These guest artists include Sarah Silverman, Tim Meadows, Bill Hader, and even Bieber buddy Usher.
I dont know how he finds the time.
He somehow finds the time.
Samberg:Yeah, we probably watch the same ones.
Every time they put a new one on Showtime or HBO or something, well watch it.
Schaffer:Yeah, I just watched the new Michael Jackson one.
Samberg:Yeah, that was awesome.
Samberg:I watched the Eagles one and the…
Schaffer:The George Harrison one was great.
Jorma Taccone:The Metallica one is amazing.
Taccone:Weve always wanted to make features together.
Thats what makes this one very unique for us, and exciting.
Taccone:Its certainly our sensibility.
Or was it literally sitting down one day and saying, Lets do this?
Taccone:Yeah, totally both.
So, we started writing it.
That was about two and a half years ago.
You both had been directing other movies and youd been acting in other things, includingBrooklyn 99.
So, how were you able to find the time for all three of you to get together?
Samberg:Every day.
Taccone:Its exactly what you just said.
We really had to make the decision to dump the decks and have this be our only focus.
Schaffer: Yes, well before were greenlit and know its real and have a writing deal.
Alright, lets do it.
Have you all been on the same coast at least?
Taccone:Im still in New York.
Samberg:Akiva and I are in LA.
Taccone:Yeah, it was like 14 months I was in LA, yeah?
Taccone:I keep my stuff here in Brooklyn.
One of the things that really impressed me were the concert performances.
You created these sets for literally one performance that lasts a few minutes in your movie.
What are the logistics of creating such a big production for one performance?
Taccone:Im glad you noticed that.
Schaffer:I would say that itsWAYbetter than Beyonce.
Taccone:Yeah, yeah, yeah… on the record.
It was like, Oh, this is really happening.
Oh my God, this is for you guys, this is huge!
What did you think we were doing here?
Schaffer:Because we were filming in the hallways and backstage.
We used the whole Forum, every part of it.
Taccone:Yeah, we shot a ton of stuff there.
You did it for the videos obviously, but this was on a much bigger scale.
Shaffer:But did you have more respect for real pop stars afterwards?
Samberg;Ive always respected them a lot, and Id say a little more though [now].
It doesnt just pop into your head.
ThatTMZsection was hilarious because if youve seen the show, its actually that ridiculous.
Schaffer:We were barely making it up.
Taccone:No, we should.
Samberg:I keep hearing about it.
Schaffer:Yeah, people keep telling us about it.
We need to see it immediately.
Taccone:I hear its incredible.
Schaffer: Someone said its on the laser disc, but I wonder if its on the Blu-ray.
Were they actually edited into story order or was it just a bunch of scenes?
It was five hours long and it had storylines that never made it into the movie.
Schaffer:I saw a little bit of it.
So, I saw the cold sore one because its the same groupie… Schaffer:Got it.
I probably saw a 10-minute version of it.
Taccone:But its gotta be all the people that stopped by like Billy Crystal.
The same thing with ours.
Theres a full hour of footage for every person that we shot.
Schaffer:Yeah, the movies about 90 minutes and theres 90 more on the DVD.
Lets talk about that.
We would write a bunch of jokes, but they would also just talk about it.
And then Id go, So, did you grow up listening to Style Boyz?
and then Nas would go, Oh my God!
Style Boyz was one of the best groups of all time.
Taccone:Which for us, as fans of Nas, was amazing.
Wed give them that and then wed take about.
So what did you think of Conners album CONNquest?
and theyd be like, Woah, I was blown away, it was so good.
Schaffer:It was not unlike editing a real doc.
Obviously he must have gone through some of this.
Samberg:Well, were not actually talking about him being in the movie.
I think the studio told us not to.
I pitched him the idea and he was like, Oh, thats funny.
What about Usher, who also appeared in the Justin Bieber movie since he sort of discovered him?
Schaffer:Usher, he didnt know what level of game he was, and he was awesome.
Samberg:He was really into it, yeah.
It was certainly not our intention.
Schaffer:Yeah, the marketing is taking it more that way as opposed to the film itself.
[They all laugh, realizing that this is a joke.]
Schaffer:Well, he did a great job.
Samberg:He did a very good job.
Samberg:I would say all of them.
I hope that all of them jump out.
Schaffer:Good answer, good answer.
Samberg:But we never know.
We never try and predict.
We just make them and when people like them were happy.
Taccone:Theres even more stuff on the soundtrack, stuff that didnt fit in the movie.
Theres a song with Akon on the soundtrack.
Theres other stuff that didnt fit.
My editor wanted me to ask you if the newMacGyvermovie might help get anotherMacGrubermovie made.
The movie has a cult following, including many of my fellow movie journalists.
Taccone:I think it helps.
Im just hoping we can get Richard Dean Anderson in the next second one.
