Joy 101: Seth Meyers

“I love that there’s no place my kids can be in the apartment I can’t hear ’em. I love knowing where they are. I love hearing their feet. I just love it so much.” —Seth Meyers Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb is Presented by CVS. Shop your local CVS, right around the corner. Experience the full conversation on the "Joy 101 podcast with Hoda Kotb" wherever you listen to podcasts. For more information, please visit us at www.joy101.com/podcast https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.joy101.com%2Fpodcast&data=05%7C02%7CBrianBurton%40iheartmedia.com%7C5fe2dab3a3c545ab0bd108df15bbddfd%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%7C639253568791385152%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=HJYP46qWsWIk%2B1Kz4SFRFCpImX3R8R67RiE09dakvXY%3D&reserved=0 See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:10Hoda Kotb?

  All right. So first of all, let me preface this by saying I was looking, I was doing research, which in quotes means looking on Instagram. And I saw this thing that my friend Maria Shriver posted. And it was entitled, How We Spend Our Time. Okay. And some really smart person did a whole study on how we've been spending our time from 1920s to today. What did we prioritize then? And what do we prioritize now? And when you look back to the very beginning, it was family, household chores and all that stuff was going on. So you could see where, how everything fell into the pecking order. As the timeline went on, when TV was introduced, TV was like dominant, then it was TV. And it was all

• 0:55Hoda Kotb?

  of these kinds of things. And once the internet came in, then it was the internet, then it was Instagram and TikTok. And it showed how much of our lives we spend on electronics. But what stood out to me was how much of, how little of our time we were spending with friends. That was the thing that shrunk down the most. Because we think, because we can, you know, see what someone's doing on Insta, oh, my God, they had a great vacation. It looked like so much fun, that we don't need to speak to them. And when we do, we just ask for a follow up. So how was that vacation that you already posted about and got tons of likes? And so we already know. So it made me think about prioritizing friendships. Like, what are we doing? Think about your time pie today. Okay. What did you do today?

• 1:40Hoda Kotb?

  So, you know, you got up, you ate breakfast, maybe you exercised, maybe you, you know, went to work, or maybe you took care of your kids, which is, I think, much harder work. And you maybe cleaned up a little, you ran some errands. Think about your day. And how much did you look on your screen time, which I hate doing, and look to see how much time did I spend there? You know how we always say we're checking our emails? You know how you say that? I say that, too. Checking my emails. But really, in reality, you go down a million stupid rabbit holes that you wish you didn't go down. Okay. So I decided I'm going to prioritize friendships. So that takes effort. You can't just hope they happen. So it happened today for me, in fact. I knew I had this podcast today with Seth Meyers,

• 2:25Hoda Kotb?

  who I love dearly, by the way. I think he's one of the nicest people I've ever met. And I love when nice people become wildly successful. It's one of my favorite things. But I'd made a friend, five years ago, when I went to this place called the Hoffman Institute, which I told you guys about. It's like a week long retreat where your life changes. I met a guy named Joe there. And Joe happened to be in town. And I was thinking, I'm too busy today. I can't squeeze it in. Joe was like, hey, can you meet? And I was like, no, no, I can't. And then I was like, yes, I can. Yes, I can. I'm going to take some time from here and spend time. So he and I sat on a bench in New York City and caught up. And

• 3:05Hoda Kotb?

  it was beautiful. It was like one of those conversations that filled my soul. And then I was thinking, I want to be more in the business of that. So think about a friend, maybe a friend who you haven't called, and you, they're on your list. I'm going to check in with them. Somebody once said, if you have a thought or a feeling, do it. If you see someone and you want to pay them a compliment because they're wearing cute shoes, and you're like, oh, they already walked past me. Just say, I love your shoes. Today, I was, after I was with Joe, I walked by the Today Show, and I was like, do I have time to pop in and hug Savannah? You know what the answer is always? Yes, you have time. Go in, hug Savannah, hug Roker, hug Carson, hug Jenna. I saw Jenna, hug Craig. Like, I got to see

• 3:50Hoda Kotb?

  everybody. If you have a good thought, do it. Preserve these friendships, these relationships that can easily go by the wayside. This podcast is called Joy 101 because it's based on this, this system I have, this app, and this ecosystem of just beautiful things. So what I'm going to do, at the end of these podcasts, is we're going to go through a de-stressing, like, practice. We're going to do it together. Because you know what? We don't need stress. Okay, we're over stress. It's over. Okay, we're done with it. So at the end of this, you and I together are going to spend four minutes. And you're going to think about how you feel before. And then we're going to think about how you feel after. These are practices available on the Joy 101 app. And they're going to be this one that we're going

• 4:34Hoda Kotb?

  to do together. You're going to be like, oh, I love it. Okay, so we're going to do that together. Before we do any of that, I get the privilege of sitting down with a guy who I admire and love. He's somebody who somehow is full of humility and also full of talent. He's, you know, those people, when you look at them, and you go, God, I'm so glad he made it. You know, you know, there's certain people who make it. You're like, how do they make it? Or they had sharp elbows, they must have stomped on people to get where they were. And then there are people who you look at, and you're rooting for, you're cheering for. Seth Meyers is one of those people. He was somebody who started off as a cast member at SNL, and went down the path of being a writer. He was also in sketches,

• 5:18Hoda Kotb?

  but he found his superpower was writing. And he was so good at it. And he wrote sketches, and he wrote more than that. And he wrote Weekend Update. And he did all kinds of things. And he ended up being, of course, in movies. And now he's the host of Late Night. And so how does somebody who's full of humility, and kind of started off a little bit shy, wind up in one of the most coveted seats in the country when it comes to comedy, when it comes to anything, really? Well, Seth did it. And we're going to find out how he did it on our Joy 101 podcast.

• 5:58Hoda Kotb?

  Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb is presented by CVS. I've realized that joy doesn't always come from those big moments. Sometimes you find it on the most ordinary day. I'll pop into a CVS for toothpaste or paper towels, and it never seems to be just a quick errand. Maybe I'll grab a delicious Well Market Trail Mix, or wander over to the Joy Word Collection. That's part of the fun. So the next time you're checking something off your to do list, stop by your local CVS pharmacy. You might go in for one thing and leave with a little more joy. Visit your local CVS pharmacy, sponsored by CVS. Every purchase is a financial decision. So it's worth asking, what am I getting out of this? If you're using the Chase Freedom Flex card, you can maximize your cash back

• 6:43Hoda Kotb?

  on things you need. More ways to earn, more ways to get rewarded. Sign up for the Chase Freedom Flex card. Learn more at chase.com/getflex. This is a paid collaboration with Chase Freedom Flex. Cards issued by JP Morgan Chase Bank, NA, Member FDIC. Subject to credit approval. Offer subject to change. Terms apply.

• 7:05Speaker 01

  Running a business means keeping pace with the latest tech. You put a lot into building your enterprise software stack, and scrapping it to integrate AI is out of the question. That's why IBM technology works with all the apps, data, and models you need. It's another way IBM helps you build on the technology you rely on. Let's create smarter business. IBM. Visit ibm.com to learn more.

• 7:33Speaker 02

  I'm Melissa Jelton, host of the What Happened to Her podcast. We're kicking off the season with the Sandra Birchmore story, a case the police wrote off as a suicide in a snowstorm. Her family never bought it, and the man they suspected wore a badge.

• 7:48Speaker 03

  You never know who that devil is because he's wearing a disguise. Sometimes it's a police uniform.

• 7:54Speaker 02

  And you can get access to all episodes 100% ad free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription exclusively on Apple Podcasts. Available only to iHeart True Crime Plus subscribers. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search for iHeart True Crime Plus, and subscribe today.

• 8:12Speaker 04

  What happens when romance gets a little monstrous? On Radio 831, a romance podcast, join us. Sanjana Baskar and Tyler McCall as we host our own monster romance extravaganza. We're joined by the villain edit author, Rosie Dannen, and sentient object romance expert, Gracie Delgado, to explore what these unexpected love stories can reveal about desire, fantasy, and what we actually want. Listen to Radio 831, a romance podcast, on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

• 8:43Speaker 05

  Michael Lewis here to tell you about my new book, Blockers, which gives you an inside look at the Trump administration and the public servants who stood in its way. These were people who were securing our most sensitive data, keeping the public safe from all sorts of threats, and engaged in life-saving scientific research, until they were told they no longer belonged. And the question to me is, if they can't survive in our government, then what does it say about us? Get Blockers now, only at blockers.fm.

• 9:16Speaker 06

  This is your girl, TS Madison, coming to you loud, live, and always and forever in color from the Outlaws Podcast. National Coming Out Day is in October, and we've got stories from all your favorite LGBTQ celebrities to celebrate. Check out our episode with comedy legend, Wayne Brady. My daughter was actually the one, she said, Dad, you may be pansexual. The iconic Billy Porter. And Terrell Grace and I talk about family and shows of family posts coming out. I don't like statements like that. That's Dad, or that's Grandma. No, no, no, no, no. It should never come at the cost and expense of your own sanity and your own mental health. Download the free iHeart Radio app. Search Outlaws with T S Madison and listen now.

• 9:55Hoda Kotb?

  All right, so, um, first of all, I, I was just saying, one of the reasons I love you is because you're one of those people who I think people are rooting for.

• 10:03Speaker 05

  Oh, that's nice to hear.

• 10:05Hoda Kotb?

  You know, I think when you look at people who make it, you're either you're like, yay, they made it, or god, how did they make it? Like, they must have sharp elbowed everybody out of the way. I feel like you're one of those people people have always been rooting for. I've always rooted for you. And you have a strange resemblance to a guy I knew a long time ago named Rick Blackwell. And every time I look at you, I dated Rick, that's a side note, but every time I look at you, I am reminded, and he had the exact same vibe as you, which is a weird thing to say.

• 10:32Speaker 05

  I think a lot of my success comes from the fact that I look like a lot of people someone has dated. You're not alone. It's not just Rick Blackwell. I, I, uh, I look like one person everybody has dated.

• 10:46Hoda Kotb?

  Is that true?

• 10:47Speaker 05

  No, I don't know. I will say I, I have a very funny thing, which is I think I look like a guy who looks like Seth Meyers.

• 10:56Hoda Kotb?

  What are you talking about?

• 10:57Speaker 05

  Like, on the street, yeah, more people say, like, has anyone ever told you you look like Seth Meyers than like, oh, my god, Seth Meyers.

• 11:04Hoda Kotb?

  So you look like somebody who looks like him. I like it.

• 11:07Speaker 05

  I don't think, I don't, I don't think I look as much like me as I'd like to, but I, I look like a guy who looks like me.

• 11:14Hoda Kotb?

  You're so crazy.

• 11:14Speaker 05

  I don't quite, I don't know, look, I don't, it's crazy for me, too, trust me.

• 11:18Hoda Kotb?

  So if I were to have walked in your house.

• 11:21Speaker 05

  Yep.

• 11:22Hoda Kotb?

  When you were 10 years old.

• 11:24Speaker 05

  Okay.

• 11:24Hoda Kotb?

  And I spent five minutes in your home. What would I know about you and your family just by that, just by that 10 minutes of walking in your house when you were 10 years old?

• 11:35Speaker 05

  Well, first of all, it's such an interesting time to get that question because my oldest is 10 years old. And I think I didn't realize how fully formed a person was. Like, I definitely was who I was at 10. And I know that now because my, you know, my son Ash is just a full person at this point. Look, I think you would see that I was incredibly close with my younger brother, with my parents. We were a real core four family. We did everything together. We laughed all the time. We played a ton of games. We, I know it's very interesting to say this now in the era where screens are, I think, accurately perceived as having a negative influence on society and whatnot.

• 12:19Speaker 05

  But like, there was a community to the way my family watched television, like.

• 12:23Hoda Kotb?

  Yeah.

• 12:24Speaker 05

  You know what I mean? We would gather around, we would have dinner, we would play cards, and then primetime television would start, and we would just watch three hours of TV.

• 12:33Hoda Kotb?

  Exactly.

• 12:35Speaker 05

  For as bad as commercials are, people forget, like, that's when you would like talk to your family.

• 12:40Hoda Kotb?

  Yeah.

• 12:40Speaker 05

  You know what I mean? Like, it was, it actually forced you to engage with one another. And so it, it's, it, you know, especially based on the fact that, you know, obviously I, I ended up with a career in television. But, you know, when we talk about it as having a negative influence, I always want to say to my wife, like, you know, and also, like, it's pretty good. It's pretty good that people watch TV still, you know, FYI.

• 13:05Hoda Kotb?

  What did your, what did your parents get right? Like, what was the thing they did? What was the best thing they did when it came to raising you and your brother?

• 13:12Speaker 05

  You know, I think they were, they found that fine line to walk, which is they were our friends, uh, but they were our friends second and our parents first, you know? And by that, I mean, you know, my dad was a very strict disciplinarian. I never doubted how much, uh, you know, he loved us, how much he would prefer spending time with us over anyone else. Like, we never doubted that he wanted to be with us. With that said, um, you know, he had very, uh, clear lines of what he would and wouldn't accept.

• 13:45Hoda Kotb?

  What were the rules?

• 13:47Speaker 05

  Yeah, I mean, you knew what the rules were and you, you were, it was never, you know, when I screwed up, which I did a lot as a kid. I, I would say I don't think I got everything sort of straightened out till I was about 18 years old. But I never, when I got in trouble, it was never a case of my dad had been unclear as to what the rules, you know? And so often when I got punished, it was a lot of like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

• 14:13Hoda Kotb?

  What was the curfew? Like, what were the, I want to know how tight the boundaries were.

• 14:16Speaker 05

  I would say the, I, you know, the curfew always slid, but the rule with my dad, which I liked, was, uh, you had to, one, you had to meet the curfew. And he was pretty, it wasn't like too early. I think he would sort of make it a half hour later than you would have asked. But then it was a real, like, don't take advantage of my largess with this. And the other thing was whenever you came home, you had to go into his room and you had to tell him you were home. You had to like lean, lean down next to the bed and be like, I'm home. And the famous one is one time I stayed out and like, you know, I remember I went to a party and I snuck home at night and, uh, you know, uh, you know, I, I, let's say I got home at 12:30.

• 15:00Speaker 05

  At like 3:00 in the morning, my dad came into the room and I just remember his like silhouette standing in the doorway. And he said, where were you? And, uh, which I should have known by where were you, that he had checked on me and I wasn't home, right? But I was groggy. I mean, the man had woken me up in the middle of the night. And I said, I was here, and he just said, liar, and slammed my door. And what I found out in the morning is the dog had barked, and when the dog barked, he went to deal with the dog, and then he checked on his kids and saw I wasn't there and, uh.

• 15:31Hoda Kotb?

  Well, liar, that's a pretty, that's a.

• 15:32Speaker 05

  Liar's really good. I mean, yeah, it was, uh, he was very, when he, I, I, I, look, I don't think he liked when his kids got in trouble, but he did have a real flair for the dramatic when they did.

• 15:45Hoda Kotb?

  He, you said he was funny? That was, your dad was the funny one?

• 15:48Speaker 05

  He still is. I mean, they're both, my parents are, you know, my dad was, you know, you know, he's like an engineering major at college, uh, but he's really funny. Whereas my mom is a theater major at college, that's where they met. And, uh, so she's like, I don't know, she's the performer. So they're both funny in, in very different ways. They're very complimentary to each other. And, uh, and at this point, like any, you know, they just had their 56th wedding anniversary.

• 16:15Hoda Kotb?

  Whoa.

• 16:16Speaker 05

  And they are like a vaudeville act now. You know, like, the way they interact, it's almost like you're watching, I don't know, like, an old, like, it feels like it should be a black and white television show, and they should stop every now and then to like do an ad for Chesterfield cigarettes, like, that's.

• 16:38Hoda Kotb?

  So what is their secret? What's the 56 years? What do you, why do you think it worked?

• 16:42Speaker 05

  I don't, what a good question. I, I mean, I think for as much as they are able to rub each other the wrong way, they just genuinely like each other. They just like each other's company. They're never, it's funny to, you know, have a, you know, my parents are retired. I have a full-time job. I have three children. I have a lot going on, and it's so hard to schedule time with them due to their schedule. You know, I'm always like, I'm like, hey, do you want to come this weekend? They're like, oh, we're, you know, we're actually going to be in, you know, in Europe on a boat, like, what? And so I, and part of that is they just, you know, uh, they like to be together, like to be on little adventures, so.

• 17:26Hoda Kotb?

  And wow, that's a, so was it hard finding a partner when you see that? I always think that people who come from these kind of beautiful relationships have trouble finding someone.

• 17:35Speaker 05

  I think it was almost, uh, you know, for me, you know, I had just got, I found my partner so much later in life because I wasn't, there was a, uh, I just wasn't that interested because I was so, uh, committed to what I was doing professionally, like that. You know, if I had a dream growing up, it was not to like find my one true love. It was like to, I had found it and it was comedy and I wanted to do that. And so, um, you know, for me, I had to get my feet on the ground and feel like some semblance of stability in the business, sort of lucky enough to do around the time that I met Alexi. And then it was, uh, just so nice to feel, obviously, I think what my parents felt, which is like, oh.

• 18:21Speaker 05

  This is, one, I remember like one of our first dates saying to Alexi, like, oh, my God, it's never felt this easy, right? To be around a person that I'm dating. Like, it does, like, all the pressures and the internal monologues you have when you're on a date, like, I'm not having those. I feel like everything I think, I have the freedom to say to you, and that is very new. And then the other thing was, you know, I think part of it, for me, and maybe one of the reasons I was a little adverse to getting entangled into a relationship when I was in my early days in SNL, is like, I just felt like it would make my world smaller. And yet, when I met Alexi, it made my world bigger. You know what I mean? Like, that was the thing where, oh, I'm doing things I wouldn't have done before. I'm having different experiences.

• 19:02Speaker 05

  Like, you know, I had this negative outlook on relationships where it would close doors, whereas all that's happened with Alexi is like, they've been thrown wide open.

• 19:12Hoda Kotb?

  Okay, that's beautiful, by the way. I think we spend so much of our lives waiting for the big moments, the birthdays, the vacations, the milestones. But the truth is, some of the happiest moments show up on the most ordinary days. So, like this, I'll stop into a CVS because I need one thing. Somehow, the best part of the trip is never the thing I came for. So, maybe I'll grab a delicious, well-marketed snack, or maybe I'll wander over to the Joyward Collection. It's really full of fun, cool, seasonal decor, thoughtful little gifts, and those little discoveries that make you so glad you stopped in. I have to tell you, if you're an Extra Care member, you're going to save on things you're

• 19:53Hoda Kotb?

  already buying, and those extra bucks really do add up. Just watching that total go down at the checkout never, ever gets old. I know, life's busy, we're all juggling a lot, and that's why I think those little unexpected moments of joy matter so much. So, the next time you're running errands, stop by your local CVS pharmacy. You may go in for something you need, but don't be surprised if you leave with something that simply makes your day a little brighter. Visit your local CVS pharmacy, sponsored by CVS. Halloween has a funny way of making you buy things you'd never normally buy. A 10-foot skeleton? Sure. A full-size fog machine? Why not?

• 20:36Hoda Kotb?

  Three bags of candy that somehow become six bags of candy? It happens. Which brings me to the Chase Freedom Flex Card, the savvy decision that will earn you more cash back on the everyday purchases, plus the extraordinary Halloween tricks and treats. With Freedom Flex, you earn even more treats on your Halloween and everyday needs. You get 5% cash back on popular rotating quarterly categories, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases. More ways to earn, more ways to get rewarded. That's no tricks, all treats. More ways to earn, more ways to get rewarded. So, sign up for the Chase Freedom Flex Card. Learn more at chase.com/getflex. This is a paid collaboration with Chase Freedom Flex.

• 21:21Hoda Kotb?

  Cards issued by JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., member FDIC. Subject to credit approval. Offer subject to change. Terms apply.

• 21:29Speaker 03

  Hello, hello. I'm Malcolm Gladwell, host of Smart Talks with IBM. Imagine your business depends on a system you didn't build and don't fully control. For years, it works perfectly. It's fast, reliable, affordable. So, over time, more and more of your operations rely on it. Then, one day, the terms change. What once felt flexible now feels difficult to leave. Moving to another provider or bringing those capabilities back under your own control could take years, cost millions, and disrupt the business in the process. That's the challenge of digital sovereignty.

• 22:09Speaker 03

  Businesses today rely on all sorts of third-party systems: cloud platforms, data pipelines, AI models, software tools. Most days, these systems operate quietly in the background. But when something changes, like costs go up or rules shift, organizations are forced to confront how much control and flexibility they actually have. So, to understand the challenge up close, I traveled to Paris to speak with IBM's Annapola Assis and Access CIO, Giovanni Daniele, two people who think about these questions every day. Hear the full conversation at ibm.com/smarttalks or wherever you get your podcasts.

• 22:53Speaker 02

  I'm Melissa Jelton, and in my new podcast, What Happened to Her, I'm bringing you new stories and conversations every week. Stories about women whose deaths were too quickly ruled a suicide. She was starting to get worried and get scared for her safety. Stories of survival.

• 23:16Speaker 07

  The only difference between me and her, frankly, was a little bit of luck, because by all rights, I should be dead.

• 23:23Speaker 02

  Cases that everyone else called closed.

• 23:26Speaker 04

  They can't convict her, right? Like, she has so much evidence.

• 23:30Speaker 02

  These stories all start in the same place, with a woman failed by a system that didn't believe her, that didn't protect her, that didn't see her. No child should ever experience that. And we were babies.

• 23:42Speaker 03

  She did all of these brave things and came out and spoke about it, and he got a year. You never know who that devil is because he's wearing a disguise. Sometimes it's a police uniform.

• 23:54Speaker 02

  Listen to What Happened to Her on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

• 24:01Speaker 03

  I'm Hamza. And I'm Martin. And we're the hosts of Out of Character. It's a podcast, I know, there's a lot of them to listen to these days. How are you going to get to us? Well, there's a specific reason why you should listen to us. We are the best podcast in the entire world, I swear. I know, bold. But why don't we list some of the things we might talk about on a regular episode? So, sometimes we'll talk about, I don't know, the Uber driver we just had. And how nice they were, or if we tipped them or not. Come and find out. Sometimes we'll talk about that weird news story from last week. It's the one you're thinking about, trust me. Or maybe we'll talk about music and what's happening in the underground, or drama in music, or TV shows, or the Met Gala and what the actors wore. What we're saying is, we're not afraid to talk about everything under the sun.

• 24:45Speaker 03

  And if you want to see what that's like, come join us. It's a place where everyone can hang out, anyone. Wherever you're from, whatever you're like, you're welcome. Listen to Out of Character from Will Ferrell's Big Money Players Network. On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Pods, or wherever you get your podcasts.

• 25:01Speaker 02

  Lisa, we should tell them about our new show. Oh, my God, Lexi, we have a new podcast. It's called Don't Lie to Me. I'm Lexi Iwanu. We're two best friends, 22 years apart, but so close at heart. And I'm Lisa DiGiulio, the old one, which means we have wildly different references, occasionally different opinions, and at this point in my 50s, I've lived it all. I'm not going to get into your fighting. That is wild. I learned that about you today. Now, in my 30s, being the founder of new shoes, good taste is my business, and I've always got something to say. If men were just honest about this, there would be so much more peace in the world. We're going to talk about dating, relationships, beauty, getting older. And a little wiser.

• 25:46Speaker 02

  We're best friends, but we don't always agree. Because you told us how accommodating you are. Obviously, I would do what I think I could do to fight the fight, but there's only so much fight I can fight. Don't lie to me. Don't lie to me. Don't lie to me. Don't lie to me. Don't lie to me. Don't lie to me. Liar. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I don't really care.

• 26:11Hoda Kotb?

  So, you're in 30 Rock right now.

• 26:13Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 26:13Hoda Kotb?

  So, take me back to your SNL audition.

• 26:17Speaker 05

  Okay.

• 26:18Hoda Kotb?

  How does that go down? What was your bit? And did you do it right in front of Lorne? Was that how it worked?

• 26:25Speaker 05

  Yeah. It was a weird path, whereas I was in Chicago doing a two-person show at a very little improv festival, not the sort of thing that I was doing with the expectation that it would be my big break. And someone from SNL was randomly in town, visiting family, and they popped in just to sort of do their job as a member of the talent department, and I'm very lucky that they did. It was my friend, I. E. Cohen, who came. And then, based on that, like, they didn't even know how to get in touch with me. They had to, like, call somebody who worked at Second City and be like, do you know this guy? And thankfully, Second City did not hang up the phone and track me down. And I sent in an audition tape, and it took about a year until I actually got, you know, into 30 Rock to audition.

• 27:08Speaker 05

  And yeah, you, you know, Lorne was there. I was aware, I mean, I certainly knew he was there, but I couldn't really see him when I was doing my audition, thank God. You know, because, of course, he was already an icon in 2001. But, you know, I did my audition, it felt like it went well, in that I remember, I called Rachel Dratch ahead of time. Never met Rachel, we were friends of her friend. She was on SNL, they put us in touch. She was so generous with her time, and one of the things she said to me that I've always tried very hard, if anybody talks to me before their SNL audition, I'm always like, nobody's going to laugh. Like, just don't worry about it, nobody's going to laugh. And I think the reason you tell people nobody's going to laugh is then if you even get one laugh, you're flying, right?

• 27:52Speaker 05

  You just need a titter, and you're thinking, oh, I'm doing better than anyone has ever done. And that helps to put a little, you know, wind beneath your wings. But I did my audition, and I remember when I walked offstage, Lorne stood up and shook my head and said, good job. And that, you know, obviously, a few days later, I would, the course of my life would officially change. But at that moment, I remember walking out and being like, that's enough, you know? Whatever happens, you know, like, that's, I can dine out on that the rest of my days.

• 28:22Hoda Kotb?

  Who was in your class? Who was in the SNL class that you were in?

• 28:26Speaker 05

  There, it was Dean Edwards and Jeff Richards were a couple of stand-ups who were in my class, and then Amy Poehler. And for me, you know, I hadn't known Jeff and Dean beforehand, but I had come out of Chicago, which is where Amy was. And, you know, when I first, you know, graduated from Northwestern, was going down to watch improv shows, like, Amy was one of those people that, like, everybody knew was something special. And so, that was, I couldn't...

• 28:58Speaker 05

  Obviously, it's hard to wrap your head around the fact that you've been hired for SNL. It was even harder to believe that they had, I was also, I get hired at the same time as, you know, Amy Fuller. It's like when you're like, you're going in the Hall of Fame with Derek Jeter. You're like, oh, well, I must be, I must be very good at baseball.

• 29:15Hoda Kotb?

  So how was it? I mean, you're, I don't know, who was on that season other than you and?

• 29:20Speaker 05

  It was, uh, last year, Will Ferrell. I think a couple of years left for Chris Katan, Tracy Morgan, Anna Gasteyer, Tina Dratch, Amy, um, and then Jimmy Fallon. And so that was sort of, I feel like that may be Maya. But I, you know, the thing about SNL, the hardest part about it is you are excited for three days after you get hired and then you start and you, it dawns on you that people get fired. Like, you know, you do, you have a very short runway before the reality that it could be taken away.

• 30:01Hoda Kotb?

  Were you, I mean, it must have been intimidating, just, I was just, if I walked in with that class, and you're funny, obviously, but how did you feel being around that crew?

• 30:11Speaker 05

  I got eaten alive pretty quickly. And one thing that is a little bit of a curse in times like that is I'm a very good judge of talent, including my own. And I was, you know, this is not a case of me being hard on myself. I actually, I also think I'm very funny. With that said, I was in that group of people. We would do a table read on Wednesday and I would often go back to my office and be like, you're not as funny as they are, you know, and, and the most haunting thing about that is you can't, you can't outwork talent.

• 30:48Speaker 05

  Like, I didn't ever think I would get fired for not trying hard or not working hard. And I think when I left SNL, I left with a reputation intact of being an incredibly hard worker, of willingly being the first and the last to leave, which was, as head writer, really respected. But as a cast member, you know, uh, no one's ever like, oh, we should go with Seth's sketch because he, he did the most work on it.

• 31:19Speaker 05

  You know, the audience decides and, uh, and there was a year where, you know, I lovingly had the nickname, the king of dress rehearsal because I was like, I'd write a sketch on Wednesday, it would play in our room, you know, it was like, and I would, it would get to dress and then it would just, you know, it was not, I never felt as though I was being mistreated. I never thought the thumb was on the scale against me. I would just be out there at dress rehearsal, my sketch would be playing quieter than anything else. And, uh, it was rough years. It was very, because I, you know, again, like, there was no, I was not ignorant about what was happening and, uh, and that's hard.

• 31:56Hoda Kotb?

  So how did you go down, then you became, I mean, it seemed like you quickly became head writer. I don't know how fast or how that came about.

• 32:03Speaker 05

  About five years in.

• 32:04Hoda Kotb?

  Five years?

• 32:04Speaker 05

  It was like five or six years in.

• 32:05Hoda Kotb?

  And was that, did that feel like a superpower or did that feel like, wow, this is, this is what it feels like to be in flow or?

• 32:14Speaker 05

  At first, it felt like a life preserver, to be honest. Like, you know, and I had, you know, one thing that I look back on and, and proud about is, you know, when I was struggling, one of the things I would do is I would just write sketches, not for myself exclusively. I would write what we would call cast pieces. You know, there would be an eight-person sketch and the goal would be for me to score twice, but to also spread it out. And those sketches were the ones that were making it into the show. And they were also showcasing the fact that I could write for the other people in the cast. And so, you know, unbeknownst to me, it never occurred to me that, because again, you know, when you get hired as a cast member at SNL, you're not technically on the writing staff,

• 32:57Speaker 05

  but I was doing a lot of writing. And, you know, I'm so grateful that it occurred to Lauren, you know, when Tina left to do 30 Rock. It was, it was the most out of nowhere, um, when, you know, basically Lauren said, you know, what if you, what if you were the head writer? And, uh, it, it just, to all of a sudden go from somebody who just felt like they were, you know, treading water, somewhere between treading water and swallowing water, to, to all of a sudden be like, oh, wait, I know how to do this, you know? And, uh, and so it was just like, oh my God, dry land. And that, you know, um,

• 33:36Speaker 05

  the, it was a, you know, the first five years were the darkest emotional years of my life at SNL. And, uh, and then it, you know, the lights went on because, you know, not only did I get to do what I was good at, but I was then surrounded by this next wave of cast members who are some of my closest friends today, but, you know, when all of a sudden like, Andy Samberg and Fred Armisen and Will Forte and Sudeikis and Hader, uh, Keenan and Wig. Uh, you know, when these people came in, uh, all of a sudden I didn't feel like the freshmen who couldn't hang with the seniors, I sort of became like a benevolent sophomore. And I was like, uh, you know, maybe a little, like a slightly cool junior.

• 34:20Speaker 05

  And it was a great, it was a great time. And that's basically how, uh, you know, I wrote it out. And then, you know, of course, the other thing that happened that balanced the scales for me between my love of writing and, uh, my performing, it just to get update. And then it was everything I could possibly have hoped for.

• 34:38Hoda Kotb?

  Wow. What, what were the pressures like of being the head writer? Because I mean, it's one thing if you're in a sketch and whatever, but it seems like when you're in charge of the whole thing, I mean, were you the one who Lauren talked to? Were you the one who were like, hey, this show wasn't great or this one needs to be?

• 34:54Speaker 05

  Yeah. I mean, we had, look, I, we had a very respectful, we still do have a really respectful relationship. And so, you know, Lauren liked the fact that I also knew when the show was bad. He never felt like he had to tell me, um, hey, that one FYI was a stinker. Like, I always knew. Lauren has this really nice quality that he, his, I don't know if it's Canadian or just like good executive producing, he doesn't want you to get too high or too low. So I always said, like, if dress was red hot, you know, if the roof was coming off during dress, what Lauren would say during dress and air, he would just be ice cold. He would just give really cutting notes and he would just, you could tell what he was trying to do was just remind us that we hadn't actually accomplished anything yet, right?

• 35:39Speaker 05

  That was the show that hadn't aired. Whereas if it was dead, Lauren would come in and just sort of with a, you know, with an airy lilt, tell us all there's a really good show in there. And so I feel as though over time I adapted, or I should say adopted that from him, which was, uh, you know, what he likes in people in charge is a, a steady hand as opposed to someone who overreacts, uh, one way or the other to how things are going. With that said, you know, it, look, was it stressful being head writer? Sure. But the stress at the show, um, it's, I think it's always highest for the people on camera. And, uh, I, I've been saying this a lot recently. I feel like I wrote,

• 36:24Speaker 05

  I got to be part of a writing staff that had the, one of the great casts in the history of that show. And so one of the things that I feel like I did, I feel like that entire writing staff did, was we were so, we had so much gratitude for their talents that we were just there to try to be as supportive as possible. And it was a really, I think it was one of the great,

• 36:49Speaker 05

  working relationships between cast and writers in the history of the show because we all were just pulling in the same direction and it was, uh, so special to be a part of it.

• 36:57Hoda Kotb?

  Wow. Cause I think a lot of comedians, like you would, they want the atta boy on stage. They want the wow, not, you know, I gave the words and, you know, she said them or he said them. But does that bother you or no?

• 37:11Speaker 05

  Oh, no. I mean, some of the happy, look, I, my, the happiest times of my life, when I think of like the times I was absolutely flying at SNL, it would be standing on the floor while someone else was saying things I'd written, you know? And because I had gotten a shot, I had a chance for five years to say the things I'd written. I knew how it went. It didn't feel good. And so now, you know, ultimately, success was the goal. And I was there, you know, Lauren had me there to do something and I was really happy anytime it, it went the way that I, I think he'd wanted it to go, so.

• 37:54Hoda Kotb?

  Tell me about the sequence of events going from SNL to late night. Did you remind me of how that chapter at SNL, like, just remind me of how things went?

• 38:06Speaker 05

  I was at SNL happy as a clam, which is probably not, uh, at some point, not a great vibe for SNL. I think when you get too comfortable, it's, you know, the show is fueled by chaos to some degree. And, uh, I, I certainly was in the place where I did not, I thought I was completely free of ever getting fired from the show. And I think I was probably right to feel that way. But at the same time, you know, you, I think sometimes Lauren,

• 38:38Speaker 05

  you know, that show works because of turnover. And with that said, I had no exit strategy. I was just chugging along. I was a little, I was starting to feel a little sad in that, which is also not a healthy thing for somebody who works at that show. I was nostalgic for a certain time of the show. I missed all those cast members. Everybody I've already listed, they were gone. And it was so fun to work with, uh, you know, again, now I'm working with like Kate McKinnon, E. D. Bryan, Cecily Strong, like, these are also heavy hitters, Taran Killam. Like, I was loving that too. But it was like, oh, this feels familiar. Like, I feel like I was here before and, and I don't know, is it going to be Groundhog Day where I'm just going to keep cycling through cast, whatever?

• 39:22Speaker 05

  And then, you know, uh, there was like that, you know, you worked here. You know how well we manage late night transitions?

• 39:32Speaker 05

  You know, Jay Leno decided to leave. He kind of announced it. And they announced that Jimmy Fallon, who was crushing Late Night at the time, would take over The Tonight Show. And there was just kind of this week where nobody knew who was gonna do it. It didn't even occur to me that anybody would ask me. I was not angling for it in any way, shape or form. And then I got the call. But again, you know, I always say like, Lauren, conversations with Lauren always feel like the follow-up conversation to an initial conversation that didn't happen. So it was a lot of shorthand where I'm like, wait, slow down. What? And, you know, he's like, you know, I think you can do it and it'll take time. But, you know. And it wasn't until I hung up, I'm like, did I just get offered Late Night?

• 40:17Hoda Kotb?

  Wow, wow.

• 40:19Speaker 05

  You know, it's easy to forget the way Jimmy, because again, Conan had this incredibly iconic version of Late Night. And Jimmy took it over and made it his own in a way that was incredibly novel. It was this really, really fun, bright show. It was, you know, music-driven. You had the roots. And the party atmosphere that he had brought to it was so far afield from what I'm good at. And so watching it happen, the better Jimmy was at it, the less I thought it would be something that I would do. And so when it came to me, like my first, I was like, oh, sure.

• 41:03Speaker 05

  And, you know, Lauren said it'll take 18 months. And much to my chagrin, he was right again. It took 18 months.

• 41:09Hoda Kotb?

  So I remember, at least I think I remember, that you started off kind of doing like a stand-up part in the beginning. And then you switched gears and you sat at the desk.

• 41:19Speaker 05

  If I remember, you did one of my test shows.

• 41:22Hoda Kotb?

  I did. I was one of your first test shows.

• 41:25Speaker 05

  So a test show, for those listening who don't know what a test show is, we did basically a dry run, a week of shows where they were not for air. And so the guests on those shows are your true friends, because they are agreeing to be guests on a talk show that will not ever be seen by an audience. So thank you.

• 41:42Hoda Kotb?

  You're welcome.

• 41:43Speaker 05

  The, yeah, I, you know, again, there was a, when I look back, there was a real, it, it, you, I feel like my first year, I was just aiming for competency, which is not riveting to television. But I was so, you know, I was just so, I just wanted to prove to people, look, I can be a late-night talk show host. And unfortunately, that was not, I wasn't really thinking big enough. Because, you know, everybody had seen a late-night talk show host before. And, you know, I, again, I do think I came in with a lot of goodwill from my SNL years. But it took time before, you know, it was, I remember it was like a summer day.

• 42:28Speaker 05

  It was August. And I just said to my producer, hey, let's just start the show today at the desk. And let's not make a big deal about it. Let's just see. And if it doesn't work, it's August. This is when the least amount of people are watching the show. If it doesn't work, we'll just stop. And we'll, you know, when, when September comes around, which feels like the beginning of the new season, we'll just go back to it. And I sort of got it was like halfway through the first monologue. I'm like, no, it's gonna be this forever. This is so much better.

• 42:54Hoda Kotb?

  You knew it.

• 42:55Speaker 05

  I knew it.

• 42:56Hoda Kotb?

  Why, why was it better? Like, what, what was it?

• 42:58Speaker 05

  You know, for one thing, I, you know, again, I had had years of reps sitting and telling jokes at Weekend Update. And then I had that instinct that feels like, I don't know, if you read a book about, you know, business, it would tell you, take big swings, do new things, you know. And so I thought so far out of the box that I like went outside the box of my skill set. And, and I felt, because again, it felt like, I don't know, like an acknowledgement that I couldn't do a standing monologue if I didn't do a standing monologue. But the reality was, or do the thing you're good at, you know? And, you know, it's, it's some degree of like, no, what? Michael Jordan's playing baseball? And so I just felt comfortable. And you realize, you know, these shows,

• 43:43Speaker 05

  the relationship anybody has with their late-night talk show host is built around comfort, you know?

• 43:48Hoda Kotb?

  Right.

• 43:48Speaker 05

  I think SNL, there is something to the fact that it's live. It's, it's Saturday night. It's a high-wire act. And so the danger of SNL is one thing, where, you know, at Late Night, you want it to feel lived in.

• 44:06Hoda Kotb?

  Cozy, right.

• 44:07Speaker 05

  Yeah. It's, you know, I think you, you remember, oh, you know, it's, do people on Wednesday Night want to watch a host white-knuckling it outside his comfort zone? And so I just kind of found my way back into it. Yeah.

• 44:20Hoda Kotb?

  By the way, for some reason, I just had this flash of Kristen Wiig playing Kathie Lee in one of those Drunky Monkey sketches. By the way, and Kath still says to this day, that's nothing like our show. I go, it's exactly like watching her show, actually. It was like, almost, there was almost no dialogue difference. I remember watching it thinking like, oh, my God. So Kath would also say to you, if she were sitting here with me, that she started day drinking. So you're saying, don't you remember that KLG was the one with the box of wine?

• 44:51Speaker 05

  She was. She certainly started it.

• 44:54Hoda Kotb?

  Right?

• 44:54Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah. You know what, credit where, where credit's due. I fully agree with that.

• 44:58Hoda Kotb?

  I kind of remember because the, the, the suits up at 30 Rock, we're looking at everybody else and no one even knew Kath and I were on. And she was just, you know, dumping wine out and drinking it all of a sudden. And one day, Jim Bell or one of the UPs was like, what the hell is going on? And Time Magazine called it the happy hour. And they were like, you can't, there's some FCC rules or something. And I remember just cracking up. And Kath goes, we've already, she was, what'd you call them? Fun Day Monday, Booze Day Tuesday, she, Wine's Day Wednesday. She named every day and it was too late to change anything. And it just showed the whole.

• 45:32Speaker 05

  You know, it is so, it's also so funny when they reveal how little they watch the shows. When they're like, imagine being like, how long you guys been drinking? It's like, forever.

• 45:44Hoda Kotb?

  Three months. I mean, it took Time Magazine calling us out before they go, what's happening on that show? You know, a show they probably wanted to put 86 a couple of times, I think, at least. I think we spend so much of our lives waiting for the big moments, the birthdays, the vacations, the milestones. But the truth is, some of the happiest moments show up on the most ordinary days. So like this, I'll stop into a CVS because I need one thing. Somehow, the best part of the trip is never the thing I came for. So maybe I'll grab a delicious well-market snack. Or maybe I'll wander over to the Joyward Collection. It's really full of fun, cool, seasonal decor, thoughtful little gifts, and those little discoveries that make you so glad you stopped in.

• 46:29Hoda Kotb?

  I have to tell you, if you're an Extra Care member, you're gonna save on things you're already buying. And those extra bucks really do add up. Just watching that total go down at the checkout never, ever gets old. I know life's busy. We're all juggling a lot. And that's why I think those little unexpected moments of joy matter so much. So the next time you're running errands, stop by your local CVS pharmacy. You may go in for something you need, but don't be surprised if you leave with something that simply makes your day a little brighter. Visit your local CVS pharmacy, sponsored by CVS. Halloween has a funny way of making you buy things you'd never normally buy. A 10-foot skeleton? Sure. A full-size fog machine?

• 47:14Hoda Kotb?

  Why not? Three bags of candy that somehow become six bags of candy? It happens. Which brings me to the Chase Freedom Flex Card, the savvy decision that will earn you more cash back on the everyday purchases, plus the extraordinary Halloween tricks and treats. With Freedom Flex, you earn even more treats on your Halloween and everyday needs. You get 5% cash back on popular rotating quarterly categories, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases. More ways to earn, more ways to get rewarded. That's no tricks, all treats. More ways to earn, more ways to get rewarded. So sign up for the Chase Freedom Flex Card. Learn more at chase.com/getflex.

• 47:58Hoda Kotb?

  This is a paid collaboration with Chase Freedom Flex. Cards issued by JP Morgan Chase Bank, NA Member FDIC. Subject to credit approval. Offer subject to change. Terms apply.

• 48:09Speaker 01

  Your business operates under pressure and you need control of your data. But IBM Research shows only 9% of companies have real oversight of their technology. IBM's Open Hybrid Cloud approach is designed to give you visibility with built-in governance tools, data sovereignty, and compliance reporting. It's another way IBM helps you stay in control of your data. Let's create smarter business. IBM. Visit ibm.com to learn more.

• 48:39Speaker 02

  I'm Melissa Jelton. And in my new podcast, What Happened to Her, I'm bringing you new stories and conversations every week. Stories about women whose deaths were too quickly ruled a suicide. She was starting to get worried and get scared for her safety. Stories of survival.

• 48:59Speaker 07

  The only difference between me and her, frankly, was a little bit of luck. Because by all rights, I should be dead.

• 49:06Speaker 02

  Cases that everyone else called closed.

• 49:09Speaker 04

  They can't convict her, right? Like, she has so much evidence.

• 49:13Speaker 02

  These stories all start in the same place, with a woman failed by a system that didn't believe her, that didn't protect her, that didn't see her. No child should ever experience that. And we were babies.

• 49:25Speaker 03

  She did all of these brave things and came out and spoke about it. And he got a year. You never know who that devil is because he's wearing a disguise. Sometimes it's a police uniform.

• 49:37Speaker 02

  Listen to What Happened to Her on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Lisa, we should tell them about our new show. Oh, my God, Lexi. We have a new podcast. It's called Don't Lie. I'm Lexi Iwanu. We're two best friends, 22 years apart, but so close at heart. And I'm Lisi DiGiulio, the old one, which means we have wildly different references, occasionally different opinions, and at this point in my 50s, I've lived it all. I'm not gonna get anywhere fighting. That is wild. I learned that about you today. Now in my 30s, being the founder of New Shoes, good taste is my business, and I've always got something to say.

• 50:20Speaker 02

  If men were just honest about this, there would be so much more peace in the world. We're gonna talk about dating, relationships, beauty, getting older. And a little wiser. We're best friends, but we don't always agree. Because you told us how accommodating you are. Obviously, I would do what I think I could do to fight the fight, but there's only so much fight I can fight. Don't lie to me. Don't lie to me. Don't lie to me. Don't lie to me. Don't lie to me. Don't lie to me. Liar. Listen on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I don't really care.

• 50:54Speaker 05

  I'm Hamza. And I'm Martin. And we're the hosts of Out of Character. It's a podcast. I know, there's a lot of them going around, but why should you listen to ours? Well, we're only the best podcast in the entire world. And we talk about pretty much everything under the sun. For example, music we're listening to, underground music, trending music, drama in music worlds. Yes, sometimes we even talk about just everyday mundane situations in our lives, like the cool Uber driver we just had. Or the food we just ate that was surprisingly delicious. Or we'll talk about the Met Gala and the looks that they wore. Are they awesome? Are they trendy? Come find out. Because our opinion matters, and so does yours. And this is a place where all of our minds can come together and connect. So what are you waiting for?

• 51:39Speaker 05

  Come connect with us. Listen to Out of Character from Will Ferrell's Big Money Players Network. On the iHeart Radio app, Apple Pods, or wherever you get your podcasts.

• 51:46Hoda Kotb?

  So, um, so talk to me about, because you, I mean, we didn't talk about you as a dad, which is one of my favorite parts of you.

• 51:54Speaker 05

  Oh, thank you.

• 51:54Hoda Kotb?

  You've got three kids who are, oh, you said one's 10, right? And what, how old are the other two?

• 52:00Speaker 05

  10, 8, and the little girl is 4. And they're just, I mean, they're out of sight.

• 52:07Hoda Kotb?

  What's the, yeah, give me, give me the headline on, on them.

• 52:11Speaker 05

  Um, they're, you know, I think you, a birth order, I think has a lot to do with this, but like the first one is like the sweetest, kindest boy in the world. The second one, who was born in the lobby, is acts and talks and behaves like a kid who was born in the lobby. He's just a hurricane, fully on his own schedule.

• 52:30Hoda Kotb?

  Sorry to interrupt, and I don't want to make you tell the story again, but just, just give me the, the short version. There was a baby born in the lobby?

• 52:37Speaker 05

  My wife was on the way out the door to the hospital, and then she made it all the way, and by the way, it would have been a 40-minute cab ride.

• 52:46Speaker 05

  She at the door was like, it's here now. And then she went and lied down on her lobby floor. And when you're picturing my New York apartment building lobby, it is so much smaller than you're thinking. I think like everybody's like picturing like the plaza. It's not that.

• 53:00Hoda Kotb?

  No.

• 53:00Speaker 05

  And, uh, and she just lied down on her back and gave birth to Axel. And Axel is, for Adam, just like, oh, that's who he always was. He was like, no, it's gonna be now. Like, cause everything about him, like, it's like, you know, the amount my wife's like, tell him to go to bed now. I'm like, he was born in the line. I don't gotta go to bed when I tell him. And so he's that. And then my little girl is just, you know, it's, um,

• 53:27Speaker 05

  she's, you know, she has two older brothers, and so she's just like the most, like headstrong little fighter.

• 53:34Hoda Kotb?

  So good.

• 53:34Speaker 05

  And they love her so much, and she doesn't take any guff from them. And, yeah, I mean, they're just, uh, they're just three little, little lights. And, uh, yeah, I can't get enough of them. We have that great thing that happens where Addie, our third, just finally is out of a booster seat, and that, when we sit at a table, the five of us, all in regular chairs, and I know like there's, you know, my wife often is, you know, just heartbroken about like how it means the passage of time, right? Whereas I'm like, this is it, this is it now. We're family. There's no babies. You know, there's just, look at us. We can like have a conversation.

• 54:17Speaker 05

  And it's so good.

• 54:19Hoda Kotb?

  You know what's so funny? I just, I had a moment with my now nine-year-old, and I don't know if this has happened to you with your older ones, but I was walking down the street like we always do, and I put my hand behind me like I always do, and she always grabs it, always.

• 54:34Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 54:35Hoda Kotb?

  Except for not that time.

• 54:38Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 54:38Hoda Kotb?

  And I was like, it's like, I'm kind of feeling your wife's vibe a little. It's like when something has changed, and that's not happening anymore.

• 54:48Speaker 05

  Right.

• 54:48Hoda Kotb?

  And you're like, oh, so now we don't always just casually walk down the sidewalk together. You don't instinctively grab for my hand.

• 54:55Speaker 05

  That is, you know, there's so many parents at our school where when the kids go up the stairs, there's a, a window, and all of us who have like for years been standing there for like the last wave. And by the way, we started doing this because the kids demanded it.

• 55:14Hoda Kotb?

  Yeah.

• 55:14Speaker 05

  And the lack of grace from these kids where they don't tell you, oh, by the way, it's over. You know, they just, you just find out because you just get like, oh, okay, so that's fully their back. And we're all like, just the amount, you just one by one, we all just are like, and then, you know, you do it for a couple of days after, you're like, I'm sure that was just a glitch. I'm sure they're gonna give me a big wave today, and it's just not there. But, you know, it also shows independence, and so that part, you know.

• 55:43Hoda Kotb?

  Have they changed, I mean, how much, or how much have they changed the way you perform? The way you do your job on TV, the way you choose or select what goes in or out? Or not at all?

• 55:53Speaker 05

  I don't think, you know, they have such a huge effect on the way I do stand-up, because I like, you know, my show obviously is so much about current events that I like to build a stand-up act around, uh, my family. You know, it's, it's just more fun for me. I feel better talking about that than I do about the other. And so, you know, but I am like, oh, you know, my, I'm doing a charity event this summer. My 10-year-old wants to come, and I'm like, so what has to come out? You know what I mean? Like?

• 56:24Hoda Kotb?

  Yeah, yeah, what are we removing?

• 56:25Speaker 05

  What? Cause I have a joke about how my 10, that I have this dynamic with my boys where my oldest one wants to be funny and my middle one is.

• 56:35Hoda Kotb?

  Delete.

• 56:36Speaker 05

  I can't, right? My oldest one.

• 56:37Hoda Kotb?

  Delete, delete.

• 56:38Speaker 05

  He'd be a hard program, so. But again, like that's, and, and so, and again, like, you know, there's always jokes I will like say on stage, but I would never commit to film, right? Like if it was, every time I do a special, and up to this point, you know, the only person I've had to clear anything with is Lexi. And, uh, but I do, you know, that's a, you know, I'm a smart, I'm a smart person.

• 57:01Hoda Kotb?

  I love your interviews, and I'm always fascinated by, like, I love to watch how people interview. I just think that there's something about it. You seem to have a quick connection, which that strikes me. A lot of people, like, you know, you've done these, you've done these shows before where literally the questions are in the prompter, and they're looking around your head to ask you the question that they're reading off the thing.

• 57:25Speaker 05

  Yes.

• 57:26Hoda Kotb?

  What's your, tell me your vibe when you are, or what are your go-to questions? Or is there some way that you do it that works for you?

• 57:33Speaker 05

  Well, you know, again, I obviously, I don't feel like I'm pulling back the curtain too much, but as far as like what the questions are, I don't think I have a go-to question as much as I have this incredible team of researchers and segment producers who are trying to give me questions that are unique to the experience of the guest, right? Where, especially when you're the 12:30 show, and if somebody's on a press tour, they've maybe already done four shows, and so you don't ask them something they've been asked before. And as far as, because I've so had that experience of while I'm giving an answer, I'm watching Ice Glaze over because they're, they're just loading up the next question. So having experienced that, I, and again, this is one of the helpful things about having come up

• 58:16Speaker 05

  as an improviser, which is they always tell you on stage, like, a really important skill is listening. Like, if you want to build a scene, you gotta hear what the other person's saying. And so just being a really active listener and not...

• 58:30Speaker 05

  Feeling as though you have to adhere to this plan you made two hours ago with the segment producer. Now, again, if you feel like you have a guest who, you know, again, this comes through, that you hear this ahead of time. It's really important to them. They talk about XYZ. If that's the case, like, I'm gonna really help facilitate that.

• 58:47Hoda Kotb?

  Yep.

• 58:47Speaker 05

  You know, sometimes you have a guest on, you know, Jake Johnson is a really funny actor, you know, I know him well. And you know, I go in the dressing room ahead of time. He's like, by the way, you know, we can talk about anything. And then you, you accept that, right? And you have fun out there. What makes these shows never get boring is when you realize there's a thousand different kinds of guests. And because there's a thousand different kinds of guests, you can allow yourself to be a thousand different kinds of hosts. Because I think if you dug your heels in every day and thought, this is the way this show works. I ask questions like this. And so it's fun for me because if I, I do try to treat each of them like an improv scene, where my job is to make them look good.

• 59:31Hoda Kotb?

  Oh, that's so good. That's good. Okay, so this, this podcast is called Joy 101. So I always ask people a couple of questions. Number one, how do you start? How do you start your day and how do you end it? Give me your bookends. Okay, I'll start there.

• 59:45Speaker 05

  You know, I start my day with my kids and I really like it. It's very stressful at times, but I do walk my two boys to school. And once I get them out the door and we actually start walking, you know, because sometimes there's some resistance early on. We just start talking and I really like it. Or they talk and I just get to listen and I like that. Or we run into friends of theirs and I listen to them talk to friends. But I really, I like being physical in the morning. I like walking. I love being in New York City. I love that I'm raising New York City kids. And so that is a really nice way to start the day. And then my favorite part is, you know, NBC sends a car for me and I have the car pick me up at their school.

• 1:00:30Speaker 05

  And so my favorite thing is when I tell the boys, like, this car could have been at our apartment, but it's for daddy. It's not for you. So that's why you had to walk. And then I, I make a big show. If I could make a big show that I'm like, ooh, look at this water. Water just for daddy.

• 1:00:48Speaker 05

  So that's my favorite part. No, and then, but that's how my day starts. It's like, it's the chaos of, of, you know, it's, it's a joyful noise, you know? It's, it's, you know, and they're not always happy about what's going on, but. Another thing that's so funny to me is, you know, I grew up in suburban New Hampshire and

• 1:01:11Speaker 05

  my parents didn't host network talk shows. And yet, my parents' children, of whom I was one, had so much more space than my kids do. Like, we live on top of each other because we're in New York City.

• 1:01:23Hoda Kotb?

  Yeah.

• 1:01:23Speaker 05

  And I love that there's no place my kids can be in the apartment. I can't hear them. I love it. I love knowing where they are. I love hearing their feet. I just love it so much. And I can't get enough of it. It makes me, it puts me in the best mood. And then, you know, at night time, it's a whole nother process. My daughter will not let me come near her at bedtime. All she wants is Alexi. But like, a firm handshake is the best I can hope for from Addie. But Axel really likes his time with me. And again, he's a little tornado and it's the one time where he just gets very still.

• 1:02:04Speaker 05

  And we read together and he's a great listener and he's a great, he snuggles. And then, once I get him to bed, and then, you know, it's so funny when you have three kids, your oldest one always feels like he's 18, even though Ash is 10. He's so, he just feels so much older than the other ones. And so we just kind of talk to him like an adult for the next two hours. Yeah.

• 1:02:29Hoda Kotb?

  You know what I love? When I asked you how you start your day and how you end your day, most people are like, first I do this and then I go for a walk and then I, I, I, I. Everything you've said is a way. That's every single thing you've said. That's so beautiful.

• 1:02:42Speaker 05

  Yeah, no, I, I had a funeral for I six years ago. And then I, oh my God, what I would love for a good old fashioned I day.

• 1:02:54Hoda Kotb?

  By the way, how would you spend that day? If you did have a day that was just for you and nobody?

• 1:02:59Speaker 05

  I mean, so I think, I always say like, you know, I wish I could go back in time and pick a different hobby.

• 1:03:07Speaker 05

  Cause I feel like my hobby is reading and nobody respects it. And nobody, you know, if you, if your hobby is golf, nobody like bothers you mid swing. But if you're reading, everybody's like, hey, do this for me now. They just think you're reading. They think you're like in a waiting room,

• 1:03:26Speaker 05

  killing time till the next time you can do a chore for them. So. But that, that would genuinely be like, you know, I'm reading Stephen King's The Stand for the first time. All I want to do is read it. And now I have a job and I have kids and I have responsibilities. But so if you were like, wait, if you had a day off, what would you do? I would just, I would like, probably just like get in bed and read and I would order. And then I would order takeout Chinese and I, every time I forget that my wife is the one who gets a text after I ordered it. So even though we're like, even if she's out of town, I get like a withering text from her, reminding me about, you know, healthy eating habits and.

• 1:04:06Hoda Kotb?

  Oh my God, you're so funny. But you know what? You are. You're so, by the way, I feel like, I don't know. I mean, I have tears coming down. I feel relaxed. Thank you. This was beautiful. Lastly, Seth, before we say goodbye, I just want to ask you what currently, and you may have lumped this in with you, but what's bringing you joy these days? Like, what's something that you look forward to each day?

• 1:04:29Speaker 05

  Well, okay, so I don't wanna, I'm luck, I'm lucky. I get a lot of joy from what I do for a living. But one of the things I say to the audience every night when I walk out is,

• 1:04:39Speaker 05

  we live in trying times. I think there's a lot of things that are happening right now that are really troubling. But it is so joyful to make my show, to be with the people I'm with. We laugh all day. And the most joyful hour of our professional day is the hour we get to do the show. And so I always sort of thank the audience for the power of that. And I think there's a real strength in laughter. And I think the sound of laughter is like, lets those who are set against you know that they haven't, you know, they haven't beat you down. So that's just great. I mean, it's just like, it's the, it's also the fastest hour of my day. It flies by.

• 1:05:21Hoda Kotb?

  Love it. All right, Seth, I love you. Thank you so much.

• 1:05:24Speaker 05

  Great to see you.

• 1:05:26Hoda Kotb?

  I'll see you soon, okay?

• 1:05:27Speaker 05

  All right, bye, friend.

• 1:05:28Hoda Kotb?

  Bye.

• 1:05:30Hoda Kotb?

  Okay, don't you feel good? Seth Meyers is so funny. You know, it's so funny. I used to run into Seth in the gym. He's always running on the treadmill like endlessly. You know, when you go into the gym, you complete a workout, you go out, you take your shower, you get a water and he's still on the treadmill? Okay, that's Seth. Anyway, I, I know he is a hard worker, but he's super, super, super funny. I love my conversation with him. I hope you feel lighter. I hope you'll, you feel better. I am so excited for the new season of Late Night with Seth Meyers. Of course, it's gonna be fantastic because that's just the kind of guy he is. Laughter certainly lowers stress, okay? I feel less stressed.

• 1:06:13Hoda Kotb?

  And there are other things that lower stress, okay? On our Joy 101 app, we have incredible techniques, things you can do that will help dissolve the stress in your body. So I am gonna share with you one of those ways, all right? It's a simple breath work technique that we're gonna do together, okay? I don't care if you're in traffic. I don't care if you're sitting in your house. You don't need anything. You can do it eyes open or closed. Open if you're driving, por favor. And we're gonna do this together, okay? So there's a guy on our app named Nick and he is gonna walk us through it. So we're gonna do this together.

• 1:06:56Hoda Kotb?

  My name is Nick and welcome to your breathing space.

• 1:07:02Hoda Kotb?

  No matter where you are or what's going on, this breath practice will help you return to a calm and natural state. We'll be using a simple technique called box breathing. It's a pattern with four equal parts, just like a box, that also brings focus and balance. You can do this anytime, standing up, sitting, maybe even while in traffic. And you can have your eyes open or gently closed, breathing through your nose, or if it's a bit stuffy, your mouth works too. So find a comfortable position.

• 1:07:42Hoda Kotb?

  And we start with a nice, simple cleansing breath, allowing a natural, easeful inhale.

• 1:07:53Hoda Kotb?

  And the slow and smooth exhale.

• 1:08:00Hoda Kotb?

  We'll be breathing in for four, holding at the top for four, exhaling for four, and holding at the bottom for four. So let's try. Inhaling for four, three, two, one. Hold for three, two, one. Exhaling for three.

• 1:08:29Speaker 06

  Two, one, hold, four, three, two, one. Inhaling, four, three, two, one, hold, four, three, two, one. Exhaling, four, three, two, one, hold, four, three, two, one. Inhaling, four, three, two, one, hold.

• 1:09:09Speaker 06

  Exhaling.

• 1:09:14Speaker 06

  Hold.

• 1:09:19Speaker 06

  Inhaling.

• 1:09:24Speaker 06

  Hold.

• 1:09:29Speaker 06

  Exhaling.

• 1:09:34Speaker 06

  Hold.

• 1:09:40Speaker 06

  And keep going. If you need to slow down or speed up, that's totally okay. But just try and keep each part of equal length.

• 1:10:02Speaker 06

  And letting this be your last round.

• 1:10:14Speaker 06

  Starting to let go of the practice when you're finished. And coming back to your normal breath.

• 1:10:24Speaker 06

  And just notice your body.

• 1:10:29Speaker 06

  If there's a shift, however small it may be.

• 1:10:34Speaker 06

  Perhaps there's a sense of slowing or calm.

• 1:10:40Speaker 06

  Just allowing yourself to feel.

• 1:10:45Speaker 06

  Being in your body with your breath, flowing easily and naturally.

• 1:10:56Speaker 06

  Taking a moment to acknowledge yourself for making space for you.

• 1:11:04Speaker 06

  And a reminder that your breath is always here for you as an ally in this life.

• 1:11:11Speaker 06

  If the world feels busy, you can always come back to yourself with your breath. More centered, more calm, and more present.

• 1:11:24Speaker 06

  And wishing you a beautiful rest of your day.

• 1:11:29Hoda Kotb?

  So here's to a beautiful rest of your day. That was Nick from the Joy 101 app. And we have a bunch of other breathing techniques like that. Don't you feel a little bit more?

• 1:11:40Hoda Kotb?

  Anyway, I hope you have a great day and I'll see you here next time.

• 1:12:02Hoda Kotb?

  I've realized that joy doesn't always come from those big moments. Sometimes you find it on the most ordinary day. I'll pop into a CVS for toothpaste or paper towels and it never seems to be just a quick errand. Maybe I'll grab a delicious Well Market Trail Mix or wander over to the Joyward Collection. That's part of the fun. So the next time you're checking something off your to do list, stop by your local CVS pharmacy. You might go in for one thing and leave with a little more joy. Visit your local CVS pharmacy, sponsored by CVS.

• 1:12:33Speaker 02

  I'm Melissa Jelton, host of the What Happened to Her podcast. We're kicking off the season with the Sandra Birchmore story, a case the police wrote off as a suicide in a snowstorm. Her family never bought it and the man they suspected wore a badge.

• 1:12:48Speaker 03

  You never know who that devil is because he's wearing a disguise. Sometimes it's a police uniform.

• 1:12:53Speaker 02

  And you can get access to all episodes 100% ad free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription exclusively on Apple Podcasts, available only to iHeart True Crime Plus subscribers. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search for iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.

• 1:13:11Speaker 04

  What happens when romance gets a little monstrous? On Radio 831, a romance podcast, join us, Sanjana Baskar and Tyler McCall, as we host our own monster romance extravaganza. We're joined by the villain edit author Rosie Dannon and sentient object romance expert Gracie Delgado to explore what these unexpected love stories can reveal about desire, fantasy, and what we actually want. Listen to Radio 831, a romance podcast, on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Michael Lewis here to tell you about my new book, Blockers, which gives you an inside look at the Trump administration and the public servants who stood in its way. These were people who were securing our most sensitive data, keeping the public safe

• 1:13:55Speaker 04

  from all sorts of threats, and engaged in life-saving scientific research,

• 1:14:00Speaker 06

  until they were told they no longer belonged. And the question to me is, if they can't survive in our government, then what does it say about us?

• 1:14:10Speaker 06

  Get Blockers now only at blockers.fm.

• 1:14:15Speaker 06

  This is your girl, TS Madison, coming to you loud, live, and always and forever in color from the Outlaws Podcast. National Coming Out Day is in October and we've got stories from all your favorite LGBTQ celebrities to celebrate. Check out our episode with comedy legend Wayne Brady. My daughter was actually the one, she said, Dad, you may be pansexual. The iconic Billy Porter. And Terrell Grace and I talk about family and shows with family posts coming out. I don't like statements like that. That's Dad or that's Grandma. No, no, no, no, no. It should never come at the cost and expense of your own sanity and your own mental health. Download the free iHeart Radio app, search Outlaws with TS Madison and listen now.

• 1:14:54Hoda Kotb?

  Every case has a story. Every victim has a voice, but will it be heard? I'm Nancy Grace. On Crime Stories, we go beyond headlines to examine evidence, challenge the story we're fed, and pursue justice for victims and their families. Please join us at Crime Stories with Nancy Grace on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you find your podcasts. Hope you join us. I'll see you there, friend.

• 1:15:26Hoda Kotb?

  Hey, everybody. It's me, W. Kamau Bell. This season on my podcast, Who's With Me, I speak with Bruce Lee's daughter, Brandon Lee's sister, and my friend, Shannon Lee. Back to your initial point of stewarding my father's legacy and giving my energy to that. You're lending your life to stewarding somebody else's life. Listen to Who's With Me with W. Kamau Bell on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

• 1:15:54Speaker 07

  This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed Human.