I love Captain Planet. My dad would send me these tapes…” (Sam, 20:04)
• Nostalgia & American Pop Culture: All reminisce about America’s influence abroad, from Desert Storm trading cards to afterschool snack rituals and early body image anxieties.

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3. Disney World Adventures (30:13 – 35:47)

• Disney College Program: Sam details his short, unexpected stint working Disney’s Animal Kingdom after a Lion King audition mishap. The experience was part summer camp, part theme park immersion, with plenty of partying and freedom.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “I worked at Disney World for like, eight months... I was like, trying to get into theater.” (Sam, 30:13)
• Favorite Theme Park Rides: Sam enthusiastically ranks Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind as his top current ride, followed by classics like Space Mountain and the Avatar ride.

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4. Comedy Roots & Partnership with Tim Robinson (37:19 – 41:33)

• Second City to Cruise Ships to TV: Sam traces his comedic path, including time at Second City, performing on cruise ships (with both clean and “dirty” improv shows), and forging a partnership with Tim Robinson rooted in shared sensibilities and holiday traditions.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “We’re atheists who love Christmas.” (Sam, 38:59)

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5. The Quest for a Podcast Theme—Focus (43:15 – 53:48)

• Sam’s Suggestion: “Focus”: When asked for a potential podcast topic, Sam pitches 'focus': how we direct our attention, the struggle for concentration, and ways to channel enthusiasm productively.
• Meta-Podcast Moment: The crew gamely launches into a fake, new show-within-the-show called “Focus” about, fittingly, trying to stay focused.

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6. Hobbies, Obsessions, and Organization (48:14 – 58:12)

• Sam’s 3D Printing Obsession
  • Sam is currently channeling his focus into home organization, using 3D printers to custom-build modular systems for organizing tools, tech, and hobby materials.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “It’s also helping me cut an Amazon addiction… what I need, exactly, I’ll make.” (Sam, 48:57)
• Systems, Bins, and Databases
  • Discussion on the satisfaction and complexity of organizational systems. Sam details his effort to not just store, but database all his possessions, with the goal of creating more time and space for creative pursuits.

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7. Hobbies & “Nerd” Culture (58:13 – 63:50)

• Computers & Crafting: Sam explains his passion for building computers and props (like Ghostbusters proton packs), reflecting the joy of constructing things you can’t simply buy.
• Redefining “Nerd”: The group agrees being a “nerd” is now mainstream and connotes deep knowledge, curiosity, and pleasure in digging into the details.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “Nerding is like being intensely passionate about something and knowing it inside and out.” (Kyle, 61:40)

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8. Focus in Everyday Life (64:05 – 67:49)

• Current Focal Points:
  • Kyle is focusing on routine (health, parenting, football stats) and going deeper in his interests.
  • Beck shares the obsessive satisfaction of his daily baseball trivia app, but admits focus on “making stuff” can detract from his ability to relax and be present.
  • Sam notes how his urge to create can be sidelined by a perfectionist need to optimize his surroundings—a struggle between setting up and executing.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “I’m distracting myself from doing the thing that I wanted to do originally, which is… ideas on paper.” (Sam, 67:35)

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9. Cooking, Grilling, and Outdoor Projects (68:05 – 71:47)

• Food as Focus: The trio swaps favorite food prep rituals—from simple cheese slicing to soup-making to grilling.
• Outdoor Kitchens and Projects: Discussion of the dream to build out or upgrade their outdoor grilling spaces, yet another example of shifting focus, planning, and the thrill of half-completed projects.

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10. Affirmation & End Note (71:49 – end)

• Pledge to Focus: Semi-satirically, all pledge to do “what I need to do” in order to focus, with characteristic silliness.
• Reflections: Beck and Kyle wrap by expressing genuine appreciation for learning about Sam’s journey, approach to creative focus, and unique brain.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On numerology & the urge for order:
  “I think it’s the same thing as religion. I think it’s anybody’s attempt to bring order to complete chaos.” (Kyle, 03:44)

• On Sam’s boyhood in Ghana:
  “So I lived there first and second grade fully… The only thing that would come on TV that was what I would want to watch was Captain Planet. And I love Captain Planet. My dad would send me these tapes…” (Sam, 20:04)

• On sentimental organizing:
  “You might misremember something. And then you’re like, I got this. And then you look and you’re like, that’s a different day’s work.” (Sam, 18:41)

• On 3D printing:
  “It’s also helping me cut an Amazon addiction… What I need, exactly, I’ll make.” (Sam, 48:57)

• On what it means to nerd out:
  “Nerding is like being intensely passionate about something and knowing it inside and out.” (Kyle, 61:40)

• On creative perfectionism:
  “Now I gotta have the perfect desk… then the room, then the music just right… now the chair… I’m distracting myself from doing the thing that I wanted to do originally.” (Sam, 67:35)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Numerology, skepticism, and psychic stories: 01:38 – 09:00
• Sam's childhood in Ghana, TV & tapes: 19:52 – 24:55
• Disney World adventures: 30:13 – 35:47
• Second City, Tim Robinson, and comedy roots: 37:19 – 41:33
• Sam’s podcast theme suggestion: Focus: 43:15 – 44:09
• 3D printers and home organization: 48:14 – 53:48
• Nerd culture redefined: 61:40 – 63:50
• Creativity, hobbies and focus in daily life: 64:05 – 67:49

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Tone & Style

The episode displays Beck and Kyle’s classic mix of meta-comedy, warm nostalgia, and amiable self-deprecation. Sam blends right in: affable, insightful, and game to affectionately lampoon both himself and the process of “figuring it all out.”

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Final Thoughts

The continuing “quest for a podcast concept” is, as ever, a pretext for free-ranging conversation, affectionate ribbing, and the kind of unscripted, subtly profound exchanges that make “What’s Our Podcast?” uniquely engaging. The concept of “focus” emerges as the accidental theme—life is sweeter and saner when we can sometimes bring it all, however briefly, into focus.

Transcript

[Sam Richardson]

This is a Headgum podcast. Welcome to big Savings this week at Grocery Outlet, your extreme value headquarters right now. Sanderson Farms. Boneless skinless chicken breasts are only $1.99 per pound.

[Beck Bennett]

And get one dozen large cage free

[Richelle Chen]

eggs for only 99 cents.

[Sam Richardson]

However you cook them up, you're saving big on fresh quality.

[Richelle Chen]

Stock up on these family favorites today. These deals are only available until March

[Sam Richardson]

17 while supplies last selection varies by store. Seek weekly ad or in store for grade and size.

[Kyle Mooney]

Grocery outlet bargain market. What's our podcast? What's it going to be about? Tell us what's our podcast? What should we talk about with Beck and Kyle? It's time for our. It's time for our. Or for. It's time for our pod podcast. Yes. I thought it was.

[Beck Bennett]

This is our third attempt to do an intro because I've kept on stopping us.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yes.

[Beck Bennett]

I've kept on. I've.

[Kyle Mooney]

I've stopped.

[Beck Bennett]

You kept on stopping us.

[Kyle Mooney]

You've kept on stopping us. Yes. And starting us. But it's okay. We love you. You're the K man.

[Sam Richardson]

We.

[Kyle Mooney]

You're. You're. You've got a beard and long curly hair and glasses.

[Beck Bennett]

Well, it's like, you know, sometimes, sometimes the perfectionism comes out in me.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yes. Right.

[Beck Bennett]

And it's like we could. Can we just start this over? Like I don't know what the heck we're talking about.

[Kyle Mooney]

And you know, I feel this way too. I watch episodes or listen, I'm like, what was that? But it's like, you know, you know, you know what? It's actually, it's a. You're perfect the way you are, and you're perfect just the way you are.

[Beck Bennett]

Well, what I was trying to talk about earlier. Yeah.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, it tells me.

[Beck Bennett]

Do you know anything about numerology?

[Kyle Mooney]

Not really. But you. Yeah. So go ahead. You need some help?

[Beck Bennett]

I have a friend who works within numbers.

[Kyle Mooney]

Okay, sure.

[Beck Bennett]

And this is my. This is my enemy year. Has anyone ever heard of this?

[Kyle Mooney]

No. So your friend works with numerology and they have told you that this is your enemy year?

[Beck Bennett]

My last enemy year was 12 years ago and that was 2014.

[Richelle Chen]

Did you have a bad year?

[Kyle Mooney]

That was the year after you got. That was our second year on snl.

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah, I actually don't know that I would consider it a bad year, but I could maybe make some arguments about how, like, you know, maybe some ground. Maybe there was some groundwork laid or maybe there's some things that happened that weren't ideal.

[Kyle Mooney]

But the thing.

[Beck Bennett]

But what I'm Supposed to do this year is lay low.

[Kyle Mooney]

Interesting. So your friends do. Do they have, like, an extensive background? Do you have. They.

[Beck Bennett]

Well, this is. That.

[Sam Richardson]

That.

[Beck Bennett]

This is something if. If you were to Google enemy year numerology, this is. This is not just something that my friend would talk about. This is like, I think a pretty common.

[Kyle Mooney]

So, okay.

[Beck Bennett]

Pillar.

[Kyle Mooney]

Okay. So they're like, look out for your.

[Beck Bennett]

They're explaining to me more about this.

[Kyle Mooney]

So you need to lay low because it's your enemy year. You need to lay low to avoid conflict problems. Is it?

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah, I think it's. I think it'd be a bad year to do to.

[Kyle Mooney]

To put a movie out, to put an album out.

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes, yes.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Kyle Mooney]

To continue putting up. We. We already put the podcast out, so it's like.

[Beck Bennett]

Well, I didn't say anything about podcasts, so the podcast we could be. Could be safe. But I guess here's my question to everybody before I start all over.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, we're not going to start over. This isn't going well. This is good.

[Beck Bennett]

Okay.

[Kyle Mooney]

This is good.

[Beck Bennett]

Where does everybody fall on things like numerology, tarot, psychics, astrology?

[Kyle Mooney]

I think it's the same thing as religion. I think it's anybody's attempt to bring order to complete chaos. And I don't know. I've had my chart read by. Jesse got this for me the year I was leaving SNL because it was a big transitional year and some things were. But I was also like, okay, I think they're really good at what they do, and they've read a lot of people's charts and people like it, but it didn't really do a whole lot for me and I forgotten everything. I think I have the whole thing recorded. But, like, I don't know. My feeling is that it's just a way to. To find some. Some stability. But I don't think that it is necessarily real. I think that, like, some of those systems exist in a way where you can, like, find. Like if you are. You have a certain SAR or moon sign, you could be like, oh, well, this is happening because of this and this and this and this. And that's because you're this and you were born at. And you need to do this. But I. I don't. I have not seen any. Any sort of real, real proof.

[Beck Bennett]

And do you all have any. Are you into it at all?

[Richelle Chen]

I wouldn't say that. I believe specifically in one of the things I do believe that there's something out there more than there's Some people are tapped into things that some sort

[Beck Bennett]

of cosmic energy to lay.

[Kyle Mooney]

I believe in that. I believe. I believe. I some. For some reason I believe in, like, synergy and like, you know, sometimes there are overlaps of things that are so odd. And I just kind of find that to be kind of fun. I don't. But I don't give it any particular.

[Beck Bennett]

Do you do. Do you all do tarot?

[Richelle Chen]

I've had readings.

[Kyle Mooney]

What's that?

[Richelle Chen]

I'm too scared.

[Beck Bennett]

I was scared for a long time mostly because it was like, oh, no, I don't. I think, like, well, yeah.

[Kyle Mooney]

What if they tell you something that you're like, like, this is your enemy or watch out and you're like, yeah, like that would really affect.

[Beck Bennett]

And I think you're being really brave about it. Well, I mean, I. I think that I have many feelings about it. I don't know that I've even, like, said what my feelings are, per se.

[Kyle Mooney]

I would love to hear them.

[Beck Bennett]

But, Rachelle, have you had a tarot reading where you felt like you saw the things that were being spoken about come to fruition?

[Richelle Chen]

I think in the tearings that I've had, it was more kind of like what Beck was saying. It was like a tool to kind of unearth my own truth through those cards. I don't think I've ever had a specifically psychic or medium, mystical, magical tarot reading. I will say I've had other experiences with psychics or astrologists that felt very, very specific.

[Beck Bennett]

And can we hear one of them?

[Kyle Mooney]

Like, they said, this is going to happen or this is happening with you. And they were right. Yeah. Go ahead, give us an example.

[Beck Bennett]

Also, don't feel pressure. If you don't feel comfortable, you don't have to talk about it.

[Richelle Chen]

Oh, no, I'm fine talking about it. Okay.

[Beck Bennett]

Can I ask you some yes or no questions?

[Richelle Chen]

Yes.

[Beck Bennett]

So, like, you. Was it a psychic?

[Richelle Chen]

Yes.

[Beck Bennett]

And you met with them?

[Richelle Chen]

It was actually over the phone.

[Beck Bennett]

Over the phone. And they told you something. They're like, whatever. And be aware this thing might happen or you might meet this person or exciting things will be happening on Coming around the Bend. Something generic like something like that. Like something is going to happen. Is that right?

[Richelle Chen]

Yeah. It was like, knew my current situation to the T was like, there's a cord removed or there's a cord attached to you that some specific person is draining. You asked if that person was specifically from work. That was my. This is my old job, by the way. Yeah. Then it was not. It was my Previous.

[Beck Bennett]

Have you been pulling her cord?

[Sam Richardson]

I don't want to pull at all.

[Richelle Chen]

Yeah. And then it was. Here are the steps to remove. To remove it. And then had me visualize all these things. And then told me to do very specific things, to leave the situation. And then gave me a year of, like, what year, like, your new beginning would be. So it is. It did feel like kind of vague enough that it.

[Beck Bennett]

But it was. You utilize that information.

[Richelle Chen]

I think. I didn't quite believe that. Believe it. But I think maybe subconsciously I was working towards what she was telling me would happen.

[Kyle Mooney]

And then later.

[Sam Richardson]

Did you.

[Kyle Mooney]

Did you take those steps? Did you. Did you.

[Richelle Chen]

I did.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah. And it worked.

[Beck Bennett]

And who's the person's name that you cut? We got to know them. We got to let the Rocco's know.

[Sam Richardson]

Wait, wait.

[Kyle Mooney]

Who the cord person was.

[Beck Bennett]

We gotta know who the cord person was. What's their first name? Damn. We're not gonna get that name.

[Kyle Mooney]

Okay, we can cut that. We can. Obviously.

[Beck Bennett]

No, we don't know drama.

[Kyle Mooney]

Right?

[Sam Richardson]

Oh, God. Oh,

[Kyle Mooney]

the stars are coming for you.

[Beck Bennett]

Listen, you did some.

[Kyle Mooney]

Here's the.

[Beck Bennett]

Here's the thing. I have no judgment for you. You have done nothing to me. You've done something to my friend. And I am. I gotta be honest, I am a little relieved that she's not having to deal with you in this work environment, which seems like maybe you had taken things. You were devaluing her.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah. Maybe you had attached a cord to her, like a physical cord, and wrapped it around her. That doesn't sound about right.

[Beck Bennett]

We hope you're doing better. Maybe you learned something.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah.

[Beck Bennett]

Maybe you were struggling, but, dude, I have been such a big fan of

[Kyle Mooney]

your acting work of mine. Thank you. Me, too. Thank you. Yeah. Which part?

[Beck Bennett]

It was. Wait, give me one second. I believe it was called the Roommate, and it was Adam Siegel. Yeah. The short film from. From probably 2009.

[Kyle Mooney]

That was the acting work that you thought?

[Sam Richardson]

Yes.

[Beck Bennett]

You sort of played like a cult figure.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yes, I did. Were you in it?

[Beck Bennett]

Yes. Yes.

[Kyle Mooney]

You played a small bird. Yeah. Well, thank you. If this makes the episode shout out to Adam Siegel. I grew up with Adam. We made movies together in elementary school and high school.

[Beck Bennett]

The Nelson.

[Kyle Mooney]

The Nelson. I was actually thinking about finding the Nelson and putting it back out there and getting some eyes on it.

[Beck Bennett]

Wow. Movie you made in high school. You want people to see it?

[Kyle Mooney]

I think it's pretty fun. But anyway, so let's go back to.

[Beck Bennett]

So your acting is. And you've just always been interested in It, Yeah, yeah.

[Kyle Mooney]

I've just always been kind of an actor. What about you? I think some of the acting work you've done has been really interesting.

[Beck Bennett]

Oh, thanks, man.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah.

[Beck Bennett]

Might as well get comfortable.

[Kyle Mooney]

You talk about acting.

[Beck Bennett]

I remember. Let's see. I remember first doing acting. My.

[Kyle Mooney]

That was a joke. I didn't actually want to know.

[Beck Bennett]

My ex. My good friend and girlfriend in high school, Robin Buck. Hello, Robin. She was in an MTV commercial when I was in high school before we dated. And she was one of the first persons I ever knew to kind of get professional acting work. And that was inspirational. I was like, oh, you know what? Maybe this can be done professionally.

[Kyle Mooney]

So that's cool. So your girlfriend got a commercial and you're like, I want to do that now. That's what.

[Beck Bennett]

Well, I think I always liked movies and television shows, right?

[Kyle Mooney]

Oh, absolutely.

[Beck Bennett]

But don't you. Did you. I mean, like, I guess you went to New Trier High School where like, a lot of famous actors and filmmakers and like, persons of note went. But yeah, Scripps Ranch High School didn't really have it at the time. And even though we were close in proximity to Los Angeles, like, being an actor still felt pretty far fetched, I think.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, I think for me too, like, a lot of the people who are known from my school, I mean, like, there's some people more recently, but. Yeah, I don't know, it still felt so far off. Like, how is this going to happen? Like, I think initially I was interested in doing like, Chicago theater and Steppenwolf and the Goodman and stuff.

[Sam Richardson]

And then.

[Kyle Mooney]

And then you know, kind of got more into comedy and. And met you and Nick and then kind of also realized, like, oh, if you want to have a certain kind of life, doing theater is challenging for that. But I still wanted to. I still want. Anyway. I feel like I'm getting lost in the weeds and now you're just looking at me. And now I don't know what to say. What?

[Beck Bennett]

No, I'm admiring him. Like, damn, that's my boy.

[Kyle Mooney]

That's sweet of you. I look at you like that all the time, too.

[Beck Bennett]

Well, why did your eyes just move?

[Kyle Mooney]

Anya did something. Anya?

[Beck Bennett]

That's not her name. Not Anya. Her name is Anya. Anya, like the band. Isn't she the name of our producer?

[Kyle Mooney]

That's Enya the band. Are you not. Are you not Enya the band?

[Sam Richardson]

I wish.

[Kyle Mooney]

If you live in a cosmic. Oh, my God. You haven't been Enya this whole time, Anya. I used to. I tell people, Enya's producing our show.

[Beck Bennett]

In what context?

[Kyle Mooney]

Like, yeah, I'm doing. Oh, yeah, I'm doing a show. It's produced by Enya produces it. They're like, that sounds crazy.

[Beck Bennett]

I'm like, I mean, this is. No offense to you, Anya, but, like, that's just interesting to me that, like, when you talk about the show, you, like, want to, like, say who one of the producers was.

[Kyle Mooney]

I thought it was Enya.

[Beck Bennett]

Oh, you. That's what was the interesting thing to you. Not.

[Kyle Mooney]

That would be crazy.

[Sam Richardson]

You'd have to lead with that if she was producing.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You guys, welcome to what's Our Podcast with Beck Ben and Kyle Mooney show,

[Beck Bennett]

where we bring in a guest to tell us what they think our podcast

[Kyle Mooney]

should be about, and then we give it a chance and maybe it'll work. And that's what our podcast is. And this week we have the incredible, wickedly talented Sam Richardson. A friend of ours, one of the most talented and sweetest people. I've never worked with him, but I've gotten to be around. He's. He's an awesome dude.

[Beck Bennett]

Detroiters.

[Kyle Mooney]

Detroiters.

[Beck Bennett]

Veep, I think you should leave the afterparty. The damn Daniel video.

[Kyle Mooney]

The damn Daniel video. I didn't know he was that.

[Beck Bennett]

I thought he was.

[Kyle Mooney]

Oh, all right. Well, we should. We should talk to him about the Back at it with the white bands. Is he the guy behind the camera? Cuz he's not.

[Beck Bennett]

I believe he saw the parts.

[Kyle Mooney]

No, no, no, I don't think so. I think you must be confused.

[Beck Bennett]

Oh, I might be. Oh, right. Sorry.

[Kyle Mooney]

But, you know, you would think that he was in that. Cuz he's in so many great things. Cuz everybody wants to work with him because he's so talented and versatile. Let's give it up for our friend Sam. Sam Richardson. Dude. Yes, Dude.

[Sam Richardson]

Wow.

[Kyle Mooney]

Are you kidding me?

[Sam Richardson]

Oh, wow.

[Beck Bennett]

Sam the Man.

[Kyle Mooney]

Thank you for coming by and sitting down with us. You know, like, you don't have to do this. Like, we're friends and everything.

[Beck Bennett]

We know each other and it does mean a lot. Yeah, you're a get.

[Kyle Mooney]

You know, you're a get. Right?

[Sam Richardson]

That's. That's.

[Kyle Mooney]

You know that.

[Sam Richardson]

That's very.

[Beck Bennett]

You do know that he knows it. He's got to look like he knows it. Is just Sam the Man Richardson.

[Kyle Mooney]

Sam the Man Richardson ascending. Just ascending into the stars, man.

[Beck Bennett]

You've had. You are. You are working, man.

[Kyle Mooney]

How do you. Me and Kyle are not feeling good about ourselves. Like, dude, like, is there any way that you could like help us, like get a job or. I mean, yeah, I can help.

[Sam Richardson]

I can give you guys some pointers, I guess.

[Kyle Mooney]

Oh, thank you so much.

[Sam Richardson]

You just gotta believe in yourselves. And that's right now. Okay, so I'm not seeing that right now.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah. Cause I'm not doing that.

[Sam Richardson]

See?

[Kyle Mooney]

And like, let's believe in ourselves. Dude.

[Beck Bennett]

No,

[Kyle Mooney]

no, let's say, let's say, let's say.

[Beck Bennett]

Sam, let's talk. Let's go through a hypothetical here.

[Sam Richardson]

Okay. Yeah.

[Beck Bennett]

Tomorrow is your shoot. You're shooting an episode 104 for you, the new show Jackrabbits.

[Sam Richardson]

Okay. Yeah.

[Kyle Mooney]

Okay. He's going. And you're coming on a set. You're wearing something nice.

[Richelle Chen]

Okay.

[Kyle Mooney]

You know, confident. Put on a.

[Beck Bennett]

Wait, that's tomorrow. That's happening

[Kyle Mooney]

today. Okay.

[Beck Bennett]

How much. How much time are you spending looking over those. Looking over your sides for tomorrow, today.

[Kyle Mooney]

And this is for the show Jackrabbit.

[Sam Richardson]

For Jackrabbit specifically. Jackrabbits is like a five person cast

[Beck Bennett]

and it's got a real heavy hitter

[Sam Richardson]

in Mr. Mr.

[Beck Bennett]

Ryan Reynolds.

[Sam Richardson]

Ryan Reynolds. Oh, that's right. Oh, fucking. How we call. I call him Bobby Renz.

[Kyle Mooney]

Bobby Rennes.

[Sam Richardson]

So that's why when I went. So he, you know, and he's on set like, I'd say a good third of the time, right? Because he does a lot of the digital stuff and that's like. Yeah, you know. Cause he's a computer hacker and so like as like number three on the call sheet. I kind of feel it's my job to sort of be like a leader. You know what I mean? So I'm like, I'm learning my lines. Am I looking over the sides? A little bit. But then when I get there, I'm throwing them away and I'm acting like I don't know them. You know what I mean? And then the idea is to like, kind of inspire everybody to be like, hey, being unprepared is part of being prepared.

[Beck Bennett]

That's part of acting.

[Kyle Mooney]

Right? That's one of your actors being open to the collaboration process.

[Sam Richardson]

Exactly.

[Kyle Mooney]

That is exactly.

[Beck Bennett]

Are you guys. Are you guys the types to forgive me for going inside.

[Kyle Mooney]

Okay. Okay.

[Beck Bennett]

For playing a little inside baseball.

[Kyle Mooney]

He's not Jackrabbits anymore.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah, but guys do watch.

[Beck Bennett]

Are you looking at your. Please check out Jackrabbits. It's on Puffy A plus.

[Kyle Mooney]

That's right. Bobby. Bobby's three months are free. Yeah.

[Sam Richardson]

Plus.

[Beck Bennett]

Do you. Are you look. Are you guys looking at your sides?

[Kyle Mooney]

The little sides? The sides.

[Beck Bennett]

Is A little script for the day.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Kyle Mooney]

And they give it to you.

[Sam Richardson]

Scenes. And the lines of the day are called the sides.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yes, yes. Yeah. And so they give you these little signs.

[Beck Bennett]

Are you guys looking at them when you're in hair and makeup? Because. Because sometimes you go in your little hair and makeup trailer, they're doing your hair and your makeup.

[Kyle Mooney]

Right.

[Beck Bennett]

And sometimes. Do you look at your sides?

[Kyle Mooney]

I. I think I do. Just, like, just in case there's anything different.

[Sam Richardson]

Honestly. Yes, I do. I do. Cause, like, you know, you might misremember something. And then you're like, I got this. And then you look and you're like, that's a different day's work.

[Kyle Mooney]

Right, right.

[Sam Richardson]

Or, you know, or a line change here or there. That the other person's like, that can

[Beck Bennett]

be a full nightmare if there's a line change that you weren't aware of. And then you just look. Fortunately, look at the size.

[Sam Richardson]

Just look at the size. You're like, oops.

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah, they completely changed the scene.

[Kyle Mooney]

Sometimes there's a little description you didn't know about. You know, his pants drop. He's hanging out in the breeze. Stuff is out there. Oh, I didn't know.

[Sam Richardson]

It's like, what's this fan for?

[Kyle Mooney]

Oh, I didn't know. Cause I just looked at the lines.

[Beck Bennett]

You have been doing a different type

[Kyle Mooney]

of show, I think. Yeah, you just gotta take what you can get. No, but I haven't doing triple X stuff.

[Beck Bennett]

I've been doing solely triple X stuff for the last few days.

[Sam Richardson]

But it's getting views.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, yeah, it's getting a lot of views. And it's. Exposure is exposure. Of course.

[Beck Bennett]

People are pivoting it and just watching it for free,

[Sam Richardson]

guys. Stealing.

[Kyle Mooney]

Okay, okay, okay.

[Beck Bennett]

Sam the Man Richardson.

[Kyle Mooney]

Sam the Man Richardson. I.

[Beck Bennett]

Born in Detroit.

[Sam Richardson]

Yep.

[Beck Bennett]

Spent time between Detroit and Ghana.

[Sam Richardson]

And Ghana. That's right.

[Beck Bennett]

Is it true that. Is it true that your dad was sending you videotapes of Ninja Turtles, GI Joe, he man, et cetera?

[Sam Richardson]

Yes. Because, like, so I was like, I used to go back and forth to Ghana, like, up until middle school. So I lived there first and second grade fully. And so the only thing that would come on TV that was what I would want to watch was Captain Planet. And I love Captain Planet. My dad would send me these tapes. Cause my dad would be in Detroit and he'd come back and forth. But I was there fully for first and second grade. So he would send me these tapes with episodes of Ninja Turtles, looks like, you know, and like, also the ones that you can buy that has, like, the volume eight through.

[Beck Bennett]

You know, I actually have them all. Is like, yeah, I don't have every Ninja Turtles VHS cassette, but I've got a lot of these taped.

[Kyle Mooney]

And specifically of the show, I have a lot of.

[Beck Bennett]

I have a lot of, like, children's entertainment. Like, I have G.I. joe tapes. I have Transformers tapes.

[Sam Richardson]

Ths. Is that the or. Thc? Oh, yeah.

[Beck Bennett]

Well, family home entertainment.

[Sam Richardson]

Family home entertainment.

[Beck Bennett]

D. Fhe.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah, fhe. FHE. That's what it is. Yeah. So I had a bunch of those. A bunch of Wrestlemanias and wrestling event stuff.

[Beck Bennett]

And did you have buddies in Ghana that you're like, hey, check this out?

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah, I went to an American school, but it was an international school, but it was like an American school. So we had my buddy Parshant, my buddy T.T. thomas. They would all be all, shout out to T.T. thomas. I'll give it out to Edward. Shout out to Parshant.

[Kyle Mooney]

Oh, they're losing their minds right now. They're watching this because they're the Roccos. They watch the show.

[Sam Richardson]

You know, that's right off, right? America, Africa, boys.

[Beck Bennett]

And also some of our friends, too.

[Sam Richardson]

Yes.

[Kyle Mooney]

Bob, Louis, Jeff.

[Sam Richardson]

I saw you earlier today.

[Kyle Mooney]

So. Wait, so. But you were there. You were there in first and second grade.

[Sam Richardson]

I lived there first and second grade and.

[Kyle Mooney]

What? But your. Your dad was.

[Sam Richardson]

But my dad was, like, back and forth. It was mostly in Detro.

[Kyle Mooney]

Okay.

[Sam Richardson]

Cause we were there. Cause my grandfather was, like, ill. So, like, state there.

[Kyle Mooney]

Gotcha.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah. No, it's only just not thinking about it.

[Kyle Mooney]

Damn.

[Sam Richardson]

Wow.

[Kyle Mooney]

Damn.

[Sam Richardson]

37 years ago.

[Kyle Mooney]

Oh, damn.

[Sam Richardson]

I'm sorry to bring that. Thanks, guys.

[Kyle Mooney]

Oh, no, we didn't want to make you feel anything.

[Sam Richardson]

Oh, okay.

[Beck Bennett]

I'm not trying to make. Cause nobody feels a single thing.

[Kyle Mooney]

So, like, forget it. So, okay, so you were. You were going back and forth. Yeah, but wait, you were there for first and second grade.

[Sam Richardson]

And so. But then, you know, so much like, American television and, like, cartoon thing. Like, not just television. Like, cartoons were sent. So, like, this was absorbing it. Absorbing it.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah.

[Sam Richardson]

Getting like a real. And it's funny, like, a lot of, like, GI Joe stuff. It was like, so, you know, propaganda.

[Richelle Chen]

Right.

[Sam Richardson]

And I'm, like, eating it up. Cause I'm, like, away. So I'm like, this is what America is.

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sam Richardson]

You know, and like, Hulk Hogan is beating up Cobra Commander. Cobra Commander. Yeah. They, like, Sergeant Slaughter was, like, was Iraqi at that time, Right. Wasn't he, like, wasn't that, like, his storyline?

[Kyle Mooney]

Oh, yeah.

[Beck Bennett]

I'm sorry, am I mixing up? Were you talking about Hulk Hogan in wrestling or.

[Sam Richardson]

In wrestling? Sorry.

[Kyle Mooney]

In wrestling.

[Sam Richardson]

His thing was that he, like, turned into, like, what the most evil thing in America was at that time. And so, like, I'm just like, yeah, right. Born to be. Love the US of A. Yeah.

[Kyle Mooney]

So were you up?

[Beck Bennett]

Well, we. My family had like. Like Desert Storm trading cards.

[Sam Richardson]

Oh, yeah, that's wild.

[Kyle Mooney]

Desert Storm. Like who?

[Beck Bennett]

It's like. It's like I got Colin Powell. What?

[Kyle Mooney]

Like where, like, generals even get on,

[Beck Bennett]

like, cards, like, at the baseball card shop. I'm gonna collect all the Desert Storm cards.

[Sam Richardson]

Wow, that's tight. I got a Humvee

[Beck Bennett]

and so. Forgive me, did you have a question?

[Kyle Mooney]

Basically just like, how many Desert Storm

[Beck Bennett]

cards did I have?

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, how many?

[Beck Bennett]

60, 70.

[Sam Richardson]

That's like almost all of them.

[Kyle Mooney]

Did you enjoy L there in Ghana or did you want to get back? Were you really excited when you got back?

[Sam Richardson]

I liked it, but I didn't appreciate it.

[Kyle Mooney]

You know what I mean?

[Sam Richardson]

Cause again, I'm observing all this stuff. I'm like, I gotta be back in America where I can just kind of wave my flag around and see the turtles and the Ghostbusters and talk to

[Kyle Mooney]

everybody else who's watching the turtles, who's just straight up.

[Sam Richardson]

You know what I mean? And also, I know I'm getting delayed feed. You know what I mean? I know.

[Beck Bennett]

What is that new shit?

[Sam Richardson]

Exactly. What's that shit that's happening right now?

[Kyle Mooney]

You know what I mean?

[Sam Richardson]

So all I want to do is come back to the states and eat McDonald's and do all the.

[Beck Bennett]

And was it what you hoped it would be when you came back?

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah, and more. Yeah, I got back and I just, like, got addicted to chocolate milk.

[Kyle Mooney]

That is incredible. Yeah, of course.

[Sam Richardson]

Like, I really did. I really did. And like, I drank so much chocolate and milk that my knees started to hurt.

[Kyle Mooney]

How did you. Wait.

[Sam Richardson]

Oh, wow. And then, like, my knees were like. In a short amount of time.

[Kyle Mooney]

What age is this?

[Sam Richardson]

This was like 10.

[Kyle Mooney]

Wow.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah. This has been like 10.

[Kyle Mooney]

Did that. So did you, like, go to a doctor? And they were like, your knees are hurting because you drank too much chocolate milk? You gained this much weight? No or no? You were like.

[Sam Richardson]

I was like, I know this is.

[Kyle Mooney]

I know what's happening.

[Sam Richardson]

I know what this is.

[Kyle Mooney]

So then. So then you went off cool though,

[Beck Bennett]

that like, self diagnosis at 10.

[Sam Richardson]

I'll tell you what, also. So I had a birthday party. I was having a birthday party. This would been like. This would have been Nine. This would've been nine, I think. And it was supposed to be a swimming party at a hotel. This is in Detroit. It's in Dearborn. We're like, okay, I'm having my birthday party. It's gonna be so much fun. And I'm trying on my swim trunks in the mirror. And I remember I was like, wait a minute. I went to my dad. I was like, dad, cancel the party. We can't do this. He's like, why, dad? I'm fat and I can't do this? And he was like, okay, listen, it doesn't matter. It really doesn't. But he was like, man, you. You're. You're. You.

[Kyle Mooney]

You're good.

[Sam Richardson]

You're good.

[Kyle Mooney]

You're deserved.

[Sam Richardson]

And also, it doesn't matter. But, like, also, like, I know your family's body, like, the way your. Your mom's side of the family is. And, like, you're. When you hit 14, your body's gonna change again. Like, so, like, yeah, just chill. But I remember I had that, like. And I got so. Became so self conscious.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah.

[Sam Richardson]

You know, T shirt, swimming.

[Beck Bennett]

Oh, yeah.

[Kyle Mooney]

Same, same, same with us. We both, you know, we've all been. Most. A lot of kids have, you know, you, like, you gain weight at certain periods and you lose it and. Yeah, yeah. I used to. I've told. I've talked about this on. I used to, like, do swim teams and stuff. And you had to wear a Speedo. And I would wear, like, board shorts up to the starting point because my legs were so. It was just like, you know, it cuts chub and then the chubby. I think I had, like, stretch marks too, because I like. And, like, I would just, like, take them off and jump in and have somebody bring the shorts to the other side of the pool. So I get out and I put them right back. Yeah.

[Beck Bennett]

That's very sweet of your father to be like, you're good.

[Sam Richardson]

It really was. It really. I, like, I remember it so well.

[Kyle Mooney]

Him.

[Sam Richardson]

Don't, like, trust me, because I don't.

[Beck Bennett]

I don't feel like there was a lot of that in the 90s.

[Kyle Mooney]

No, typically it'd be like, just stop it. Yeah, don't worry about it.

[Sam Richardson]

When you're crying, you're a little baby. And also, like, that used to be like a whole character's thing. It's like, oh, he's the big one, you know.

[Kyle Mooney]

Right, right.

[Sam Richardson]

So, like, that's in the. That's. That character meant that he was goofy. That character meant that he was this. So, like, as A little kid, you're like, well, no, I can't be Tum Tum. Or I can't be

[Beck Bennett]

Tum Tum, by the way. Not actually a massive snack.

[Sam Richardson]

It's like snacks. But that was the idea. They even call him Tum Tum. Yeah, but he wasn't. But, like, you know. You know what I'm saying? Like, that was the sort of.

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah, no, it was.

[Sam Richardson]

Thing.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. We had, like. My mom was, like, really into diet culture and like, you know, the reduced fat that I used to go over my friend's house and just, like, rate any. Any friend who had snacks, I would go nuts.

[Beck Bennett]

Oh, truly. My mom, I don't think she was doing this as a way to, like, shame me. She was always very supportive. But, like, I would, like. I don't know if you. We had recess right before lunch, so we. You could bring. You'd bring a snack for recess and then you'd bring a lunch for lunchtime.

[Sam Richardson]

Right, right.

[Beck Bennett]

But sometimes I'd get like a Slim Fast for my snack. Yeah, but it wasn't. It wasn't because. But as I recall, slim fast was like, that's your meal.

[Kyle Mooney]

Tastes like a chocolate. This is like chocolate milk. Yeah, right, right, right. So your mom wasn't like, trying to send you a message. I don't think she was actually a pretty good.

[Beck Bennett]

She was genuinely drinking Slim fast. I was like, oh, Kyle likes the tast.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah, right.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah.

[Beck Bennett]

But that's also probably. Is probably worse because it probably has, like.

[Kyle Mooney]

It's probably 350 calories.

[Sam Richardson]

And like, also the, like, not that the optics matter, but, like, I'm sure you open up that thing and the teachers are like, exactly.

[Beck Bennett]

Hey, what's good?

[Kyle Mooney]

It's got a lot of protein.

[Sam Richardson]

Mrs. Gronk. What's up? Only half of this for me today. I've been bad.

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah. What was the Now I again? And forgive me, because, Sam, you did see a little bit. You got a little peek behind the curtain. We were handed a sort of biography of sorts of yours moments before you arrived, which I did quickly peruse, though I do feel like I am such a fan of your work that I. But I did quickly learn these factoids and Beck brought this up. And I am curious. What was your time at Disney World? What was that?

[Sam Richardson]

Oh, yeah. So I worked at Disney World for, like, eight months or maybe a little less than that out of high school. I was, like, into. I was, like, trying to get into theater, you know, like proper theater. I started taking classes at Second City when I was, like, 16. So in high school, I was doing that, too.

[Kyle Mooney]

Oh, yeah. I was doing high school improv classes in Chicago.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah, Mecca.

[Kyle Mooney]

The Mecca. The Mecca. Yeah. So mine was better. So I had better classes.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah, but mine was grittier.

[Kyle Mooney]

You know what I mean?

[Sam Richardson]

It's like, of the people.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, that's true.

[Sam Richardson]

But so out of high school, I was trying to get into. I was trying to do theater school, and I got approached about. I auditioned. I actually auditioned for the Lion King touring company of the Broadway show. And I got a call back, and I was like, okay, maybe I'll be on Broadway. That didn't work out. And somehow it led to this other thing where somebody approached me about doing the festival Lion King in Disney World in Florida. So I was like, okay, great. And they came to my school, and so they're like, we want you to come down and do this.

[Kyle Mooney]

And this is what age then?

[Sam Richardson]

This is 19.

[Kyle Mooney]

19. Okay.

[Sam Richardson]

So my dad. Not my dad, my mom, my brother, and my best friend drive me down to Florida. We get there, and, like, to my. You know, we get there, and they're like, there's been some sort of mistake. I don't know who told you this, but this is an Equity show. You can't do this. And I was like, what? Maybe I didn't read the letter right,

[Kyle Mooney]

but then why is that on me? You guys offered me this thing.

[Sam Richardson]

But, like. But they were like, we have a college program, though, that you could. You drove all the way down here. So I entered the college program, and, like, I end up, like, working and living in Disney World for, like, nine months, like, working on a ride. I worked in the Animal Kingdom. I worked on Dinosaur, the ride Triceratops Spin and Primeval Whirl. And, like, it was like, I loved Disney, you know? So I was able to just, like, you live in the apartments that they provide you, and then you work in the parks. And then what? Everybody. Everybody's the same. And we all, like, you want to go to the park?

[Kyle Mooney]

And, like, yeah, sure.

[Sam Richardson]

We're off to work. So we just get in either shuttle or if you had a car, and we would just, like, spend every waking moment on this, like, campus of Disney World.

[Kyle Mooney]

Oh, wow. And did you, like, Were there kids? There were people, like, you know, did you make friends with people?

[Sam Richardson]

Or was it, like, first of all.

[Kyle Mooney]

So it was like a summer camp.

[Sam Richardson]

It was like summer camp.

[Kyle Mooney]

Exactly.

[Sam Richardson]

Like, we were in, like, apartment buildings where everybody works at the same place. You know, you're in these, like, apartments. I was in Chatham Square. It was like Vistaway and Chatham Square. Those are the two buildings of apartments. I started in Chatham Square where it was like two bedroom apartments. But you had four, you had three roommates, so you were sharing a room. But then like everybody in that building the same. Like you find your friends there and like, it's. Who like, wants to go to Animal Kingdom or who wants to go to the Magic Kingdom or who wants to whatever. But it was like. And we're all also college age.

[Kyle Mooney]

I was gonna say. They must be the same as. You don't want, like partying also at night, like real.

[Beck Bennett]

That's tight.

[Sam Richardson]

Wild.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah. You know, like first time drinking on your own, that's like the hardest.

[Sam Richardson]

Exactly. Just like. And it's not dorm life. We are in apartments, you know what I mean? So like start. So like, I feel like if you're in a dorm that has apartments around it, or you know, a university that has like dorms and apartments, you kind of get like a gauge of like, oh, I'm still in school. Mind you. We weren't in school. There were classes. I didn't go to any of the classes because I was like, I didn't come here for like hotel management.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah.

[Sam Richardson]

I came here to do like theater.

[Kyle Mooney]

Right.

[Sam Richardson]

So I just like worked and then partied and then.

[Kyle Mooney]

Sounds awesome.

[Beck Bennett]

What is your.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, go ahead.

[Beck Bennett]

No, no, no, please.

[Kyle Mooney]

So then you went to school after that though, right?

[Sam Richardson]

So, so then I, I got this feel. I was like, ooh, what am I doing? So I went back, I moved back to Detroit, got back into Wayne State University and started fully taking classes at Second City.

[Beck Bennett]

Can I, before we go into Second City stuff, can I just ask, in Florida, have you been to Disney World?

[Sam Richardson]

I have. I was there last New Year's.

[Beck Bennett]

And do you, like, what is your. Do you have a ranking of like, you've spent so much time there? This is my ride. These are my rides. These are the things I need to do.

[Sam Richardson]

Well, I've always been a space mountain person, like land and world. But now there's the Guardians of the Galaxy ride.

[Beck Bennett]

I haven't done it yet. I don't wanna do that. It looks tight.

[Sam Richardson]

It's the best ride I've ever really been on.

[Beck Bennett]

Cosmic rewind. Something like that?

[Kyle Mooney]

Maybe something like that.

[Sam Richardson]

Because there's the one in Disneyland which is just.

[Kyle Mooney]

Gosh, in the Tower of.

[Sam Richardson]

Tower of Terror. I think it's cosmic rewind. I think it's called the one in World. I don't even wanna spoil it. I didn't Know what I was going into. And from the get go, the first move I was like, oh, what? And everything from there it was, I

[Beck Bennett]

can't wait to do it. I know. There's a soundtrack component.

[Sam Richardson]

There's a soundtrack component. So you have a chance of one of six songs, I think. And so whatever song comes up, it's a soundtrack to your whole thing. One of them was Earth, Wind and Fire. September. I think we got that four times out of six.

[Kyle Mooney]

Oh you.

[Sam Richardson]

I did it six times.

[Kyle Mooney]

Kyle had his bachelor party at Disney World.

[Sam Richardson]

Oh ye.

[Kyle Mooney]

It must not have been there.

[Beck Bennett]

It was not there.

[Sam Richardson]

I think it's like maybe two years. It's recent new. It's new.

[Kyle Mooney]

Wow. Damn Disney.

[Sam Richardson]

So that's my. Without a doubt as far as rides in the rideiverse go number one right now.

[Beck Bennett]

Good to know. I love, I like that Avatar ride they have over there.

[Sam Richardson]

Avatar ride was really cool too.

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah, but that's like screens.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah. And I don't love the screen stuff. You know, like for a while like. Yeah. I live right by Universal Studios right here.

[Beck Bennett]

You can see the fireworks from here.

[Sam Richardson]

See the fireworks from my place. It's true, it's true. I got that place. You can see Hogwarts from my kitchen. And then the fireworks go off at 9:00 every night. And even still I forget it every day. So every day and I'm like, I hear an explosion and I duck.

[Kyle Mooney]

But then do you like it or you like cool fireworks? Are you kind of like, ah, I'm done with the fireworks.

[Sam Richardson]

I'm not there yet.

[Kyle Mooney]

You don't want to get tired of the fireworks.

[Sam Richardson]

You know what I mean? You gotta get tired of the fireworks.

[Kyle Mooney]

Working show business, you don't want to get tired of the fireworks.

[Sam Richardson]

Exactly.

[Kyle Mooney]

You were about to ask about Second City, maybe.

[Beck Bennett]

Well, you had started talking about, yeah, you're going to college. You started in Second City.

[Kyle Mooney]

And obviously when. I mean a lot of people we, obviously we know you through Tim. Oh yeah. And a lot of people your partnership is incredible. And you guys have made so many incredible things.

[Beck Bennett]

Iconic, legendary.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yes. Oh my goodness. I would say on screen and off, your friendship is a very sweet thing to watch and see in action. But. So when did you guys meet and was it like immediately like, I love this guy.

[Sam Richardson]

So we met before I went to. We met when I was still. Before I went to Florida. And so like we just like were kind of like acquaintances, like really liked each other a lot. You know this, that like at shows, at this theater called Plan Dance Theater. As well as, like, Second City, you know, he was on the touring company at Second City in Detroit, the Detroit touring company at the time. So I would, like, go see their shows. And, like, he was always really cool. And so when I moved back, I took classes and he was my level A teacher, so my first level teacher. And so then we started hanging out. We were like, oh, actually, we're very much on the same page. You know, lock and step. I was 18. I was 19. I was 19. Yeah. And then he would sneak me into bars. Cause he was 21, 22. And in Detroit at that time, it was not hard to do, but. But still, you know, it was like we just found out how much stuff we had in, like, comedically in sync and like, on the same page. Like, we like the same stuff. We the same, like, references. Like, we just love. We love Christmas so much. We're atheists who love Christmas.

[Kyle Mooney]

I think I knew that.

[Sam Richardson]

Oh, my God, it's so important to us.

[Kyle Mooney]

Do you guys, like. Do you guys both love Halloween, too?

[Sam Richardson]

I mean, we love Halloween. Tim doesn't dress up for Halloween on purpose.

[Kyle Mooney]

Oh, wow.

[Sam Richardson]

I used to dress. I still do. But I go all out on Halloween.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah.

[Sam Richardson]

You know, like, I'll build a costume. Like, one year I was like Lionel from Thundercats and, like, had a huge wig that I, like, did. And I, like, made a single.

[Kyle Mooney]

I think I saw that sword.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah. I was like, I take it. I really love. I love Halloween. And he loves Halloween too. But I look at. But you know, also from Michigan, Halloween is like, you know, you go to Apple Orchard and then there's like a haunted hayride and all this very Midwestern.

[Kyle Mooney]

Midwesterny. Yeah. I grew up in north suburbs of Chicago and it's the same thing.

[Sam Richardson]

It's the same. It's the same.

[Beck Bennett]

So you go through Second City and then. Yeah, there's. I imagine. I feel like when I met you, I think my first year on the show via Tim and like, at the time you were on Veep. So what. So, yeah, what was the journey from, like, Second City stuff to that?

[Sam Richardson]

So we were at Second City. So even moving to Chicago. We were at Second City Detroit together. And then I moved to do a cruise ship for Second City on the ship. So I was on Norwegian. On Norwegian Pearl and Norwegian Spirit. Like, living in. Just doing Second City sketch comedy and improv.

[Kyle Mooney]

Talking to Cecily Strong about that. She did that with Alex Moffat.

[Beck Bennett]

And that's like, all. You're doing sketches. You're doing, like, old.

[Sam Richardson]

We're doing the best Second City sketches, and then some improv and then some improv in between. And then at the end of the cruise and you do a full improv show, you do a clean one, and then at midnight, you do a dirty one, and then everybody leaves the ship.

[Beck Bennett]

I'm just imagining what the dirty one

[Kyle Mooney]

is like, saying, whatever you want.

[Sam Richardson]

Whatever you want.

[Kyle Mooney]

Blue.

[Sam Richardson]

It's the one where they give stuff.

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah. Hello, Mr. Butt.

[Sam Richardson]

Open butt.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yes, yes. Open butt. That can't stop the stuff coming out of it. It's not what you think. Booger to meet you. I was going to say booger eyes. Booger Island.

[Sam Richardson]

Welcome to Booger island. Where all the boogers are butts.

[Beck Bennett]

Like an Epstein thing.

[Kyle Mooney]

Exactly. Oh, we'll do this before we knew. We cut to Epstein, but it's all boogers or something. That's a really fun show.

[Beck Bennett]

I would love that.

[Kyle Mooney]

I would love to see that show.

[Sam Richardson]

I'm just so it.

[Beck Bennett]

I think. I think it's maybe time we sort of get to the. I. I don't want to say the point of the show, but what this. I guess the sort of question that we're asking by having this show.

[Kyle Mooney]

Let's do it. Which is, what's our podcast? I don't know what our podcast is about. So we have people on to try to help us out.

[Beck Bennett]

We got a Just the Edgar monster from Men in Black.

[Sam Richardson]

Do you think it should be about sugar water?

[Kyle Mooney]

That's a really good Edgar. You know, everybody does an Edgar. And now I'm.

[Sam Richardson]

Now I'm bummed to do my Edgar.

[Kyle Mooney]

Well, you know, that's great. That's a great Edgar.

[Beck Bennett]

And I was trying to do his wife, but Edgar came in. I can't do it, Edgar.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, yeah, that's good. That's good.

[Sam Richardson]

Redeemed.

[Kyle Mooney]

Well, fine.

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah.

[Sam Richardson]

And then Will Smith.

[Beck Bennett]

I could be.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, yeah, do your Will Smith.

[Beck Bennett]

Or the. Or what about the.

[Sam Richardson]

Like. What's.

[Beck Bennett]

What's the. The little guy who's like Orion.

[Sam Richardson]

Oh, yeah,

[Beck Bennett]

Something like that.

[Sam Richardson]

The center of the.

[Beck Bennett]

It was.

[Sam Richardson]

The center of the galaxy is on Orion's belt.

[Beck Bennett]

That movie is sick.

[Sam Richardson]

That movie is sick.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, I want to go back and rewatch that.

[Beck Bennett]

Well, I mean, like, I'm always, always obsessed with just that ending. When the.

[Kyle Mooney]

When the aliens playing with the mar. I think about that all the time.

[Sam Richardson]

Mind blown, bro.

[Beck Bennett]

Like, how early in the process of writing was like, well, what if the. What if what? What if this whole thing is just a bunch of aliens playing with marbles?

[Kyle Mooney]

Yes. Okay. That's how they pitch the movie.

[Sam Richardson]

Work backwards from there.

[Kyle Mooney]

All right, that's it.

[Sam Richardson]

Okay.

[Kyle Mooney]

So our podcast. Do you have an idea for what you think our podcast should be about or what you. Yeah, what we should try.

[Sam Richardson]

You know, I, Like, I. I had this thought, and I was like, oh, I don't know. I don't.

[Kyle Mooney]

I've always.

[Sam Richardson]

I've been thinking a lot about, like, focusing on stuff, like, just, like, kind of, like, honing myself in on, like, what, like, having this free time. I have, like, a little bit of free time right now, and I get to, like, work on my hobbies and stuff. So I've been like, focus is, like,

[Kyle Mooney]

a cool, interesting notion.

[Beck Bennett]

I thought, okay.

[Sam Richardson]

But then I was like, is focus like. Like, see, like, right now I'm, like, unfocused, so it's worth talking about.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, no, I. I think that's fantastic. Let's do it.

[Beck Bennett]

Well, what do you say we. What do you say we bring it into focus with our new podcast called Focus?

[Kyle Mooney]

Let's focus on.

[Beck Bennett]

It's my good buddy back.

[Kyle Mooney]

It's me, Fogey.

[Beck Bennett]

What the were you gonna say?

[Kyle Mooney]

No, I was gonna say me, but I thought. I thought you were gonna call me a new nickname, Fogey. I thought you were gonna call me Fogey.

[Beck Bennett]

You had. You were under the impression.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yes.

[Beck Bennett]

That I was going to introduce the show and say, by the way, here's Fogey.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yes. And give me a new nickname. I was like, it's gonna be Fogey.

[Beck Bennett]

And so you were getting ready to say it at the same time.

[Kyle Mooney]

Well, you know, I'm just trying to. I was just trying to, you know, focus on, like, what. What you were doing. I'm like, Fogey. Right. And. No, I think I was off, but.

[Beck Bennett]

Right.

[Kyle Mooney]

You were gonna say what? You're gonna say my name.

[Beck Bennett]

Beck.

[Kyle Mooney]

Wait, you did. You did say my name.

[Beck Bennett]

Okay.

[Kyle Mooney]

So. Yeah, but it's all good.

[Sam Richardson]

So it's me.

[Kyle Mooney]

It's Kyle and Beck, and you can call me Fogey. But here we're back. It's good to see you, man. Yeah.

[Beck Bennett]

You are spinning out, brother.

[Kyle Mooney]

Dude, it's where I'm most comfortable. Just kidding. I know. I was just joking.

[Beck Bennett]

It's been a really fast.

[Kyle Mooney]

I don't know, like, why.

[Beck Bennett]

Really, really fascinating. 23 years.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah. Yeah, it has. Do you.

[Beck Bennett]

You know Parks. Parks and Rec was a great show.

[Kyle Mooney]

It was great. Yeah, it's been a great 23 years.

[Beck Bennett]

And Parks and Rec was Hardy Tower and Mark's Tower.

[Kyle Mooney]

Oh, yeah. Freshman year joints.

[Beck Bennett]

Park gate. What was? No, Park Gate is where My. My friend's great bar in New York City, Park. What was the. The night. The good. Not evk, but what was the other cafeteria?

[Kyle Mooney]

Park View, right?

[Beck Bennett]

No, Come on.

[Sam Richardson]

It's gotta be Parkview.

[Beck Bennett]

Wasn't Park.

[Kyle Mooney]

It wasn't Park View, where you would go with the special Trojan meal plan.

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah, they had pizza.

[Kyle Mooney]

I think it was Parkview, my man. I remember it well because I got that meal plan.

[Beck Bennett]

I don't think it was Park View. I think we're gonna have to Google this after.

[Kyle Mooney]

You think it was what?

[Beck Bennett]

I think it may have began with the word park, but I don't think it was.

[Sam Richardson]

Could have been Park Place.

[Kyle Mooney]

And that is our guest, you guys, we are here with. Oh, yeah.

[Beck Bennett]

Oh, by the way, our show is all about being. Keep keeping your eye on the ball

[Kyle Mooney]

and being in focus. That's what it's all about. You told us Focus. It was a podcast. That's what we'll talk about with Beck and Kyle. I'm sure we'll figure it out at some point. Park.

[Sam Richardson]

Parkland.

[Kyle Mooney]

Parkside.

[Sam Richardson]

Parkside.

[Kyle Mooney]

Parkside.

[Beck Bennett]

Thank you.

[Kyle Mooney]

Thank you, Anya. We are here, everybody. Focus. I know.

[Beck Bennett]

We need to focus.

[Kyle Mooney]

We need to focus because we're bringing

[Beck Bennett]

it all into Focus on.

[Kyle Mooney]

Thank you for bringing in focus because we're here with our podcast. Focus. We're here with the podcast.

[Beck Bennett]

We're here with our podcast.

[Kyle Mooney]

We're in the podcast.

[Beck Bennett]

Hey, everybody. We're here with our podcast

[Kyle Mooney]

and our guest. This podcast is Sam Richardson. Sam Richardson.

[Sam Richardson]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Beck Bennett]

Absolutely great Sam Richardson.

[Kyle Mooney]

The great Sam Richardson. You know, I'm from Detroiters, Veep and countless other things. After party, after party.

[Beck Bennett]

I think you should leave.

[Kyle Mooney]

Come on. Emmy winner for Ted Lasso. He doesn't stop. You also know him from singing at Darcy Carden's birthday show with Kyle.

[Beck Bennett]

Why'd you stop?

[Kyle Mooney]

I don't know. I just thought it would be funny. I lost. Because you know what? I'm going to be honest with you. I lost focus. But, Sam, so great to have you here.

[Sam Richardson]

So great to be here. I appreciate you having me.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah. Thanks for focusing with us. What it is that we focus on or lose focus on.

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah. Can we. We. Can we ask, what are. What are you focusing on these days? What did you focus on today?

[Sam Richardson]

Today I focused on. I got a. I got a 3D printer.

[Kyle Mooney]

Oh, wow. That's. I've been wanting, like, not. That's been in the back of my mind, like, it's something I want to do.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah.

[Kyle Mooney]

But I've never, like, looked it up to see how much they cost and be like. But, like, I would. It's okay. Tell me about this.

[Sam Richardson]

No, I'll tell you. It's because they're great. I got it, too, because I have all these. I need, like, little things that don't exist. You know what I mean? And so I need them to, like, if I need, like, a perfectly sized shim to this door or, you know, to organize a drawer.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yes.

[Sam Richardson]

It's also helping me, like, cut like an Amazon addiction where I'm like, I need this stuff. And then that stuff comes, like, no, what I need. Exactly, I'll make.

[Beck Bennett]

Wow.

[Kyle Mooney]

That is. Okay. So how big is this printer?

[Sam Richardson]

So I've got two now.

[Kyle Mooney]

So one, it went well the first time.

[Sam Richardson]

It went well the first time. And then the other one. So I've got this. I don't know how. I don't know the size, but I'd say it's about, like, this big. For those listening.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, we're looking about a foot and a half.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah, about a foot and a half. By a foot and a half is the build plate.

[Kyle Mooney]

Wow.

[Sam Richardson]

And then you can get your files online. You get filament. There's different kinds of filament. You feed the filament into the thing. It reads the files, and then it just, like, it just draws in three dimensions. This, bottom up, whatever.

[Kyle Mooney]

So what's one of the things that you've made that's solved a problem in your life?

[Sam Richardson]

So I'm really focusing on organ organizing my house right now.

[Kyle Mooney]

I'm all about that. Yes.

[Sam Richardson]

And so that's what this thing is helping. So I've been working on this, like, been building out this system of grids and, like, so wall. There's a system called. Well, it's like a pegboard system. Multiboard.

[Kyle Mooney]

Okay.

[Sam Richardson]

And it's like a bunch of octagons, which is, like, super modular. And so I've been building the plates that I'll attach to the wall. And then all the different things. Like for screwdrivers and stuff, you just make a little, like, dock or socket or whatever or like a little cup for it, and you put it in the thing, and then everything is organized. Wow. So, like, right now I'm printing up the thing to then measure the sizes of the tools I want to put on that thing and, like, clear out stuff.

[Kyle Mooney]

So this is specifically for your tools that you use around the house or whatever.

[Sam Richardson]

So that's one of the things for the tools. One of the things will be for, like, my gaming setup. Yeah, you Know, for, like, my controllers and all that stuff so they're not strewn around.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah.

[Sam Richardson]

Another one will be for tools in the garage. Like, so, like, one for, like. Like, little, like, you know, craft tools. Another one for, like, garage tools, like, you know, saws.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yes.

[Sam Richardson]

And all that stuff.

[Kyle Mooney]

Just kind of saying, this is incredible. I'm. I'm, like, blown away by this. Yeah, it's. First of all, one of my biggest hobbies right now is organizing or trying to figure out how to get things organized. Because when I do, it just makes me feel so good. I have, like, way too much stuff, and it's, you know, it's a classic thing. We have to get rid of stuff. Just know where everything is, so I know how to use it. But, like, the fact that you are making this stuff to help you organize is. Is incredible. And, like, did you try other, like, organizing systems first?

[Sam Richardson]

For a while, I was trying to put things in, like, bins, you know, like, sorting things. Cause, you know, like, I collect a lot of stuff, and I. You know, I get. I feel, like, an emotional attachment to stuff, so I don't want to get rid of things.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yes.

[Sam Richardson]

But then those things sort of, like, they jam the works. And then I get. I find myself finding new hobbies, like, every day, and then I become obsessed with those hobbies, and then that comes with a bunch of other stuff. So then, like, that ends up on top of the other thing, and then that becomes on top of the other thing. So I was, like, putting things in bins and then forgetting where I put the bin things. So then I started to be like, all right, well, I'm gonna do a system of tracking where all the bins are and what's in the bins and what's that? But then that got too complicated. And then going through the bins, trying to find something I'm looking for. I then empty out the bin, and then all of a sudden, everything's everywhere. Totally pull this bin down from there. So I was like, all right, this system will put things in sight so I can see them. Things I need to, and what I don't, that will be the bin. And I will then start to categorize everything that's in those and then put them away. And I'll be able to, like, make a database where I can, like, look up where everything is. So if I'm looking for this thing specifically, I know that's gonna be in bin three. On, like.

[Kyle Mooney]

Cause you've logged in.

[Sam Richardson]

I vlogged it.

[Kyle Mooney]

Dude, that is so impressive.

[Sam Richardson]

This is My plan. This is my plan.

[Beck Bennett]

I was just gonna say what's interesting to me. This is. We started out with the question, you know, what were you focusing on today? And you said my 3D printer. Or a 3D printer or through the 3D. But the interesting. You've been focusing on the 3D printer, but what you're doing with the 3D printer is bringing focus into your life, into your home. So there's multiple layers of focus.

[Kyle Mooney]

You're focused on the thing you're going to focus into your life.

[Beck Bennett]

You're focusing on also one part of organization, the physical part. But soon there'll be a whole nother part you'll be focusing on, which is this database.

[Sam Richardson]

Yep.

[Beck Bennett]

So you are deep in focus.

[Sam Richardson]

I like truly. And that's so true. Because I think the problem was I get a scatter, I have one half thought, then I'm onto the next thing. And in order to solve that other thought, I'm on two other things. And so right now, this 3D printer printer, I'm like just learning how to use this 3D printer to its freaking.

[Kyle Mooney]

What are your.

[Beck Bennett]

I'm curious.

[Kyle Mooney]

And not like jump off of it to something else. I do that a little bit. I would like not. I don't have a ton of hobbies I'm like looking for. Not necessarily more, but I'm actually looking to like further flesh out my hobbies past the 65% or 70%. You know what I mean? Besides like the past, the initial excitement of it and like get further into it. You know what I mean? To understand it better. But. And now I lost my focus. But. But yeah.

[Sam Richardson]

So you say you, you like focus on one thing, then you like kind of like halfway through you. You end up not doing.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah. Or like, like I'll get into photography and like certain types of film or point and shoot cameras. Then I'll be like that, that's cool. But then it's like. And then I'll make, I'll take some photos and that's great. But then it's like, well, I don't, I don't frame the photos or like I don't organize. I don't pick my favorite ones and put them in an album. Or I don't then go like, like I don't, I don't learn more about it to, to bring the hobby into more focus.

[Sam Richardson]

Yep.

[Kyle Mooney]

You know, and I kind of just that that's something that I'm working on. But just that's what. When you said you go from one thing to the Next without.

[Sam Richardson]

But like even specifically for me. And like camera. I got into photography and I like was collecting cameras and like collecting all these lenses and I was like loving it but I didn't have anywhere to put it. So I put it in. Put my cameras like in a drawer and I put my things in a drawer and then I forgot about them, you know what I mean? Also. Cause I travel so much for work. I'll start a project, leave for five months and then come back and then I'll come back to there being a mess or I'll come home and I've got another two weeks we have to leave again. It's like unpacking, packing, everything's a mess. And I leave and I come back and then there's another mess on top of that.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yes. I've been doing a lot of traveling too. That is, I thought about it, I just got back in town, I was like, I am unpacking and packing so much and I was like, you know, at some point in my life I would love to just like have a go bag, you know what I mean? And it's like that is just that that thing stays there and I take it with me and it's like. But like each trip requires a different thing.

[Sam Richardson]

I'll tell you what, I do something for that too. So I have, I have like a suitcase that's like, that's pre packed mostly. And so. And then I have these different levels.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, like the underwear, the socks.

[Sam Richardson]

So I have like a little cube that has like five sets of underwear and five socks in it. And like in T shirts it's a cube that toss from this bag to this bag, whatever it sits there ready. Another one for toiletries. And so I have like three different tiers of these things. I like spend a lot of time setting these up. There's like, there's the tier where I'm going away for like one or two days for a week. And then like if I'm going for like a month plus there's a whole other system there. Damn, I'm doing so much.

[Kyle Mooney]

A friend of mine who's met through my son's school, she, she has a cube system for like, for her children. So it's like a basic cube with like the Kleenex, the hand sandits, but in a bigger cube for something else. She calls it the cube system. Yeah. So she can always throw that in a bag wherever she's going. She doesn't have to prepack it.

[Sam Richardson]

And then I do it for my, for my tech stuff. Too. So, like, I've got, like, three little kits that have, like, my. They have like a USB C cable in it, a USB lightning.

[Kyle Mooney]

See, this is the type of stuff where I am, like, just being like, I want to do this, but then I'm not focused enough to actually do it. I think about it all the time. That's incredible.

[Sam Richardson]

But, like, I spent so much time trying to develop the system to make these things that I'm like, oh, I'm not enjoying my time at home, you know, and all that. So, like, I'm spending all this time, like, setting up these.

[Kyle Mooney]

Organizing stuff.

[Sam Richardson]

Organizing stuff for the time where I'm going again. So, like, my time spent at home was getting ready. Was only getting ready to go again.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yes.

[Sam Richardson]

You know, so, like, I. But now those systems are in place, and so now I'm trying to set up the systems in house.

[Richelle Chen]

Yes.

[Beck Bennett]

The project is going to be completed.

[Sam Richardson]

Yes.

[Kyle Mooney]

And so that was my groundwork. So what now? What do you think will happen? Since this, as it is, it is a hobby in and of itself. What do you think will happen when you've got the system laid out and everything is organized? Like.

[Sam Richardson]

Like, will.

[Beck Bennett]

What will you focus on?

[Sam Richardson]

Well, I think once the. Once those things are set, I'll then focus on the projects that, like, that are, like, hobbies of mine that I want to do. Like, I build. Like, I, like, I like to build, like, computers and stuff. You know what I mean,

[Beck Bennett]

smart guy?

[Kyle Mooney]

I knew you were smart and then got a freaking genius. So we got freaking. I was gonna say Doogie Howser, but he's a doctor. This.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah, exactly.

[Kyle Mooney]

And he was like, young and stuff.

[Sam Richardson]

Me, a computer doctor.

[Kyle Mooney]

So you build computers. Like, how did you get into that? And was it.

[Sam Richardson]

I couldn't be doing that, like, since I was. I remember I got like a first, like Hewlett Packard when I was, like, in third grade, you know?

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah.

[Beck Bennett]

And then like, what does that entail? What is what. Yeah. So is that a kit that you get?

[Sam Richardson]

So for building them, you just, like, get all the individual components and you pick and choose, like, whatever things matches what you're looking for. Like, you'll get a graphics card depending on how much use you need for if you're trying to edit or you're trying to game or if you're trying to run an AI system through whatever uses a graphics card, you'll pick your graphics card based on that. And also you got different price tiers. You can spend $500 on building a. Not right now. Not anymore. You Can't. Or you could spend $7,000 building a computer if you want. All the bells and whistles. But it doesn't make sense, really, to buy a 7000 to build a 7000. $7000 computer. Cause you're probably not gonna use all that unless you are, you know, editing a film. You know what I mean?

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah.

[Sam Richardson]

So it's the most modular sort of way to.

[Beck Bennett]

How many computers have you built?

[Sam Richardson]

Like, over the years, I built maybe, like, 12 computers.

[Beck Bennett]

Damn.

[Kyle Mooney]

Whoa. Okay, so now you're building computers, and is it because you like the experience of it or. Cause you're building something that is unique to you and that you can't necessarily buy some?

[Sam Richardson]

I think it's both. It takes care of, like, my tink sort of, like, knack. Like, as a kid, I used to, like, take things apart, you know, and then kind of like. And then not know how to put them back together. So then I was, like, learning how to properly put it back together. So that became, like, sort of the fun of it. So I get to, like, flex that sort of. Or, like, build that muscle and, like, use it. And then also then the thing that I build, I use it for everything. Cause, like, we use computers for everything.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah.

[Sam Richardson]

So, like, it feels very satisfying.

[Kyle Mooney]

I want. Now, I want to know about your other hobbies. You mentioned, like, your crafting tools. You do crafting?

[Sam Richardson]

So crafting. You know, like, little. Little hobby stuff, like. Like, you know, movie props and stuff that you can. Like, Like, I built a Ghostbusters proton pack. You know what I mean?

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah. Cool.

[Sam Richardson]

Because, like. Like, this was years and years and years ago I built one, but that was, you know, I, like, they had the plans online, so it's like, get this PVC pipe and then get this thing. So, like, you know, like, my mom would take me to get to Home Depot, get that. Wow. Like, the right amount of paint. The right kind of paint. And so I just, like, build these things.

[Kyle Mooney]

The things that you wanted that you saw in movies.

[Richelle Chen]

Exactly.

[Sam Richardson]

The things that you can't just, like, buy.

[Kyle Mooney]

Right.

[Sam Richardson]

You get, you make, you know, Man. So that's. So. So now I. I haven't been doing those things. I've been getting the pieces to do those things.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah.

[Sam Richardson]

I never focus and actually do it. So I've got, like, parts of this and parts of that and parts of that, but then I'm on the next thing. So they've never come together.

[Kyle Mooney]

Right.

[Sam Richardson]

Right. So like, now my whole thing is, like, getting the thing. The. The things squared away enough where then I Will finish these tasks.

[Kyle Mooney]

Man. I'm like, I'm just blown away right now.

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah.

[Kyle Mooney]

Safe to say I, I, I'm hesitating to use this word like because I do mean in the best sense that like you are a nerd.

[Sam Richardson]

A nerd, yeah.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah. So like a fan, a nerd. I feel like there should be like a different, I mean like nerd isn't a negative term anymore. At least not too words we take crowd. Yeah. It's like nerding is like being like intensely passionate about something and knowing it inside and out. But it is also like culturally a thing. Whether it's like you know, Star Trek or like, you know, Ghostbusters, whatever, like the genre type things are.

[Beck Bennett]

I've had this conversation with somebody before. It is so mainstream. Like the things that is like that fall under nerdom if you're gonna say like Ghostbusters is like an or Star Trek. It's like these things are like massively like superheroes are like beyond the mainstream.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, that used to be. Yeah.

[Sam Richardson]

Like yeah.

[Kyle Mooney]

It is also the, the level of, I think there's, I think inherently there is a level of intellectual involved with nerd dumb. Because you are like going after the information.

[Sam Richardson]

Going after the information. Yeah, exactly. You want to seek out something and you want to. And like you get so into like the lore and the deep things or like the details of, you know, like even going back to Ghostbusters. Like as a kid I was obsessed with Ghostbusters, the movie as a kid. And then I just wanted to know like what all the stuff was. Yeah, you know like. Cause even as a little kid I didn't realize it was a comedy. You know what I mean? I was just like, oh, this is like a science movie. It's a war.

[Kyle Mooney]

It's like there's like friggin alien beasts running around the city.

[Sam Richardson]

I'm like, oh, scary. And then they get older. I'm like, oh, this is actually very funny. And then so, but then like all that with that I'm just like, oh. But like the background of all this, whether it's like intended or not, like what is there, you know. And so like I feel like Nerd Dom is like people who jump on the idea of what the deeper world of this thing is. Not just what you see directly because everybody sees the thing directly, but it's about like how do these things, what's that world outside of what you just see in it.

[Kyle Mooney]

It's like building out the world behind it and like participating in it. And you Know, it's almost. It becomes creative in that way. Yeah. Like creating something beyond the surface. Yeah.

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah. You know, focusing in on it.

[Sam Richardson]

Exactly. Focused.

[Kyle Mooney]

Focusing in on it.

[Beck Bennett]

What are you focusing on these days?

[Kyle Mooney]

Focusing on all the usual stuff, I would say. Health.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah.

[Kyle Mooney]

Parenting. Like I mentioned I was getting into the Bears again, which I used to love. And like. But like, I'm like, I want to learn. I'm like learning more about like, their plays and their coach and like the, the. The players that are not doing well and like. Because I'm just trying to understand the things deeper, deeply. Just going deeper on. On the things that I'm already into.

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah.

[Sam Richardson]

Like, it's. It's fun to like, know about what you like.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah. What about you?

[Beck Bennett]

You know that it makes me think because like, I, I can. I do get hyper focused on stuff.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah.

[Beck Bennett]

I play this baseball, like, game on my phone every day. There's a new one a la wordle called Immaculate Grid where you. It's like a nine square grid, like, and you like, name. Put down a player who played for both the Cardinals and the Blue Jays or something like that. Or like, like somebody who played for the Red Sox who had 100 RBI in a season.

[Sam Richardson]

And you have to like, know.

[Beck Bennett]

Yes, there are multiple answers, right.

[Sam Richardson]

Okay.

[Beck Bennett]

There are like several players who have played for the Cardinals and the Blue Jays and several players who have. But like, based on who you choose, you get like a percentage back of how rare of a score that is. But anyway, that's something that like I play every day, sometimes multiple. I'll play the daily one. Sometimes I'll play old ones just to like, kind of. Because like, it's like the only thing. It just brings me some sense of calmness or just like gathering all this information or learning more and more of these stats does something for me. But with that being said, like, a lot of my life is focused on. And I don't know that I say this in a proud way, but like, outside of family, obviously, which is a big, A big component of. But it's like I am always thinking about making stuff, like, and creating stuff and like to an. To a point where like, when I like trying to sleep or like even, like, even when I'm hanging out with my kid and my wife, like, I will be thinking about like, oh, that's something. You know what I mean? And that sometimes pulls focus away from like enjoying even like just like turning on a movie or something like that. Because I'm like always thinking of like, oh, I'd like To write this thing or, like, maybe there's something here. You know what I mean? A focus I have that is both positive and negative. Because it means that I am kind of constantly coming up with. With things. And a lot of them I will pursue. I do end up pursuing, but it just means that it sort of inactivates me from the world around me at times.

[Sam Richardson]

Right. Like, it makes you unfocused on everything else. You would rather the ability to choose your focus when you want.

[Beck Bennett]

Yes, I would like to spend more time focusing on relaxation.

[Kyle Mooney]

Like, just being present.

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And just, like, enjoying the moment.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah, absolutely. So I have that same thing, however, like, I feel my focus. A lot of these things come from me wanting to, like, to write and create my stuff. But then I always distract myself. So I get this space. I'm gonna, like, write in this space. But now it's like, okay, well, the space has to be just right. You know what I mean? So now I gotta have the perfect desk so I can all. Well, then, now the room. I gotta do the music just right. So now I've built an entire sono system for this thing so that. So I can play the music exactly how I want to so I can sit down and write. But then now. But now the chair has to be just right. So, like, let me find the perfect chair that'll like, help me, like. And so then, like, I. I, like, I'm distracting myself from doing the thing that I wanted to do originally, which is, like, make all these, like, ideas on. Put them on paper. You know what I mean? And so, like, I'm constantly thinking of. And, like, that's what kind of. What focus.

[Beck Bennett]

H.

[Kyle Mooney]

You know, we just. We just got to focus.

[Sam Richardson]

Yes, true.

[Beck Bennett]

What else do we focus on?

[Sam Richardson]

What's your favorite. What's your favorite process to make food?

[Beck Bennett]

I like it when it's hot.

[Sam Richardson]

Hell, yeah.

[Kyle Mooney]

I would say that Kyle's favorite process is cutting cheese.

[Sam Richardson]

Yeah.

[Kyle Mooney]

It's like using a knife to, like, cut slices of cheese.

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah. I've just been. For, like, the last week, I've just been working on, like, something. A block of cheddar and a summer sausage that.

[Kyle Mooney]

A summer sausage that.

[Beck Bennett]

My stepmom has a good.

[Kyle Mooney]

I didn't know they made those in

[Beck Bennett]

a bag that I found. I was like, oh, this is still good. And so I've just been, like, gradually chopping, slicing it and taking a piece of cheese.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, that's.

[Beck Bennett]

I actually finished it yesterday.

[Kyle Mooney]

You finished the summer sausage?

[Beck Bennett]

The summer sausage. And I got probably Just a little bit of cheddar left.

[Kyle Mooney]

I love that. And I grew up in the Midwest with summer sausage.

[Beck Bennett]

And I told Kate, I was like, like, this is my favorite food.

[Kyle Mooney]

She's like, I know, I know, Kyle.

[Sam Richardson]

I just want you to know for sure.

[Kyle Mooney]

I really want to get more into the, like, making soups and stews. That's something that intimidates me a little bit. I started doing it a little bit, and it's like, it's really, it's like, basically just like, cooking down some broth, searing the meat, cook whatever y. Getting. It's like reducing. Yeah. What about you? What's your favorite process?

[Sam Richardson]

I used to make soups, and I used to love it. But my favorite, I think I like to grill. I really like to grill. And if not outside, then I like to sear and then put it in the oven.

[Kyle Mooney]

Reverse sear.

[Beck Bennett]

What is your go to? Grilling?

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah. And what kind of grills do you have?

[Beck Bennett]

Yeah. What type of grill do you have?

[Sam Richardson]

So my grill is even, like, I, I've been wanting to, like, upgrade.

[Kyle Mooney]

I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm upgrading.

[Sam Richardson]

You're upgrading right now?

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah. I'm about to get a Traeger. Traeger smoker grill. So where you can, like, time it. Just put it in there. And I'm also getting an outdoor griddle so I can make my smash burgers and my, like, tacos and just, like, like a big breakfast for family and from out of town. Like. Yeah, I, Yeah, I can't wait. I'm so excited.

[Sam Richardson]

I, I've been to your house. I know exactly where that's going to go.

[Kyle Mooney]

You want to replace the grills? Yes.

[Sam Richardson]

That's fantastic.

[Kyle Mooney]

I'm very excited.

[Sam Richardson]

That's f. Fantastic. I will.

[Kyle Mooney]

I would love to cook for you next time you're over.

[Sam Richardson]

Please, please. I've got a Weber grill.

[Beck Bennett]

I have the, like, the sort of OG Weber. The one, like, you get at, like, Ralph's.

[Sam Richardson]

Exactly.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Beck Bennett]

And I love it. Yeah, I do love it.

[Sam Richardson]

I, I, I love it. But I like, but that was the thing, like, like building an outdoor kitchen. And, like, so, like, I can grill outside fully. Because right now, like, our, our kitchen is upstairs.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah.

[Sam Richardson]

In the house. So.

[Kyle Mooney]

And your outdoor area is the downstairs.

[Sam Richardson]

And the outdoor area is downstairs. There's a balcony upstairs right off the kitchen.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah.

[Sam Richardson]

So I have my grill out there off to the side, but, like, it requires me. And we have a cat, so I have to, like, close the door behind myself. And so, like, grilling is like, a hassle, you know? But I love to do it, like, to grill a steak or, you know, spatchcock chicken.

[Kyle Mooney]

Ooh, yeah.

[Sam Richardson]

Ooh.

[Kyle Mooney]

Break it down.

[Sam Richardson]

You know what I mean?

[Kyle Mooney]

Absolutely. Beer cans. Spatchcock.

[Sam Richardson]

Spatchcock.

[Kyle Mooney]

I love it. Hey, you can't do both PG in here. But you love drums.

[Sam Richardson]

But, like, again, like, I know if I, like, try and dive into the project of, like, making that outdoor, it's like a thing. I've got, like, ideas and notes. I'm like, all right, it's gotta be here, it's gotta be there. I want this thing. And just another thing that I haven't followed up on.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah, you know, I mean, but you will.

[Sam Richardson]

But I will.

[Kyle Mooney]

Sure you will, and it'll be worth it. I'm the same way. I like, draw plans and stuff. And then, you know, sometimes it happens and it's all worth it.

[Beck Bennett]

Put. Please raise your hand.

[Kyle Mooney]

Okay.

[Beck Bennett]

I will focus.

[Kyle Mooney]

I will focus.

[Beck Bennett]

I will do what I need to do.

[Kyle Mooney]

I will do what I need to do.

[Beck Bennett]

And if I don't.

[Kyle Mooney]

And if I don't, then I. Then I'll. Then I'll kill. Then God will kill myself.

[Sam Richardson]

Then that's it.

[Kyle Mooney]

I'm done. That's the salute we do every week. Good luck focusing, everybody. Focus. No focus.

[Beck Bennett]

That was a lot of fun with Sam.

[Kyle Mooney]

That was so fun. We. We ran out of time to do a wrap up with him, which is fine. Who knows? We are still figuring out our podcast.

[Beck Bennett]

We might find out that this unfortunately went. Maybe the problem. Maybe was a problem. Was a. Weren't that focused.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Beck Bennett]

Hey, are you making fun of me, man?

[Kyle Mooney]

I'm Kyle.

[Beck Bennett]

Like, I sound like that.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yes, you did sound like that, man. Anyway, it was a great podcast.

[Beck Bennett]

Podcast. I love talking with Sam about it. Yes. And folks learning about his sort of, if you will, his journey because we learned about some of his time when he was younger to. All the way down.

[Kyle Mooney]

Yes. Yes. We never really got to. We've known Sam for a while, but we never really got to talk about the journey. And I thought it was great. I learned so much about him. And then the podcast afterwards, I. It was so. I mean, I loved getting to hear about how his brain works and all the stuff that he does. And the end, like building computers and getting a 3D printer to, like, organize things. And it was fantastic. And.

[Beck Bennett]

And. And maybe next time we'll find out in our Batcave and end it there.

[Kyle Mooney]

Maybe next time we'll find out in our Batcave. Thanks so much for listening, you guys.

[Beck Bennett]

What's Our Podcast is a Headgun podcast created and hosted by Beck Bennett and Kyle Mooney.

[Kyle Mooney]

The show is produced and engineered by Richelle Chen and Anya Konofskaya with production support from Ali Khan and Ryan Lutzow.

[Beck Bennett]

Our executive producer is Anya Kanefskaya. Katie Moose is our VP of Content at Headgum. Our theme music is made by us.

[Kyle Mooney]

For more podcasts by Headcum, visit headcum.com or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Beck Bennett]

That was a Headgum podcast.