Matt Buechele takes aim at the political double standards that are driving the country apart, asking why some scandals end careers while others barely register. From Graham Platner’s failed Senate campaign to President Trump’s $5 million civil judgment, what does accountability even mean anymore?

Fred Armisen joins Matt in Los Angeles to talk about filming Wednesday in Ireland, the enduring magic of Hollywood, self-driving cars, and why no one notices the things you’re most self-conscious about. They also dive into Saturday Night Live, with Fred sharing stories about legendary castmates, sketches that bombed, the surprising origins of “The Californians,” and returning for the show’s 50th anniversary. Plus, they discuss music, Devo, the B-52s, and Fred’s 100 Sound Effects album before wrapping up with a round of predictions about Lorne Michaels, UFOs, and Broadway.

Chapters:

00:00:00 Fred Armisen, Wednesday S3, and Studio Magic

00:05:42 Waymo Logistics and Bullying Delivery Robots

00:11:30 Mastering the Perfect Fred Armisen Impression

00:17:15 Pitching "The Snob Test" Reality TV Idea

00:23:00 The Genius of the 2000s SNL Cast

00:28:45 Behind the Scenes of The Californians Sketch

00:34:30 Backstage at the SNL 50th Anniversary

00:40:15 Drumming for Devo and the B-52s Live

00:46:00 Pittsburgh Hype and the Stomp Clap Hey Era

00:51:45 Creating the 100 Sound Effects Album

00:57:30 Lorne Michaels and the Future of SNL

01:03:15 UFO Skepticism and Broadway Musical Dreams

Topics:

Filming Wednesday Season 3 in Ireland

Survival tips for New York subways

The danger of LA delivery robots

Pitching The Snob Test reality show

Inside the SNL genius all-star cast

How The Californians became a hit

Drumming for Devo and B-52s live

Why Lorne Michaels won't retire

The era of Stomp Clap Hey music

UFOs and why aliens are bored of us

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America just turned 250, and Matt Buechele argues that it doesn't need another culture war—it needs a constitutional rewrite. His proposed amendments tackle everything from celebrity gambling ads and AI data centers to Supreme Court term limits.

Then he sits down with writer, performer, and solo-show mastermind Gabe Mollica to talk about friendship, ambition, changing careers, and the strange challenge of figuring out what kind of creative life you actually want. They get into stand-up comedy, working in television for the first time, Sondheim musicals, horse lawyers, reality TV, and the surprisingly powerful feeling of finding the right creative collaborators.

Topics:

Working 12-hour days on a tv staff

Opening set for a future J-6 rioter

Booking standup sets at hostels

Moving from bar shows to solo specials

Using TV writing to fund my part

Millennials and the marriage dilemma

Being featured on This American Life

The hierarchy of 50 US states

Father’s career as a horse lawyer

A handwritten letter from sondheim

Working for Matthew Gray Gubler

Writing for the creator of Monk

SNL, Tina Fey, and Lorne Michaels predictions

Chapters:

00:00:00 Working for the creator of Monk on Einstein

00:05:38 Why comedy club pay is stuck in 1979

00:10:50 How politics and Trump killed creative optimism

00:15:48 The luxury of being pampered on a network TV set

00:20:58 Sitting at coffee shops and writing jokes

00:26:30 Designing roads to keep people out of New York

00:31:41 The raw energy of early reality television

00:36:44 Watching my father achieve a 30-year dream at 50

00:42:11 Why Whiplash is the ultimate movie for artists

00:47:32 Searching for pretty melodies in the woods

00:53:01 Pitching a high-concept jukebox musical in reverse

00:58:36 Predicting if Lorne Michaels will ever actually retire

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Matt Buechele breaks down Washington's mysterious reflecting pool saga, why America suddenly can't stop talking about the color of swamp water, and the surprising symbolism of a government struggling to fix a reflecting pool. He also reports back from Los Angeles, where self-driving cars, delivery robots, and eerily empty sidewalks make New York feel almost normal.

Then he sits down with creator and Brooklyn Coffee Shop star Pooja Tripathi to talk about leaving a career in fashion, discovering comedy later in life, weird temp jobs, improv classes, internet fame, and building one of the internet's most beloved comedy series from a tiny Brooklyn coffee shop. They also get into Japan, social media brain rot, comment-section warfare, and why embarrassment is usually a sign you're headed in the right direction.

Chapters:

00:00:00 Why creator Pooja Tripathi quit her dream job

00:06:22 When the self-serious fashion world got old 

00:18:40 Turning a green screen sketch into a viral hit series

00:24:42 Why being embarrassing is a creative superpower

00:30:56 The extreme rise of male beauty standards

00:36:12 Industry gatekeepers and the "Too niche" Myth

00:42:10 My chill boss was working two secret jobs

00:49:10 Why the world of improv comedy is so nerdy

00:55:13 International vs global production costs

01:01:21 Comparing the noise of New York City to Japan cities

01:07:41 Predicting the first influencer brand trip to space

Topics: 

Quitting a corporate fashion career at Bloomingdale's 

The logistical absurdity of filming in Tokyo vs Kansas City 

Why improv feels like a trap 

Dealing with modern social media comments 

The rise of leg lengthening surgery for men 

Japan’s cleanliness and quiet vs NYC 

Treating TikTok like high-end HBO productions 

Predicting the first influencer brand trips to outer space 

Being an only child prepares you for comedy

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Matt Buechele breaks down the World Cup coming to America, the shared confusion of getting to MetLife Stadium, and why international visitors keep looking at American food like it's a science experiment. He also takes on primary election season, campaign spam, and the annual transformation of abandoned storefronts into political headquarters nobody asked for.

Then he sits down with writer, actor, and internet icon Brenda Cullerton for a conversation about New York in the 1970s, accidentally building a creative life by following curiosity instead of a plan, and why making things with people you like is still one of life's greatest pleasures. Along the way, they get into writing copy for Star Wars toys, tarot cards, stand-up comedy, social media brain rot, the surprising upside of living rich and dying poor, and whether America is actually getting dumber or if we're just filming it more.

Topics :

Writing star wars copy in the seventies

Being the secret voice of darth vader

Living in a ninety-five dollar studio

Why remote work is a virtual prison

The value of peaking late in a career

Navigating nyc fashion and elitism

Handling creative rejection and hubris

The terror of bad tarot card readings 

Chapters:

00:00:00 Brenda Cullerton paid $95 a month for a studio in Gramercy Park

00:03:48 Writing for Darth Vader and Office Habits

00:10:03 Politics and Common Sense

00:15:12 The Approachable Coastal Elite

00:20:49 Handling Creative Criticism

00:25:46 Rejection and Artistic Failure

00:30:31 Birthday Drama and Boundaries

00:35:24 Tarot Readings and Curses

00:40:30 NYC Mayor and Local Politics

00:43:45 The Strait of Vermouth and Geography

00:48:54 Modern Education and 80K Tuition

00:55:17 Summer Predictions and Closing

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Matt Buechele celebrates the New York Knicks' historic Finals comeback, the return of civic pride to New York City, and why a basketball team might be doing a better job bringing Americans together than just about anything else right now.

Then he sits down with comedian Fumi Abe to talk about growing up in Ohio after immigrating from Japan, the strange economics of stand-up comedy, touring with TikTok stars, marching band humiliation, cross-country crushes, and what happens when a comedy writer suddenly starts making enough money to ignore parking tickets. They also get into late night TV, social media fame, upstate New York, and why the true sign of success might just be buying the expensive rice.

Topics:

Life as a touring stand-up comedian

Writing for James Corden in Los Angeles

Performing on Fallon and Colbert

Internet viral culture changing comedy 

Secrets of late night TV writing

Creating comedy inspired by everyday life

Hot takes with Fumi Abe

Making it big on the internet

Chapters:

00:00:00 Fumi Abe’s viral podcast clip story

00:05:45 Touring revenue and quitting writing jobs

00:11:30 Performance of wealth in LA and Upstate New York

00:17:15 Making internet jokes work on a comedy stage

00:23:00 Growing up in Ohio and high school sports

00:28:45 Being an organic folk drummer in Brother Goose

00:34:30 Leaving music business for the comedy grind

00:40:15 Navigating social media and getting older fans

00:46:00 Experience writing for James Corden in LA

00:51:45 Stand-up sets on Fallon and Colbert

00:57:30 Comedy writing process and the urologist bit

01:03:15 Predictions for self-driving cars and airplanes

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Matt Buechele breaks down why tiny indie films with names that sound like shuttered strip clubs are suddenly beating massive studio franchises at the box office, and why audiences seem increasingly desperate for something that doesn't feel focus-grouped to death. 

Then he sits down with Kareem Rahma to talk about building Subway Takes into an internet institution, the weird economics of making things online, arguing with commenters, country-house dad life, late night TV's future, and the challenge of making meaningful art while still paying the bills. They also get into New York, burnout, family, and Kareem's political philosophy: if you want to be rich, be rich — we'll take care of the rest.

TOPICS COVERED:

Keep the Meter Running with Kareem Rahma

Shooting on NYC trains

Why creators need security

From digital creator to producer

Viral burnout and fame

Future of late night on YouTube

Will digital creators win Emmys

A one billion dollar wealth cap

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Kareem Rahma on shooting Subway Takes

04:40 Filming with security and getting recognized

09:20 Building the New Hollywood in New York

14:00 Why the digital creator label is frustrating

18:40 Fame and the dream of being a one hit wonder

23:20 Comparing traditional late night to YouTube

28:00 Why digital shows need brand deals and ads

32:40 Dealing with viral comments and internet culture

37:20 Personal life and providing for family

42:00 The Socialist Capitalism political party idea

46:40 Running for mayor and 2028 election predictions

51:20 The future of awards and driverless cars in NYC

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#KeepTheMeterRunning #SubwayTakes #NewHollywood #SmallTownMayor #LateNightFuture #WriterVsCreator

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Matt Buechele breaks down the New York Knicks making the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years, the terrifying possibility of a Manhattan championship riot, and the upcoming UFC fight on the White House lawn featuring a lineup that feels suspiciously close to a county fair sponsored by Monster Energy.

Then he sits down with comedian and writer Alexandria Love to talk about surviving late night TV, sharing a tiny office at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, New York slowly turning you into a louder person, comedy partnerships, sports betting apps, Taylor Swift discourse, and trying to build a creative career while the entertainment industry melts in real time.

Topics Covered: 

Working for the Tonight Show and being in writer’s room

Moving from Oakland to LA and surviving the industry

How professional friction builds career skills.

Why late-night TV feels like the Titanic.

Revisiting the bits that didn’t make the air.

Predictions for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

Deleting dating apps and modern dating.

The rise of AI therapists and digital habits.

Oscars: Michael B. Jordan vs. Timothée Chalamet

Chapters:

00:00:00 NYC culture and meeting Alexandria Love

00:05:00 Writing for the Tonight Show and After Midnight

00:10:27 Career advice: how professional friction builds skills

00:16:14 The future of the late night TV industry

00:21:00 Stand-up comedy vs. digital content production

00:27:16 Taylor Swift’s new album and pop culture review

00:32:42 Career transitions: from law school to comedy

00:38:53 The reality of living in New York vs. Los Angeles

00:44:17 Behind the scenes: the Tonight Show writer’s room

00:51:50 2026 predictions: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce

00:57:27 Dating app trends and deleting the Feeld app

01:02:07 Oscar predictions: Michael B. Jordan vs. Timothée Chalamet

#AlexandriaLove #ProfessionalFriction #ComedyWriter #TaylorSwiftHotTakes #ModernDating #JordanVsChalamet

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Matt Buechele breaks down Trump’s mysterious $2 billion “slush fund,” why no trustworthy operation has ever used the phrase “slush fund,” and the growing trend of college graduates booing AI commencement speeches delivered by men who look like they own underground bunkers in New Zealand.

Then he sits down with filmmaker Celine Song to talk about modern masculinity, internet identity, vulnerability in art, adapting The Seagull in The Sims 4 on Twitch, and their shared addiction to Fortnite and other deeply time-consuming video games.

Topics covered: 

Personality tests, identity, and labels

Social skills and meaningful connections

“Past Lives” misinterpretations 

Heroic masculinity and men behaving well 

Challenging the trope of male characters as lazy or villainous 

Consent culture vs. rape culture 

The pandemic and creative transitions 

The haenyeo, elderly Korean free-divers

Addictive personalities and gaming culture 

Writing, directing, and acting 

Chapters: 

00:00:00 Critiquing AI obsession and modern tech culture

00:02:53 Celine Song on astrology and Virgo personality traits

00:05:48 The importance of reading the room and social skills

00:09:10 Vulnerability and open-hearted communication

00:14:00 Why "Past Lives" is not a love triangle movie

00:15:47 The problem with internet film discourse and movie reviews

00:17:35 Depicting heroic masculinity and men behaving well in cinema

00:22:57 Historical context of consent culture and generational decency

00:30:00 The impact of the 2020 pandemic on theater and playwriting

00:37:00 Directing Chekhov’s "The Seagull" inside The Sims 4

00:43:20 Hardcore gaming: Fortnite, Elden Ring, and addictive creativity

00:54:40 Movie franchise predictions and voice acting careers

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Matt Buechele breaks down the impossible cost of modern life, and why everything feels like a luxury experience or a gambling app. Then, on his way to jury duty, Matt reflects on America’s inability to sit quietly in a room for three hours without pretending to be racist to get out of it.

Then he sits down with writer and journalist Chloé Cooper Jones for a conversation about chaotic weekends in upstate New York, swimming in lakes that may or may not heal you spiritually, and the strange intimacy of male friendship. They also talk about disability, ambition, why reading is sexy, and the freedom that comes with getting old enough to stop caring what strangers think of you.

Topics covered: 

- The Fiddler on the Roof audition 

- Disability in the media

- Writing for the 14-year-old self

- Looksmaxxing & longevity biohacking through reading

- The “saintly” trap & disability as inevitability 

- The labor of being seen

- Mortal peril as a love language

- The Anti-Inspiration Narrative

- G-suite infidelity

Chapters:

00:00:00 Dynamic Pricing and the Rising Cost of Living 

00:01:26 Matt’s Jury Duty Experience 

00:03:13 The Used Swim Goggles Gift 

00:05:28 The Farm Stand Fiasco & "Trump Ate My Dog" Shirt 

00:11:52 Lake Minnewaska and the "Pearl vs. Maniac" Dynamic 

00:17:17 Running 18 Miles to the Beaches of Normandie 

00:25:22 Growing Up in Kansas and the Power of Libraries 

00:31:38 The Theater Audition That Changed Everything 

00:40:42 Rejecting Expectations and Chloe's "Easy Beauty" Memoir 

00:58:04 Dilemmas: Sharing a Car with an Ex & G-Suite Infidelity 

01:08:55 Teaching Writing at Columbia and the Reality of AI 

01:18:19 Final Predictions: Politics, Handwriting, and Florida 

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Matt Buechele rants through the escalating Iran conflict, Operation Epic Fury, the collapse of Spirit Airlines, and why it suddenly feels like Americans are paying more for everything while somehow getting the bolted-down lawn chair version of life.

Then he sits down with comedian Jay Jurden to talk about accidentally wandering into the Ralph Lauren mansion on the Upper East Side, the changing comedy landscape, internet masculinity, growing up queer in Mississippi, and why suddenly every man in his 30s seems to be on Propecia.

Topics:

- Luxury fever dreams

- Consumerism vs. longevity

- The "death of expertise"

- The manosphere pipeline

- Captive audiences and "murder world" death machines.

- Men’s maintenance era

- Crypto is chlamydia

- Pixelated sexual awakenings

- The mandatory metropolitan draft

- Remarkable vs. Relatable

- The "Sheriff of the C-Train"

- Aging and persistence

- Comedic predictions

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 Operation Epic Fury and the Spirit Airlines Rosary

00:06:33 The Vacation Tax: Mississippi Parents vs. London Weddings

00:13:45 The Death of Expertise: Why Vibes Ruined the Skillset

00:19:30 Being Remarkable vs. Relatable: The Magician's Craft

00:26:03 The Mr. Beast Pipeline and the Rise of Aggrieved Youth

00:32:30 From AOL Chatrooms to the Mandatory Metropolitan Draft

00:39:01 American Ninja Industry: Holding onto the Next Career Grip

00:45:30 Commercials for Opinions: Readjusting Post-2020 Expectations

00:52:42 Crypto is Chlamydia: Captchas and Investment Red Flags

00:58:45 The Men's Maintenance Era: Propecia and Aging Gracefully

01:04:36 Luxury Grievances: The Delta One TSA Disaster

01:11:30 The Accidental Boomer and Predicting the First Queer NBA Star

That Sounds Like A Lot is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions and Port Royale in partnership with Vox Media and AND Media. Music by Matt Buechele.

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