- 11 minutes ago
Seth Meyers 2026 04 21 Aubrey Plaza JOAN
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:05From 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York, it's Late Night with Seth Meyers.
00:12Tonight, Aubrey Plaza, star of pizza movie actor, Gaten Matarazzo, star of The Comeback
00:19actor, Dan Bukatensky, and now, Seth Meyers.
00:28Hey, everybody. I'm Seth Meyers. It's Late Night. We hope you're doing well.
00:32And now, if you don't mind, we're going to get to the news.
00:34FBI Director Cash Patel filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit yesterday against The Atlantic
00:42Magazine over an article alleging that Patel has abused alcohol.
00:46Said Patel this morning, oh, man, I did?
00:52That's right. Cash Patel filed a $250 million lawsuit against The Atlantic Magazine
00:57over an article alleging that Patel has abused alcohol, though you'd have to be pretty drunk
01:01to think a print magazine can afford $250 million.
01:07The U.S. and Iran are reportedly negotiating over a three-page plan to end the war.
01:12Specifically, Trump's trying to negotiate them down to one page.
01:17No way I'm reading three pages.
01:20In a new interview, President Trump said that he will reach a peace deal with Iran
01:25and added, quote,
01:26It will happen one way or another, the nice way or the hard way.
01:29The nice way or the hard way, that's not how you reach a peace deal.
01:32That's something you yell during a bank robbery.
01:37President Trump criticized Spain's economy in a post over the weekend
01:41on Truth Social and said that the country is, quote,
01:53A new Grateful Dead app launched last week,
01:56which features high-quality recordings of more than 400 full-live shows
02:00and better-than-CD quality.
02:02Said Dead fans, wow, it sounds even better than I don't remember.
02:07In honor of Star Wars Day, the dairy brand True Moo
02:11is offering a vanilla-flavored blue milk
02:13that has eight grams of protein per serving.
02:16Because if someone hands you a glass of blue milk,
02:19the first question you'll have is,
02:21how much protein is in it?
02:25A humanoid robot won a half-marathon on Sunday in Beijing
02:29with a time nearly seven minutes faster than the human world record.
02:33And if you think that's impressive,
02:34some other dude smoked them all by 45 minutes
02:37with a machine he calls a Nissan Altima.
02:42The food company Purdue Farms announced last week
02:44it will offer so-called 6'7 chicken nuggets,
02:47even though everybody who thought 6'7 was funny
02:50is now too old for chicken nuggets.
02:54A 101-year-old New Zealand man
02:56was recently named the world's oldest croquet player.
02:59Here he is pictured next to the world's youngest croquet player.
03:07That's right.
03:07A 101-year-old man in New Zealand
03:09has been named the world's oldest croquet player.
03:12Well, just be careful which balls you're hitting.
03:23I'm a little worried about what's coming next.
03:26That was the monologue, everybody!
03:30We've got a great show for you tonight.
03:32You know her from Parks and Recreation
03:34and The White Lotus.
03:36She's the co-creator and star of the new animated series Kevin,
03:39streaming now on Prime Video.
03:40One of our favorites, our friend Aubrey Plaza
03:43is back on the show.
03:46You know him from Stranger Things
03:47and well on Broadway, shows such as Dear Evan Hansen
03:50and Sweeney Todd.
03:51Currently, he's starring in pizza movies,
03:53streaming now on Hulu.
03:54Gaten Matarazzo is here, everybody!
03:58First time, I'm so excited.
04:00And he's a multi-talented Emmy-winning actor,
04:02writer, and producer you know from shows
04:04such as Scandal and Hacks.
04:06He both stars and executive produces on The Comeback,
04:09which airs Sundays on HBO and HBO Max.
04:12Dan Bukatinski is also joining us.
04:15Family trips this week with Jason Schwartzman.
04:18Give it a listen.
04:19He's always fantastic.
04:21Well, you guys, it's finally spring.
04:22Everyone's cleaning out their closets,
04:24planting their gardens, and that includes my writers.
04:27You know, they write hundreds of jokes every day
04:29just to get the 10 or 12 we use in the monologue.
04:32And honestly, a lot of those jokes just aren't good.
04:36You know, sometimes I even think they throw in a couple
04:39of stinkers on purpose just to fill the page,
04:42just to meet the assignment.
04:43But just because it's allergy season,
04:45that doesn't mean we can tolerate laziness,
04:47which means it's time for another surprise inspection.
04:57So here's how this works.
04:58I'm going to read some real jokes
05:00that were really submitted by my real writers.
05:02Some are dumb.
05:03Some are offensive.
05:04Some are just insane.
05:06Most importantly, my writers don't know we're doing this,
05:09and because they don't watch the show,
05:10they'll never know.
05:13And as a reminder, these are jokes that were worse
05:16than the croquet balls joke we read.
05:22So that, they didn't hit that high bar.
05:25So based on how you reacted to that
05:28is why I'm currently super worried.
05:34President Trump is set to host a celebration
05:36for National Agriculture Day tomorrow
05:39at the White House with nearly 1,000 farmers
05:41and probably a couple hoes.
05:49Now, we will, for the purpose of shaming them,
05:52be showing the photos of each writer who wrote the joke,
05:55and the first one was by this gentleman, Mike Scolins.
05:59Sadly, you're going to get used to him.
06:04Today was National Funeral Director
06:06and Mortician Recognition Day.
06:09Congrats!
06:10You earned it!
06:11You earned it!
06:20Yeah.
06:25Scolins with back-to-back inanimate object punchlines.
06:30According to the latest numbers,
06:32the price of period products has increased since 2020
06:36to nearly $7.50 per unit.
06:39Unless you know how to pull a few strings.
06:46Please be a female writer.
06:48Please be a female writer.
06:49Please be a female writer.
06:50Show me, Alex!
07:00That's mad, everybody, if you see him in the street.
07:03Feel free to slap him.
07:06According to the latest numbers, the price of period...
07:08We're doing another one.
07:12The price of period products has increased nearly 40% since 2020,
07:17leaving all their customers in the red.
07:22Please be a female writer.
07:24Please be a female writer.
07:25Please be a female writer!
07:35A pig named Merlin!
07:37All right.
07:38Yeah.
07:40Okay, it's a cute pig.
07:41It's going to be a happy ending.
07:43I'm not worried about this one.
07:46Pig named Merlin recently set a Guinness World Record
07:48for the most followers on Instagram.
07:50Oh, so they're allowed to post hog.
08:13What human instinct is making you applaud for that?
08:18Six Flags Over Texas recently announced a new chaperone policy
08:21for guests under 17 years old.
08:23I'll do it, said R. Kelly.
08:30And we don't have to change the picture,
08:32because he actually wrote that one.
08:44Somehow we brought a golf audience in.
08:48During his confirmation hearing today
08:50for Homeland Security Secretary Oklahoma Senator Mark Wayne Mullen
08:53said he fell in love with his wife in third grade.
08:56Me too, said one man.
09:02All right.
09:02So, like, you guys know how you feel.
09:04You don't have to clap for this guy.
09:08And they don't.
09:11All right, and finally,
09:12we have one last chance to win you back.
09:15Is it Scolins? Can you show me?
09:16It is. All right.
09:16So, Scolins, we let Scolins, tank-top Scolins,
09:19write the last joke here.
09:20And, um, I don't know.
09:22I'm hopeful.
09:23I'm hopeful we can save this thing.
09:26And that we collectively can just laugh
09:28and not feel bad about ourselves.
09:30I think that'll be really important
09:32for the rest of our week.
09:34Let's put ourselves in Scolins' hands.
09:38And finally, Duncan Hines has introduced
09:40new Peanuts-themed baking mixes.
09:43And I know someone who'd love to eat peppermint patty.
10:08What did we learn today?
10:12Yeah. All right.
10:14Let's think about it during the commercial break.
10:16This has been Surprise Inspection.
10:23We'll be right back with Aubrey Plaza, everybody!
10:42Our first guest tonight is an Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actress.
10:47You know from her work in Parks and Recreation,
10:49The White Lotus, and Agatha all along.
10:51She's the co-creator and star of the new animated series,
10:54Kevin, which is streaming now on Prime Video.
10:57Let's take a look.
10:58I'll Google couples' therapists,
10:59you'll go sort it all out,
11:01and then we'll all look back
11:02and laugh about this at my Oscar party.
11:04Kevin, I know this is scary,
11:05but you're gonna love our new place.
11:07Our new place?
11:08Our, like, you and me?
11:09Why would I be going with you?
11:11Because you're our cat,
11:12and I'm the only real adult here.
11:15Your cat?
11:16You don't own me.
11:17You don't own this.
11:19Kevin...
11:19I thought this was like a high-pal situation.
11:21We're always making videos.
11:23I don't have a job.
11:23Hmm?
11:24Kev, would some tuna water help?
11:31Do not do that.
11:32Don't treat me like that.
11:33Kevin, it is okay
11:34if you're having some feelings about this.
11:36Please welcome back to the show
11:37our very good friend,
11:38Aubrey Plaza, everybody!
11:58It has been too long
12:00since I have seen you, my friend.
12:02I know.
12:02Did you miss me?
12:03I missed you.
12:05And is it safe to assume,
12:08my dear friend Aubrey,
12:09that you were with child?
12:11How dare you?
12:13Oh.
12:14Ask a woman that.
12:15Oh, no.
12:16Did I...
12:16Have I jumped to the gun?
12:18How dare...
12:19Uh, no, you're right.
12:20There's something inside.
12:22There's something inside you?
12:23Yes.
12:25Baby, hoping baby.
12:26Hoping baby.
12:27It's a baby.
12:27Okay.
12:28That's very exciting.
12:29We're very happy for you.
12:30I need you to pull it out.
12:30What's that?
12:31Um...
12:31Do you want me to pull it out?
12:34That's why I came here tonight.
12:36Oh, I would rather not do that.
12:38It's either you or Henry Winkler.
12:40Those are my top two.
12:41I mean, I would choose Henry, wouldn't you?
12:43Well, he delivered my baby on Parks and Rec, so...
12:46That's true.
12:47That's all I know.
12:48He's had a dress rehearsal.
12:49It's very rare to get a dress rehearsal with someone.
12:52Um, it's so wonderful to see you.
12:54I'm so happy to have you back on the show.
12:55Congratulations on Kevin.
12:57This is based...
13:02This is actually, uh, this is based on a real-life situation,
13:06and you co-created this with an ex-boyfriend of, like, 20 years ago.
13:10Yes, I did.
13:11Um, it is based on our actual cat, Kevin.
13:14We had a cat called Kevin.
13:16Uh-huh.
13:16Um, he looked like Kevin, the cat, on television.
13:20Um, and, yeah, the show is based on our breakup.
13:24We were a couple, uh, almost 20 years ago.
13:28We lived in Queens, in Astoria, and we actually had two cats.
13:33Um, we had two cats, Kevin and Howard, brother cats.
13:36Um, and, yes, the show is based on the premise of, you know,
13:40a couple breaking up and telling their cat,
13:43um, and the cat ends up breaking up with them.
13:46Okay, gotcha.
13:47Um, because...
13:48Goes on his own.
13:49Exactly.
13:49Animals and humans in the show, they can negotiate these things.
13:53What were Kevin and Howard like when you adopted these cats,
13:56uh, 20-odd years ago?
13:58Were they good cats?
13:59They, well, yeah, we...
14:02They were very little.
14:05They were too small.
14:06We found out they were too little to be adopted.
14:09Where did you get them?
14:10Where do you get cats that are too...
14:12So this was not an official place?
14:13It was a little bit shady.
14:16I can't remember exactly.
14:18It was probably like a Craigslist thing.
14:20Okay, gotcha.
14:21I remember we drove out to Howard Beach
14:23and adopted them from, like, a mob family.
14:25Right.
14:26And it was really scary,
14:27but we got the kittens in the car and drove away.
14:30Seems like, you know, of the sort of rackets you hear
14:33about the Mafia being involved with...
14:35I know.
14:36You rarely hear kittens.
14:38No, they try to get rid of as many kittens as they can.
14:41Do you think the kittens knew too much?
14:43The kittens saw you?
14:45Yeah.
14:46Yeah, so then we brought them home,
14:48and we didn't, you know, we had never had kittens before,
14:51and we didn't realize they were too little
14:53until they started sucking on each other's buttholes.
14:55Oh, wow.
14:56And why is that a giveaway that they're too little?
14:59Well, Seth, I'm glad you asked that.
15:03We called the vet, and they said,
15:05oh, they're so little, they're looking for milk,
15:07and they don't know where to get it,
15:08so they started sucking on each other's buttholes,
15:12and they were trying to just find a little bit of milk.
15:15Yeah.
15:17Little butt milk to make it through the day.
15:19Yeah, just a little anus milk,
15:20and then so we started feeding them with, like, little droppers,
15:23and we learned how to give them our milk.
15:24That's very nice.
15:25Because you taught yourself, yeah.
15:26My milk.
15:27Yeah.
15:27That's nice that you guys stepped in instead of, like,
15:29well, they're going to have to learn on their own.
15:31Yes.
15:32But that actually made it onto the show,
15:34so if you watch Kevin, the cartoon show,
15:36you will see Kevin, but in the show,
15:38Kevin goes to his therapist because he has butthole issues.
15:42Gotcha.
15:42Because his butthole's weird,
15:44because if you suck on a butthole too hard,
15:46part of it can come out.
15:48Really?
15:48And you know what I'm talking about.
15:52You are, you play a human.
15:54Jason Schwartzman is Kevin.
15:56Yes.
15:57The great Jason Schwartzman.
15:58The best.
15:58You have a lot of other wonderful cast members.
16:01John Waters.
16:02John Waters.
16:03That's amazing.
16:06How, are you friendly with John Waters?
16:09I am.
16:09I love John.
16:10In fact, it's his birthday.
16:12Oh, happy birthday to John Waters.
16:14I think.
16:16Close enough.
16:17We'll celebrate.
16:17It's birthday tonight or tomorrow night.
16:19But, yeah, we became friends.
16:21I asked him to do a hosting bit on the Independent Spirit Awards
16:24with me, and then a long time ago, before the pandemic,
16:28and then we just became friends,
16:29and we've been trying to make this movie together,
16:31and nobody will give us money for it.
16:34It's so weird.
16:36But we will make that movie, John.
16:37I promise you that.
16:39What does John play in the show?
16:41John plays a orange Persian cat called Armando,
16:47who's kind of like the older cat.
16:49He's kind of like a queen from Queens.
16:51Got it.
16:52Yeah.
16:53He's like kind of, you know, he's like over humans.
16:55He hates humans.
16:56And he's kind of like a failed Broadway director.
17:00He ends up directing a theater troupe full of horses
17:05that are doing a production of Mame.
17:07And we did get the rights to Mame for the show,
17:10so you will see an actual production of Mame.
17:12Wait, you actually, for the television show,
17:14Kevin got the rights to Mame?
17:15Yes, that was very hard.
17:18Did you have to be honest about how you were going to use it?
17:20Oh, yes.
17:20We had to tell them,
17:22no, it's Horse's performing Mame.
17:24But we got him there.
17:27That's incredible.
17:28You did something.
17:30I was very...
17:31I've never heard of anybody going to see this live,
17:34but you went to the WNBA draft,
17:37which happened last week.
17:38I did.
17:39And I will say, like, I saw photos.
17:45I watched videos.
17:46Like, I love watching people sort of elevate
17:48from, like, their amateur to the professional ranks
17:50and find it very touching.
17:52You were a fan of the WNBA.
17:54Was this something...
17:55Have you been to a draft before?
17:56It was actually my second time.
17:58Wow.
17:58Yeah, I let go into the draft.
18:00Wow.
18:01It was, yeah, it was really fun.
18:03My sister, Natalie, and her wife, Zoe,
18:07and I planned to go.
18:09And then I had dinner with...
18:10And Sue Bird, who's a WNBA icon.
18:11Okay, fantastic.
18:12Legend.
18:13Legend.
18:14And I had dinner with Sandra Bernhardt
18:16randomly the weekend before.
18:18And I didn't even know she was a fan
18:20of women's basketball.
18:21And she was like,
18:22Honey, I love college basketball,
18:24and you've got to get me to that draft!
18:26She's like, Honey, come on!
18:27And I was like, okay.
18:28So she basically forced her way in there.
18:32And then we all went.
18:34And we, yeah, we rolled pretty deep.
18:37That's fantastic.
18:38Here's your crew.
18:40There's Sue, Sandra, that's yourself, and then...
18:42That's my sister.
18:43That's Zoe, her wife.
18:44That's me.
18:45That's Sandy and Sue Bird.
18:47And so what is your...
18:48Like, what is the best way to, like, watch the draft?
18:51Are you just, like, celebrating the moments
18:52everybody has?
18:53Yeah, I mean, we all had our own agendas.
18:55Like, Sandra wanted to, like, tackle Dawn Staley,
18:58and we had to hold her back, like, out of love.
19:00Like, she loves Dawn Staley.
19:02She was, like, you know, foaming at the mouth
19:03trying to get to Dawn.
19:04And so we all have, you know,
19:06we geek out on this stuff,
19:08because we're so, you know,
19:09we're such big fans of the women that play.
19:11And I think, for me, the most fun part
19:13is just watching the families at the draft.
19:15Yeah, of course.
19:16Because they're so...
19:17I mean, it's so exciting for those women
19:20that get picked, and they're all...
19:22Yeah, and they're all...
19:24It's just...
19:25It's very joyful.
19:27And this year, more than ever,
19:30because the women, they just signed a new contract...
19:32Yeah, they're actually going to make some money.
19:33...with the league. Yeah, they've got a raise.
19:35Yeah, it's fantastic.
19:35Well-reserved.
19:38So, it's a really exciting time for the W.
19:41You played basketball growing up.
19:42I did.
19:43Your sister played basketball growing up.
19:44Yeah.
19:45Who was the better basketball player?
19:47Me.
19:47Okay, great.
19:48Are you older or younger?
19:50I'm not, actually.
19:50Okay, gotcha.
19:51Were you a competitive...
19:53Are you this sort of...
19:54Like, when you're out there,
19:55do you have, like, a win-at-all-cost mentality?
19:57Yeah.
19:58I'm a really big, like, talker on the court.
20:00Got it.
20:01So, I would just drive people crazy with my mental game.
20:04Uh-huh.
20:05Just kind of psychologically try to freak them out.
20:07And it would really bother them a lot.
20:10I believe you're very good at that.
20:12Yeah.
20:13Because if you talk a lot while you're playing,
20:14it's distracting.
20:15Yeah.
20:16Especially when I'm in their face.
20:18Did it come naturally to you?
20:19Like, to be, like, sort of a...
20:21Like, a talking, psychological...
20:23Yeah.
20:24Yeah.
20:24Right out of the thing, I was...
20:26You'll be able to tell right away with this one.
20:28They talk.
20:29I can tell you, as a parent,
20:30they start talking immediately.
20:32Oh, God.
20:32Yeah, I don't even...
20:33Yep.
20:34Yep.
20:35You also...
20:36This is a tie-in to Kevin, as well.
20:38You brought your co-star, Nagatha, all along,
20:41Patti LuPone, your one-time roommate.
20:43Oh, yeah.
20:43You brought her to a WNBA game.
20:45Oh, yeah, Patti.
20:46And had Patti ever been to a WNBA game?
20:49No.
20:50Look at her face.
20:52No.
20:52What was her take?
20:53Did she enjoy herself?
20:55Oh, she loved it.
20:56Can't you tell?
20:59It's her birthday, too, by the way.
21:01You're just making it up.
21:02You're just making it up.
21:04I swear to God.
21:05Really?
21:05I swear.
21:06And then Patti, Patti is also in Kevin.
21:11Yes, Patti LuPone plays a pony called Patti LuPone.
21:16Is she in MAME?
21:17She stars in MAME.
21:19She's not in MAME.
21:20She's the star of MAME, obviously.
21:23That's a wonderful tie-in.
21:24As a pony.
21:25Yeah.
21:26You have to watch this.
21:27So excited when you realized that you could get Patti LuPone
21:30to pay Patti LuPone?
21:31Patti LuPone will do whatever I want her to do.
21:35But did you call her?
21:36I mean, was that a fun phone call to make?
21:39Did you text her or call her?
21:42I don't know.
21:44I think I'm pretty sure I called her and I just said,
21:46hey, Patti, I'm going to need you to voice a pony on my cartoon.
21:50And she went, okay, doll, just tell me where to go.
21:53I was like, so where and when, doll?
21:54Call my agent.
21:55I'll be there.
21:56She doesn't...
21:57She's a work horse.
21:58Yeah, she's a work horse.
21:59The greatest gift I feel like you can give her
22:01is to call her with work.
22:02She wants it.
22:03She wants to work.
22:04God love her.
22:04She does.
22:05Thanks for being here.
22:06Congrats on the show.
22:07Congrats on everything else.
22:08We missed you.
22:10I'll be proud of everybody.
22:11Can't even be streaming your one-time video.
22:13We'll be right back with Dayton Maderezzo.
22:28Our next guest is a very talented actor.
22:30You know from his breakout role as Dustin Henderson
22:33in Stranger Things, as well as his work on Broadway
22:36in shows such as Dear Evan Hansen, Sweeney Todd, and Les Miserables.
22:40He stars in the new comedy Pizza Movie,
22:43which is streaming now on Hulu.
22:44Let's take a look.
22:46These duds?
22:47Guess so.
22:48Want to play Wizard's Oath?
22:49No, we can't.
22:50We need three people.
22:51I could play.
22:53No, it'd take too long to teach you the rules.
22:59Oh, no.
23:07Are you ready, kids?
23:09Yeah!
23:10Here we go!
23:12Everything's nice.
23:13Everything's nice.
23:15Why are our hands sticking?
23:17No one's gonna die today.
23:19Please welcome to the show,
23:20Gaten Maderezzo, everybody.
23:35How are you?
23:36I'm doing very well.
23:37As clips go, that's one of the weirder ones.
23:41I figured it's, I was like,
23:42is that the clip they're using?
23:43Yeah, it's the clip they're using.
23:44Yeah.
23:45Yeah, I would like to say that in context,
23:47it makes more sense,
23:48but I don't think that that would be necessarily true.
23:49Yeah, it's really impressive
23:51that you went from Stranger Things
23:53to something weirder.
23:54Yeah, yeah, yeah.
23:55Like, people will look back,
23:56that's like, that was his, like, very normal stuff.
23:59That was the normal stuff, for sure.
24:00That was the goal.
24:00That was the goal.
24:01Yeah, I think so.
24:02Congratulations on Stranger Things.
24:04An incredible run.
24:08And it does,
24:09I think one of the things
24:10that everybody has sort of enjoyed
24:11about how it all wrapped up was, one,
24:14you know, obviously, the work on screen,
24:15but it was very special to watch, one,
24:17you guys grew up together,
24:18and it did seem like
24:19there was a real closeness
24:20to that group of people.
24:21Oh, yeah, for sure.
24:22And they're family.
24:23I mean, we, like you said,
24:24we grew up together.
24:25We worked on it for a decade,
24:28and it's a long time to do anything,
24:30but especially during such formative years
24:32of our lives,
24:32it was basically half of our lives
24:34up to that point,
24:35so it was nuts.
24:36I, you know, obviously,
24:37I was on a show for 10 years,
24:39and we were a little bit older
24:40when I did it,
24:40but, like, that same thing
24:42where you're just, like,
24:42with a group of people that long.
24:44And I actually, I feel like,
24:45I don't know,
24:46there's some similarities.
24:47I saw you and Finn getting interviewed once,
24:48and the way you were doing bits.
24:50Like, it was like,
24:51you were kind of talking
24:52past the interviewer,
24:53and I'm like, oh, my God,
24:53this is like watching
24:54Bill and Fred do an interview.
24:56Yes, we felt terrible.
24:57It was probably, like,
24:58along, like, the part of the day
24:59where we were just
25:01probably pretty gassed out,
25:02like, at that point,
25:03and we just kept on going.
25:05But it was fun
25:06to realize, like,
25:07you guys, obviously,
25:09you were delighting each other,
25:10which is my favorite thing
25:11to watch on camera.
25:13Finn hosted us,
25:14so now you got to show up.
25:15You got to show up.
25:18We were...
25:18Oh, he was great.
25:19His episode was unreal.
25:21And we were saying backstage,
25:23very, very nice
25:24to be able to experience SNL.
25:26Incredible.
25:26As a plus one.
25:27Exactly.
25:28That's the thing,
25:28is that you got to see
25:29the chaos unfold,
25:30and there's no pressure
25:31whatsoever.
25:32So I got to watch him
25:33go through the monologue
25:33and have the whole week of prep,
25:35and I was talking to him
25:36the whole time,
25:36and him
25:38his pants over it.
25:41And we were like,
25:42all right,
25:42I guess I'll show up
25:43on Saturday.
25:44And, yeah,
25:45it was the best.
25:46It's incredible.
25:46I don't know how you did that
25:47for as long as you did.
25:49Barely.
25:49Yeah, sure.
25:50The answer is barely.
25:51Another thing,
25:52pressure, I would imagine,
25:53is the finale
25:54of Stranger Things,
25:55and, you know,
25:56obviously,
25:57desperately wanting
25:57to nail the landing,
25:59and you guys,
25:59I was actually in theaters.
26:01Yes, it was.
26:01You wanted to see it
26:02in theaters.
26:02Very much so.
26:03But you also did not,
26:05who could blame you?
26:06You did not want
26:07all the extra attention
26:08of you being you
26:09going to see it,
26:09so you had a plan.
26:11A little bit, yeah.
26:12What was your plan
26:12to avoid detection?
26:14So, there was a little bit
26:15of context leading up to this.
26:16I was just going to go.
26:17I was in Florida
26:18visiting my mom.
26:19She lives there.
26:20We were there for Christmas.
26:21And I wanted, like,
26:23to be able to go
26:24and enjoy, like,
26:25festivities where she lived,
26:26but kind of just
26:28not get recognized
26:29as much as I dressed up
26:30as the Grinch.
26:30So, you went to the movie
26:31as the Grinch.
26:32Yeah, yeah, yeah.
26:33But you kind of...
26:37You, uh...
26:38And maybe you didn't...
26:39Well, by the way,
26:40I also...
26:41I'm not judging.
26:41I would have also thought
26:42this was a good idea,
26:43but, of course,
26:43it wasn't a good idea.
26:44You know, no.
26:45It had the adverse effect.
26:47I feel like more people
26:47came up to me
26:48and asked me for pictures
26:49because I was dressed up
26:50like the Grinch
26:51in a public setting.
26:53Like, if I was in a mall
26:54at Christmas
26:54and a Grinch was walking around,
26:56I would think you were there
26:57to take pictures.
26:58To take pictures.
26:59Of course.
27:00And it ended up happening.
27:01But I got to, like...
27:02I don't know.
27:02I got to have more fun.
27:03I got to do more bits
27:04as the Grinch.
27:05Because then they could be like,
27:06man, that kid who was the Grinch
27:08was a real jerk.
27:10I feel like, yeah,
27:12I'd be okay with that.
27:13You, uh...
27:14So, we watched the clip.
27:15It's a pizza movie.
27:16This is a really funny premise.
27:18Just explain the clip
27:19a little bit.
27:20Please, please, please.
27:20You guys take some...
27:21You and your friend
27:22take some hallucinogenic drugs.
27:23Yes.
27:24There's six unique stages
27:26in how you're going to hallucinate.
27:27Yes.
27:28And the only way
27:28to stop the sort of awful
27:30sixth stage
27:31is to go down two floors
27:33and get a pizza.
27:34And grab our pizza.
27:35It's a fictional,
27:37experimental hallucinogenic
27:38that we find in our dorm.
27:40Yeah.
27:41And these phases
27:43are kind of representative
27:44of classic stoner comedy tropes.
27:47And they increase
27:49with absurdity
27:49over the course of the night.
27:50And it's just the attempt
27:53of how insane
27:55could we make
27:55the mundane task
27:56of ordering food
27:57while you're high
27:58B into a movie.
28:00And I think, yeah,
28:03I think we succeeded
28:04in that, for sure.
28:05The visual representation
28:07of it is great,
28:07but what was it like
28:08when you first read the script?
28:10Could you see it?
28:11Oh, man.
28:12I could.
28:12Could you picture
28:13what it was going to be?
28:14For the most part.
28:15There was a lot of stuff
28:16that they admitted
28:17they knew that there
28:18was going to be tweaks
28:19and there were going to be edits
28:20as to how things
28:21were going to wrap up
28:22and where they were
28:23going to end up
28:23and different ideas
28:24of who was going to end up
28:25with who
28:26and what it was
28:27going to look like
28:28and I was excited
28:29about being on board
28:30for those conversations
28:31and I just remember
28:33reading it
28:34and thinking
28:34that I was never
28:35going to read
28:35anything like it again
28:36so if I'm going to pass it up
28:38I have to really consider
28:39if I would feel
28:41very left out
28:42of a very fun experience
28:43which I did come to that.
28:44It doesn't seem like
28:44you can't be like
28:45I'll pass on this one
28:46and the next one
28:46like it I'll do.
28:47Yeah, that was never
28:48going to happen again.
28:49Yeah, the next
28:50head exploding sequence
28:52that lasts three minutes
28:53that happens too
28:54and yeah, yeah.
28:55Or if we say curse words
28:56our heads explode
28:57and so we have to
28:58navigate our way
28:59even though I have
29:00a very foul mouth
29:01so I find it difficult
29:02and you should watch it.
29:03Yeah.
29:04You got your start
29:05on Broadway.
29:06How old were you
29:07when you were in Les Mis?
29:08I started Les Mis
29:10I started touring
29:12with Les Mis
29:12when I was 10
29:12and then they transferred
29:13to Broadway when I was 11.
29:14That's a crazy age.
29:18Long time ago.
29:19What is
29:20what era
29:21what era is this from?
29:23What are you doing here?
29:23This is the Broadway era.
29:24This is at 54 Below.
29:26That's fantastic.
29:27There was a little cabaret
29:28that the cast of Les Mis did
29:29I think probably
29:30on a Sunday night.
29:31Oh yeah, I think
29:32it's Sunday night.
29:32So you're an 11
29:34or whatever 12 year old
29:35cabaret performer as well.
29:36Cabaret performer
29:36and this is my friend
29:37Joshua Colley.
29:38He's in Hadestown right now.
29:39That's fantastic.
29:42What sort of songs
29:43are you guys singing
29:44on a night like that?
29:45Do you know?
29:46We sang at this night
29:47we sang All for the Best
29:48from Godspell
29:49which is a classic
29:50but the pitch of the show
29:51was it was called
29:53Beyond the Barricade
29:54so it was like
29:54songs that are not
29:55showtime related
29:56songs that you would
29:57sing in the shower
29:58and because we were 11
29:59in the theater
30:00the only songs
30:01we really knew
30:02and grew up on
30:03were more
30:03it was more
30:04musical theater
30:05but of course
30:06so we sang some of that
30:07you can watch it
30:08if you want.
30:09Also very exciting
30:10I'm very excited
30:11for Animated Animal Fire
30:13Andy Serkis
30:14A lot of things
30:15thank you for all
30:16these plugs
30:16it's very nice
30:17No no of course
30:17but I'm very excited
30:18to watch this
30:19Andy Serkis directed it
30:21he's fantastic
30:21he's wonderful
30:22and which animal
30:23do you voice
30:24in this one?
30:25I voice Lucky the pig
30:26who yes
30:26he is a pig
30:28which is actually
30:30very funny
30:31yes indeed
30:31it's actually
30:32a newer character
30:34written in the film
30:35that is
30:36kind of acts
30:37as the lens
30:38of how to look
30:39upon Animal Farm
30:40in the eyes
30:41of the screen
30:42which has always
30:43been hard to do
30:44because of course
30:45in the novel
30:45it's eerily told
30:47in an unbiased
30:50kind of perspective
30:50and they thought
30:51a really interesting
30:52way of introducing
30:53that would be
30:53through the eyes
30:54of a young pig
30:55who's very very little
30:56and seeing everything
30:57unfold around him
30:58but also in a position
30:58of great privilege
30:59and I'm sure
31:01most people here
31:02have read Animal Farm
31:03and it doesn't go well
31:06and so
31:07they thought
31:07that was an interesting
31:08idea and perspective
31:09to introduce
31:10so I play
31:11that young lad
31:13I'm just so delighted
31:14to have you here
31:14finally man
31:15I'm a big fan
31:16thank you so much
31:17for being here
31:17you guys
31:18this is Gabe
31:18thanks guys
31:19had a round of
31:20keeps you
31:20going to be
31:21streaming down
31:21we'll be right back
31:22with Dan for the best
31:23come on
31:23thank you
31:37our next guest is an Emmy
31:39award-winning actor
31:40writer and producer
31:41you know from shows
31:42such as Scandal
31:43Hacks
31:44and Web Therapy
31:45he stars in
31:45and is an executive producer
31:47on The Comeback
31:47which airs Sundays
31:48on HBO
31:49and HBO Max
31:50let's take a look
31:50Jane
31:51Jane
31:51this is private
31:52okay so can you
31:53and the cameras
31:54please not come in
31:55this is personal
31:56thank you
31:57okay
32:00why do you have to get them
32:02Valerie Cherish
32:03yeah
32:03this is David Berkus
32:04uh-huh
32:05hi
32:05I've asked David
32:06to do a session with us
32:07David is a brilliant
32:08couples therapist
32:09uh-huh
32:10and has cameras
32:11well
32:12I'm producing this pilot
32:13on my own
32:14uh-huh
32:15I mean
32:15couples therapy content
32:17is so hot right now
32:18is it
32:18yeah
32:19well
32:20Billy
32:21you can't just
32:22suddenly put me
32:23in front of a therapist
32:24and expect me to talk
32:26on his show
32:27you do everything
32:28in front of the camera
32:29but suddenly
32:30not when it benefits
32:32my mental health
32:33or career
32:34you see
32:35this is what I was
32:36talking about
32:37please welcome to the show
32:38Dan Bugatinsky
32:39everybody
32:52how are you
32:53I'm so happy you're here
32:54me too
32:55I'm thrilled
32:55this is um
32:56this is the craziest
32:57strangest run
32:58of any show ever
32:59season one
33:002005
33:01yep
33:01season two
33:022014
33:04season three
33:05now
33:05yes
33:06I was gonna say
33:07have you ever worked
33:08on anything like this before
33:09but like no one has
33:10no it's the only show
33:12in history that took
33:1322 years
33:14right
33:14to make three seasons
33:15and no obviously
33:17that wasn't the plan
33:18in the beginning
33:18when you did the first season
33:20I would assume
33:20the plan was the second season
33:22would be the next year
33:22yes we were canceled
33:24yeah
33:24and that's very sad
33:26and it was very pop
33:27I'm sorry
33:27it was you know
33:28it was beloved
33:28it was
33:29it had a niche audience
33:31yeah
33:31people who got it
33:32and I think some people
33:33thought it was
33:33maybe ahead of its time
33:34yep
33:34um
33:35and we didn't get a pickup
33:37and it was sad
33:39and lo and behold
33:41you know
33:4210 years later
33:42the opportunity
33:43to make another season
33:44so cancellation
33:46is not such a terrible
33:47thing apparently
33:48I mean
33:48yeah
33:49no no no
33:50I would love
33:50not to try
33:51we're not gonna
33:52yeah
33:53no I'm glad
33:54it's worked out for you
33:54but I don't want to try that
33:56no one tried to be canceled
33:57um
33:58uh
33:58it must have been
33:59it felt like a gift
34:01uh
34:01to get the chance
34:02to do eight more
34:03it was such a blessing
34:04to do two
34:05right
34:05and at the end of two
34:06we ended it
34:07in such a beautiful
34:08dramatic way
34:09and we thought it was over
34:11again
34:11yeah
34:12and then everybody was like
34:13you're gonna do a third season
34:14to come back
34:14and I was like
34:15well you never
34:15you never know
34:16I mean
34:16and I guess the weird thing
34:17is because you had 10 years
34:18between your first and second season
34:20people don't stop asking
34:21right
34:21like
34:22nobody goes up to like
34:23David Chase now
34:24and is like
34:24you're gonna do more Sopranos
34:25like you know
34:26but like
34:26it's over
34:26you guys keep doing it
34:28right
34:28exactly
34:28and we're like
34:29well you never know
34:29you never know
34:30and as it turns out
34:31and the thing is
34:32we would always talk about it
34:33we would always talk about
34:34like where do you think Valerie is right now
34:35right
34:36and I was like
34:36oh my god
34:37it would be so great
34:38to see her in London
34:39and like
34:39you know
34:40Downton Abbey
34:41yeah
34:41you know
34:42going head to head
34:44with Maggie Smith
34:45yeah
34:45but we needed a big story
34:48and Lisa Kudrow
34:49and Michael Patrick King
34:50who created the comeback
34:51were like
34:51those are little
34:52you know
34:53those are little incidents
34:54a big story
34:55like first season
34:56was about reality television
34:58threatening our business
34:59and what's a big enough threat
35:01that would make
35:02yeah
35:02it worth it
35:03to do a third season
35:04and it was like
35:05it was AI
35:06and when you heard
35:07that it was going to be AI
35:08did you just realize
35:09by the way like
35:09oh right
35:10that's perfect
35:10that is what it should be
35:11that correct
35:12I mean I think Lisa
35:13was the first one
35:14who was like
35:14oh it's too bad
35:15that we couldn't see
35:16Valerie Cherish
35:16on the picket line
35:17like how would she react
35:18to the to the strikes
35:20and then the two of them
35:21looked at each other
35:22and were like
35:22what if she was
35:23in the first sitcom
35:25written by AI
35:26and it was like
35:27oh that's
35:28that has to happen
35:30and they pitched it to HBO
35:31and they were like
35:32well if you're going to do it
35:32you have to do it right now
35:34right
35:34and it was true
35:35we they
35:36the two of them
35:37wrote all eight episodes
35:37we shot them November to
35:40August to November
35:41and we're on the air now
35:42your character Billy
35:43was a publicist
35:44in the first season
35:45and you're sort of
35:46feeling yourself now
35:47you've gained power
35:48over the course of
35:48the 20 plus years
35:50we've been with the comeback
35:51yes
35:51it must be fun
35:52I mean again
35:53you also
35:54you work with Lisa
35:55you guys are friends
35:56and so
35:56it just must be delightful
35:58to go to work every day
35:59and play this character as well
36:00it is
36:01it is
36:01it's so fun
36:02and Billy started off
36:04as this really rambunctious
36:06and you know
36:07a publicist
36:08with impulse control problems
36:09who shoved everybody
36:10in his path
36:11and 20 years later
36:13yes
36:13we've been working together
36:14for a long time
36:15we've been friends
36:15for a long time
36:16to play Billy
36:18who's finally getting
36:19the opportunity
36:20to call himself
36:21an executive producer
36:22and realize
36:23that he might have
36:24you know
36:25there might be
36:25some star shining on him
36:27soon
36:27maybe
36:29you and Lisa
36:30have both been
36:31in this business
36:31a long time
36:32you're both
36:32very observant people
36:33and because this is a show
36:35about show business
36:35I would imagine
36:36people all the time
36:37are asking
36:38if any of the characters
36:39are based on them
36:40oh yeah
36:41first of all
36:42there are so many women
36:43of a certain age
36:44who had called us
36:44from the beginning
36:46and over 22 years
36:47who were like
36:47oh you're writing about me
36:48you're writing about me
36:49Valerie cherishes me
36:50but the truth is
36:51everybody is a conglomeration
36:53of a lot of people
36:54that we've seen
36:55in our business
36:55and you know
36:57we come from
36:58we're carnies
37:00all of us
37:00you know
37:01and we're cracked
37:02broken people
37:03me included
37:04and there's no reason
37:05we'd be in show business
37:06if we weren't
37:06and so it really
37:08is a conglomeration
37:08of how desperately
37:10how urgently
37:11people really want
37:13to win
37:13and to get seen
37:15and to be heard
37:16one of the reasons
37:17the gay community
37:17responds so much
37:19to the comeback
37:20is because
37:21it's about a character
37:22who wants to be seen
37:24and heard
37:24which is very common
37:25amongst
37:26I hear
37:27amongst the gay community
37:28yes
37:28I think that's true
37:29you know
37:30I want to ask about that
37:31because your kids
37:33are older than mine
37:35you have a 21 year old
37:36and an 18 year old
37:36I have kids too
37:37and it is funny
37:38like you know
37:38we're in show business
37:39like we have this piece of us
37:41that wants to be seen
37:42that like isn't
37:43I sometimes worry
37:44is like an unhealthy thing
37:45to present to your children
37:47right
37:47like daddy cares about
37:49what other people
37:49think about daddy
37:50like correct
37:51and and
37:53are your kids
37:54I mean
37:54again they're of an age
37:55where they probably
37:55didn't grow up
37:56with your work
37:56but do they ever see it
37:57do they ever stumble across
37:58like earlier work of yours
38:00oh they stumble across it
38:01they don't want to see it
38:02on purpose
38:03ever ever
38:04I mean
38:04so if you say to watch it
38:06they would never
38:07my daughter has
38:08my daughter literally
38:09recently said like
38:10are there
38:11are there any shows
38:11that you weren't on
38:12because I'm watching
38:13and then you come on
38:14and it's really annoying
38:15what have you
38:16what have you recently
38:17ruined for your daughter
38:18with a cameo
38:20I recently ruined
38:23Chicago Med
38:24oh wow
38:25so she was just watching
38:26Chicago Med
38:26and then you show up
38:27and there I was
38:27and she's like
38:28dad
38:28yeah
38:29and then she's like
38:30this isn't a real hospital
38:31it's a show
38:32just get
38:33get off my TV
38:34you took me out of it
38:35and then occasionally
38:36I hate to admit it
38:37I want to seem cool to them
38:39and I did this movie
38:39this Christmas movie
38:41with Lindsay Lohan
38:42and my daughter is 21
38:43and it's a romantic comedy
38:44yeah
38:45it's a Christmas movie
38:45there's something
38:46for everyone in it
38:47someone gets stoned in it
38:48I thought my son
38:49would love it
38:50and I was like
38:51daddy's in this
38:51Netflix movie
38:52and I play the husband
38:54of Kristen Chenoweth
38:56she was on Wicked
38:56yeah
38:57I'm selling it so hard
38:58you're coming so
38:58it's so sweaty
38:59it's so sweaty
39:00the way you're sweaty
39:00I believe the kids
39:01would call this cringe
39:03this was very cringe
39:04correct
39:04they did not want to see it
39:05they have not seen it
39:06I was like
39:06oh you couldn't get him
39:08to watch it
39:08nope
39:08I was like quick
39:09kids
39:10daddy's playing straight
39:12and even
39:13even that
39:14even that
39:15they wouldn't even run in
39:16to watch daddy play straight
39:17with a wife
39:18wow
39:19unbelievable
39:19unbelievable
39:20the cruelty
39:22they cause us to feel
39:24I have to stop trying
39:25or acting like I care
39:27you should just
39:28you should have come in
39:29and been like
39:29I'm in a Christmas movie
39:30but it's not for you
39:31oh my god
39:32yeah you're like
39:33I think it would be
39:34over your head
39:34yeah
39:35that's totally it
39:36you don't think
39:37I don't think you'd get it
39:37that'll be the answer
39:38and they'll be in their rooms
39:39like googling
39:40all right what's this Christmas movie
39:41yeah yeah what is this
39:41what is this
39:42well all right
39:42for the next Christmas movie
39:44for sure
39:44thanks so much for being here
39:45congrats on the show
39:46thank you
39:47thank you
39:47thank you
39:47thank you
39:48a new episode
39:49will come back
39:50airs Sundays on HBO
39:51next year
39:51and I'll stick around
39:52we'll be right back
40:07come join the audience at late night live in studio 8g
40:10for tickets head over to late night set tickets.com
40:13follow us at late night set on all social media platforms
40:17subscribe to late night set on youtube
40:18find us online at late night set dot com
40:22and subscribe to the late night podcast
40:24featuring a closer look guest interviews and more
40:27available wherever you listen to podcasts
40:36I want to thank my guests
40:38Aubrey Plaza
40:39and Dan Bukatinsky
40:42thanks a lot
40:42I want to thank you
40:43I want to thank you
40:43I want to thank you
40:47I want to thank you
40:47I want to thank you
40:47I want to thank you
40:47I want to thank you
40:47I want to thank you
40:48I want to thank you
40:49I want to thank you
40:50I want to thank you
40:52I want to thank you
40:52I want to thank you
40:54I want to thank you
40:55I want to thank you
40:55I want to thank you
40:57I want to thank you
40:57I want to thank you
Comments