John Mulaney, Alex Timbers and David Byrne in Conversation with Fred Armisen

John Mulaney talks with Fred Armisen about his standup special, Baby J. They are joined by Baby J’s director, Alex Timbers, and David Byrne, who wrote the project’s music. Recorded May 31, 2023, at The 92nd Street Y, New York.
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[@alexandermichaud957]

Who else got recommended this because they binge every 92Y, Google talk, and Paley Center panel that includes any combo of John Mulaney, Bill Harder, and Fred Armisen?

[@jenhasken]

Bill Harder 😊

[@jrickard_1215]

Right here✌️✌️

[@arjuninsane]

That IFC Panel is also great.

[@tuomoluukkanen7265]

@@jenhasken I TRY!

[@jbswirsky]

Scarily accurate comment

[@theclaudacity]

"There's a sort of ballet to being disappeared" 😂 too good

[@xzonia1]

That made me LOL. :D

[@Hmy8799]

This is everything I could have ever dreamed of when I consider the idea of coming across *the perfect* video on KZbin by total accident. The algorithm did me good here.

[@patrickcarroll1754]

It's so refreshing to hear them talking about their craft as themselves. Artist to artist.

[@arribaficationwineho32]

So much better than interviews.

[@humanperson8061]

So today I wore boots. But I'll wear a low shoe.

[@gumbyforreal]

“hey baby-o loose those socks”

[@VegaWizard]

"we got a one"

[@zoez540]

"Was everything ok?" "Yeah it's just I could see your entire leg."

[@u_idiotkid425]

@@gumbyforreal wait isn't it daddy-o ?

[@u_idiotkid425]

"your mother and i are separating"

[@nickmazerolle1249]

the show he's referencing at 2:18 was incredible. John opened with about 10 minutes of hilarious, well-researched, Moncton-specific material, that immediately made us feel like we were more than just an out-of-the-way stop on his tour. it was truly special. he'll always be welcome back with open arms.

[@biggothepiggo]

It's still super annoying when he calls it, "Moncton Canada" though.

[@JacksonDreyer]

He did a similar thing in Birmingham, Alabama! So cool

[@LimorG]

Seeing John out of a suit has seeing your favorite teacher out of school in a casual setting energy 🩷

[@chucklecucker]

Seeing John out of a suit has favorite teacher inviting you over for extra help out of school energy imo

[@eschwarz1003]

Dayum, David Byrne looks very young for 71. That vibrant humanitarian spirit

[@SnapsAgencyLLCGenius]

Pure transparency from John! Helping me through my dark times

[@EnidWellness]

You got this!

[@anniguru9783]

Love it ! Fred Armisen drew me to this interview and the other guys kept me here; also hail to David Byrne ~ grew up to talking heads, never stopped loving it :D !!!!

[@angel-leighia6572]

Did it feel like a stand up show or did that feel like me yelling at the ocean 😂😂😂

[@TheRealHucasys]

That was sweet, awkward, funny and interesting. Well done.

[@nakuruhike7991]

Exactly my thoughts!

[@Dreamfastt]

I think Fred armisen is my favorite person in the entire world. I cannot explain why

[@tiffanywood6729]

I also struggle with this. He is the correct amount of really strange to make me feel like I fit in somehow

[@meghancalahan4798]

@tiffanywood6729 dont ever meet him in person then, he has the worst reputation in Portland mostly for how he treats women 💔

[@skjones6654]

David Byrne. National Treasure.

[@monicaelyn2393]

YUP....😍

[@MMobarak]

I was at his Amsterdam show, honestly it was amazing for me. Probably the best live show I’ve seen! Sad that he didn’t like the audience as much 😅

[@Ami483]

Who? David?

[@MMobarak]

@@Ami483 no, John Mulaney! He mentions in the beginning that he didn’t like his show in Amsterdam

[@Navalina]

Same! I loved it, so it's a bummer to hear he didn't enjoy it. The location was horrible though, like they chucked a bunch of folding chairs in an airplane hangar. Maybe that's why.

[@MMobarak]

@@Navalina yea true! Although, I did love his running joke about “the airplane hanger” venue and everyone looking like they’re dressed as if they work at a museum 😆

[@Repin6]

This was awesome! I wish it was longer!! John Mulaney is the best ❤

[@anasaranova]

"I'm not going to rehab" and they'd be like YEAHH lmao

[@TheZackshow]

Can’t wait to fall asleep to this and watch it again tomorrow 😂

[@readerwriter2116]

After this, I'll need to watch BAby J again. :)

[@robinh4]

Loved the whole thing! This needs to be longer. Thanks for uploading!

[@jenhasken]

The lighting at the BSO for John’s special with the colors and the trim being different and it kept changing was SICK.

[@jrickard_1215]

The whole design was incredible omg

[@hippiecolleen1352]

Wow what a outstanding group of top shelf artists... Wish it was longer I feel like they were just getting in a groove....., I got to hang backstage with David for a day in the beginning of utopia tour.... One of the best days ever at work, he is SUPER nice and VERY funny and the whole band and family is super nice, treats everyone very well....

[@ScottCalvinsClause]

In thirty years, I'm gonna be so happy to go to Vegas and see John and Nick sing Neal Diamond hits!

[@xzonia1]

Indeed. John finally gave me a reason to want to go to Vegas. :)

[@monicaelyn2393]

Neat!!

[@cultivatepod]

When they finally hit their Gil and George phase!66

[@arhan-]

sounds like this could've gone on for a few days if no one had asked them to wrap up and i'm here for it

[@vinessawolfenstein1610]

The only disappointment from this conversation is that it ended at an hour. Everyone is fantastic, but I could listen to John talk about anything for pathetic lengths of time.

[@nondescriptbeing5944]

I’ve binged nearly every podcast he did

[@xzonia1]

@@nondescriptbeing5944 Same. He really thinks about the questions he's asked, and I love hearing his responses. :)

[@lindboknifeandtool]

Sometimes… i get nervous….. on airplanes.

[@Mike-t-m1921]

You knew it was going to be an hour going into it. So how could you be disappointed? Jesus

[@nancycrandall4545]

I love John’s suits (and hair ❤).

[@gwenluv]

I heard it on a podcast and saying someone told me....is kind of like when I see it on tiktok but I say that I read it somewhere.... I also love how David comments on wearing a suit and looking respectable and normal in case he says something weird....meanwhile we all know in stop making sense his suit is gigantic...I found this funny...🤣

[@serrisdaylor1015]

the really neat thing about David's Moisturizer thing is when you look up really, really old examples of music (I'm specifically thinking of Greek music), people made songs for just about anything! Making a song about how a moisturizer makes you feel totally goes into subject matter conveyable in music

[@serrisdaylor1015]

And I've been thinking about it, lyricism in general, and the pressures of making "deep" art, as though it's the only kind, when it really isn't!

[@rosemoore437]

What is this incredible moisturizer that inspired David to write a new song??

[@brendas6461]

He is so very likable, just delightful.

[@kfeldinAZ]

Stumbled on this gem and loved, loved, loved it!

[@Kelly-in7xt]

I want a podcast where just these two guys talk casually and make jokes like this.

[@francescaa8331]

That's a good idea! They should consider it. They both bring something different to the conversation.

[@TheScottTubes]

I think a shop talk podcast with Mulaney, Armisen and the occasional other comedian friend would be a huge hit.

[@JayBuff19]

Mulaney and Byrne, amazing!

[@adhishyajnik9771]

Fred was spot on about that weird lumbering gait of a musician

[@anasaranova]

As a girl who wore a uniform to school, I totally understand John. Now thinking about what I'm going to wear to college stresses me out lol

[@xzonia1]

I went to public schools growing up and didn't play sports, so I never wore a uniform growing up. It's funny that it never crossed my mind he chose to wear suits because he'd been in uniforms in school and was more comfortable that way wearing designated attire. I just always assumed he started doing it to be taken seriously because he looked 12 when he started doing stand up, and once he started wearing suits it was easier (for me at least) to understand how he was being let into comedy clubs. Lol. He still is very youthful in appearance, but it's much easier for me to automatically think of him as an adult now that he has a baby of his own. I wish him well, and I hope you figure out how to dress in a way that feels right for you at college! I just did blue jeans and t-shirts most of the time when I went. :)

[@TheRealHucasys]

29:01 Now that David says it, I've always thought about this, how people trust their eyes more than their ears, meaning, people will listen to a guy wearing a suit , but not so much to a person who looks weird, say a homeless person, for example. Must be why politicians and lawyers wear suits. People rely on their eyes more than on their hearing.

[@worksbydandeprez]

The honesty and self-reflection that recovery requires opens the door to being direct with an audience. No one smells b.s. like members of a 12-step group at a meeting. Being open and honest with an audience is something I see more often in performers in recovery.

[@EnidWellness]

John inspires me!

[@lilybond1305]

thank you. love.

[@I_Heart_Hader]

How could Fred & David be on the same stage and NO ONE asked about Documentary now

[@Bryce3189]

A whole show about that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZjMfmCagLiCmrM

[@rmyrick2451]

Alex, too!! All 4 of them have Documentary Now! in common.

[@beaq6755]

John's been a collaborator for that too! Wrote and acted and produced bits of it

[@rmyrick2451]

@@beaq6755 that’s nearly exactly what I said.

[@ilsamalsi5267]

They also talked about John's steadicam opening AND YET DIDN'T DISCUSS THE OPENING OF The Talking Heads documentary! It was right there.

[@rudranil06]

John Mulaney, please come to India! You have legion of fans here who'd love to go to your show!

[@fuadthecat6585]

I’m calling for a world celebrity improv championships…. Mulaney and Kroll. Armison and Hader. Key and Peele. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles. Steve Martin and Martin Short. Eugene Levy and Catherine Ohare.

[@lindamcmanus3057]

I would give anything for even 15 16:39 minutes in a room with John Mulaney and Fred Armisen…and Bill Hader should be with us. It’s my 40-something comedy lover dream come true.

[@Garypiles]

John calling Weezer the salt and vinegar chips of bands is so funny

[@kyleblackwell2253]

I love the question around 41m in, and how everyone interpreted it differently and it led to such a robust response.

[@xzonia1]

My Dad passed away in May, and his favorite artist / song was also George Jones' song He Stopped Loving Her Today, so David really endeared himself to me when he said that.

[@monicaelyn2393]

Sorry to hear about your Father!! That's neat about DB having the same favorite arist/song...I mean what are the chances?!

[@anukoponen2015]

Now I wish even more I had gone to Copenhagen and/or Stockholm too! They announced the London show much earlier than those, and I made sure I got the ticket for it. But I was so curious about the “Scandinavian reaction” and what country specific John had said.

[@moscheto]

I'm the "someone told me" guy from podcast

[@Neeintje]

wow i feel i manifested this

[@laurenquint1835]

I didn't want it to end, either!

[@ShiningEyeBrigade]

I need to hear the Mr. Byrne’s Moisturizer song!

[@cmtran94]

OMG my Jesuit high school had JUG too 😂 Justice Under God

[@baxtronx5972]

Understanding John's personality more after hearing that.

[@amydhm]

😅

[@RogerMullian]

“I think it might be time to say goodnight”. But they were just getting started.

[@Mike-t-m1921]

It's scary how much I relate to John. About everything except doing stand-up comedy. And working for SNL.

[@catherinereynolds9644]

Brilliant✨✨

[@garyreidmusic]

Second time watching... Still almost as funny. Don't judge me, it's laundry day. Also excellent movie idea at 51:59

[@sethlarson9433]

This could have going on for hours and should have.

[@bfgivmfith]

You folks are beyond my scope. Thank you.

[@TheeChristopherEsley]

13:20 is when Fred realized he had to Yes/And this moment. 😂😂

[@campbell7504]

It's completely charming either way but if Fred is asking the most basic, intro stand-up questions like "how do you remember all of that up there?" and "can you still do old jokes" *on purpose*? Genius.

[@hippiecolleen1352]

He was genuine, he is a sketch comedian first, and an actor who never has to memorize an hours worth of lines ..... What John does is a skill that most don't have.... Most that do an hour have notes or promters or cheat sheets on their hands or arms or inside their jacket or on their props or top of guitar....etc.... At Saturday night live, not only are the sketchs short, but all the lines are written down and on giant cards for them to read....

[@hippiecolleen1352]

Also Fred is an incredible improvisational actor/comedian so he's awesome at making it up right then & there ,on the spot, being quick witted and funny, but not necessarily remembering an hours worth of lines.... Which have to be perfect and in the right order or all of a sudden it's not funny, or doesn't make sense

[@NotHeresrsly]

Is this the first 92nd Y talk where they literally get told to leave?

[@DarylVHorn]

I don't believe in concepts like "the best" or "my favorite" (there's a lot of great stuff that I adore). I prefer "one of the best" or "one of my favorites". But the "Once in a Lifetime" ("Letting the Days Go By") live performance in Talking Heads' "Stop Making Sense" is right up there: incredible staging, beautifully captured by one of the best cinematographers of all time, Jordan Cronenweth, masterfully directed by Jonathan Demme, with a band on fire, and an almost supernatural performance by David Byrne at the peak of his mad rock preacher powers.

[@eschwarz1003]

agree, but superlatives are limiting. Byrne continues to evolve with every second. An inspiration

[@davidwitzany5852]

27:43 callback to "Stop Making Sense".

[@davideaston6944]

Gotta agree, that the humour in Byrne's (Talking Heads) music is omnipresent, biting, sarcastic, pathos filled while being optomistic at the same time (ironic!), and just so, so witty. I don't doubt that he's affected many a comedian, who bothered to explore his music. Genius! Fun talk.

[@jamesbeaton-exitrealtypei]

Seen him in Moncton, terrific set!

[@waynesteffen3262]

David Byrne has really come far as an interview subject; seems at least to be much more comfortable in his own skin. Hope that’s true in his daily life.

[@balexsmith7952]

“There’s a sort of ballet to being disappeared that everyone is used to…” So brilliant. 😂

[@Gigifrancetexas]

Fred ❤

[@Simonesayshi]

I was at the Amsterdam show and it was not because of John that it might've felt off, it was because of the venue. There were a lot of people still coming in when it the opening acts started, the lights went out and people couldn't find their seats, which was incredibly distracting. It's probably the worst venue I've ever seen a stand up show in. It went on for a bit even when John started. I was super annoyed at those people that came in late haha, so that's not a great beginning. But he was great nonetheless.

[@lindboknifeandtool]

Oh good to know, thanks. Cool profile picture

[@kimmyswimmy222]

Alex's Hell House was one of the best things I've seen. Every year I wish for it to come back! haha

[@somerset8088]

This is the first interview I’ve heard where the two male guests wax poetically about clothing. lol 😊

[@maryrosekent8223]

I worked at San Francisco’s Castro Theatre, which was definitely haunted-the worst one was the last one I experienced. The manager and I were the late crew, and we did what we called a walk-through, which is where each of us walks down an outer aisle and we’re just glancing at the seats on the outer half, and then we walk up the inner aisles, and here we’re looking at the aisle seats, plus seats in our half of the center section…we’re looking for left behind jackets/coats, large handbags, etc. And as I walk out of the auditorium back into the lobby, there’s a little puff of air and a whisper in my left ear: _Mary Rose._ It was really, really creepy!

[@maggiewalker95]

I hope the catholic priest to fight demons goes into a special somewhere

[@reazorbackty49]

The favorite artist/song question was really interesting... I'm not at all surprised that David Byrne knows and has an appreciation for the music of George Jones, but - given all the diverse musical influences reflected in his songwriting catalogue - him naming that as his favorite really caught me off guard.

[@davidjohnsen3425]

David's attempt to come across as normal by wearing a suit may have backfired when the one he got turned out to be five sizes too big.

[@Ubernerd3000]

READING has 3 aspects; Decoding, Comprehending, and Interpreting: Decoding is where you see C-A-T, and know the word is CAT; Comprehending is knowing that when you see CAT, the writer is most often referring to either a small, furry feline animal or a Jazz Musician; Interpreting is when you are able to use the context of the situation being written about to know that the author is most likely referring to a Jazz Musician, unless you are watching 70’s Disney film, THE ARISTOCATS, when they probably mean both…AUDIOBOOKS usually just skip the Decoding-stage of Reading, but still require the listener to COMPREHEND and INTERPRET; the last 2 stages are usually the goal of most reading instruction past the 3rd grade, in the US; for that reason Audiobooks are generally recognized as being equivalent to reading text…

[@melodylaila]

This was interesting, thx!

[@ekinimge]

I was at the Amsterdam show, Dutchies are just not HAHA type of people, some American& SNL jokes went over their head

[@Genny-Zee]

Fred, John and Carrie, then I’d be fully satisfied.

[@billyalarie929]

He’s very different in conversation and it’s actually very nice

[@amydhm]

ahhh.. good times, JUG. 😊

[@michaelandres1363]

Just started this video and I’m really hoping they do Casey Kasem for 20 minutes.

[@SMG2024]

I have also used Koala baby changing stations for both blow and their actual use and I remember when I first used it correctly realizing how many people I affect with some of poorer decisions.

[@patriciajump9511]

I get it about the clothes, lol For me, it's deciding on today's best earrings that always makes me late 😆

[@MarkusFrankus]

Talking about the crane shot laugh from the audience at 30:38 , I figured the joke was that John begins by talking about always needing attention, and RIGHT THEN a camera was right in his face. It seemed deliberate to me

[@MichaelMillerGuitar]

15 minutes of clothing material is exactly what I wanted out of this conversation

[@MS-uo8dq]

Cuz everything’s sort of out of organization in Amsterdam…people queued outside of the concert hall after the scheduled time, it was delayed for about 20min and I don’t remember we had any warm-up, because I was looking forward to openers and I got nothing before you came out

[@simonp37]

It's summer and my pockets are full with my phone, wallet, keys, electronic cigarette... and what else I would accumulate during the day. Miss my jackets 😂

[@costeris35]

I was at John Mulaney’s Amsterdam show. It was a little flat. The venue was terrible, and to me it seemed the whole rehab thing is just not that recognizable to Dutch people.

[@lukecasio9810]

Lol they got the red light @ the end there

[@poeticlyfonetic]

NY is a little different post-pandemic because now people will offer to whip something up for you. The food will still be garbage, but the kindness beforehand throws me off.

[@joepsips787]

The show in Amsterdam was so good, the venue sucked but the audience loved it!

[@seanwebb605]

There is a bad flash frame cut at 16:44 that is driving me crazy.

[@leaf673]

@92 please ask speakers to repeat audience questions for the KZbin viewer at home

[@jeffreyyelverton5567]

Serious Fred is weirding me out.

[@ViciousTuna2012]

He's so often "playing" serious in his comedic bits that it makes me laugh just looking at him

[@uncletom356]

I do not call into question the intelligence of the brilliant John Mulaney; however, I too went to a strict Philadelphia (I meant to write Jesuit, but I'm high) high school. *Jug is the nominative (or whatever the f) form of "jugum." That's its origins!*

[@beaq6755]

I think it was a sort of joke? At least for him at the time

[@uncletom356]

@@beaq6755 Disagree. But obviously, as high as I was, I can’t read minds. I say that because EVERYONE who got jug would spell it “JUG” - as an acronym. Similarly, every kid thought it stood for “justice under god.” Until corrected, of course. Because, ya know… Jesuits.

[@EnidWellness]

Best exit 🤣

[@patrickwood3517]

Salt and Vinegar is the best chip!

[@willingtooppose7919]

24:07 Mark Normand ? Hey hey !!

[@helenmurphree3434]

Just carry a m-urse 😂

[@philoshua]

I feel bad for the two guys who had to get on stage with two globally known and beloved professional comedians.

[@xzonia1]

If you're joking, good one! If not, you might want to google who Alex Timbers and David Byrne are. 😂