You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes

Guest: Maya Rudolph (Re-Release)

Date: June 27, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode is a re-release of Pete Holmes’ conversation with comedian, actress, and SNL legend Maya Rudolph. Renowned for her infectious laugh, improv brilliance, and musicality, Maya joins Pete for a freewheeling, warm, and weirdly intimate conversation. They dive into the quirks of comedy, the realities of family and intimacy, live performance, spirituality, the magic (and weirdness) of being human, and why fart jokes never get old.

Table of Contents

1. Secret Weirdness and Nicknames (04:20)
2. Holidays, Heritage, and Names (05:48)
3. Food, Farts, and Intimacy (07:13)
4. Celebrity and Relationship Talk (09:01)
5. The Nature of Performance (15:02)
6. Parenting, Presence, and Partnership (18:10)
7. Social Media and SNL-era Trolls (26:31)
8. Fruit Salads and Family Quirks (28:34)
9. Stand-Up vs. Improv: The Comedian’s Path (30:31)
10. Live Performance: Finding Your Place (54:18)
11. Impressions, Parlor Tricks, and SNL Friends (57:08)
12. Meeting Heroes: Maya’s Wink Story & Joni Mitchell (70:04)
13. Magic and Why We Love It (80:06)
14. Spirituality, Death, and Parenting (126:01)
15. Favorite Movies, Laughter, and Being a Kid (166:14)
16. Closing: Keep It Crispy (171:27)

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Secret Weirdness, Nicknames and First Laughs

[04:20 – 06:16]

• Maya and Pete riff on pandemic-era nicknames for COVID (“the cocoa,” “the roro”), Scooby-Doo references, and Maya’s childhood nickname “Rudy”.
• Maya enjoys the attention from her famous last name: “I love the attention. Isn’t that weird? …The kids would be like ‘Rudolph’ and I was like, ‘yeah, I like it.’” (Maya, 06:07)
• Discussion about the common misspelling of 'Rudolph' and discoveries in Maya's genealogy (her family’s original surname was not Rudolph but "Rudashevsky").

2. Holidays, Heritage, and Names

[05:48 – 07:06]

• Digression into Lithuanian Jewish roots, their families’ backgrounds, and the complexity of cultural identity.
• Maya: “I’m still new at learning about my Lithuanian heritage.” (24:30)
• They joke about their relatives and swap genealogy stories.

3. Farts, Food, and Intimacy

[07:13 – 19:52, recurring]

• Maya and Pete bond over the comfort level in relationships that allow “open fart policy.”
• Maya: “How can you not be human with the person that you live with?” (19:09)
• Pete: “Dating is fake shit. Why would you want to do that? …The people that are, like, perpetually single, you want to go on, like, a million [first dates]?” (18:43)
• They revisit the theme throughout: farting on SNL, in marriage, at work; what it means for intimacy and “being real.”

4. Improv, Live Performance, and the Lure of the Stage

[15:02 – 55:41]

• Both discuss their roots in improv and the thrill of performing live.
• Maya: “I only recently discovered that I’m a live performer…internally, that’s where I feel like myself.” (53:51 – 54:18)
• Pete: “Give me a crowd or give me death. That’s what old Hemingway said.” (54:50)
• Maya notes improv as a “parlor trick” as she recounts singing and mirroring stories with Fred Armisen and others.

5. Parents, Kids, and the Messiness of Real Life

[18:10 – 20:08]

• Honest talk about parenting—bodily functions, period underwear, pressures of breastfeeding, and how life and love change after kids.
• Maya: “The best thing in the damn world… I wish there were nine of them. I love her so much. …Let’s get Mormon with it.” (35:03)

6. Social Media, Internet Trolls, and SNL-Era Differences

[26:31 – 28:05]

• Maya reflects on pre-Twitter internet, freedom on SNL and dealing with online trolls:
  • "My instinct when Twitter started... was like, yeah, I don’t think I should do that." (27:02)
  • Shares being called “Chipmunk Cheeks,” how she spun it into humor and self-acceptance.

7. Comedy Craft, Stand-Up vs. Improv, and Confidence

[30:31 – 54:50]

• They contrast the solitary, “dwarvish” process of stand-up with the “elvish,” communal world of improv.
• Maya does not do stand-up but admires it: “I think standups are some of the most brilliant human beings alive. Some of, not all.” (77:10)

8. Celebrity and Relationship Talk

[09:01, 43:51 onward]

• Frequent playfulness about Paul Thomas Anderson (PTA), Maya's longtime partner, and the social etiquette of not bringing up a guest’s famous relationship.
• Pete shares his “embarrassing” fan encounter with PTA and riffs about “Paul Tom.”

9. Meeting Heroes & Maya’s ‘Wink’ Story

[70:04 – 72:24]

• Maya’s tale of meeting Joni Mitchell at Henson Studios, playing it cool, then accidentally winking at her.
  • “Here’s what I like to do. I don’t like to make people uncomfortable by telling them how much I love them…I try to play it cool.” (70:27)
• They riff about how to interact with legends and the pitfalls of over-sharing.

10. Magic, Wonder, and the Love of Mystery

[80:06 – 87:19]

• Shared passion for magic, especially Ricky Jay’s legendary ice block trick.
• Maya: “Why are people so resistant? [Magic] brings you into the moment. ...Let me show you what you think is—it isn’t.” (85:01)

11. Spirituality, Death, and the Meaning of Life

[126:01– 144:01+]

• Maya’s upbringing (“Your rules don’t rule us” family), her nuanced spiritual beliefs, and reflections on loss (her mother died when she was 7).
  • “For me, God is nature and the universe. And I talk to it sometimes like it’s a person, but it doesn’t feel like any specific thing to me.” (131:31)
• Pete explores ideas from mythology and meaning, quoting Joseph Campbell.
• They both discuss the ache of mortality and wanting meaning:
  • Maya: “What a jip that we…find people that we love…and then we leave. That’s f***ed up.” (133:15)

12. Lighthearted Closes: Laughter, Family, and Legacy

[166:14–end]

• Maya’s favorite movies include “Sixteen Candles,” “Revenge of the Nerds,” “Beetlejuice.”
• Family stories: Her granddad’s “reply to Cop Killer” rap; “The park is filled with dead joggers.”
• Returns to farts, winking, and the power of laughing until you cry:
  • “When you realize, it's [laughter] the most pure thing.” (147:59)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Maya Rudolph [on attention]:

  • “I love the attention. Isn’t that weird? ...The kids would be like ‘Rudolph’ and I was like, ‘yeah, I like it.’” (06:07)

• Pete Holmes [on intimacy & comfort at home]:

  • “Dating is fake shit. …The people that are, like, perpetually single, you want to go on, like, a million [first dates]?” (18:43)

• On performing live:

  • Maya: “It’s just that that’s the place where I feel like, oh, now I know what I’m doing.” (55:41)

• On family quirks:

  • Maya: “My uncle Doug…might be one of the most fascinating human beings alive. The way he eats is like nothing I’ve ever seen in my life.” (29:23)

• On social media & troll culture:

  • Maya: “My instinct when Twitter started...was like, yeah, I don’t think I should do that.” (27:02)

• On live performance:

  • Pete: “Give me a crowd or give me death.” (54:50)

• On God and spirituality:

  • Maya: “For me, God is nature and the universe. And I talk to it sometimes like it’s a person, but it doesn’t feel like any specific thing to me.” (131:31)

• On motherhood and awe:

  • Maya: “The best thing in the damn world… I wish there were nine of them. I mean, I love her so much. Let’s get Mormon with it.” (35:03)

• On meeting Joni Mitchell:

  • Maya: “I try to play it cool. Which is probably why you think I’m being cool, because maybe I am trying to play a little cool. Just like, I’m not gonna be like, I fucking love you.” (70:27)

• On magic and being open to wonder:

  • Maya: “I. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not special by saying this about myself. I f***ing love magic. …The idea of… something magical.” (80:59)

• On loss:

  • Maya: “I think I could maybe be ready, but I’m scared that it’ll be like. I probably saw Poltergeist too young.” (104:55)

• On laughter and freedom:

  • Maya: “[When I’m having fun making funnies,] I feel like I’m twelve.” (147:59)

Segment Timestamps (MM:SS)

• ~04:20: Nicknames, COVID riffs, “the cocoa”; Maya’s surname stories.
• 06:07: “I love the attention…” – Maya on childhood and fame.
• 07:13: “I have a creepy wink story… Don’t let me forget.” – Setting up the recurring “wink” thread.
• 15:02: Improvised songs as ultimate “parlor trick.”
• 18:43: The comfort zone in marriage, “fake dating.”
• 26:31: Maya on Twitter avoidance and SNL trolls.
• 35:03: On parenthood: “Let’s get Mormon with it.”
• 53:51: “I discovered I’m a live performer.”
• 70:04: The Joni Mitchell meeting story.
• 80:06: “I love witches… I want to be a witch when I’m older.”
• 85:01: The magic of being mystified.
• 126:01: Spirituality, upbringing, atheism, and forming her beliefs.
• 133:15: Maya’s heartbreak at mortality: “What a jip…”
• 166:14: Favorite movies, family, and legacy.

Conclusion

True to its name, the episode is delightfully “weird,” packed with digressions, laughs, deep dives, and earnest talks about what it means to be creative, human, and alive. Maya Rudolph’s charisma and humor shine throughout, whether discussing SNL-era hijinks, trying to act cool around icons, waxing philosophical on God and death, or breaking into hysterics over bodily functions. Pete and Maya’s mutual admiration is palpable, creating a space that’s equal parts hilarious, therapeutic, and touching—a perfect tribute to both the weird and the wonderful.

Final Notes

Memorable Moment:
Maya (as the Hormone Monster) signs off:

"Hey Pete, keep it crispy." (171:51)

A reminder from Maya:

"When I’m having fun making funnies, I feel like I’m twelve." (147:59)

A reminder from Pete:

“Give me a crowd or give me death.” (54:50)

Episode recommended for:
Fans of heartfelt, meandering comedian conversations; SNL, improv, and comedy aficionados; fans of Maya Rudolph or Pete Holmes; anyone who likes their laughter mixed with existential and spiritual candor.