The Three Questions with Andy Richter - Betsy Sodaro

Episode Date: December 20, 2022

Betsy Sodaro joins Andy Richter to discuss the joys of being silly, improv on television, committing to your passion, and much more.

Hi everyone, it's Andy Richter. I am hosting a podcast called The for a while who is just a deeply, deeply funny performer. Done such great stuff, been in lots of different things. It's Betsy Sedar. Thank you for having me. I'm happy to have you. You've been around. I actually, I wrote a pilot script that no one was interested in

that had a part for you in it. Oh, thank you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's, you know, it's meaningless. It's like I wrote your name on a bathroom wall somewhere. I mean, somebody's seeing it, you know. Somebody's taking a dump and seeing it. That's right.

That's right. Thank you so much for having me. Sure, sure. We always kind of laugh because we've done some of the weirdest things together. Yes. Some of the weirdest little projects. Yes, like the Christmas. I hosted a Christmas special for UCB.

Yeah, and I played your mom. Yes, yes. And you were my mom. I played your mom. Classic Hollywood. Yes. Make the woman 20 or 30 years younger than the guy. Play as mom.

And then there was also that weird game show. Like there was some improv game show. Very strange, but fun. It was fun. It was like this weird improv game show thing where I guess it was kind of like a make me laugh, but with an audience kind of thing. Like the audience was sectioned into kind of in Tattletail's way. Like this part of the audience is on Betsy's side and this part of the audience. And then like they'd come out and it was great people. Drew Tarver was there. Yes. Natalie Palamides.

Natalie Palamides was in it. It was a blast. It was a really good. It was just like I remember because Drew hit me up about it and explained it to me. I was like, what is it? And it was kind of like what you said of like, I remember, because Drew hit me up about it and explained it to me. I was like, what is it? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it was kind of like what you said of like, I don't know, like kind of improv game show. Yeah.

Don't make me, or make me, yeah. And it was just like this, and it wasn't even like really being taped. It was in Glendale. Yeah. At some, I don't even know what the place was. It was kind of a studio. But I remember too, they had originally intended it for Chris Hardwick. So it was like full of all these jokes.

And I was just like, no, no, if this is a game show, I'm like, just forget the jokes. Like, you know, like if something funny happens, don't worry. Yeah. We'll all be here for it. We'll be ready for it. So because I'm always that way when I host a game show. I'm like, no, no, it's a game show. Yeah.

If you want, like, don't call it a game show if it's going to be comedy, you know? Yeah, right. It's the only thing I'm strict about. You're good at it. I'm pro-murder other than that, you know, whatever. Yeah, but if it's a game show, it's got to be a game show. Right, right. I get it, man.

So, yeah, but that was also one of those ones that you knew like well this is a few grand in my pocket but nothing's gonna ever happen with this where it's like this is gonna be fun to hang out with my friends and just be like i don't know what like truly walking into it being like i have no idea what this is right and we're filming it today okay man yeah i also how do you feel about improv on TV, by the way? Do you think it, like, can work? Everything I've done that has been trying to make it work hasn't worked.

Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, I don't know. It's tough. I feel there's a way to make it work. There has to be. But I personally have no clue. Yeah.

Because, like, whose line is it anyway is, like, I mean I mean, that's like a certain kind of games type of improv. And if I were the producer, I'd be this way too. Like, yeah, it's improv. But hey, you know what? Let's talk about it beforehand. Like let's kind of know. Let's make sure. What's going to happen.

Yeah. Because I've always felt like the remote is the enemy of improv on TV. Because if you take two minutes to figure out where you are, who you are, people are like, fuck that. I don't care. I'm going over to Forged in Fire, you know. Yeah, totally. I don't have time to see these artists

figure out where they are. It's just such a fun live media. Because yeah, you're in it with them, but on TV it's just such a fun live media. Because, yeah, you're in it with them. But on TV, it's really hard to translate the fun of it. And nobody believes in any way. I mean, I don't remember. I don't know.

I'm sure you've had the experience. I do an improv in Chicago and out here, too, for that matter. People coming up and being like, so how much of that did you make up? My parents still. Like, the whole thing? what are you talking about what do you think's going on here my parents still will like come to shows and be like and you didn't write any of that before it's like no you guys know that yeah yeah yeah i've only told you but yeah yeah yeah so i just yeah i don't know if it'll ever kind of work it's good

i like that people are trying. Yes, I do too. And I'll always be like, yes. Yes, let's try it. Let's give it a shot. Let's give it a shot. Right. But so far, yeah. And I don't, like I said, I don't know what I would do.

Yeah, I don't. I don't either. Like, I'm a genius about what goes wrong. But like, in terms of like starting, like if I had to program a network, bye bye. Dude. It'd be like, I'd be in three days and be like, what the fuck are you doing? No one cares about six hours of factory footage of just things being made. Well, yeah, but I think it's fascinating. Isn't it cool, though?

I would just be like, it's just me eating food. Like traveling around and eating food. Please? Staying in really nice hotels. Yes. Betsy does it again. That's the name of the show. I just go do cool shit. Oh, wouldn't that be a

fun show to do? Oh my God, it'd be so great. I've actually, you know, like I've pitched different kind of travel-y shows, like just kind of wanting to get in that, but it's usually like it's hard to convince them you know come on let's go to like high ticket price uh places and you know and i get to hang out there yeah what would be like your dream travel show oh gosh i mean basically just being tony

bourdain you know yes absolutely without some of the rugged ones you know like some of the stuff i'm like i don't need to go like ice fishing. Grubs, yeah. Well, the ice fishing would be okay, but it's like eating grubs out in the outback. That kind of thing. I'm like, nah. Or cobra hearts or whatever. Yes, yeah, yeah.

I can do that. And I mean, I'm pretty adventurous. I would like a lot of it. But yeah, I like that. Yeah. You know? And like, you know, and there's nothing like staying in a fancy hotel that someone else is paying for. Oh.

Oh, it's the best. It's the best. Just the best. It's the best feeling. Yeah. Oh, I love it so much. I love just watching Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives in a hotel. In a hotel room.

Like, that's a good vacation for me. It sure is. It sure is. in a hotel. In a hotel room. Like, that's a good vacation for me. It sure is. It sure is. I'm just like, yeah, I know I'm in where, like Vegas or whatever, but I need three hours

of Guy Fieri screaming about how messy a burger is. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then I'm good. Yeah, yeah. No, I have, I mean, over the years there have been times when I go to New York for three days or something. Yeah. And just kind of like, yeah, I didn't really do any of this.

I just stayed in the hotel and had fun. It's fun, like room service. Yeah, yeah. Oh, I love it so much. Well, you're from Colorado, Richard. You're a rugged mountain gal. Truly. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah. Have your folks, have your family been there a long time in Colorado? No. So I actually, we moved there when I was six. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Have your folks, have your family been there a long time in Colorado? No. So I actually, we moved there when I was six. Oh, okay. And we were in Wyoming before. Oh, wow. Even more remote.

Wow. And this town was like, it was Torrington. And it's like on the eastern border with Nebraska. And truly like, the big deal was like a subway sandwich shop came right as we were moving. We're like, I don't know, maybe we're making a bad choice. And then we moved to Colorado up to Summit County, which is like a big ski area. Oh, nice.

With like five mountains in the county alone. Oh, wow. Big ski resort. Did you ski? Did you grow up skiing? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. My school, my elementary school, every February, I think it was every Friday. There's a part of me that says it was every Thursday and Friday.

You got to pick if you wanted to go downhill skiing, cross country skiing, snowboarding, sledding, ice skating. And then that's like how I learned how to ski. And you got free lessons, free equipment. Rather than go to school. Wow. Rather than go to school. And they were very much like, we want you to embrace where you live.

And I'm like, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. This is awesome. Yeah. I imagine it makes a lot of like ski professionals too. Yeah. Like, you know, you get, because it's, you know, what else are people going to do up there? Collect pine cones?

Yeah, that's it. Go gold panning? That's all they do. So what did your folks do to bring them up there into ski country? Teachers. Oh, teachers. Yeah, and my dad had, they had been wanting to get out of Wyoming, and my dad had interviewed at a couple different places,

and one was in Colorado and he like came home from that being like it's cool oh nice we should go there yeah and so we went there and it was awesome was it a magical kind of place to grow up it really it really was because the woods were my backyard man yeah no I know I know silly as that, it was like we would just go play in the woods until the sun was setting and then come home. And then while it was winter, my parents would truly just drop us off at the mountain and be like, we'll see you in eight hours. And we would just hang out skiing and messing around. It was really fun. Yeah, yeah.

I mean, we didn't have a mountain, but I grew up in the country and it was the same thing. There was like kind of a forest in between, you know, like a kind of bottom land from a creek and it was surrounded by forest. And it was the same thing. And, you know, and my grandmother could, she would stand on the back door and yell for us and bang on a pot. And you could hear it from like half a mile three quarters of a mile away so we would hear like oh time to go dinner yeah god that rule i know i know i assume kids are still able to i mean like i remember once living here seeing a group of kids riding their bikes around the neighborhood and and not feeling like oh, it's cool. I felt like, oh, my God, those children.

Are they going to be okay? They're going to be pushed into a van. All 10 of them. Bikes and all. Yeah, like around the neighborhood I live in now, I'll see groups of kids and I'm like, is a parent around? What's happening? Is this allowed in L.A.? But it's like, I guess so. I'm like is a parent around what's happening is this allowed in LA but it's like I

guess so I'm good yeah okay I mean you know I look my grandmother she was born in China because my her parents were missionaries and she and she told me like she and her brother were sent to English school and got on a boat like for a two-day boat trip and she was like five and he was seven and they were sent alone get on this boat in china and go to the english school in shanghai or wherever yeah so yeah it's just it's a different you know yeah it's a different world yeah probably better too i think it's better to protect children from from just sending them out into the world, you know, or making them have jobs in light manufacturing. Yeah, you know, that's a good take. I think so, too, man.

I think so, too. Yeah, it's because I have some nieces and I couldn't imagine them when they were five. Oh, yeah, yeah. Doing anything. Oh, I know. No, absolutely. My kids have trouble doing stuff on their own now. Yes. imagine them when they were five oh yeah yeah do it doing anything oh i know no it's no absolutely my kids have trouble doing stuff on their own now you know like i have trouble doing stuff on my own now yeah yeah like making an appointment at the dmv like how do i do that uh maybe you get on

google and check it but i i you know i just yeah it's like they they have me trained to know that it will be less trouble for me to just do it for them than to like go through the negotiations of making them do it. And I feel like, you know, if they're not learning those life skills and I have attempted to teach them, but I'm doing them myself just for my lack of annoyance so I don't get annoyed at them. If they go out and they can't do things, that's their business. Right, that's their fault. If my children are ill-equipped for modern life, I tried. Sorry. You gave it a shot.

Yeah. Sorry. Figure it out. Figure it out. You obviously have siblings since you have, yeah. I have three older sisters. Yeah. Yeah.

I was a happy accident. Oh, nice. You know, yeah. So there's like- The happy came later. The happy, yeah. The accident was the happy accident. Oh, nice. You know? Yeah. The happy came later. The happy, yeah. The accident was the first thing. Oh, boy, another one.

Big time. Oh, are we sure? Okay. And I was six years after the last. The last one. The last one. And we, that sister and I, we hated each other growing up. And I think it's because, I think she was jealous.

Right, right. You know, because she was the baby for so long. Yeah, she got cozy in the baby slot. Yeah, yeah. And then I came and ruined it for her. Destroyed it for her. Gotcha. But now we're friends.

We love each other. Was it having that much girl energy in the house? Was it crazy? Yeah, I think so and I because there was such a big enough get like my oldest sister is 10 years older than me and so I feel when it was so it's like six eight and ten years older than me and so I think I truly didn't understand the energy like when they were teens because i was just kind of doing my own thing yeah but when i was a teen by myself with my parents i was like how'd you do it with like

three other of me's going nuts yeah yeah it's crazy and it's very up and down too i mean i have a teenage daughter who's 17 and it is kind of like oh 13, 13 is rough. But, you know, 14's been okay. Oh, my God, 15, it's terrible again. 16's okay. You know, it just seems to go up and down and stuff. Forever. Yeah. And boys are so, I've said this before, boys are simple machines compared to girls. They're like a hammer compared to a computer, you know.

Yeah. Just boys are really easy. I mean, you know, they have feelings and everything. Of course. But just they're like still like straight line. Like I'm me hungry. Food. Get food.

Get food. Me sad. Get video game. Feel better. You know? Yes. Yes. Absolutely.

Very simple. You know? Yeah. you know yes absolutely very simple you know yeah I remember seeing Inside Out yeah and losing my mind being like

oh this explains everything like truly just like cause that like I I just I just, I connected to that little girl so hard because it would be like,

why am I all of a sudden feeling so upset? Yeah. Over no reason, you know, or over probably something, but I didn't know what. Right. Or over something that shouldn't upset you as much as it does.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I sobbed. I started does. Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Oh. I know. I sobbed.

I started crying immediately. Every time anybody ever talks about, like, ah, youth, I always think, like, oh, my God. I'm so glad to not be younger. Dude, me too. So much stress. So much not knowing. And so much everyone being able to fuck with you because you're young. You know, like, you don't.

Yeah. Nobody's like, well, what do you want to do? It's just like, you should do this. Yep. All right. All right. Yeah. A lot of shoulds. Yeah.

And as an adult, I'm learning that shoulds suck. My therapist and I, we have a big thing about. Well, shoulds suck. You're shooting. I'm like, oh, yeah, shooting sucks. Yeah. You're shooting all over the place.itting. I'm like, oh, yeah, shitting sucks. Yeah, you're shitting all over the place. Yeah, quit shitting your pants, man.

I used to shit my pants. Don't shit on my couch. Yeah, get rid of shits in your life. It really helps. Yeah. Was it a funny house? Like, was it a big voice? Are your sisters all big personalities, too? They're all so funny.

My parents are so funny. Oh, that's nice. It was really fun big personalities, too. They're all so funny. My parents are so funny. Oh, that's nice. It was really fun. Yeah, yeah. It's so fun because everybody's so different, but we all get along. We've never had any fights or anything, which feels nuts. Yeah. Of course we would have fights, but not big family fights.

Not feeling fights, just about you ate the last cookie or whatever. Yeah, yeah. And they are just, my dad is so funny, my mom, it's really fun. And we like grew up just watching The Simpsons and like I Love Lucy and all of that stuff. How do they feel about you going to therapy? Like I'm always amazed by people, and i had like my best friend in school uh in high school growing up and you know in grade school in high school like his family

they really liked each other yeah you know and like there'd be friday or saturday nights i'd be like come on let's go do something he'd be like i'm gonna stay home with my mom and dad and we're gonna you know like play cards oh and i would always just be like, oh my God, what is that about? Because I was always like, oh my God, just get me out of here for a couple of hours. Just some peace. My parents, when I was in high school, we made a deal where I could go out one of the nights

and like stay out at a friend's house or whatever. But then I had to be home for the other one. Unless it was like a big weekend where I was like, come on. It's prom. Let me be out for two. Yeah, yeah. I was a little worried about telling them I was going to therapy. Yeah.

I think just because like their generation is so like, do not talk about your feelings one bit. And so I was like, hey, I'm going to therapy. And they're like, oh, good for you. Oh, that's nice. Oh, cool. Maybe you guys should too. It's not bad.

It's really not bad. It's honestly very helpful. Maybe you guys would like to try it. Give it a shot. But yeah, they were cool with that. Like, they're very cool about everything I do. It's just, I don't know if, you know, I think they're still like, well, I would never do that. But you go ahead and do that.

Yes, exactly. But I would never. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. My dad, when I left the Conan show in 2000 to come out here and do my own thing, my dad said, oh, well, that's good. He said, I know that you've felt kind of that you wanted to move on for quite a while. I know this is brewing in you.

So it's very good. But if you change your mind later, you can come back, right? I was like, thanks, Dad. Thanks for the vote of confidence. I was like thanks dad thanks for the vote of confidence so but when you fuck it all up and fail miserably you'll come crawling back when he gets the tonight show

and I said yeah and then he said and then he'll lose it in 10 months and I said yeah and he said then you'll go to basic cable for a while and I'm like yeah and then that'll end and you won't know what the fuck to do with yourself and I'll say by that time there's podcasting dad what's that, son?

I don't even know. We don't know yet, but it's going to happen. It's kind of like too much radio everywhere. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, when did you start to think that you could do this for a living, that you could just be funny for a living?

Like high school. Yeah. I started doing a lot of – I had always been doing plays. do this for a living that you could just be funny for a living oh man like high school yeah i started doing a lot of i had always been doing plays my dad is a children's theater playwright a children's playwright and so i grew up doing his shows and community theater i love that i loved being on stage and then in high school like doing plays and musicals and stuff I was like I think I'm kind of good at this or funny and even my parents after um I was in Greece I played the principal in Greece I didn't have to sing or anything yeah uh they came up and they're like Betsy you're like really funny and I was like okay maybe I should go into this

and so yeah it was around high school and I was of course obsessed with Saturday Night Live had been since like elementary school and that it just kind of started getting a little bit more like I think I'm gonna try and I was more than happy to be like it would also be really fun to like

live somewhere cool and work at a theater or you know kind of anything where i could you know any facet of it well you already had a dad that made a living you know i mean you know probably you know he taught also yeah he taught like it wasn't out it wasn't out of control to think like oh there's a job for me performing and acting and whatever you know which i think is usually people are like you know like how do you even i know, like, how do you even, I know I was like, how do you even do that?

Where does one start? How does that happen? Right, yeah. Yeah, it was very, like, because we also did a lot of,

my whole family, we would do a lot of stuff in our community, like, at various theaters around Summit. And so there, I got to see a lot of chances

of like, oh, that would be fun to like to be an artistic director. Actually, I don't think so now. But that idea of like, or honestly, even just like work at the ski resort and do plays at night. So I was kind of just ready to be like,

oh, anything would be cool. And that kind of kept going with just when I moved here, me like, all I want to do is get on stage and do improv. Yeah. And I had a couple of day jobs while I did that. And then I was able to quit and just teach improv. And I was like, whoa, never in my life did I think I would make money doing comedy.

And teaching it. And teaching it. And how old were you at that point that that happened? When did that happen? 27? 26, 27? Wow. That's really, like, that's awesome. To be at that age and

just like, I don't have to wait tables. Don't have to wait tables. It was real. I felt I still, every single day I'm like, whoa. I can't believe this, man. Like, every single day I'm like, whoa. Yeah, yeah. I can't believe this, man. Like, every single day I'm blown away that this is my life. Like, a couple weeks ago I went to Universal Studios on a Wednesday.

Because I had nothing, I could. You know? Like, I'm like, this is nuts. Right. So, yeah, like, just kind of teeny goals almost. Yeah. You know, and being like, it would be really cool if I could just teach improv and not have to have a day job. Yeah.

And then it happened and then like, oh, it'd be really cool if I didn't have to teach improv. Kind of just going forward every time of like, wait, I don't think I have to teach as much because I'm booking stuff. And then, yeah. Yeah. Feels crazy. Right, right. You just work through all the things that you want to do for a living until you're not doing anything. Yeah, until you do nothing.

Until you're laying in bed. Someday I won't ever have to act again. I know. I won't have to perform in front of people like some sort of poodle on its hind legs. I hope I never get that. But if I do, I'll find something else. Yeah, yeah. You know?

I don't think I will. Oh, my God. Right. I better not. But if I do, yeah, then I'll be like, yeah, okay, I'm on to the next. Well, it's funny, too, because I find, like, you always, like, you know, all the way through doing this and being lucky enough to do this for a living, you'd hear people just kind of equivocate a little bit and be like, well, being rich and famous, that's great and everything. But if you just can forge your own path through this and do creative things and kind of satisfy yourself, that's a really nice way to live.

And when I was younger i was like yeah yeah i'm sure but fuck that i want fame and money i want i want a wheelbarrow cash pulled up to my house every day and then a little time goes by and you do realize like oh no that is right that is right like yeah it's nice to make money, but also, too, everybody that I know that makes a ton of money has to pay for it in different ways that I don't have to pay for. You know what I mean? Yeah. And everybody that gets famous, I know people can't go to the fucking grocery store. Oh, that's got to be nuts.

Yeah. That's got to be a bummer. Yeah. To have to really think about doing anything. Yeah. Like, that's got to be a bummer. Yeah. To have to really, like, think about doing anything. Yeah. You know? Like, if you're out driving around and, like, you know, you want to buy a bottle of water, but you have to think about, like, oh, do I really want to go in there? Yes.

Have everybody see me, you know? This is kind of off. This is a little tangent. We got an hour to fill, so whatever you want to talk about. I get road rage. Yeah. And I've started working on it. But do you ever, like, when you're driving to work or a set or, like, a studio or something, like, check your – do you get road rage?

Sometimes. Okay. I've gotten better over time. Yes. But I also, too, and this much to my children's chagrin, I am not afraid to be a real human being out in public. Yes. So like when my kids would, you know, when I would feel like they wouldn't. And I, you know, I'm not like some sort of rageaholic tyrant or anything. But there would be times where I'd be – like there'd be a little bit of an argument and my kids would always be like, dad, people are – and I'd be like, well, you know.

Yeah. I said, let them look. What are they seeing? A family having a disagreement. And I would be like – Yes. I'd be like, and if you have a problem with it, maybe don't do what you just did.

Yeah, you learned the lesson. You don't want me to yell about it, then don't. Yes. And I have had the same thing definitely with, you know, something happens and my window's down and I, you know, and I, fuck you, motherfucker. No, fuck you. Yeah. And then see the person's.

And then you pull in. No, I see the person's, the recognition on the person's face. Like, oh shit, that's Andy Richter. Yes. That just told me to suck my own dick. You know? Like, yes, it was me. Yeah?

Yeah, yeah. I told you to do that. Yeah, yeah. Like, every time I get close to a studio or wherever I'm like working, I'm like, Betsy, you gotta cool it. Yeah. Just in case, you it yeah just in case you you know just in case you end up pulling into the same thing you're like oh hey we're

working together and I just really lost it on you okay cool man I had some and this was just this was like maybe six months ago or something I was at it's in in the valley uh there's a big it's like vineland and lancashire yes that crazy yeah and i think camarillo yeah it's like it's like a three street intersection so one street cutting diagonally so it's all very complicated sort of don't turn on red you know you can't do so i was making a right turn a a legal right turn. But this pedestrian, like a very tightly wound young man was crossing. And he sees me and I have my window open. He goes like, no, turn on red, motherfucker. And points to the sign.

And I said, I'm turning from, you know, from Vineland. I said, I'm waiting. I'm turning right into there. And he went, oh, and kept walking. And I said, I'm waiting. I'm turning right into there. And he went, oh. And kept walking. And I said, thank you, super cop. Thank you for keeping the streets safe for all of us. And he said,

fuck you, Andy. It was like such a satisfying, like, fuck you, Andy. That is so... Oh my God. That is so funny. Oh God. That is so funny. Oh God. I had a guy once,

now that we're talking about fun traffic altercations. A guy, I had my turn signal on at an intersection, had music up. He pulls up next to me, rolls the window down. And I think maybe I had done

like a quick lane change a little bit further back. He makes, has me roll down the window. So I turn the window, roll down my window. He goes like, your turn signal's still on like it's you know like and i was like okay and he goes like would you learn to drive or something and i was like yeah and i just and i was i don't know i probably said i said something like you know like oh could you show

me your badge officer otherwise fuck off and um and he made fun of my voice and we were by like a hospital he's like oh that's a nice high voice you got there. He said, why don't you check into the hospital and get some hormone shots? And I laughed. I laughed. And I said to him, I said, dude, you should go to insult school because that was terrible. That was just terrible. And I actually, as I was driving away, I thought insult school wouldn't be a bad idea.

It's terrible. And actually, as I was driving away, I thought, insult school wouldn't be a bad idea. Dude, people would pay to learn how to insult people. I would. Insult school, especially on social media. Oh, dude. Do a TED Talk on all the different ways to tell people to suck their own dick. People would love it.

Yeah, yeah. People would absolutely love it. And then other schools would open and like, you'd get in a fight and you're like, oh, did you go? Oh, okay. Oh, that's very,

yeah, that's Rick Tarian, that one. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I went to Sedaro's school. Oh, I can tell, I can tell. It's all about throwing drinks. Yeah. It's all about throwing drinks.

Yeah. How do you, I mean, how do you go from Colorado to doing comedy? Do you, you know? So I went to school in a very small, well, I went to New York for one semester. New York City. Wow. and i truly was like oh yeah new york i'll go to school i'll go to college but like i'll get on snl before that yeah first things first i can always go back for my degree like that was what i thought i was like i could always get my degree, whatever. I'll be on SNL in no time.

Uh-uh. That's not how any of this works. So I went to a semester at Marymount Manhattan College. I did not like it. I did not like New York City. Yeah. You know, all that. It's a totally different thing living there from visiting.

Yes. Yeah. Even now, I'm like, I'll visit for four days. And on day four, I get so cranky. Yeah. Where I'm just like, everything smells like shit. What are we doing here? Why do people live here? It's so hard to do anything.

And so I went to a tiny school in Colorado and studied theater and had a blast and was just doing shows constantly. And it's a small school, so I knew everyone all around the school. It was just a pure blast. And through that, I started realizing like, oh, to do SNL, you got to do like Second City or Upright, Citizen Brigade, all of that. And so I started looking into into and i had never done improv or sketch and so i was like okay i think i'm gonna try to do improv and sketch next and i actually were gonna be an actress at that point yeah like i truly didn't know

what the steps were to be coming like right on snl that was truly it what do I do to get on SNL, man? And so then I actually went to – I auditioned and got hired at an improv and sketch theater up in Sacramento. Wow. And so for a year – How did that happen? I did – Were they going around the country or you looked it up? I was just looking it up and like I like went to like a couple of auditions and then that one I got and I was like okay California here we go Sacramento but I was like whatever I'm out of

Colorado because I was like looking at Colorado too of like right maybe somewhere in Colorado but I really wanted to get out of Colorado and I California I had a sister who lives in LA and I was like California's cool I want to go there and so I did a year who lives in L.A. And I was like, California's cool. I want to go there. And so I did a year at that theater, met one of my best friends, and we decided to move down here together to do UCB. Oh, nice. And start there. And that was like working.

I worked at Universal Studios. I worked at Target. I worked at this really bad Disney cafe right by El Capitan Theater. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I worked at Target. I worked at this really bad Disney cafe right by El Capitan Theater. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember that. Yeah, yeah. So I did all these. And then I got a cool job at Sony. But I did all these jobs just to be like,

I just wanted to take classes and do shows. Yeah. And then from there, everything was cool. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Was there ever enough of a dry spell that you got kind of scared about it and, you know, like thought, oh, I might have to pack it in or do something else? Yeah, like when I first moved here, I was like barely making any money. You know, like it was really tough. It was really tough it was really tough and it was really like

oh I don't know if this is for me like I don't know what this is gonna be like yeah and my parents being like you can always come to Colorado and do exactly what you're doing there but like in the comfort of being home you know and I was I was like, no, man. With a support structure. Yeah. And a washer dryer. Oh, baby, that washer dryer. But I then got a really fun job at Sony for like, and I had it for like three and a half years and it was like paying well, very stable. And they were really supportive of they would come to my shows and stuff and they were they got it they were very much like oh yeah we know you

this is why you're here oh that's we'll support you and they started letting me like go do auditions and stuff and then i just kind of started booking more and teaching more and i was like i think i can quit this job and they were like yes please do and like oh wow whenever I shoot anything on Sony I'll like go visit them and I've I've like run into a bunch of people I worked with on sets and stuff which is just the coolest that is really nice yeah yeah to have that support yeah yeah it was cool so I feel I've been very lucky this whole time you know. You know, it's been very, like, oh, everything fell in place in a cool way. Right, right. Have you had any, like, any performance jobs that, like, weren't so great?

Like, that you were kind of like. Oh, yeah. Can you tell about them without being too specific? Or being as specific as you want to be. Yeah. I don't know. Yeah, yeah. As specific as you want to be.

Yeah. I don't know. Yeah, yeah. A lot of like weird little, you know, very weird like indie low, like where it is just like, I don't think these people know what they're doing. You know, a lot of those moments of like, what? Yeah. They didn't, like even just basic stuff like, I don't think they got any coverage. Yes, yes, yes.

You know, whatever it might be. Right, right, right. It's like, this is weird, dude. Don't you want to take that Starbucks cup off the table? Yes. Yeah. Oh, yeah, right. Yeah, sure.

Oh, yeah, I guess. Good call, good call. Like, just kind of a lot of that stuff where it's like, I don't get this. I don't think it's funny. Yeah. But I guess I'll take some money and some experience and see. I went to film school, so I acted in a bunch of student films. Yeah.

And I mean, in that film school junior, senior year of college. Yeah. So it was only two years. And then a little bit afterwards, too. But, like, I had to get, like, discerning about student films that I would do. Yeah. Because there would be so many times where it would be, like, you know, drive an hour and a half to some kid's house and then end up standing in a cornfield while they figured out what the shot, you know, just like, and then knowing nothing

will ever happen with it. And then, and then I've been on, like you said, like kind of indie stuff and you want, like you want these sort of seldom heard voices to get out there and like okay this is like low budget and stuff right and then you just realize yeah no i'm back on a student film you know i shot for a day on it on an indie movie once and like and i mean i don't need i don't need a lot yeah you get used to as an actor like you get used to having like a little space to go to when you're done. And sometimes it's like seriously the size of a closet. I'm fine with that.

That's fine. But I spent one day, it was like a 12 hour day. And when I wasn't shooting, I got to sit in a folding chair in a hallway of a defunct hospital in Pomona. Oh no! That was an entire... Really? Just this folding chair in the hallway? Ew. Sorry.

Can I go sit in the cab of a truck, please? Anything different. No, right there. Oh, man! Yeah, sorry. When I worked at Sony, one of... I can't remember what show it was it was some doctor's show in an old hospital in van nuys yeah like and i think maybe it's been torn down now

i want to say i heard it got torn down in a bunch of rats like is it right on riverside was it right on riverside i can't remember because Because where Scrubs was shot was a defunct hospital on Riverside in like Sherman Oaks or something that was just sitting there for years. And Scrubs was the only thing that was in there for a while. And I did something with her and it was like, it was creepy. It's creepy. It was chilling. It might be this. It's so creepy.

creepy. It's creepy. It's chilling. It might be this. It's so creepy. And there's one person who's kind of in charge of it. And they live in the morgue. And we had to talk to them and hang out because we were taking sets down. We were doing stuff.

And he was like, oh yeah, I just live down here in the morgue. And we were both like, why? We were just hitting each other like, he lives in the morgue? Oh, my God. And he was like, yeah, it's creepy. I was like, oh, my God. You can live somewhere else.

Pick another room with a view. It's like a nice doctor's office. Yeah. But yeah, chilling in the basement. Was he sleeping on one of the drawers that roll up? Yeah. This is my bed. Good night. Could you push me in, please, and set the door? Please tuck me in. It. This is my bed. Good night.

Could you push me in, please, and set the door? Please tuck me in. It's four in the afternoon. I know. Okay. It was creepy. And we were talking to some of the crew on that show, and they're just like, oh, yeah, the elevators constantly start moving on their own, and doors open, and you hear stuff, and

heart monitors and stuff. Wow. Yeah. That's great. It's so creepy. What jobs have you had that like you kind of can't believe that you're doing it? Oh. You know?

Oh. Well, I got to be on this show called Disjointed with Kathy Bates. Oh, right. In a crazy cool cast. Yeah, yeah. Like unbelievably rad cast. And that was awesome. It was some of the most fun I've ever had on working.

And it was also like the first time I had a job for like seven months, you know? Oh, yeah, yeah. Because it was like a big order. They ordered 20 episodes. Right, right. And I had never had anything like that. And I was just like, I can't believe I get to do this, dude. It was awesome.

And then there's one, I got to do this movie called Hubie Halloween, which is an Adam Sandler movie. And my scene was with Adam Sandler and Shaq. Oh, my gosh. And it blew my mind. Yeah, yeah. It was like, so like for a day, I got to hang out with Adam Sandler and Shaq. Wow. And that was a big like, all of my like fourth grade fantasies were happening right now.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get to laugh with them and it was a dream. And they're both really nice people. So nice. Shaq is like. Unbelievably nice. Shaq is, like Shaq, both Shaq and Adam Sandler are way nicer than they would need to be. Yes.

It's like Shaq, you know you're Shaq. You don't have to be this nice. And funny and likes having fun. And is just living life to the fullest. At one point, he was just on the stage on one of those tiny razor scooters, just blasting around laughing so hard. I was like, this is so cool, man. Like, just having so much fun. That was a big dream.

Yeah. Never in my wildest dreams did I think. That's the whole – I mean, I just think about it more and more as I get older. It's just like having fun. Yes. That's like – money's nice and everything but like those days that you can have fun yeah that's like you know the Conan show could be complicated at times like any like any like any you know relationship yeah any like multi-million

dollar a year business you know basically it's like yeah this, this is a big business. But I, and I, I mean, I kind of, the thing, and I've talked to other people that worked on the show. The thing that I just miss so much, it's just all the laughing. So much laughing that you get to do with these people every day. And everyone wants to be like, hey, I'd like, you know, it's good to be around funny people. And then you're like around funny people, like not just funny people, world class. Yes. Like if there was some sort of census, they'd be like in the top 1%. Yes.

And you get to fucking hang out with them every day. I feel that way all the time because it's like I live with one of my best friends who's just one of the funniest people. And I hang out with all of my friends are like world class. Yeah. Comedians. Yeah. And it feels crazy. It's like you're cheating on something, you know.

That's what a lot of life, my life has been feeling. It's like, is this okay? Like I'm having a ball, dude. Yeah, yeah, yeah. This rules. I feel kind of weird saying it. Yeah. But no, it's good.

We're having fun. Yeah, it's good to be grateful. We're having fun. Yeah, and the people that are miserable listening to this, I mean, I don't know. Listen to a self-help podcast. What are you listening to this for? Yeah, what are you doing? You think you're going to learn something from us?

No way, man. No way. We don't know any facts. That's right. Whatsoever. Although, speaking of facts, I do want to ask you about this. Yes. Because in the research that they have, it does say, cites Chris Farley among her comedic influences.

Yeah. And it's something that, like, it's kind of, you can't help but notice that, like, a lot of your energy when you perform and stuff has kind of the you know that same yeah that same sort of feel and that same sort of and same sort of size too like it's just you know bomb of joy you know going off and that was always that was like somebody uh with chris early on like when he i i think he was on SNL, but he also was back in Chicago a lot. Yeah. Uh, somebody there said when you see him on stage, you just, just sense that this is a person that is so happy to be there regardless of whatever he's playing. Yeah. And, uh, and,

and you have that same quality and is it something like, is it something that conscious that you did? Like, did you identify with his style of performing so much? Well, yeah. When I was, I feel I was in like third or fourth grade, my sisters were watching SNL. And I snuck down when my parents went to bed. I'm like, let me watch. And we saw like Matt Foley.

I can't remember which one. It might have been the David Spade and Christina Applegate one. And I was just like, what is, who's that? Yeah, yeah. Holy shit. And just like laughing with my sister and just being like, oh my God, this. And I think I did feel like this is funny. And I really love, and this is now, this. And I think I did feel like this is funny.

And I really love, and this is now more that I've, like, grown up thinking about and watching more. And becoming more of a human of, like, his ability to be so likable and vulnerable. I think that really blew my mind into where it's like, oh, I really like vulnerability and I hope I can bring that to stage and I want – I don't know. Yeah. I just really connected on – and I don't think I realized how until I got older. Yeah, yeah. I'm just like, why do I really like watching this person perform? Yeah. And I want to do that and I feel i'm very like that as well

you know so yeah and i think the vulnerability was really gigantic for me yeah being able to have these like oh moments yeah where you're really rooting for this person and then be like, yeah, great. Yeah, yeah. Here's a funny. Yeah. Yeah. I, he always just had that, yeah, it's like everything was on the line. There was no protection. There was no sort of like. Yeah. Some comedy performers, like you can tell they care about the way they look.

Oh, yeah. You know, and I'm always like, what do you, what do you. Yeah. And believe it or not, I don't. Yeah, I'm with you. I'm always like, what are you yeah and believe it or not i don't yeah i'm i'm with you i'm always like what are you gonna do i mean i don't every piece of video that i see of myself i'm like oh that fucking guy but it's like yeah well i do it for a living and like when i'm in it i don't care you know yeah yeah yeah you know and um it's like the same you know with my kids like dad i don't care you know like yeah oh the belly oh yeah oops you know there it is i truly i cannot tell you i i cannot change

my body it doesn't want it to happen okay i've tried not really uh but uh i'm not going to i've done plenty of thinking about what I'm supposed to do. And it just does not go past that stage. That's it. I think about it and I think, that's not fun. Right, exactly. So I'm not going to do that. Yeah, like people talk about exercise and I just go, ugh.

I mean, I like going for walks and playing games and stuff, but like, just exercise for exercise. And like the idea of like somebody screaming at you. Oh, I, from, no, I, you know. Oh, no way. Yeah. I would get so mad immediately. From one of the, from when I started making money, I started to pay someone to train me

at a gym. Okay. Because it made me go to the gym. I started to pay someone to train me at a gym. Okay. Because it made me go to the gym. And so I maintained that for many, many years. Yeah. But I always was like, I would occasionally, like when you get a new person, like that would try to yell at me.

Yeah. And I would just say, that will not work. We cannot do that. If you yell at me, I will quit. I will fire you, basically. Yes, yes. Like, this does not work. Yeah.

And I hear other people in the gym, they love it. I have friends who are like, I want somebody screaming at me. Yeah. That's the only way I'll get this done. I'm like, that's, whoa. Right, right, right. No way. Yeah.

I got enough of that from ages zero to 12. I don't need it in my life anymore, you know? Yes. Well, where are you going with your life from now? Where do you want to go? Where do I want to go? Both professionally and personally. Ooh, that's a good one.

I would love to sell my own TV show. Yeah. You know, that I star in with a bunch of friends. You know, that would be awesome. Whatever capacity that might mean. That's been a goal of mine for the last couple of years. Is to be the author something important to you? Like, as opposed to just being a performer in a thing

and, you know, an actor in a thing? A little bit, yeah. Because it would be fun to be like, this is me. Like, it would be really fun to have a thing that's like, this is me. This represents me. And movies or whatever else. I had an idea and you're seeing it going through a whole long process, a long, difficult, daunting,

you know, odds against it process. Yeah. I'm with you. I feel the same. I mean, I've gotten, you know, I was number one on the call sheet for three different shows and I got to have input in them, but I never felt like, no, this is my baby. This is an egg I shat out.

And then this beautiful bird came out of it. I'm always kind of like, yeah, no, I was there. In the beginning when we were talking about it and I contributed. Yeah. But I was like, I was a very important passenger on the bus.

Right. Where you got to be the driver. Or the bus. Yeah, I wasn't the driver. Yeah, yeah. Yes. Like, to make, yeah, both TV and movies, like, to make just something where it's like, I want to watch this. Yeah.

No matter what. Yeah. I think, and it's so me and my, like, that's the goal. Yeah, yeah. Of just kind of hopefully doing that and just keep working. Yeah. You know, keep working. I know.

It's always a goal. I know, I know. Yeah, me too. And I mean, you know, I think, you know, you and I are both character actors. Yeah. So that's like, oh, it's just like, oh, thank God. Yeah, dude. Because, you know, yeah.

I can't imagine, like. Aging out of your face. Oh, my God, I know. Oh my God. Yeah, yeah. That's so scary. I know. That idea of just like.

I love it. I love like, I love, because so many of my characters are just slobs and it rules. Like it rules and I have to give a shit. Yeah, yeah, yeah. About like, you know, where it's like, oh cool, I play a mess of a human being. Great. Yeah, yeah. I don't have to give a shit about like you know where it's like oh cool I play a mess of a human being great yeah yeah I don't have to I can do that I don't have to worry about

my hair or anything great great I think and then in life stuff and I've started doing this more traveling more yeah and being feeling okay to travel more. Because I used to be so like, I can't leave.

I'll miss opportunities or whatever. Oh, is that what it is? It's not like it's too expensive to travel or anything. It's just like, I'll miss out on something. I'll miss out on work stuff. Yeah, I see. And I've gotten way better at being like, you know what? No.

I'm leaving. And I'm, you know, I'm always, I'll send like emails of like, I'm leaving and i'm you know i'm always i all said like emails of like i'm going to europe for two and a half weeks but also if anything really cool comes up i'll change that in a heartbeat but that's like better than being like i'll never leave yes and and so that's become a big goal of like i want to travel a bunch i. I want to, and I want to, yeah, just have fun and try new things, eat all the food. Yeah. You know, just kind of fun is my focus. Yeah.

And I'm lucky that I'm able to have an unbelievably fun job to help me have fun. Yeah. It's, you're living the life. It's fun. It's great. It's nuts. It's, you're living the life. It's fun.

It's great. It's nuts. So what do you think, what do you think is the biggest lesson you've learned? Or, you know, or do you have like kind of a motto that, you know, you sort of try and live by? Ooh, a giant lesson I've learned is that like, truly, you gotta be yourself. Yeah. You know? Yeah. You know? Yeah. Because there have been a lot, and I still will find myself doing this, like, kind of trying to force what I, this is for, like, casting and stuff.

Like, trying to force what I think people want rather than just doing my thing. I see. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, you're working to order rather than just doing my thing. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, you're working to order rather than just being yourself. Than just being myself. They want me to be this, so I've got to live up to this because it's what they want.

Or you'll read the description and be like, well, I guess I'll try to fit into this even though it's way off. And I've found that I have more fun in auditions and stuff when it's like, I'm going to do my thing. Yeah. And I've gotten like more callbacks and opportunities

because of that. Right. Where it's like, hey, yeah, I know that this description is a mother of five, you know, like whatever, but I'll put my vibe into it. And they're like, that's a fun choice we didn't ever see. Yes. Or whatever it might be.

They don't know what they're looking for until you show it to them. Yes. Generally speaking. Yes. But, you know, that's a crapshoot, too. And once again, big crapshoot. Yeah, yeah. Big crapshoot.

Because you could be like, you know, like, well, this is my product. And they're like, well, none of us want to buy it. Oh, yeah yeah that's happened a bunch yeah yeah where it's just like oh no that's not right for any of us yeah come on but yeah try like and honestly yeah like what makes me laugh what makes what's fun for me that's what i'm gonna do yeah you know and that's all i can do it's in a good way that's i couldn't agree more because it's like whenever i've been in a situation like there was a there was a point early on in the conan show where we were having a discussion about how do we get more people to

watch yeah and i said to like you know it was about four of us in the room and i said to the other people do you know how to ensure more viewers and they all had to be like no and i was like well then all we can do is what we do yeah you know writing a pilot with somebody once it didn't you know it sort of disappointingly fizzled out yeah and my partner was like well maybe we should write the kind of thing that they want and i was was like, that would be a terrible mistake. We're not going to have fun. Yeah. Imagine if it sells. Yeah.

Imagine that. And we're writing something that we don't like and that we think is like, this is the kind of shit they're buying. Yeah. And I'm like, oh, we love it. I'm like, oh, fuck. Now I got to do it, you know? Yes.

And I don't know how to do that. I mean, A, I don't know how to do anything I don't I mean and I don't know how to do anything but what I do right that's exactly it too and you like it or you don't and a lot of times I've also learned that it's also not personal you know even though it may sound like it as we're talking about of like well we don't like what you're doing right but it is like well in that sense yes in this particular case, you just don't fit. Yeah. And that's okay.

Right. And you also have to, the other qualification I was thinking of is you do have to take notes. You gotta take notes. Like you can't just be like my way or the highway when you're signing the backs of the checks. Right. As opposed to the front of the checks. Right. Yeah, you gotta take those notes.

Yeah, you gotta take notes those notes. Yeah, you got to take notes and you got to take constructive criticism. But generally speaking, you got to be you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And just, yeah, do what you do and that's all. It's truly all you can. That's all you can do in life.

You heard it here, folks. Yes. Perfectly put. Yeah. That's a good question. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. There's only three every episode and that's a good question thank you thank you yeah there's only three every episode and that's that's one of them all right well uh thank all of you out there for listening uh i will be back next week uh with another set of the same three questions the three questions with andy richter is a Coco production. It is produced by Sean Doherty and engineered by Rob Schulte.

Additional engineering support by Eduardo Perez and Joanna Samuel. Executive produced by Joanna Salataroff, Adam Sachs, and Jeff Ross. Talent booking by Paula Davis, Gina Batista, and Maddie Ogden. Research by Alyssa Graal. Don't forget to rate and review and subscribe to The Three Questions with Andy Richter wherever you get your podcasts. Can't you tell my love's a-growing?

Can't you feel it ain't a-showing? Oh, you must be a-knowing. I've got a big, big love. This has been a Team Coco production in association with Earwolf.