RE-RELEASE: Bill Hader | SmartLess

The SNL Audition Journey [00:16]

• Bill Hader's path to Saturday Night Live was initiated by Megan Mullally.
• He describes the lengthy audition process, including waiting for hours and an awkward dinner before meeting Lorne Michaels.
• Hader recalls Lorne Michaels's initial impression of him, comparing him to Bill Murray.

  "And then I, and then I finally go in to see him. And he goes, do you know why you're here?"

Early Days and Insecurities at SNL [01:40]

• Hader expresses initial insecurity on SNL, feeling intimidated by cast members with Second City and Groundlings backgrounds.
• He describes a particularly bad sketch written with Will Forte, feeling Tina Fey's critical gaze.
• Hader admits to being "cripplingly insecure and anxious" for the first four seasons.

  "I just remember my first table read, just going, I wrote a thing with Will Arnett, sorry, Will Forte. And it was, it was so bad."

Developing Characters and Impressions [02:30]

• Hader discusses how characters and impressions often emerged from making fun of people or observations.
• He notes he wasn't the funniest in high school, but developed a skill for "cherry picking."
• The conversation touches on impressions of Vincent Price, Alan Alda, and Larry David.

  "No, I didn't know. No. A lot of that was like, you know, you'd make fun of people, you know, you do impressions of people at school or, you know, things like that, but never."

The "Hat on a Hat" Concept [03:50]

• Hader explains the "hat on a hat" concept in comedy as a joke layered on a joke.
• He uses an example of a sketch involving a Tauntaun impression, teaching Natalie Portman Star Wars noises, and doing it as Peter Falk.
• Seth Meyers advised him that the sketch was "a little bit of a hat on a hat."

  "So that thing alone is me as just an acting teacher. That's enough. Uh-huh. But adding Peter Falk was like."

Sketch Rejection and Dress Rehearsal [04:30]

• Hader recounts a sketch with Natalie Portman that "died" at dress rehearsal, leading to its cut.
• He describes the quiet, echoing atmosphere of a failed sketch.
• The process of cutting and rearranging sketches after dress rehearsal is detailed.

  "And I was like, oh, God, this is bad news. And, uh... God."

The Kasems Sketch and Other Cut Ideas [05:10]

• Hader and Dana Carvey discuss a sketch called "The Kasems" where Hader played JC Kasem, Casey Kasem's son.
• The sketch, co-written with John Mulaney, played to "utter silence" from the audience.
• The discussion highlights the unpredictable nature of what works and what doesn't in sketch comedy.

  "And we were just like... I would have been on the fucking floor."

Transitioning to Directing [06:20]

• Hader's original aspiration was to be a director, not an actor.
• He explains that he came to LA to direct but ended up taking acting classes at Second City.
• He was envious of the Lonely Island guys making short films at SNL, wanting to be part of that creative process.

  "I always, well, I came to LA to be a director. Those were always my heroes."

The Genesis of "Barry" [07:00]

• Hader discusses how "Barry" came about after SNL, with HBO interested in him for a dramatic role.
• He met with Alec Berg, and Hader volunteered to direct the pilot.
• Alec Berg's supportive, albeit humorous, endorsement to HBO is recalled.

  "And then they go, you meet this guy, Alec Berg, maybe you guys come up with something."

Directing Challenges and Actor-Directors [07:40]

• The conversation touches on the perception of actors directing and the "if Jason Bateman can direct, anyone can" anecdote.
• Hader emphasizes that directing is about tonal understanding and vision.
• He acknowledges the hard work of the crew in creating the fictional world.

  "And as you know, from the little directing that I've done, it's much more about understanding what it is that you want tonally and what you want that to be."

Long Shooting Days and Director Responsibility [08:30]

• Hader describes the grueling 18-20 hour days directors can sometimes impose due to disorganization.
• He highlights the importance of a director having their "shit together" to avoid wasting the crew's time and effort.
• The concept of "reverse splits" and 12-hour turnarounds is explained.

  "So you're ending your work week Saturday at like four in the afternoon."

Bad Lip Reading and Voiceover Work [09:40]

• Hader discusses his involvement with "Bad Lip Reading" videos, explaining it's ADR work by the original creator.
• He mentions his extensive voiceover work in animated films.
• He expresses a desire to see more opportunities for him to do impressions.

  "Well, the guy who does it is a genius and you go to his house and he's done it already."

The "Brother Solomon" Scene and Bob Odenkirk [10:40]

• Hader recounts a scene from "Brother Solomon" where he was on a recumbent bicycle while Kristen Wiig performed an emotional monologue.
• Bob Odenkirk, also in the scene, became fixated on Hader's bike riding, distracting from Wiig's performance.
• Jason Bateman's intervention to acknowledge Wiig's acting is noted.

  "And Bob, Bob obsessed with Bill on the fucking bike."

Peanut Allergy and Food Experiences [11:50]

• Hader reveals a severe nut allergy, detailing a recent reaction after eating vegan lasagna with cashew cheese.
• He describes the immediate symptoms and his self-treatment with Benadryl.
• The hosts discuss their own eating habits and Sean's unusual breakfast choices.

  "My mouth gets, it just happened to me. It just happened to me about a month ago."

Sean's Cake Consumption [12:50]

• The hosts recount Sean's excessive consumption of a cake made for the Smartless team, featuring their faces.
• Sean ate the cake during a business meeting and continued eating it over several days.
• This leads to playful accusations of Sean being a "shit pig."

  "And Sean left the meeting with the cake, full cake in his hands."

Henry Winkler's Generosity and Phone Habits [13:40]

• Hader praises Henry Winkler as a "greatest guy ever" and "sweetest."
• He shares an anecdote about Winkler's phone ringing during takes on "Arrested Development."
• Winkler's generosity in inviting Hader for breakfast during the early days of "Arrested Development" is highlighted.

  "He's so damn nice. Does he still leave his ringer on on his phone while you're rolling?"

Early Encounters with Jonah Hill and Max Winkler [14:40]

• Hader recalls meeting Jonah Hill and Max Winkler when they were high school students and friends with Henry Winkler.
• This was around the time "Arrested Development" was starting, in the fall of 2003.
• The hosts express surprise at the timeline.

  "And those guys were still in fucking high school when I was there."