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sketch, which found theGleeactor sandwiched between a real Paul Simon and fake Lindsey Buckingham.
(The latter of whom, as always, cut his family vacation short to be there.)
If youre overthinking it, just stop.
What Up With That?
was not intended for analysis.
It all went live in 36 hours.
And he didnt care that he had nothing to do besides cross his legs.
Its such a special memory for me.
Being a microscopic spot ofSNLhistory is the ultimate bragging right, he says now.
How exactly was this sketch presented to you?
Were you aware that it had already become a recurring and well-oiledSNLstaple of sorts?Yeah, I was.
I was in New York City, and I had just done a live interview.
I did so many interviews at the time forGleethat I cant even remember who it was for.
It was Friday afternoon.
One ofSNLs bookers had just seen me on live television and asked if I was still in the city.
No joke: They asked me to come in for a rehearsal immediately.
So we had to reset the rest of my afternoon and went straight to Rockefeller Center.
It was the easiest rehearsal Ive ever done, because I didnt have to do anything.
I just had to sit there and be quiet.
Did you instinctively understand the humor?
Its not the easiest thing to wrap a mind around.I did.
Lets try this out.
And I responded, Absolutely not.
You cannot give me a line.
Its way funnier if Im just there and I dont say anything.
But we all agreed it was funnier if I didnt even make a run at talk.
I didnt even have a script.
Well, I didnt need one, of course, because I wasnt saying anything.
And then I turned to my left and its Paul Simon.
Paul Simon probably thought I was a seat filler.
So you didnt ask if he was a Gleek?Oh God, no.
I never assume anyone knows who I am or knows where Im from.
I was nervous that I would trip on the way there.
But more so than nerves, its just that that show is pure adrenaline.
Its chaos, but its organized chaos.
It was really, really neat.
I still have my little Chris Colfer plaque for my dressing room.
Where do you keep it?I have an awards case, so its on display there.
It was a gift.
Look as annoyed and out of place as possible.
So that seems easy, in theory, but the hardest part was not laughing my ass off.
I got to release some of the joy in that moment.
Years ago, they were going to do an episode ofGleewhere something happened at McKinley High School.
There was going to be this big, fake movie made about it.
So we were all casting ourselves on who would play our characters in this fake movie.
They had Glenn Close playing Sue Sylvester and Justin Timberlake as Matthew Morrison.
So I said, Well, Marcia Gay Harden has to play me.
It was a big joke.
Unfortunately, the episode didnt happen, but they were thinking about actually making it.
Its really hard to make small talk with someone with that kind of resume.
But I couldnt help myself.
I asked about the history of the show, his favorite sketches, and the sketches he regretted.
He was very kind and open to answering everything.
He did tell me Id be back on, so Ill hold him to it one day.
Have you ever cut a family vacation short to do a talk show?Im sure I have.
Ive cut family vacations short for much, much less, too.
