MacGruber: Remembering Val Kilmer

Pop-ups (26 · 3 fan picks from YouTube comments)

1. Talking about Val for a year

   1:52

   Jorma says the group could talk about Kilmer for a year and still not cover who he was. The line sets the tone for a tribute episode.

   We could talk about him for a year and it wouldn't cover even a dent of who he was.

2. Casting Kilmer as Dieter von Kunth

   2:35

   The hosts discuss how Kilmer, who read the part cold at the table read, landed the role of Dieter von Kunth. Seth jokes that few actors or agents would take such a name.

   Dieter von Kunth. Yes. So in the very writing of the script, you have eliminated probably 85% of actors who just are going to hard no.

3. Kilmer read the part cold

   2:55

   Jorma reveals Kilmer admitted he read the MacGruber role cold at the table read and nailed it.

   he admitted to us afterwards that he read it cold and he nailed it.

4. Top Secret as a formative comedy

   3:57

   Jorma recalls Top Secret as the first movie that made him double over laughing and realize adults could be this funny. The film was a childhood favorite for the group.

   to me was the first movie that i saw where i watched it and like was doubled over most of the time

5. The one joke Kilmer refused

   4:28

   Kilmer declined one joke in the script, the bit about cutting off Dieter's penis and shoving it in his mouth.

   There was one joke, though, that he refused to do, which was that we did want to cut his penis off and shove it in his mouth.

6. Kilmer's early film run

   5:17

   Seth notes Kilmer once told his agent he would only do movies with Top in the title, connecting Top Secret, Real Genius and Top Gun.

   At the time he was telling his agent he would only do movies with Top in the title.

7. MacGruber's original working title

   5:32

   The film was originally titled Top Genius, and the team sold Kilmer by calling it Top Gruber Top.

   Yeah, we sucked him in by calling it Top Gruber Top.

8. Kilmer's first line at the table read

   8:54

   Jorma recalls Kilmer's first line, 'open it,' carried so much gravitas that he knew Kilmer was right for the part.

   His first line is, open it. And I remember being like, wow, that was really good.

9. Malibu meeting with a paper chip

   9:43

   Jorma describes first meeting Kilmer in Malibu, where Kilmer tossed paper Mardi Gras chips at him while claiming to be a king.

   And he's going, are you a king? Are you a king? Are you a king?

10. Texting Kilmer back

    11:04

    Jorma recalls texting Kilmer after lunch and wondering how to respond to his deadpan absurdity.

    I was like, can I write this to Val Kilmer?

11. Fans point here

    14:53

    1 YouTube comment timestamps this moment, 6 likes.

    Do you guys remember when he first showed up on set and was just visiting and he was dressed in this like all white linen suit with like a bolo tie? And I can't remember what he was wearing, but I was just like, this… — Jorma

12. Kilmer's tennis balls at the Chateau

    16:02

    A friend working at the Chateau Marmont recalls Kilmer asking for the tennis balls and building a mattress fort.

    And Val goes, yeah. I might need those.

13. Kilmer lives with Forte

    19:07

    Kilmer was supposed to stay a few days while finding a new place, but ended up staying about two and a half months.

    Yeah, it ended up being two and a half months

14. Kilmer binges 30 Rock

    20:01

    Forte remembers Kilmer watching lots of 30 Rock in the dark house, lit only by a hum under the door.

    he was watching a ton of 30 Rock.

15. The white linen jog

    21:40

    Forte recounts jogging with Kilmer, who joined him in a white linen suit and loafers.

    you're going to jog in what you're wearing. And he's like, yeah, let's do it.

16. Art-filled apartment in New York

    25:52

    Kilmer took the group to a wealthy friend's apartment packed with valuable art, including a Warhol and a Basquiat.

    It was over a hundred million dollars worth of art in this one apartment.

17. The gift certificate at Paragon Sports

    27:49

    Kilmer showed Taccone hunting knives at Paragon Sports and gave him a $50 gift certificate.

    And he gave me a $50 Paragon Sports gift certificate card.

18. Fans point here

    31:48

    1 YouTube comment timestamps this moment, 6 likes.

    This is another story I told in that article, but while we were making MacGruber, I showed up one day, John and I drove in together and he had this red plaid shirt on, like this kind of a hunter type shirt. And I was… — Will Forte

19. Kilmer's fascination with people

    33:08

    Forte describes Kilmer as deeply fascinated by people, which he thinks made him a great actor.

    He was fascinated by people. I think that's why he was such a good actor.

20. Kilmer's Mark Twain show

    37:41

    The hosts discuss Kilmer's one-man Mark Twain show, which he performed fearlessly, and mention the documentary Cinema Twain.

    And then, Mark Twain show, he's, that amazing documentary that they made with Jack

21. Kilmer hosts SNL in 2000

    44:57

    Kilmer hosted SNL in December 2000 with U2 as musical guest. Seth was in the audience and met Kilmer at the after-party.

    He hosted SNL in 2000, and U2 was the musical guest.

22. Fans point here

    46:14

    1 YouTube comment timestamps this moment, 6 likes.

    He hosted SNL in 2000, and U2 was the musical guest. And it was before I was on the show, but I was in the audience. I had sort of begun my process of being someone that was on the radar of SNL. And Ayala Cohen, who… — Seth

23. Top Gun 30 years later sketch

    47:08

    Kilmer played Iceman as a bored commercial airline co-pilot in a sketch co-written by Mike Schur.

    he is playing Iceman from Top Gun 30 years later with a bit of a paunch and thinning hair.

24. Behind the Music parody

    48:11

    Kilmer did a Jim Morrison impression in a Scott Wainio sketch parodying Behind the Music about a band formed in heaven.

    And Val Kilmer did his Jim Morrison impression, which was incredible.

25. Tom Cruise nearly walks on

    50:36

    Tom Cruise watched the Top Gun sketch live and nearly walked onstage, but the sketch ended before he could.

    We missed a Tom Cruise walk-on into the sketch

26. The Barkley MacGruber sketch

    51:26

    Seth names the Charles Barkley MacGruber as the perfect three-parter, and Forte calls it his favorite.

    the Charles Barkley MacGruber, which I don't believe we talked about

27. Like a white Darrell

    52:23

    In the Barkley sketch, MacGruber keeps calling Barkley's character Darrell, which leads to the 'white Darrell' joke.

    Oh, like a white Darrell.

28. A TV brought down for a game

    53:00

    During the Barkley MacGruber shoot, a championship game was on and the crew brought in a TV, which Kilmer enjoyed.

    They did bring down a TV.

29. Tribute closing

    55:21

    The hosts close the tribute with farewells, praising Kilmer's kids and his generous spirit.

    Rest in peace, Val. Rest in peace.