Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out 182. Fred Armisen Returns: Is He Joking?
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Aug 25, 2025 Fred Armisen, renowned actor and comedian known for his work on Saturday Night Live and Portlandia, joins for a lively discussion. He shares hilarious stories from his SNL audition and offers insightful sketch writing tips. The conversation also meanders into the oddities of museum etiquette and how different cultures embrace the acoustic guitar. At one point, he even picks up Mike's guitar to illustrate musical styles worldwide. Their playful banter reveals the importance of enjoyment in creativity, making for a delightful listen.
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Punk Ethos Shaped Creative Risk-Taking
- Fred links Portlandia's originality to his punk roots and the idea of rejecting strict goals or rules.
- He describes the project's early ethos as "let's just see how far this gets," valuing openness over a fixed plan.
Audition Bits That Landed SNL
- Fred describes his SNL audition characters: a self-defense expert and Fericito, a Venezuelan timbali player.
- He also improvised impressions like Sam Waterston and a quick Vin Diesel bit that helped change his life.
Start Shows As If You're New
- Fred keeps show beginnings intentionally slightly alien to greet audiences afresh each night.
- He models this approach on David Byrne's "hi, I'm not from here" tone to reset expectations.