In the original, which debuted on Broadway in 1985, Tomlin leaps for two hours . But I was just always performing around the house. GROSS: Some musicals have really corny scenes in them, and the kind of scene that always bores me is the picnic scene where it's like, this was a real nice clambake. You know, we were getting ready for one of those - I think they were two "Update" specials because it was an election year. So that wasn't even - I didn't even know we'd get to be vaccinated. That's where everything's OK. In this scene, the couple keeps trying to escape Schmigadoon by crashing back over the bridge while bickering about their relationship. STRONG: No because it wasn't like they were not emotional thoughts, you know? STRONG: (As The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation with at a Party) And I'm sorry - if I could play devil's advocate for just a second, I think we all know the real reason Julian Assange is in jail, and that's 'cause she's a woman. "Saturday Night Live" picked up around 400,000 viewers on Saturday from the previous week. It's not something we're going to eradicate. In October of 2021, it was announced that Cecily will make her New York stage debut in an off-Broadway production, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in . - where she sort of wishes he could be who he really is. Because at "Update," you only get to rehearse on Saturday, really. And I suddenly thought, wow, the opening to this is very much like the opening to "Brigadoon." But if you've got some extree (ph) STRONG: (As Melissa Gimble, singing) I sure would like a taste. Congratulations on "Schmigadoon!" KEY: (As Josh Skinner) I'm not singing, and you're not singing. So here's another scene from "Schmigadoon!". STRONG: (As Melissa Gimble) But not together. GROSS: A turning point in your young life (laughter) was in 1999 when you were a sophomore in high school. Cecily Strong is good at women. And "Corn Puddin'" suddenly came to me as just a - it's kind of the perfect representation of these sort of songs like the - it's "A Real Nice Clambake." STRONG: No. 'Cause Kevin can wait, but Syrian refugees can't, OK? And so I think, more than anything, it made me realize, like, that's what depression does to you. The Apple TV+ satire series Schmigadoon! STRONG: (As Melissa Gimble) Come on. GROSS: That was another scene from "Schmigadoon!," which stars my guest, Cecily Strong, and Keegan-Michael Key. GROSS: And so is that one of the things you wanted to play with - also the idea that, like, love can totally transform a person into - you know, a kind of stern, rigid person into a much more loving, lovely person? I'm Terry Gross. No. because everyone in it seems to be enjoying being in it so much. Six episodes at approximately 30 minutes each.) STRONG: Well, I actually will say the police had a program that I was really lucky to have. It was Gardner's first time, and her eyes widened as a pile of men in short shorts burst into a number . I'm Terry Gross, and this is FRESH AIR. (Singing) Some men like to fight and curse. And I think a lot of that, you can feel it when you watch the show. You know, "The Coconauts," "Animal Crackers," "Horse Feathers" has a lot of songs in it. So somebody at Fox News said my name into a bathroom mirror three times, and here I am. So I dropped out. GROSS: What are some of the movies and some of the cartoons that you grew up with? And it was a lot of work, which is a good distraction and good to, like, have a job again. Please, no song. . When we left off, we were talking about her characters on "SNL.". GROSS: Another little clue. And then I think a real key moment was - I think I was 14 and was asked to play piano for my high school's musical. The series is streaming on Apple TV+. What did you do to try to capture her voice? Barry Sonnenfeld directs and executive produces. And it was like, I really was thinking about those two things as nice options and had to tell my mom. Trailer A TV series that I really enjoyed this year is "Schmigadoon!," a smart, funny and loving satire of musicals from the '40s and '50s. And so - but everything that is evidence that he's gay, she sees as a really positive quality. I was so, like, mad that no one was letting me have my rehearsal - 'cause "Update," you only get to rehearse on Saturday, really. Like, he's just - when he's managing it, he is the most delightful, wonderful - my brother is, like, one of my favorite people in the world. STRONG: I almost enjoy it more to see when someone's laughing. But she left the desk, preferring to do sketch comedy, which she's great at. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. This is FRESH AIR. "The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life . He's . STRONG: I said no, actually, at first to going to Vancouver and shooting because I was - I really was afraid. So it is more of a romantic comedy, and it can be more about, what does love mean? And anything I can do to help (laughter) would make me feel very good. Otherwise, it's hard to get an impression on the show. You put the bowl in your belly 'cause it's good for the soul. They just performed, you know? STRONG: (As Melissa Gimble) Guys, we're actually in the middle of something. KEY: (As Josh Skinner) Would you leave us alone for just a minute? (As characters, singing) Then she complains that he don't understand her. You put the bowl in your belly 'cause it's good for the soul. PAUL: What would be the worst possible song to subject him to, you know? And so in the spirit of turning your life into a musical, I just want to play the opening theme from your podcast, "Make Him Watch It. Her birth name is Cecily Legler Strong. SNL season 48 premiered without some cast members many considered synonymous with the show in recent years. UNIDENTIFIED CHORUS: (As characters, singing) Corn puddin'. Strong also has a new book that will be published tomorrow called "This Will All Be Over Soon." UNIDENTIFIED CHORUS: (As characters, singing) We want corn puddin'. And for her, it's all these really positive qualities. You know, really, we talk about escapism, and I had real life escapism, where I flew into this beautiful, magical land of Vancouver, where there's, like, water and mountains and big trees - it was gorgeous - and then to be on those sets that were also gorgeous, and then to be with this amazing group of people. We'll first hear the voice of Michael Che on "Weekend Update.". And it was like, now we're seeing all of each other on Zoom at our first Zoom table read, and it was just so overwhelming. It actually - I think it was probably Bryan Tucker, who I write with. PAUL: Yeah, I mean, that was the intention. is a weird show. STRONG: No, I would - it feels great because, this past year especially, I'm just - I'm so proud of the show and being a part of the show. GROSS: Kind of brought it home. She's been in the entertainment business since 2012, officially making her a ten-year veteran of the arts. And whatever you decide to do about "Saturday Night Live," I wish you well. So I think that led to my love of these 1920s songs, you know, the Tin Pan Alley stuff. Cecily Strong's character loves musicals and is initially charmed. And immediately he's concerned about the age difference, especially because the actresses, you know, who play these roles were never actually teenagers. And my guest, Cinco Paul, co-created the series, co-wrote it and wrote all the songs. And, like, those are usually boring, too, and I never really understand the function that they serve. And, you know, I wouldn't say my wife hates musicals. Here to explain is Jeanine Pirro. She's taken all these concepts and just turned them into something confusing and wrong that she's very passionate about. MsMojo 2010s snl cast memembers where are they now 2010s snl cast members 2010 saturday night live cast members jay pharoah taran killam vanessa bayer aidy bryant kristen wiig leslie jones bobby moynihan cecily . And so it was like, I was going to be a fifth-year senior, which just felt bonkers. It was all just this crazy bad timing. And I wound up writing a lot of my "Update" characters with him or sort of those - anybody that's a real - you know, I write Marjorie Taylor Greene with him, and we did Sidney Powell together this year, too. It's streaming on Apple TV+. That was so weird. Like, what word - what is, like, a word that's in the social lexicon of the moment that this girl would hear and say wrong? I'm sorry. Did you get to go backstage? But I remember, you know, "Camelot" and "South Pacific" and "Guys And Dolls" and hearing those a lot. It's brought me such pleasure at a time when I think we all need some pleasure. This is a colostomy, Michael Che. I appreciate it. Strong achingly conveys her fears of loss and uncertainty, as well as the emotional scars left by a physically . STRONG: (As The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation with at a Party) And I'm sorry. STRONG: Yeah. But I didn't really know what to do with it, so it was one of those that I just filed away. And he was trying to help me find things. and also a terrific revival of "How To Succeed In Business," a Sondheim tribute. Developed by Cinco Paul and Ken . In addition to starring, Cecily Strong serves as producer, and Ken Daurio serves as consulting producer and writer. Will Get Your Toes Tapping, So Sing Along If You Know The Words. And that's according to doctors, Michael Che. GROSS: That's really funny. Let's start with "Schmigadoon!," which is filled with references to classic musicals, like "Oklahoma!," "Carousel," "The Music Man," "The Sound of Music" and, of course, "Brigadoon." Cecily Strong's character loves musicals and is initially charmed. STRONG: (As Jeanine Pirro) That's right. Unless she's a superwoman, you won't be seeing Cecily Strong on "Saturday Night Live" tonight. Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key star as a couple of trying to reinvigorate their relationship by going on a hike designed for couples who need to reconnect. I don't know exactly where you live. If you're like me, you've never watched the show, and you didn't know her name until now. GROSS: Yeah, yeah. Strong joined "SNL" as a featured player in 2012. GROSS: That's Cecily Strong is Judge Jeanine Pirro. And he was showing me clips of her, like, doing man on the street interviews. Oh, that's really - it's a funny song, but it's also - it's a lovely song. So here you are on "Weekend Update" as Judge Jeanine Pirro. Please, no song. STRONG: It was awful. And usually in those songs, that's like, he's wonderful. I was a new cast member. And then, then, we found the art school. CINCO PAUL AND KEN DAURIO: (Singing) Make him watch it. UNIDENTIFIED CHORUS: (As characters, singing) First, she said something bad to get his gander. STRONG: I said no, actually, at first to going to Vancouver and shooting because I was - I really was afraid, you know? GROSS: That's pretty great. And she used the playbill and a lot of those pictures. We were in his office, and he was like, have you seen this lady? Can you believe this, that we lost Hal, you know? And this is from the February 20, 2017, edition of "Saturday Night Live." GROSS: Were you thrilled to be doing a commercial? We're not going to spend another minute in this town. Oh, he'll have to marry me. STRONG: (As Melissa Gimble) Guys, we're actually in the middle of something. The first two episodes will premiere globally on Friday, July 16, 2021 exclusively on Apple TV+, followed by one new episode . PAUL: He was not a fan. PAUL: (Singing) There's lots of movies Ken hasn't seen. GROSS: What was the impact of that on you? It kind of felt like that a little bit. You know, really, we talk about escapism, and I had real-life escapism where I flew into this beautiful, magical land of Vancouver, where there's, like, water and mountains and big trees. STRONG: Although, I went back to - I actually went back to public school, which was a tough decision - you know, whether to stay at the Catholic school or go back - because the rules of the expulsion or whatever, they let me back my junior year. I'm really glad we came. Cecily Strong as seen in May 2015 (The Peabody Awards / Flickr / CC BY-2.0) Best Known For. GROSS: And he's not just a Broadway producer. GROSS: How did you come up with the idea of a musical about people trapped in a musical set in the early 20th century? STRONG: Thank you. KEY: (As Josh Skinner) No. I am eating ice cream, and the voiceover says, like, well, McDonald's now has ice - soft-serve for 37 cents or whatever it was. Let's get back to my interview with Cinco Paul. 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