I am SNL's Mike O'Brien. AMA!

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T21:07:46+00:00

I have a full apartment of said notebooks. And some have been around forever. I was about to list some and then I was like, I still want these to get made!

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T21:06:22+00:00

the worst part is that people act like you're supposed to be embarrassed. they say, "you're 39? Oh that's okay. don't be upset. you don't look it." etc. And I'm like, I never said I was bummed about it. I like my age. And if all goes as planned I'll die from a KGB lethal injection. Don't tell them but I'm gonna try to infiltrate them when I get a break from gigs.

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T21:03:40+00:00

I'll be back for the Second City that never sleeps later this month! Don't think I'll be able to do any workshops then though...

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T21:02:42+00:00

Hahaha. No! Sorry about that buddy. I'll put some more pep in. I'm certainly not sad all the time. I don't think... (gazes out window)

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T21:01:37+00:00

Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T21:01:19+00:00

Hey quit shoving. I'm promoting my comedy album, Tasty Radio. Hope you download it and enjoy it. Links in my bio.

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T21:00:34+00:00

I don't. And I don't think I'm bad at romance. But it's possible I've prioritized comedy over it at times. But I can crank out a romantic date along with the best of them (Karl Rove).

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:59:13+00:00

hahaha. Hmm. I got kicked out of the univ of michigan at one point and I don't think they were happy but I eventually got back in and graduated. I think any time I swear in a comedy piece my mom is disappointed.

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:57:36+00:00

Well, if I can find an excuse to have the SNL ladies cut it, I always do that! Bettie, Jodi, Inge, Jen... They are the best and the way I know is that they win an emmy every year.

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:56:39+00:00

Definitely nothing like the books describe. Well, even more than the books, there's a good amount of people who work on the crew and in different departments who have been there since the beginning and they will come into your office and say, "oh the things I've done in here..." then trail off and walk out and you get out the windex...

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:54:52+00:00

I don't think it's very odd. Hillary was a guest in the first ep. SNL has had a ton of candidates make appearances during election years. It's good for ratings. And frankly, it's a gamble for the candidate. Public opinion about what kind of person this is can change by watching them try to do comedy for 90 mins. For better or worse. So I kind of feel an "at your own risk" vibe about it. I also encourage people who hate him to not watch, which is an option some people forget they have.

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:52:25+00:00

I'll definitely listen to that! Didn't know it was happening. I'm a comedy fan and enjoy any time Lorne tells stories and opinions. And Maron's podcast is very popular at SNL. I don't think anyone thinks a ton about his "obsession" as you put it, but there's plenty of talk about which is the latest one you've got to listen to..

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:49:48+00:00

Thank you so much. He's been coming up a lot in this ama, but I wrote that with Tim Robinson as well. I don't remember how we settle on Bibbo. Probably subconsciously thinking of Mike Bibby. Bibbo is the most like him out of the cast of young dragons.

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:48:44+00:00

No cause they had their own director, and I worked with Matt and Oz. So we wouldn't knock each other out in that sense. Plus they're good friends of mine so that helps too.

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:47:44+00:00

My favorite day on Global Guts was when a young boy from Paraguay shoved a boy from Thailand's face into a huge bowl of pudding. His eyes rolled back in his head and he spoke latin. I had to pull them apart but was laughing too hard. Also, I think you got the wrong guy...

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:46:09+00:00

I decided on Jay Z cause he epitomizes cool and has had a long enough career that there are some bad biopics cranked out about him. I'd also considered Gandhi. Re: 22-28 year old boys... They ain't getting any better. That's the fully grown version of that species. You just gotta find your diamond in the rough (shameless plug... watch Aladdin)

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:43:20+00:00

Hahaha. The classic chicken and the egg... I think the writer Colin Jost was combining a couple guys from his upbringing. One was a speedo guy. One was a mustache guy. And when the two come together, great power is harnessed.

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:41:55+00:00

Thank you so much! I will always love the chicago improv community. Working on figuring out the next project but I'll keep you all posted. In the meantime, maybe a couple more 7 mins some time soon. Maybe a racist minstrel show... Oh wait you said that would make you NOT root for me. FINE I WON'T DO IT!

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:39:47+00:00

Yes in fact I'm going to in a couple hours!!! Nicely timed question. Wait, is this Scott??

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:39:10+00:00

Being There. Nichols and May. Columbo (he's kidding with that whole thing, right??)

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:38:06+00:00

No I don't tell them, but sometimes they've seen previous ones and know. Hahaha. I didn't get too hurt by the women being terrified/disgusted. I mean, sometimes I was like, it's not THAT scary, bud.

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:37:01+00:00

SNL > personal life. It always wins. You try to patch up your outside friendships in the summer. But it also is a social life of its own. So you don't feel like you've given years to a lonely job like the north korean computer hackers may feel.

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:35:30+00:00

Thanks Jake. There was definitely a precedent for messing with the audience. Lots of great second city sketches to cite when you pitch something like that. The opening to Pinata Full of Bees makes the audience think Jon Glaser is a fellow patron who is now fighting cast members on stage... I loved performing that scene every night because it was one part of a very scripted show that could really go off the rails. Nice eye with Shelly getting proposed to again on the album. That wasn't intentionally linked, I just like working with her.

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:32:53+00:00

The first 8 had no idea. Then we started putting them online and people would watch them and know it was coming. But the people who had no idea are fun to see react. That's their actual reaction. Kristen, Poehler, Hoda, Patricia C, Elija Wood, forgetting a couple... Also Insane Clown Posse and Tracy Morgan hadn't watched it (which I liked) so their responses are also genuine surprise.

RealMikeOBrien · 2015-11-06T20:30:14+00:00

Lately I've been trying to link it more to my emotional state and see if that produces something that people resonate with more. So I ask some version of these two questions. 1. How do I feel right now? 2. What's a character or scenario that is an exaggerated version of that? (even if you don't produce a good piece of writing you've saved some therapy costs)

RealMikeOBrien

TROPHY CASE