The Tangent and Close Talkers

Pop-ups (20 · 5 fan picks from YouTube comments)

1. Fans point here

   0:08

   1 YouTube comment timestamps this moment, 58 likes.

   Hey, can we try something for the top? I'll say, hey, I'm Seth Meyers. And then let's go, Akiva, you introduce yourself, Jorma, then Andy. Let's just all say our names off the top. Instead of making us say hi. And then… — Seth

2. Tangent: Fred Armisen's endless monologue

   8:27

   Tangent is a Bill Hader-written short built on Fred Armisen's known ability to talk about anything forever. The piece follows a man who never stops talking, even as his career rises and falls.

   this came from Bill Hader and it's based on the thing that Fred does where he can just talk about anything forever

3. Bill Hader on writing Tangent

   10:25

   In a voice note Akiva requested, Bill Hader explains Tangent came from Fred Armisen doing a bit where he goes off on tangents. Mike Shoemaker asked Hader why he did not write it for himself.

   Mike Shoemaker came up to me and was like, why did you not write that for yourself?

4. Fans point here

   12:04

   1 YouTube comment timestamps this moment, 3 likes.

   I will say my favorite moment of rewatching him is the look Bill gives when he walks by Fred and recognizes it as a potential piece of talent. Like his agent face is delicious. Mine is also a Bill moment, but it's at… — Seth

5. Forte cared most about Steve Martin

   17:36

   The hosts agree no one on the SNL writing staff cared more about Steve Martin than Will Forte, which may explain his hyper-influence by Martin.

   I think it's safe to say that no one on that SNL writing staff or cast cared more deeply about Steve Martin than Forte.

6. Close Talkers began as Two Inches at the Groundlings

   18:40

   Will Forte explains Close Talkers grew from a bit he did with Mike Schwartz, called Two Inches at the Groundlings. Schwartz generously let him take it to Steve Martin.

   At the Groundlings, we called it Two Inches.

7. Forte's shorter voice note

   19:35

   Forte sent Akiva a four-minute voice message followed by a shorter version, a running joke about his verbosity in messages.

   I got the four minute one. And then a minute later, he went, here's a shorter one if that one was too long.

8. Fans point here

   20:04

   1 YouTube comment timestamps this moment, 10 likes.

   It also is very forte that the time... Watching him struggle through trying not to say it. We're okay with you saying it. A lot of the time he wastes is praising other people. Oh, always. You know what I mean? Yeah. So… — Seth

9. Steve Martin learned his lines

   20:47

   Cards were available for Close Talkers but went unused; Steve Martin learned his dialogue. This reflects his reputation for preparation.

   We did have cards and then didn't use them.

10. Steve Martin and Martin Short's teasing

    21:42

    Seth recounts Martin Short ripping on Steve Martin during dinner, a sign of their long-running friendship. The anecdote about an upside-down painting became part of the hosts' affection for them.

    it's an apartment filled with the most beautiful art I've ever seen

11. Fans point here

    22:25

    1 YouTube comment timestamps this moment, 58 likes.

    They never float on their reputation or even their charm, but the amount of technical effort that goes into writing the best possible jokes. Mm-hmm. Support comes from Airbnb. As we've talked about, I just got back… — Seth

12. Fans point here

    24:27

    3 YouTube comments timestamp this moment, 58 likes.

    Man, we really tangented that. Tangented. Well, it's a perfect episode title, The Tangent. I also want to talk about the fact that this is a really special show and I think one that all of us had circled on the… — Seth

13. Prince show without Prince

    25:20

    The Prince-hosted episode featured a Prince-themed sketch even though Prince did not appear in the show. Prince's reps declined any participation.

    we did a Prince show in a show with Prince and Prince wasn't in it.

14. Prince asked not to hear sketches

    26:23

    According to a story Seth relays, Amy Poehler was explaining the week's sketches to Prince, who said 'shh, don't ruin it.'

    Prince just went, shh, don't ruin it.

15. Prince's late-night listening party

    29:01

    After the show, Prince held a small listening party at a club, with about 15 guests, where he watched the group listen to his album from a balcony.

    It was like a listening party where we went to a club and we got to meet him and shake his hand

16. Prince on the same first-class flight

    30:23

    The Lonely Island flew first class to LA to meet Paramount about Hot Rod, and Prince boarded at the last moment on the same flight.

    Prince and one of his like dancers or bodyguards just like float into those seats.

17. Seth's Corner: State of the Galaxy

    32:02

    Seth revisits State of the Galaxy, a sketch where he played a Brian Williams robot in 2050, with Will Forte as a descendant of George W. Bush.

    I wrote a sketch that I went back and read that I had literally not one iota of memory about
    Seth's Corner

18. Surf Meeting: the classic one-person-fails format

    35:51

    Andy describes Surf Meeting as a format the group used often: one person keeps failing to fit in, with the bit of repeatedly asking everyone if they are firm on their decision.

    Surf Meeting was a classic format for us.

19. Surf Meeting flops live

    37:35

    The sketch played well at the table and during early blocking but lost momentum in rehearsal and aired poorly, which the hosts blame on blocking, editing, and cuts between dress and air.

    Then we just started rehearsing it and for whatever reason, it started tailing off.

20. Circling back and asking if they're firm

    41:21

    The 'are you firm on that?' and circling-back structure is a recurring comedic device in the hosts' writing.

    It's always about circling back.

21. Bill Hader's view of Surf Meeting

    42:55

    Bill Hader recalls the sketch only Andy, Jorma, and Akiva laughed at during the table read, and that Steve Martin sold the sketch and understood its humor.

    My memory of surf meeting was that we did it at the table and Andy, Jorma, and Akiva were laughing really hard and no one else was.

22. Steve Martin's lasting Surf Meeting regret

    46:26

    The hosts say Steve Martin still has a bone to pick over Surf Meeting, a failure that stuck with him despite his many successes.

    it is a failure that still sticks with Steve Martin.

23. Jerry Seinfeld's really

    48:00

    Seth recalls working with Jerry Seinfeld on a 'really' bit after Seinfeld offered to do something on the show; Seinfeld said he may have invented it.

    And he said, some might say I even invented it.

24. Andy's nightmare moment with Seinfeld

    48:38

    Andy recounts forgetting he was in a sketch while chatting with Seinfeld, and nearly missing his cue for a courtroom sketch.

    I forgot I was in a sketch.

25. Seth's mustache mishap

    49:25

    Seth recalls walking off stage with his mustache, ripping it off backstage, and being told he had another line.

    And I walked off after what I thought was my last line.