Hi, my name is Janelle James and I feel excited about being Conan O'Brien's friend.
I heard he has a lot of money.
I did and I invested it badly.
Can I redo my?
No, I'm just kidding.
Fall is here.
Hear the yell back to school, ring the bell, brand new shoes, walking blues, climb the fence, books and pens.
I can tell that we are gonna be friends.
Yes, i can tell that we are gonna be friends.
Hey, welcome to Conan O'Brien.
Needs a Friend.
I'm coming in with a lot of energy.
I've been away for a little bit.
I was in Boston, my old hometown of Brookline, Mass.
Oh, how was that?
It was great.
Got to see a bunch of my peeps, my old gang that I used to run with.
What were you guys called?
What's that?
What was your gang called?
Oh, it was a pretty tough gang.
We wore Lacoste shirts.
Studied hard for our PSATs.
Yeah.
We were the PSAT gang.
Oh, cool.
That's tight.
That's cool.
So scary.
Yeah, it was really scary.
Yeah.
We used to run around.
Sometimes we'd just maladjust someone's cap on their head.
Oh, my God.
Without their permission.
No way.
Yeah.
We'd give it a little twist.
What's that?
Did you have a nickname in the gang?
Mine?
Yeah.
I guess.
I don't want to talk about it.
It's a little... Oh, bones.
It's past life.
You don't want to go back to that.
They used to call me Colonel Baum.
Colonel Baum?
Yeah, he was a revolutionary war general, and he was a German.
Is this what the gang was like?
Because...
Everyone had to be named after a different Revolutionary War general.
He was a German who was sent to fight on behalf of the British.
And he was ambushed, I think, up in New Hampshire.
So you guys would rumble and just, you would come to victory by boring people?
Yeah, pretty much.
Pretty much.
But I was Colonel Baum and you just had different people who were different members of the British fighting forces.
Cool.
That's so cool.
It's the coolest gang.
Sexy too, a little sexy.
So hot.
If anyone got laid, they were kicked out of the gang.
That's the number one rule.
And yet no one did.
No, we lost one good guy that way.
Oh, really?
Yeah, and he just came looking at a woman on screen, but that counted.
Any orgasm of any kind meant you were out of the gang.
Even on your own?
Yeah, but you know what?
Colonel Baum here-
Still in the gang.
Still in the gang to this day.
Wow.
Yeah, still in the gang.
There have been a couple of times where I've seen an ad for Coco and an attractive woman is serving it.
And I'm like, love, restrain oneself.
It's just you and all these 15-year-olds.
Yeah.
The new...
New hires.
Yeah.
Anyway, no, it was, you know, good to get back there.
And, I have to say, wandering around Newberry Street in Boston, I ran into so many people who listened to the podcast who all said hey, tell Matt, tell Sona.
I said hi.
Oh, that's nice.
They said it in those accents.
But still, the message came across.
And I heard a great phrase, which is Newberry Street.
You remember Newberry Street?
It's where all the shops are in downtown Boston.
I love that area of And I heard a great phrase, and I attribute this to the singer from the Mighty, Mighty Boston's, Dickie Barrett, announcer for Kimmel for many, many years.
Someone took a footage of me walking down Newberry Street while I was there and put it up.
People in Boston were seeing it and saying, hey, I saw you on Newberry Street.
And Dickie Barrett told my brother Luke, he was like damn.
I just saw this footage of Conan and kind of in the vein of why can't they leave him alone?
You know.
And he said, you know, guy can't even shoot the noob in peace.
And that was, and I was like, shoot the noob?
Walk down Newberry Street is shoot the noob.
Oh, that's cool.
And I thought that is the coolest phrase.
And just to shout out to Boston, next time, maybe this is something they all say.
I didn't know that.
Shoot the noob.
But I doffed my cap to Dickie Barrett, who said, shoot the noob.
Conan can't even shoot the noob.
Without people giving him a hot time.
Do you say it now?
I say it all the time.
Do you ever shoot the larch?
You're on Larchmont?
No.
You can't.
You can't.
No.
No, it's not the same.
Yeah, yeah.
It's not the same.
But shoot the noob.
Shoot the mont?
So Liza joined me on the trip.
I started saying maybe every 20 minutes the way I do.
Oh, no.
Poor Liza.
Hey, Liza, you want to shoot the noob?
No.
Hey, Liza was shooting the noob.
Let's go shoot the noob and maybe I'll find an orthotic insert.
You're awful.
I'm awful.
And she got to a point where she's like, just no more shoot the noob for a while.
But I love shoot the noob.
So if you're in Boston or you're going to visit Boston, I want to do a public service announcement for the city that says hey, when you're in Boston, shoot the noob.
Hey, you just did it.
I think they're going to just clip that out and like use it for tourism.
Not without my permission.
Oh.
And the cost?
$15 million.
Whoa.
Yeah.
Oh, wow.
Yeah.
I'll do it.
Yeah.
No.
Shoot the Nate Boston.
Oh, this is my Boston.
Hey, Boston, shoot the noob.
Hey, that's your Boston?
Shoot the noob.
Shoot the wicked noob.
Hey.
Wicked pisser.
Yeah.
I don't know.
I don't know how to do Boston.
No, you did it.
That's the whole, it's the attitude.
Shoot the wicked noob.
What are you doing?
What are you doing?
Shoot the wicked noob.
Hey, I'm from Boston.
Hey, isn't it?
And no one goes, hey.
It's a pretty good Gilbert Gottfried impression.
Yeah.
Go Sox.
Go shoot the noob and then say Aflac.
Aflac.
Let's go to Fenway Park and shoot the noob.
I want to get that.
Maybe it's a thing they all say, but I love it.
We got to think of something for for Larchmont, but nothing noob.
Nothing's going to Larch.
Let's Larch it up.
No Larch.
March the Larch.
March the Larch.
March the Larch.
No, he just went for that.
And then you said it was dorky.
You don't march anything with March.
I think that sounds a little dorky.
Yeah.
And a little fascist.
Oh, that's true.
Must march on the Larch.
Yeah.
I don't like it.
Okay, what about lope, lope the larch?
What do you mean?
Lope the larch?
Yeah, i mean lope.
You know like the word lope loping.
You know what i love?
My favorite quality is when you choose to seize the mic.
That's my favorite quality of yours.
You lurch forward and you seize the mic as if you just cracked.
E equals mc squared.
Lurch the larch?
Oh no, stretch your arch on the larch, you know?
Wait that.
You go for that?
Stretch your arch on the larch.
Arch it on the larch.
That's like a public service announcement.
Guys, all I know is that when I was in Boston, you know what I did?
Ask me what I did.
What'd you do?
You can't do it that way.
You can't say shop the noob.
No, it doesn't work.
Hey, what are you going to do tonight?
Shoot the noob!
Oh, he's going to shoot the noob!
Then we pack!
And then get a Remy dog.
I don't know what that is.
What is that?
Okay.
What's a Remy dog?
It's a hot dog.
Oh.
Oh, that's it?
Named after Jerry Remy.
It's Jerry Remy.
Don't say who's Jerry Remy.
That's going to piss me off.
Okay?
Say it again because I need to ask it.
Who's Jerry Remy?
Second baseman, Boston Red Sox, iconic, also a great announcer, an inventor of the Remy dog.
He made hot dogs?
What's special about the Remy dog?
It's named after Jerry Remy.
What did he do with it?
It's infused with the essence of Jerry Remy.
That's all you need to know.
Like his ashes?
Okay, this is getting dark, and I don't like that.
Is he dead?
Is he alive?
He has passed on to his great reward, but somewhere he's in heaven eating and sharing a Remy dog with Christ.
Wait a minute.
There's nothing he didn't add.
He probably did.
This is getting into stuff that I'm sure is proprietary to the Remy family.
And I don't want to get into that.
OK, listen, we are shedding listeners because we're getting way too local, way too parochial.
We can't do that.
We've got to open it up.
You did the shoot, the new thing, i know, you did, i know, and i thought we got away with it.
And then we went down this wormhole of jerry remy remy, dog fenway pock.
This is all important stuff to me yeah, but we are shedding people right now.
You guys want to talk about more sports, more sports yeah, yeah college.
Richard nixon baby, that's where he met pat nixon at the theater.
That's right yeah, Yeah.
The Rocky Cola Cafe in Uptown.
It's gone now.
Whittier.
Whittier where the girls are prettier.
That's right.
Yeah.
And never shittier than in Whittier.
What exactly is never shittier?
Show your tittier on Whittier.
Oh, come on.
Look, all of these were circulating in Whittier many, many years ago.
I'm sure they are.
Yeah.
Show your tittier on Whittier.
I'd pity her were she from Whittier.
You could say, show that you are tiddier in Whittier.
Okay, awful.
How are you tiddier?
Like, you're tiddy, but you're tiddier?
No, you've got more titties.
You have, like, four?
Guess what?
You have, like, four titties?
I'm running this through the latest advanced chat GBT, and it says this is the worst segment ever on a podcast.
Okay, well, you said tiddier in Whittier.
I'm just trying to figure out how you can get tiddier.
I contributed any good to this.
Okay.
But I did shoot the noob.
All right.
Let's get into it.
Let's do it.
All right.
My guest today is a hilarious actress, writer, and comedian who stars as Principal Ava Coleman.
Such a funny character in the hit ABC series, Abbott Elementary.
She is so good.
I'm thrilled she's here today.
Janelle James, welcome.
First of all, I'm going to describe the vibe here right now.
You can maybe see it if you're watching this on video.
I feel like I'm smoking you out now.
What is this that's happening right now?
You lit some incense.
You never know who entered the room before you.
You know what I mean?
And I wanted a clean slate with my new friend, Conan O'Brien.
So I brought some incense.
This is nice.
What is the scent we're getting here?
This is Palo Santo.
Okay.
Yeah.
What are we getting from this sense?
I'm not a connoisseur of sense.
Cleansing.
Good energy.
A little jump off talking point.
It'd be great if that was the scent.
Jump off Talking Point.
Jump off Talking Point for a podcast.
Icebreaker, yeah.
Icebreaker.
This is hints of icebreaker.
Yeah.
Some tones of funny bit we could do.
It does feel like a small fire broke out in the podcast studio.
If any time you want me to put it out, I am.
No.
I'm liking this right now.
It's going right towards you, so you probably need some cleansing.
I was going to say, what does this mean?
It's sensing a black hole of me.
Yeah, it's weird.
There is no wind in here.
It's just seriously going straight to me.
It's going right to my fat head.
That's why I moved it, and it's going right to you.
No matter where you move it, it's going to come to me because it senses a vacuum here.
It senses pain.
Are you anxious today?
Am I just anxious in general?
Yes.
Facts.
Same.
That's why I walk around with incense like a weirdo.
Well, let me paint the picture.
It's still going right to him.
Conan, let us pray.
Every time you move it, the smoke makes a beeline.
It did a U-turn.
Must heal creature.
Must heal creature.
That is weird.
She said it's for cleansing, right?
Yeah, it is.
What's a cleansing alcohol?
It's not working yet.
It's got a lot to do.
You need to bring in a giant bundle of these and light them all at the same time.
I'll do the whole studio for you.
So, Janelle, I'm at this event and I practically run smack into you.
Facts.
What's that?
Facts.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You did almost run right into me.
I did.
You know, I see attractive women sometimes.
I just try and do the old, hey, what the heck?
Sorry I bumped into you.
I love you.
And you can't get me too, you know?
It was just I bumped into you.
No, it was an accident.
It was an accident.
And here I am.
That shit works.
Yeah.
That shit works.
Wow.
No, I ran into you.
I was so happy to see you because you're very funny.
And you're very funny in an original way.
Oh, I appreciate that.
And I was so happy to cross paths with you.
And you were there, David.
I was.
And I said...
I must have Janelle on the podcast.
Yeah, you called me over immediately.
I called you over immediately and said, can you just make this happen?
And you said, well, I don't think I can.
You started fumphering.
It's so nice to have you here.
He was real standoffish.
You were nice.
Yeah.
He was like, I don't know.
I remember.
I try to be as rude as possible.
Well, you know what's nice is Matt Corley is out today.
That's not the nice part.
But boy, what a nice break.
Poor Gourley when he edits this.
We all love Matt Gourley, but you are sitting in his stead, David, and you're a big fan.
I am a huge fan of yours.
As is Sona.
Yep.
As am I. So we've got, I mean, you've got a packed house right here.
Eduardo over there.
Big fan.
I appreciate it.
I feel the love.
Not so much because you're not in Star Wars.
Oh.
Yes.
Yes.
That's manifest.
Okay.
Yes.
As I said, your portrayal of Ava on Abbott Elementary.
It brings me a lot of happiness because I think it's a very tricky thing to pull off the self-involved maybe not a villain.
I'm not going to say villain, but a character.
For a sitcom, I'm a villain.
For a sitcom, you're a villain.
And so you're walking this line, but you do it beautifully and in a way where I think this is great.
This character is inept vainglorious, has all these flaws, but you're very funny doing it, consistently funny, and you keep hitting different notes and I'm just very happy.
Well, thank you so much, Conan.
Yeah, really happy for you.
Wow.
Yeah.
I don't know.
My opinion might not mean anything, but seriously.
What are you talking about?
I don't know if you saw the WGA Awards last year and I had a joke in there where I said what's funny about late night?
And I said, I don't know.
Is Conan here?
He's funny.
Yeah.
And I got a little flack for that.
I am a huge fan of yours.
Well, that's very nice.
I'm a huge fan of yours.
Thank you.
And your opinion, that really made my day.
Well, you know, I'm also, I know that your story is a great story.
Is it?
It really is a great, it is.
You came to your success after a lot of hard work and struggle.
And I love those stories.
I really do.
I think, I just won a contest.
Yeah.
But I think, how'd you win?
What did you do before you won?
Well, I was a male stripper.
I was in Thunder Down Under, and Lorne Michaels saw me grinding it.
I knew he was into that.
Don't disparage the name of Thunder from Down Under, please.
Or Lorne Michaels.
Oh, yeah, that too.
But more importantly, thunder from down under.
No, but let's talk about the backstory a little bit because you're born in St.
Thomas in the Virgin Islands.
I am.
I was.
You were.
You're still being born.
We're all still being born.
Hey, if you think about it.
Do you...
At what age do you start to think I'm funny?
Oh, shoot.
Always?
No, not till adulthood.
Really?
Yeah.
I don't think I was a, yeah, everybody get that class clown question or whatever.
I was not a class clown.
Yeah.
I don't, I don't, I know I was like always a jerk, you know, like a little, like a smart ass.
Right.
But you were funny.
You could make your friends laugh.
I don't remember.
I don't know if I'm just old.
I don't remember like.
It's all this incense.
Facts.
Could be.
OK.
Yeah.
I don't remember.
I don't remember till adulthood people being like, you're hilarious.
I don't.
Yeah, I don't.
I was like a nerdy bookworm growing up, but I've always just been.
I'm sensing a kindred spirit here.
Yeah.
I've just always been an adult business.
I know that.
Like listening to what's going on, curious about everything and then having something to report.
That was my thing.
And just being like sarcastic with it.
And I think I became funny.
So just people would listen to me state all my facts that I knew.
Yeah, like that works, it's a survival instinct.
Yeah yeah uh, you move.
How old are you when you move to 16?
And you move to maryland?
Yeah, and then i was there for a year and then i moved to new york.
Um, because i loved madonna and and she had that, that uh movie.
She had that song come to new york, come to new york.
What was that?
Who's That Girl?
I remember watching that when I was like five or something, like just being obsessed with her and being obsessed with New York and was like I'm going to move there and just like be like Madonna, just like bopping down the street having a New York life.
And so moved to New York, did every hustle in the book.
Let's hear some of the hustles because... Man.
I worked in a salon in the fashion industry.
I worked in a law firm.
I worked hosting in many restaurants, a waitress in many restaurants.
I worked in many hair salons as a receptionist and like shampoo girl and all those things.
I worked at, oh, frick, what's the Howard Stern Strip Club?
Is it named after him?
No, what is that?
Scores.
Scores.
I worked at Scores as a humidor. which is a cigar girl.
Oh, so that means you walk around with a tray of cigars.
Too prudish to get naked, but I wish I did when I still had that body.
But yeah, humidor.
I was a humidor guy when I was in Thunder Down Under.
Oh, God.
Yeah.
Okay.
They wouldn't let me take my shirt off.
I did once, and three people went to the hospital.
You blinded them.
Blinded them.
They were like, I see a lot of white and then blue veins.
Am I dead?
Yeah.
What else did I do?
I started many home hustles.
I taught sewing lessons in my house.
I threw parties in my house for entry because I had no furniture.
So I was like, what can I do with all this empty space in this apartment?
I threw parties.
I started a personal chef.
This is when... So enterprising.
Because I grew up, my dad had a restaurant, so I know how to cook.
I don't like to anymore, but...
So I knew how to cook.
And I'm just like, what skills do I have that cannot turn into money?
That's what New York was for me.
And so I started this.
This is when all the startups were going.
Like WeWork and all that shit opened.
So I started doing like personal chef for all these like, you know, eight person offices.
I would go in and cook lunch for them.
I will cook your food, then wash your hair.
Whatever you need.
Then offer you a cigar.
Whatever you need, baby.
You could do anything, yeah.
That was called the joy of not cooking.
I just remember that.
Yeah.
So, yeah, many things.
And then in between there, got married, had a baby.
And then I moved to follow the man to the Midwest, which is where I started comedy.
Okay.
Yeah.
So the whole time that you're doing what you call hustles just jobs you're doing all these different jobs.
You're trying everything.
Sometimes at the same time.
Yeah.
And you are, you know, you're earning your way.
Is it in the back of your head while that's all happening?
I've got to get into a performing life.
No.
No, not at all.
Not at all.
Wow.
So my ex-husband he would say so, when I had that empty apartment he would come over and we would you know imbibe and we would get high.
And I don't know how else to say that.
And I'd be running my mouth as I do.
And he would say, you're hilarious.
He's the first person I remember being like, oh, you should do something with that.
And I'm like, what a clown.
Like, what do I do?
Being hilarious.
It never crossed my mind.
Yeah.
It really it really didn't performing or I never did like stage play.
Nothing, nothing performance wise.
Life is a performance.
I will say my dad had like a restaurant on the beach.
That's where I grew up.
We started as a food truck and then it turned into a restaurant.
And so our performance, me and my siblings, of which I'm the oldest of nine we were the kids that come up to you on vacation and sell you shit.
That's my first performing like, hey, you got to have a game.
Aren't you thirsty?
You have to be able to talk.
Yeah, yeah.
You know, like, oh, quench your thirst with this bucket of Bacardi or whatever.
So we were always performing like, oh, we're just poor island kids, you know, that kind of thing.
So I've always been like outgoing in that way.
So you're in the Midwest and you decide you'll go to an open mic night.
What did you do?
Yep.
Somebody handed me a flyer in the grocery store and I came home.
I put it on the table and my ex-husband said, what's that?
And I was like, some guy handed it to me.
He was like, you should go.
Like, because, you know, I went there for him.
He was going to school.
And so I didn't I hadn't really been leaving the house or anything.
So he's like, you should go outside.
Right.
And I went and I watched.
It was my first time seeing a comedy open mic.
I had no idea like how comedians start or practice or anything like that or that that happens.
And I was laughing.
So they wanted me to come back.
They were like, come back next week.
And by the way, you can do some time.
You could do four minutes if you want next week.
And I was like, what does that mean?
They told me you write your material.
You can do four minutes.
And so that's what I did.
I came back the next week.
I did four minutes.
I got my first laugh.
I was like, this is it.
I loved it.
And I just started doing it every week.
Started hanging out with those dudes, like five white boys.
We started traveling around.
Yeah.
Not in a van.
We were in a Volvo station wagon.
Going to like the different clubs around.
Did you work out a set?
I did.
Or did you have a lot of improvisation in your set?
No, no.
I was really like, so my at that time, my dad was dying.
And I think a lot of comedians start from some traumatic, you know, shit.
And so I was just kind of working that out.
So my first 10 minutes or whatever that I built up was about my dad dying.
And.
But then also, like a lot of starting comedians, I started getting like book gigs, like Yeah, I got 30 minutes, you know that kind of thing.
And so I had to improvise in that way.
But I don't I don't think I was good, but I was doing it.
So, yeah.
And then, yeah, my home club is the Jukebox Comedy Club in Peoria.
I started hanging out there.
That's the home of Richard Pryor, if you don't know.
Yeah.
And that's where I met, like, all the traveling comedians.
And the first person to take me on the road was Todd Berry, who saw me there.
Love Todd Berry.
Yeah.
And then where I was was a college town.
So all the big comics would come through.
And so Todd then told Rob Delaney, I was going to open for Rob Delaney.
Todd told him, like, make sure you watch your opener.
And I remember like doing my set and Rob Delaney's, like at the back of the room with his arms crossed.
And then he was like, hey, do you want to tour with me?
So I went with him.
And he was, like, huge on Twitter then.
And so I got to, like two years in, do these like sold-out 3000, you know seat back-to-back shows with him, and then Hannibal.
I just started going with different people.
And so by the time I got back to New York, Todd had said hey, if you're ever in New York, look me up.
And I showed up and I was like, remember you said?
He was like, no, I... No, man.
No, man.
Oh, no.
Hey, man.
Hey, man.
No, man.
But since you're stalking me, come to my birthday party and...
That's where I met Eugene Merman.
And then I started hanging out with them and Kristen Schaal and all those people.
There's this, I think it's a common story.
I can certainly relate to it.
You spend your early years in what feels like the wilderness.
And you're wandering around.
You don't think anyone's like you.
And then you get into a certain little, I don't know, tide pool or something.
You meet one person.
And then that seems to be the reality for a little bit.
And then you meet one other person, another person.
And suddenly you're wired into this community.
Yeah.
And it's a beautiful thing.
I was like, whoa, comedians.
You know, I don't know about cool, but yeah.
Let me see.
Todd Berry.
Eugene Merman.
Yeah.
As cool as can be.
But like laughing and hanging out.
Sure.
The extended adolescence.
You know, I luckily came in when everybody was on the wagon.
So I missed all the alcoholism and drug shit.
There's still time.
Yeah, i'm sure, but you know that's interesting because everyone you've mentioned is a really funny hannibal.
All these people you're mentioning are, and unique, unique funny people and so you start.
It's also a school yeah, because you can watch other people and you can understand different rhythms and it's, i always think it's the same thing as music.
I mean you're just around.
I mean i always say, after i met todd, i did todd berry for like a year very stoic, didn't move around yeah, yeah and uh.
He taught me a lot about the road, how to get paid.
Make sure you're getting paid.
Like those two things are the most important.
And I've worked with Todd and he is very good at getting paid.
Todd, you haven't done it yet.
Yeah.
Like don't get fucked over by these clubs.
And yeah, I learned stuff from everyone.
And so yeah, I feel like I have a.
It was the best entry into this you know business for me, somebody who was already an adult and And super focused, because around that time I started missing a lot of shit with my kids as entertainers do.
And so I was very focused, because I was like, this has to be worth it.
So you weren't thinking about Abbott Elementary.
You weren't thinking about the character of Ava.
This was something that came to you, and you didn't even jump at it right away.
No.
So I got that audition during the pandemic.
I always thought so.
I hadn't really thought about acting.
My whole goal at that time was I want to be Chris Rock.
I had just come off.
My last tour was touring with Chris.
And I was like, this is amazing, you know.
And so I was like, this is my goal.
And so I would get auditions from our agents and I would just kind of fuck around with them, like especially if I thought it was stupid or what.
I wasn't ever like. pressed to get on screen.
I was like, if it happens, it will.
And then I always thought one of my friends would get a show and bring me over, like Adam Sandler does, or whatever.
So when I got that script, I really liked it, which is rare.
You know, to read a pilot like, oh, shit, this is amazing.
And so I remember I wrote Quinta on Twitter and I was just like, you're pilot is so good.
I know how hard that is to do.
I've been trying to write one myself and failing.
And she's like, thanks.
I think I'm going to audition for Ava.
She said, I didn't know you act.
And I was like, I don't know if I do, but I don't know.
I'll try.
I love how honest you are.
You're not.
You're not selling yourself for talking your way into it.
You're saying, oh, I have no idea.
I was really just trying to compliment.
I was really impressed.
I was like, I'm laughing out loud.
I could totally see this.
And I remember telling my agent, like, even if I don't get this, this is going to go.
It's going to go with or without me.
And it was in the middle of the pandemic.
So I wasn't I thought we were going to die.
I wasn't really trying to do much of anything.
Truly.
So I had the audition like in my hands for like six weeks.
And the deadline passed.
I kept asking for extensions and I just I didn't have the motivation.
I was depressed.
I was depressed.
And then finally, my agent was like, are you sure?
Like, I really think, you know, that I was like, fine.
I had to like pull out all the I couldn't find my ring lights.
I had my son like holding a floor lamp towards me, you know, for lighting and everything.
And then I just, yeah, I sent in the self-tape and then I got a call back.
So yeah, that's how it happened.
And then I did four subsequent like Zoom auditions.
The highest compliment you can pay someone is, I cannot imagine that character being someone else.
Thank you.
In any alternate universe, you're still playing that part.
Thank you.
I mean, that's how I feel.
That's how I feel like it's meant to be.
Because again, I waited so long.
Everyone had already auditioned.
It kind of worked out for me in that they were still looking for the person.
It was like, oh, this late comer.
And then I found out Quinta, once I did my initial, she just kept sending me up.
They were like, well, can we get a name?
Who else do you have?
She was like, it's this person.
It's this.
So she kept.
So it kind of worked out that I waited.
And yeah, I do totally feel like it's meant to be, which is how I like everything in my life to work.
Well, I don't want to chase anything.
Yeah.
But that's the thing too, is that I feel like you probably, after all these experiences you've had, not just as a stand-up, but all these experiences you had just trying to make your way in the world, none of that's wasted.
That all goes into your ability to look at this character and say, here's what I would do with this.
And also, what's the word?
Is it empathize?
I don't know.
But yeah, she's a hustler at the end of the day.
Like, that's really what I took out of her ethos.
Like she has same thing like me, multiple businesses going, even though she's a principal.
Why does she own a party bus?
Exactly.
She has a thriving TikTok shop.
You know, she has a rotating closet in hers.
Yeah.
You know, she's doing everything.
Also when she unveils the sign that she spent thousands of dollars for a public school that's very much in need of funding.
You spent it on a sign that you're on.
Yeah.
You know, inspiring.
Yeah.
Is really what I was trying to.
That's the word I wrote down right here.
Is what she was trying to do.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Because I don't know anything about.
Because what is a thousand dollars when you need millions is how I.
But you know, I think empathize is the right word, because you're saying these characters don't work if you also don't like them.
And the fact is, if you just looked at the character of Ava on paper, I don't know that you would see anything that you would like, but your portrayal of her, I see a lot of qualities.
She is fearless.
She completely believes her own bullshit.
Mm-hmm.
My favorite characters in comedy are deluded, egotistical.
To me, it's- Best entertainment industry, baby.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It got to be delusional.
People that, I mean, to me, it goes back to Peter Sellers' Clouseau or Don Knotts as Barney Fife.
People that don't have the skills, they don't really have any of the backing that they need.
They completely believe in themselves, 100%.
I think that's the difference between me and her.
Like she has like almost unearned confidence.
And I think my just the coming up in stand up it's and how I I mean them shows I did in the Midwest were horrible.
You know, I'm doing like BFWs with, like all, like a full house of white men just staring at me with their arms crossed.
Like so nothing once I got to Hollywood and acting is scary anymore.
And I also had the backing of The Grace.
I've had Chris Rock tell me, yo, you the real deal.
So these are the things that are giving me the confidence to do this character, which is my first role.
Yeah, it's kind of unbelievable.
But it makes sense to me because early on, I always insisted... What I had was my mind.
And I thought, okay, I can develop these other things, but I want to be in control.
I don't want to go around and say, I'm a blank slate.
Someone please cast me.
I knew that I had to form this... Personality.
This Conan thing.
I kind of knew what it was, and I just kept doubling down on it.
And...
I think your story is very inspirational to me because I see you finding yourself and you get to- You make me cry, so way to go.
Again, I'm going to give the credit to the tie stick you brought.
Not only are you going to cry, I'm going to cry and vomit blood.
Just smoke eyes.
Again, do you need me to put it?
No, I love it.
All right.
It is the.
I can't tell when you, when you're being.
No, but.
It's usually not serious.
I've never said a serious thing in my life.
So that's what I'm saying.
That's what me and him being.
I love it.
It could mean anything.
No, no, no.
Excuse me.
Just one minute.
Um, No, but you, you took control.
I think that has informed everything you've done.
Is you deciding?
No, I'm not going to chase anything.
I'm going to develop.
I mean, what I would think was my worst nightmare would be to be quote unquote trapped in a character you know.
Like you're saying, you developed your own thing.
So, and I'm in as many standups are as like, I'm a thing onto myself.
Like I am me, you know, that thing.
So then, to come to this play, this character who's become her own thing, really like fucked my head up for the first couple of seasons.
And now I'm like, I have to come back to, I like this person.
I think she's interesting.
How did it screw you up a little bit?
People saying that I'm that person.
I see.
That type of thing, which I've now intellectualized as, oh, that's how well I'm doing.
Yeah.
That people think that I am her.
Right.
So people meeting you and thinking you're a deluded, egotistical narcissist.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I get that too.
Yeah.
You're like that Conan guy.
No, that's my character.
But also having to like realize... Having to realize that they admire it.
Like yeah, we're saying it as like a negative and they're like i love that you're this deluded, narcissistic.
I always think comedy writers.
I know in my career, when i was on the simpsons, i only wanted to write for mr burns.
I only wanted to write the villain, the villain.
It was so much fun that they had to tell me you can't pitch another mr burns story.
All your ideas are about mr burns because he's You know he can be infinitely evil.
He can have vast amounts of money.
He can have robots in the basement.
It's this whole world, and it's the same thing with Ava, where she can... Anything.
She's almost a cartoon.
Yeah, you can come up with all kinds of stuff for her.
The hello sign that she... aims towards herself i love it and i did that to make myself laugh it was like leave it you know right because someone tried to change it someone tried to say like i did it like ha isn't that funny like it's facing me and then i was like all right let me put it back she was like no put it back that's hilarious you know so it's like yeah no greeting for the outsiders it's for me it's you saying hello to yourself and explaining who you are yeah yeah it's such a little touch i love it and i love that it's stuck and and people yeah yeah But that becomes catnip for writers because it's, I think, one of the reasons your character just sort of took on a life of its own is there's no end to it.
People can have a lot of fun saying, oh, wait, I just thought of something that Ava could be doing.
I mean, people watching the show can think of that.
So that goes back to me being like, oh, no, I'm stuck in this character.
I'm really not, because she can do anything.
She can do anything.
I think, more than any of the other characters who are very like.
They are their you know ethos and their character.
Ava can switch up at any time, and it won't be a surprise.
You're waiting for the switch up, you know?
Were you happy when your former boyfriend was revealed to be a... Oh, Iguodala?
Yeah.
Is that what you're talking about?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Was I happy?
Yeah.
He's hot?
Sure.
Quince actually ran that by me.
What do you think about this guy?
And I liked that he was married because I was like, oh, less instance for sexual harassment.
Yeah.
Like, oh, a family man who's also a tall, attractive ballplayer.
Who wouldn't want that in their lore?
That's her lore.
That she only dates athletes.
Which you can keep adding to.
Yeah.
I mean, she founded The Roots.
I don't know if you've heard.
And like, no one believed that you knew Questlove and then you showed up.
I don't know how many times I got to bring it to these motherfuckers.
That's what I like about her.
She's like...
She says things and then it turns out to be true.
That reminds me so much of, I grew up in Boston and Red Sox, of course, are everything.
And the star of Pitcher was this guy, Louis Tiant.
And we had this, I got to be careful here so I don't get anyone in trouble.
I had a teacher who will go unnamed, who was just a character.
And was always spinning stories about hanging out with Fidel Castro in Cuba and escaping Cuba and being shot at and swimming across the ocean to get to America.
You just thought nothing he's saying is true.
And he used to talk about how his good friend was Louis Tion, who was the biggest star in Boston.
We thought, bullshit, you know, whatever, man.
And one day we're all having class.
We're on the first floor.
Ting, ting, ting, ting, ting.
And a hand is wrapping on the window and it's wearing a giant pennant ring.
No.
And we look over and it's Louis Tiant banging on this teacher's window.
And he goes like, hey, guys, I got to go outside and talk to El Tiante and goes outside.
And suddenly I realized he is friends with Castro.
Everything else is true.
Everything is true.
But it's the same thing.
And now he's a teacher.
And it's just like, yeah, I'm like this character.
Another reason I was mad about the character being characterized with this character is like I'm like this is the least interesting thing about me, you know is playing this part.
So I had to like get over that.
Yeah.
And realize that that means I'm doing a good job.
Yeah.
That comedian ego shit.
Do you like...
You're very well known.
It's a hit show.
Your character really pops.
Do you like being recognized and how do you handle that?
Because you're not someone who was three years old saying, I've got to be recognized.
That wasn't you.
So how do you do it?
Like again, I had a very rough first couple of seasons.
Just wrapping my head around all of this, you know, and because you said it wasn't anything I ever like actively pursued.
And then, uh.
Comedians are like, especially standups, we're like contrary loners, you know what I mean?
And then to have people think that I'm this character, which I know comes with a performance.
Like that's how we're different in that she wants to be famous.
And so people approach me as like this must be great for you that I'm recognizing you, because that's what you want, because you're that character.
So that was hard for me.
And so now I've gotten better because I just stay in the house.
What a healthy approach.
I saw a therapist.
Everything's better.
And the therapist said, don't leave the house.
Everything's better.
No.
No, it's been wild.
I do have, yeah, a therapist.
I have two.
Now?
They just talk to each other now.
Yeah, like, oh, what's going on with this broad?
Yeah.
And then I don't want to feel, because then people take that as ungrateful, because people think that that's what they want, or you want, or you wanted fame.
I'm like, I just wanted money and to have fun.
Yeah. to have to perform every time I leave the house, which it does feel like a performance.
Like even when people, I'm glad that I'm a villain that people like to see.
That's one thing, you know?
So everybody's approaching me with like happiness and joy, but that's still like so much energy output for me when I'm just trying to go get some dog food or something.
I hope you have a dog.
That's all I got to say.
That shit is good.
Have you tried it?
All the actresses on a dog food diet now.
If that gets out and everyone's eating dog food, it works.
Osepic who?
Yeah.
Are you on dog food?
Are you on dog food?
All your nutrients?
I found Alpo in your garbage can.
Do you... I mean, how do you deal with it?
You've been doing that forever.
I know, I know.
We ran into each other because I was running up on you.
Like, you know, so I... How do you feel about it?
I was like, that's Conan O'Brien.
I'm very happy that you came running up on me.
That didn't happen a lot before I got famous.
Women weren't running up on me.
And so I say yes to fame.
Uh...
Well, I have two good witnesses here that will tell you, because they're with me all the time, Sona and David, and they see me out in the real world.
And I learned a long time ago there's two types.
There's someone like a Steve Martin who I think is just absolutely brilliant comedian legend icon.
I mean, he's up there in the Mount Rushmore of funny people.
And he's very reserved and quiet and kind of shy out in public.
And I think a lot of his career has been people not understanding that crazy guy with the arrow through his head.
I saw him.
I'll go up to him and I'll give him that energy.
Do something wacky.
Yeah.
Now.
Exactly.
And it's like they're coming across a very shy art history professor and they're confused.
What a jerk.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And then there are people like myself who are me all the time, to the point where it's probably an illness.
I mean, I'm just like to try and I do the same stuff with the waiter or the person who's selling me the insole for my shoe.
I'll do the same thing for them that I would do with you here.
It's no difference.
I mean, it depends.
I for me, I if I'm with someone that I think that I feel safe with, I love it.
I love talking to people.
I'm a comedian.
I want to know what's your deal.
What do you do?
How do you and I always feel I always say that's what this is.
This experience has taken from me is talking to strangers, really, because I'll.
What I'm looking for now is people who don't recognize me.
And then I'll have a conversation with them.
And I'm like, I leave so, like, energized because I do like people.
And then right before I step away, they'll be like, by the way, I love you on the.
And I'm like, oh, no.
Did I tell that person where I live?
Because that's how I talk to them.
I'm like, yeah, I just moved to da, da, da.
Where did you eat?
I love this restaurant and we'll have a great thing and I'll be like wow, made a new friend.
And they're like I think I already know you.
That's what I don't like yeah yeah, and I've also noticed that I will also be more open.
I'm like, thank you so much.
I'll do the whole thing.
But I'm wary of it.
But if they say, I've been following you since Stand Up.
I know your Netflix special.
Then I feel like, oh, you know me.
They know you.
And then I'm like, what's up, homie?
You know what I mean?
So it just depends.
I came to your fake restaurant.
Exactly.
Exactly.
So I'm working on it.
I smoked some of your cigars.
Yeah.
Hey, I saw your titties in the 90s.
What?
What's up, old friend?
Me and Stern.
That's where I know you.
That's where I know you.
The year is 2008.
It's me and my friend Stern.
And here you come, cigars and titties. like, yeah, you know, the real Janelle.
What's up, friend?
How is your family reacted to all this?
Oh, my God.
Well, my mom just came around because she's.
Did she love it?
She's my mom is very shy.
I am also and I didn't realize this.
I am also kind of surprisingly shy.
Yeah.
And so my mom is very shy.
And so she for the first couple of seasons wasn't even telling anyone.
And then she, she said I put a picture of you on my desk and people keep stopping by like what is it?
She's like that's my daughter and they're like what she's been You know your daughter this whole time, or whatever.
So now she's kind of leaning in.
And also I'm trying to get her used to the fact that I have money and that she can accept things for me.
That's been a big deal and that she can have nice things.
That's something I had to work through.
Like, oh, I can have I can I have money.
So it's been so many things all at once.
My kids don't watch the show.
They're cool.
I think that's good.
Yeah.
It's good.
Yeah.
You know, my oldest son says it's weird to see me like that.
Yeah.
He's like, what is that voice you're doing?
And who is that?
But he's like wow, you're like.
I took him just recently to like a talk I did at a at a college and just him seeing how people react to me, which I People cry with me and I'm always like I'm not MJ.
Like, it's cool.
I'm just a lady.
But people cry and like shake.
And my son was like, what the fuck?
Like, you're famous.
And I was like, yeah, yeah, this shit is wild.
And that was just a couple of weeks ago.
And that's like the first real conversation we've had about, because I try to tell them, but it's not till you're.
My mom, too.
I took her to New York.
We went to Broadway.
People were chasing us.
My mom, she's so tiny with her little legs running and she was so anxious.
She's just like, what the fuck?
Like they don't.
It's been crazy for all of us.
But yeah, again, I just stay in the house.
She's a hologram right now.
I'm beaming in.
We assembled the studio in your house.
I'm like, oh, why do celebrities live in the mountains?
I know now.
You know, it's so nice to see someone's work from afar, just see their work and admire them, and then meet them.
Conan O'Brien just said that no no, but what I'm saying is admire them and then meet them, and they're just who you would want them to be, which is you are yourself, I am.
You are yourself, and there's no changing that.
And so many people would have been warped bent twisted, stretched by this experience.
I wish I could lean in though.
I wish I could be like Yes.
I don't know.
That's what Ava would do.
Yeah.
I'd be out as her.
I'm leaving so much money on the table.
I can perform as her.
Welcome to the Ava Extravaganza.
I could probably have a fucking Vegas show.
All kinds of shit.
There's still time.
Don't say no to it.
Don't say no to it.
Yeah.
You know, there's always time for that.
Yeah.
And in fact, it's not time for that right now.
It's time for you, you know, to see this character through.
Now, some people are speculating because your character got fired.
Facts.
For a couple hours.
Yeah.
At most.
We were all panicked when that happened.
I didn't think you would be.
I was like, oh, I'll go back on the road.
I wonder what Chris is doing.
Like, I was like...
I was like, I mean, that's the benefit of having multiple skills.
And I mean, I've I've quit jobs for for any reason before.
Again, I'm always on the hustle.
I'm like, OK, well, if you think that's the best thing for the show, for me to be off of it.
I agree with you, Quinta.
You're a fucking genius.
Yeah.
Thank you so much for the opportunity.
She's like, no, you'll be back the second the next episode.
I was like, oh, I don't even get some days off.
Can't your character be in a coma?
Can't Ava be in a coma and you still get paid just as much?
I was like, how many days?
Can I go to Mexico?
Like, what's going on?
No, I was back the next episode.
But that was very thrilling for me because people still come up to me now.
So that happened last season, months ago.
And people still come up to me now like let me know when you're back on the show so I can start watching again.
And I'm like, dude, I was on the next episode.
Yeah.
People were like, I don't watch it anymore.
They fired you.
Why would they do that?
So that was like gratifying for me.
Like, oh, wow.
I'm a thing.
Yeah.
Yes, you are a thing.
Thank you.
Absolute delight.
Thank you, Conan.
To get to meet you, get to know you.
I think I told you when I met you I wanted to do time on your show, and then I was too precious about my little five minute set.
And then all of a sudden you weren't there anymore.
Well, here we are.
This is, I mean.
Who knows what I was going to say back then.
My dad is dead.
Killing.
Look at me crushing.
See, still got it.
Still got it.
I'm sorry.
It's just such a funny line.
My dad is dead.
It just kills every time.
That was probably my set back then.
Yeah.
No, it's just, you know.
One of the things that makes me really happy this has been a real gift to me is this podcast format, which was invented by people long before me.
And I just came along and it fits me like a glove because...
What I really want to do- Love your tribal series as well.
Oh, thank you so much.
You're the best at talking to people.
Anyway, I love you.
Thank you so much.
But what I love to do is, in the old days, it would have been you.
Yeah, it would have been you doing your set and me coming over and thanking you and us standing together for a second.
Walking from the desk and shaking my head.
Yeah.
And then, good night.
We'll be right back.
Janelle James, everybody.
Credits.
This, to me, is more meaningful.
Well, thank you.
Because we really get to talk about some stuff.
I mean, how many listeners you got on this?
I got a lot.
Okay, great.
I don't do numbers, but... I'll be the judge of meaningful.
I refuse to be here today.
It's okay.
I was doing a bit like, how meaningful is it?
We shall see.
Let's quantify it.
Will my followers... A lot.
We have a lot of people listening and they're all the greatest people ever.
You are your fan base.
I always say that.
Yeah.
Janelle, you are just a delight.
And I do hope you come back sometime.
Anytime.
And I hope we are friends for real, because that would be Seriously, that'd be a nice thing for me.
You would up my friend game.
I feel like everybody says that.
And then I'm in your backyard and you're like, how'd you get here?
No, you don't.
I really don't have a lot of friends.
And I'd be so happy to, I'll come to your house and I'll hang out.
I just got a pool.
What's that?
I just got a pool.
What's the shape of the pool?
Is it kidney shaped?
Nope, it is.
Oh, is it?
Kidney shaped.
It's bulbous.
It's more squash shaped.
Is it kidney shaped?
The mind wanders.
I'm here for your bulbous pool, Janelle.
Welcome, is what I will say.
Oh, my God.
The way you just invited yourself over.
I'm going to ring your bell.
I'm here for bulbous pool.
Who is that?
I don't know.
I can't see, but I think it's Conan O'Brien.
I'm going to say, here's your incense.
Please cleanse yourself before you enter, and let's have a great time.
Thank you so much for being here.
I appreciate it.
Thank you.
I mean, this was so great.
Oh, great.
And easy.
Love it.
We all win.
Thank you, guys.
You know what?
I'm going to go home and my wife's going to say, who are you cheating on?
A Catholic nun.
You smell like parsimmons.
Let's do a review the reviewers.
I like it.
I like to keep my finger on the pulse of what the podcasting listeners believe, feel.
That's right.
This is where we go to Apple Podcasts and we take a five-star review.
Okay.
Not hard to find.
It's nice.
Okay.
So you're weeding out all the no-star reviews.
Yeah.
I don't think you can give no stars.
You have to do one.
I'll find a way. to your own podcast.
Yes.
I'm going to load up our comment section with no star reviews.
All right.
And we read it and we review it.
Or if there's a question, we'll answer it.
Yep.
This is from Annalise0912.
The title is Best Podcast Ever.
Wow.
Yeah.
I listen to this all day at school.
I have absolutely no idea what's going on in any of my classes, but I'm sure I'll figure it out.
The bad thing about listening to this at school though, is that I can't laugh out loud and, believe me, I really want to.
Seriously.
If you look over at me while I'm listening, you would see tears streaming down my face, me quivering and shaking with laughter, and my face is red as a tomato.
I'll often at times have to go to the bathroom, and I'll sit there and just laugh.
Anyways, love the podcast and love Conan!
First of all, I love Annalise0912.
And thank you so much.
What a great comment.
And I mean, Adam, you can get involved in this.
Why aren't we an app?
Why aren't we an app?
Well, I think the main ask I heard out of that is that she wants the full episodes.
And my guess is that this review was written before we started releasing full episodes.
So we're doing what she wants.
And you don't have to go to an app.
You go to YouTube where everyone has access to.
This was a year ago.
Yeah.
So I think it's- So now she's 17 and despises us.
Oh no.
And that's how far back I had to go to find a five-star review.
The part of my brain that determines what's of quality developed in the last year.
No, it's really nice.
I usually push aside compliments, but we just have to take this.
It's so nice.
Are you worried, though, that she's in high school and she's listening to this during class?
You know, no, because I remember in high school learning nothing that was of use to me.
And I'm just, come on.
When was the last time you used any of your math skills, Sona?
I don't know.
You still walk around with an abacus.
Graduated high school.
Exactly.
I know.
I used to write disco rules on all the tables I sat on.
Did you really?
I don't know why.
But disco didn't rule when you were in high school.
I think it was just me being like silly and ironic.
And I would just be like, disco rules, because I didn't think it ruled.
But I also, maybe I did go through a bit of a disco phase.
It's a fun genre.
I like disco.
But I think that what I'm excited about is she's young.
I know.
Young people, I really want them to like me.
Really?
Do you guys ever feel that way?
Or is it just me?
I know he does.
Like I want young people to assist me.
Help me up if I fall in.
Guide me to the part of the iPhone that I can use.
You know, I mean, that's I'm mostly looking to young people for I actually I will say this.
This is honest.
I love the enthusiasm of young people.
I really do like that.
And when when young people are happy, I'm happy.
It's a weird, I don't know if that's weird to say, but I am.
I think that because I tried to think I was hip for a while.
And then now I've completely lost touch with 16 year olds, where I don't know what they're interested in.
And I think that when they like something that I'm involved in, it makes me feel good.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Why not?
I like this.
I like this very much.
And I have to say when I'm cruising around.
Not cruising.
What?
Where were you cruising?
There was a time in the late 70s, early 80s when I was cruising.
It was after the Al Pacino movies.
Cruising came out.
And I didn't understand what it was about.
Don't even know what that movie is.
I just thought it meant having a nice walk.
Did he cruise?
Yes, he certainly did.
He's an undercover cop that went underground in a gay scene to solve a murder.
Oh, Oh, cruising like that.
Yeah, I didn't know what it was.
So I wore the same outfit that Al Pacino wore in cruising, which was all leather and a leather cap.
And I would yell, I'm cruising around, and I'd walk around.
I didn't know what it meant.
But boy, certain people were very friendly to me.
But anyway, that's neither here nor there.
What's important is just walking around.
A lot of young people say they enjoy this silliness.
So that's nice.
I wonder what our youngest listener is that finds it on their own.
Not that their parents listen.
It would be in utero.
I think sometimes yeah, there are obstetricians that say you should be there's a way you can just put the podcast up to your belly, and a child, as it's forming a fetus, can be listening to this nonsense.
Can you imagine that if a child is formed with only this as its influence?
Yeah.
It comes out and it's just, it wants to immediately buy all the products we mentioned in the ads.
Oh man, that's dark.
What qualities does it take from us?
I think it's loud.
Yeah.
It's needy.
I don't think that's my one quality.
Well, we're talking dominant qualities.
I know.
What is your dominant quality?
That I must dominate.
Oh, what are you going to dominate?
This conversation.
And then.
You can say it.
I don't want to say it.
I knew you were going to.
But you knew that.
Then why did you make me say you knew?
Why didn't you just say it?
I'm not going to take your idea and do it for you.
When a baby's born wearing a straw boater.
I'm wearing a t-shirt that says Whittier Rocks.
I'm more worried about the mother's birth process with a straw boater on that baby's head.
It gets slightly knocked askew.
After that, it's fine.
Is it a boy or a girl?
I don't know, but it's wearing a straw boater.
And it wants to get to the Rose Bowl swap meet immediately.
That does come up a lot.
I've literally never once been to the Rose Bowl flea market.
You've never been?
I've never been.
Even I've been.
But you sit just outside the Rose Bowl and wish you could go in.
They won't let me in.
Yeah.
I've been to the Pasadena City College one, though.
It's pretty good.
That one's really good, too.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
He was escorted out.
He's not allowed back to the Rose Bowl anymore.
Why?
He shoplifted a loot.
You know what?
That's not true because I'm going there this weekend to see Oasis motherfuckers.
Me, too.
You are?
Saturday?
Yes.
Me, too.
What are you doing?
Are you coming?
No.
I do like Oasis, though.
I love those Gallagher fellas.
It's a different Gallagher than the one you're thinking of.
It's Peter Gallagher.
Peter Gallagher.
I honestly thought that Peter Gallagher was one of the Gallagher brothers.
Because he's got the eyebrows.
Yeah, he does.
They won't tour with him because they really hate him.
Yeah, they just thought his work on the OC was inferior.
Shout out to Peter Gallagher.
Love you, man.
All right, enough nonsense.
Knock it off, you eight balls.
Come on.
All right.
Hey, a shout out to Annalise0912.
Very much appreciate your encouragement.
And just try and study some.
Just some.
Okay?
All right.
I look forward to you being my surgeon.
Take care.
Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, with Conan O'Brien, Sonam Ovsessian, and Matt Gourley.
Produced by me, Matt Gourley.
Executive produced by Adam Sachs, Jeff Ross, and Nick Liao.
Theme song by The White Stripes.
Incidental music by Jimmy Vivino.
Take it away, Jimmy.
Our supervising producer is Aaron Blair.
And our associate talent producer is Jennifer Samples.
Engineering and mixing by Eduardo Perez and Brendan Burns.
Additional production support by Mars Melnick.
Talent booking by Paula Davis, Gina Batista, and Brit Kahn.
You can rate and review this show on Apple Podcasts and you might find your review read on a future episode.
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