Embracing Embarrassment and Commitment in Comedy and Performance

Good Hang with Amy Poehler · December 23, 2025 · Listen to Original Episode →

Original Title:

TL;DR

Comedy performers who embrace "bombing" develop a primal scream-like community therapy experience, fostering resilience by accepting embarrassment and commitment beyond typical cringe.
The power of parody and the importance of self-deprecating humor, as exemplified by watching an impression of oneself being laughed at by the subject, are impactful early memory-building blocks.
Original Christmas songs are exceptionally difficult to create, requiring a blend of classic sentiment and novelty to seamlessly integrate with established holiday music traditions.
A "character" audition for SNL, while potentially disparaged by some, can be a successful strategy by leaning into learned behaviors and visual commitment beyond typical impressions.
The difference between achieving 98% and 100% in a demanding vocal performance is often imperceptible to an audience, highlighting the unreliability of self-critique.
Comedy sketch performers face unique challenges with the "schlepping" of props and costumes, requiring significant commitment and a willingness to embrace inherent embarrassment.

Deep Dive

Ana Gasteyer, a celebrated singer and comedian, shared insights into her multifaceted career and her deep affection for the holiday season, particularly during a festive episode of "Good Hang." Her perspective illuminates how embracing commitment and confronting embarrassment can be key to artistic growth, while also highlighting the evolving nature of comedy and performance through her personal experiences.

Gasteyer discussed her journey from Northwestern University to the comedic stages of Chicago and Los Angeles, eventually landing at Saturday Night Live. She reflected on the demanding yet rewarding nature of SNL, emphasizing the importance of giving one's all to avoid regret, a philosophy she also applied to her challenging role in the Broadway production of "Wicked." Her experience with "Wicked" revealed a potent life lesson: the difference between a perfectionist and a competitor. Gasteyer recounted her internal struggle with self-criticism during her time in the show, only to later discover through recordings that her performances were remarkably consistent and strong, illustrating how the mind can be an unreliable judge of one's own efforts. This realization underscores the idea that external validation is less critical than internal commitment and that self-compassion is crucial for navigating demanding creative endeavors.

Her reflections on comedy reveal a nuanced understanding of its evolution and its inherent challenges. Gasteyer spoke about the "schlepping" of sketch comedy--the wigs, the props, the commitment to often embarrassing characters--as a testament to the coolness of those who embrace it. She contrasted this with stand-up, noting the different energies involved. The podcast touched upon the concept of "bombing" in sketch comedy, not as a failure, but as a communal therapy, a shared experience that fosters connection. This idea extends to the enduring appeal of characters like Bobby and Marty Culp, whose passive aggression and performance at unexpected events were comedic gold, proving that the premise and character dynamic were more important than musical perfection. The SNL 50th anniversary performance of Bobby and Marty highlighted their ability to command attention even in a room full of musical giants, demonstrating that their unique brand of humor resonated powerfully.

Gasteyer's personal connection to Christmas, earning her the moniker "Duchess of Christmas," shines through her discussion of holiday traditions and her acclaimed album "Sugar and Booze." She shared practical "hacks" for festive decorating, like using tension rods for garland arches, and expressed a preference for live Christmas trees, acknowledging the modern genetic modifications that impact their scent. Her appreciation for classic entertainers like Rosemary Clooney and Mel Brooks, particularly "Spaceballs," reveals a fondness for clever, character-driven humor. The interview also touched upon her memorable experiences in the White House during the Carter administration, including playing violin for world leaders and watching "Star Wars" with Anwar Sadat, offering a unique glimpse into a pivotal historical period. Her childhood memories of SNL, watching Dan Aykroyd impersonate President Carter while the real president laughed, provided a profound early lesson in the power of parody and self-awareness.

Ultimately, Gasteyer's reflections offer a compelling narrative about the courage to be vulnerable in performance, the importance of self-acceptance, and the enduring joy found in creative expression, especially during the holiday season. Her belief that writing is most "freeing" when it is completed, and singing is her most "natural" gift, suggests a deep understanding of her own artistic strengths and a willingness to embrace them.

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Key Quotes

"We are all pretty good at, I mean, and most women are at, like, getting throwing it on. Yeah, throwing it on. And I've gotten really good at just the feel, like I can almost, it's a, it's like, it's like 'Love is Blind,' but it's makeup is blind, and you just have people do a full makeover without by just feel."

Paula Pell highlights the shared skill among women of applying makeup quickly and adeptly, even without direct visual confirmation. This speaks to an intuitive understanding and practiced efficiency in personal grooming.

"I love to harmonize more than anything on earth. If I could, if someone said to me, 'This is your job for the rest of your life is just to throw in that alto line and just walk from group to group and throw in that alto line, lay down that base,' I would do it and be the happiest human being on earth."

Ana Gasteyer expresses a profound passion for vocal harmony, specifically the alto line and bass parts. She articulates a deep personal fulfillment derived from contributing to musical arrangements in this way.

"And then that's the crazy, crazy stories that I went to Camp David for the Camp David Accords with, um, the Carters, and we played the violin, which was crazy. And for, for the very first United States Middle East treaty that, so you played violin for Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin and Jimmy Carter."

Ana Gasteyer recounts a remarkable experience playing the violin at Camp David during the Camp David Accords. This demonstrates a unique intersection of her musical talent with significant historical and diplomatic events.

"And to me, that was the most powerful, um, whatever you call that, early building block or core memory of putting in place the power of parody and the power of comedy and the importance of being able to laugh at yourself, you know, all of those things, which obviously we're in a really different time around, but, um, super, super, super impactful."

Ana Gasteyer reflects on a formative memory of seeing President Carter laugh at a Dan Aykroyd impression on SNL. She identifies this as a foundational moment that underscored the significance of parody, comedy, and self-awareness.

"And that's why I give 75, I don't even get, but honestly, most of, or it could apply to anything, and making that decision of being like, 'Did you show up? Were you nice to people? You know, did you know your lines?' Okay, the way that, and also the way the lovely way in which you circled back and you were able to kind of like go back to that younger version of yourself and be like, 'Oh my god, I can't believe how unnecessarily relentlessly mean I was to myself.'"

Ana Gasteyer shares a life lesson learned from her demanding experiences in Broadway shows, particularly "Wicked." She emphasizes the importance of self-compassion and recognizes how harshly she treated her younger self, advocating for a more forgiving perspective.

"And honestly, like, at the 50th, which was so special, because that was always my favorite thing to do at SNL, it was the most fun writing it with Will and with Paula. We would, we were infamous, infamous is the term, because we would, as you know, not start writing until 4 o'clock in the morning and we would finish at 10:00 AM, and it was always like a laugh fest that was so heavily featured procrastination, it was extraordinary."

Ana Gasteyer describes the writing process for SNL sketches, particularly with Will Ferrell and Paula Pell, as a "laugh fest" characterized by extreme procrastination. This highlights a chaotic yet joyful creative environment.

Resources

External Resources

Books

"The Gift of the Magi" - Mentioned as the premise for Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas.

Articles & Papers

"The Apprentice" - Mentioned as a show where Martha Stewart handwritten termination notes.

People

Amy Carter - Mentioned as the daughter of President Jimmy Carter, with whom the speaker was friends in high school.
Anwar Sadat - Mentioned as a recipient of a US Middle East treaty, for whom the speaker played the violin.
Bill Berloni - Mentioned as an animal trainer who works with Broadway productions.
Jimmy Carter - Mentioned as President during the speaker's childhood and as someone who laughed at a Lorne Michaels impression.
Koki Roberts - Mentioned as an NPR reference and someone Lauren Michaels is friends with.
Lorne Michaels - Mentioned as a friend of Koki Roberts and as someone who suggested the speaker for SNL.
Menachem Begin - Mentioned as a recipient of a US Middle East treaty, for whom the speaker played the violin.
Paula Pell - Mentioned as a guest on the podcast and a friend who provided a question for Ana Gasteyer.
Will Ferrell - Mentioned as someone who suggested the speaker for SNL and as a friend with whom they wrote sketches.

Organizations & Institutions

Groundlings - Mentioned as the improv theater where the speaker trained and met funny women.
Hotels.com - Mentioned as a sponsor offering a "Save Your Way" feature for members.
National Football League (NFL) - Mentioned in relation to sports discussion.
NBC - Mentioned as the location of Rosie O'Donnell's studio.
Northwestern - Mentioned as the university where the speaker studied voice.
Paper Kite Productions - Mentioned as a production company for the podcast.
PayPal - Mentioned as a sponsor offering a "Pay in Four" option for holiday shopping.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) - Mentioned as a data source for player grading.
Saturday Night Live (SNL) - Mentioned as a challenging job and a complicated workplace.
Second City - Mentioned as an improv theater the speaker saw in Chicago.
The Ringer - Mentioned as a production company for the podcast.
Walmart - Mentioned as a sponsor offering express delivery for gifts.
Wicked - Mentioned as a challenging job and a difficult workplace.

Podcasts & Audio

Good Hang with Amy Poehler - Mentioned as the podcast hosting the episode.
Sirius XM Radio Broadway Show - Mentioned as Seth Rudetsky's radio show.

Other Resources

Apple Card - Mentioned as a sponsor offering unlimited daily cash back.
Balsam Hill - Mentioned as a brand of Christmas trees.
Balsam Hill Christmas Tree - Mentioned as an alternative to live Christmas trees.
Beagle Basset - Mentioned as a breed of dog.
Chihuahua - Mentioned as a breed of dog.
Christmas Decor - Mentioned as being gorgeous and warm.
Christmas Decorating - Mentioned in relation to TikTok hacks.
Christmas Episodes - Mentioned as the theme of the podcast episode.
Christmas Movies - Mentioned as a topic of discussion.
Christmas Music - Mentioned as a topic of discussion.
Christmas Songs - Mentioned as a topic of discussion.
Christmas Tree - Mentioned as a topic of discussion.
Christmas Trees - Mentioned as a topic of discussion.
Courses - Mentioned as a category for resources.
Courses & Educational Resources - Mentioned as a category for resources.
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