That's just so funny. KEN DAURIO: (Singing) Some Cinco hasn't seen, too. STRONG: Well, it was sort of a mix of, like, I'm making fun of myself, and then I'm thinking about people I'd seen on Facebook. COLIN JOST: Fox News personality Judge Jeanine Pirro returned to television tonight after being suspended two weeks for controversial comments about a Muslim congresswoman. Strong will also serve as a producer. GROSS: That's music from "Schmigadoon!" He's so different from other men. Let's get back to my interview with Cecily Strong. And then it took a while to really understand, here's all of the things we're going to put in place, here's all the safety measures, until I finally felt safe. It became my community, you know. GROSS: Yeah. STRONG: Right. I saw "Once Upon A Mattress," which I absolutely loved and really wanted to do. UNIDENTIFIED CHORUS: (As characters, singing) My guy loves corn puddin'. It was my first year talking with Colin. 'Cause "Kevin Can Wait," but Syrian referees can't, OK? You know, there were a lot of tears on set, happy tears, just so much love and so much joy and such - we were all just so honored to be there, and it felt like we got to share this magical thing. I mean, they - I got it expunged from my record by doing a hundred hours of community service, and I wound up really loving the community service I did. KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY: (As Josh Skinner) I mean KEY: (As Josh Skinner) Look, this whole thing is insane. How are you doing? And she recommends the corn puddin'. GROSS: Another little clue. Strong was hired for SNL while doing improv at The Second City in Chicago, where she moved . UNIDENTIFIED CHORUS: (As characters, singing) We want corn puddin'. But of course, like, everything's bad timing over the past couple of years or whatever. . You know, my grandmother would buy me musicals on VHS. STRONG: (As Melissa Gimble) Oh, no, that's not OK - unless it's consensual. And you go like, whoa, what's that? I did, like, a video for kids - for schools to show about kids with parents with drug and alcohol problems. was a lifetime in the making. Mere hours before the December 17 show, it was revealed that the 38-year-old comedian would be making her final appearance on the late-night . You know, there were a lot of tears on-set - happy tears - just so much love and so much joy and such - we were all just so honored to be there, and it felt like we got to share this magical thing. Which - a lot of your memoir is about living through the pandemic, like, the first almost year of the pandemic. Schmigadoon! During the season finale of "Saturday Night Live" in May, Cecily Strong climbed into a large clear cube marked "boxed wine" and belted Frank Sinatra's "My Way," lowering herself triumphantly into a pool of red wine as the song crescendoed. STRONG: (As Melissa Gimble) Come on, could be fun. Frank DiLella talks to "Saturday Night Live" star Cecily Strong about making her New York City theater debut in the revival of the one-woman Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner play "The Search For Signs of . And so I think they thought that might be a good outlet for me. Good. So right away I was like, oh, God. And my mom made a little poster for me for my room growing up that said Cecily on Broadway. KEY: (As Josh Skinner) I didn't say that. And it is - there is something weird about these old men, you know, sort of creating works of art in which there are these May-December romances. I sure would like a taste. I was licking a soft-serve ice-cream cone. But she left the desk, preferring to do sketch comedy, which she's great at. That's all. I'm Terry Gross. You put the bowl in your belly 'cause it's good for the soul. The series stars Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key as a couple who find themselves stuck in a 1940s musical's wacky town, where people sing about their love of "Corn Pudding" and quite . The town looks like a stage or movie set from the early 20th century. He's a queer one, that man o' mine. So - but talk about writing this and what you wanted to do with it. KEY: (As Josh Skinner) Would you leave us alone for just a minute? Strong achingly conveys her fears of loss and uncertainty, as well as the emotional scars left by a physically . This past summer, Strong published a memoir called "This Will All Be Over Soon." A powerful memoir from the Saturday Night Live cast member Cecily Strong about grieving the death of her cousinand embracing the life-affirming lessons he taught heramid the coronavirus pandemic. It went to dress and not to air - and then kind of like, well, I don't know that we'll ever get to do that again. GROSS: That's Cecily Strong is Judge Jeanine Pirro. But I want to play the theme song from this because I think it's you and Ken actually singing the song. He also co-wrote the animated films "Despicable Me," "The Secret Life Of Pets," "Horton Hears A Who!" And, like, we're ending someone's, like, educational career right now in this moment, and you're playing a game with it. Will Get Your Toes Tapping, So Sing Along If You Know The Words. . The reason there's a nomination is because it was a really strong year during a really tough time. Are you reverting to that level of fear again? And from the - I was a weird little kid, Terry, I have to say. And new flash, Michael - 40% of children are just their legs. And so it feels like breakthrough infections are going to be a part of all of our lives soon, too. Because, I mean, we shot last fall, so that wasn't even - I didn't even know we'd get to be vaccinated. I should really just drink olive juice; it'd be safer. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Other men have eyes that spark at every passing skirt. But she does not, you know, embrace them in the way that I do. GROSS: Had you been vaccinated when you shot the series? And I think a lot of that, you can feel it when you watch the show. So somebody at Fox News said my name into a bathroom mirror three times, and here I am. GROSS: (Laughter) I like that idea, the square dancing lobby. In her second season, she co-anchored Weekend Update with Seth Meyers and then Colin Jost. GROSS: Reports are that you're not sure whether you're going back to "SNL" in the fall. GROSS: Oh, you wrote the song? And I think you're probably not wrong. She's taken all these concepts and just turned them into something confusing and wrong that she's very passionate about. He's, like, a really big Broadway producer. Subsequent episodes released Fridays through Aug. 13. Please, no song. MAIN TITLE", GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. Then I kind of want to, like, go further. Why couldn't we cross? Our countdown includes Princess Jasmine, Gemma, Cathy Anne, and more! Like, clearly it was a thing for Rodgers and Hammerstein. ., directed by Leigh Silverman (Lifespan of a Fact, Violet), explores American society, art, power, and the feminist movement through a series of characters. Talk about the process of writing that. STRONG: Well, it was sort of a mix of, like, I'm making fun of myself, and then I'm thinking about people I'd seen on Facebook. First two episodes streaming Friday, July 16, on Apple TV+. UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #5: (As character) Did somebody say corn puddin'? But then, I mean, I did go back, and it was important to me, and it felt good to laugh. And the first morning that you're there, you're having breakfast on the porch. Stop. Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. GROSS: That's really funny. And then in making fun of myself, we sort of just kept playing with that, and that led into the Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation With at a Party. STRONG: (As Melissa Gimble, singing) And it may be a waste. If you're just joining us, my guest is Cinco Paul, and he co-created, co-wrote and then wrote all the songs for the satirical musical series "Schmigadoon! And I think a lot of that, you can feel it when you watch the show, and I think that's probably why I enjoy rewatching it so much is just taking myself back there. During this final week of the year, we're featuring a few of the many interviews from 2021 that we enjoyed. (As characters, singing) Just 'cause you feuded don't mean that you're concluded. And you kind of have a song parodying that called "Corn Puddin'.". This is FRESH AIR. And so I want to play that scene 'cause it'll give a sense of how people just kind of break out into song around you and how you sometimes just chime right in. Like, I'm so proud of the work I've done. You just really got her down (laughter). STRONG: (As Melissa Gimble) So what? Her new memoir, "This Will All Be Over Soon," will be published tomorrow. We'll be right back after we take a short break. Cecily Legler Strong (born February 8, 1984) is an American actress and comedienne who is currently a cast member of Saturday Night Live, starting in September 2012, for the start of season 38. You know, that PAUL: I'll tell you. And I think that's probably why I enjoy rewatching it so much, is just taking myself back there. Did you see music theatre? So - but I definitely feel more anxious again. Photo: Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images. and also a terrific revival of "How To Succeed In Business," a Sondheim tribute. And he was trying to help me find things. So I've gotten to see a lot of his shows in New York. It's like, I'll keep driving west. That's outrageous. What's YOUR favorite Ceci. Cecily attended Oak Park and River Forest High . When we left off, we were talking about her characters on "SNL.". Corn, corn, corn, corn, corn puddin'. - in late September usually. Like, he doesn't look at other women. And you shot "Schmigadoon!" STRONG: Right. (Singing) Some men like to fight and curse. is a weird show. GROSS: Cecily Strong, welcome to FRESH AIR. I'm sorry. They smoke and drink and yell, leave you flat, or, even worse, they stay and make life hell. Can we please go now? I did a driver's-ed video for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. In case you are wondering about his identity, Jack is an international traveler. GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. She Knows Broadway Well. STRONG: Oh, definitely. And that was the germ of the idea. GROSS: Let's hear you as the Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation With at a Party. And my guest, Cinco Paul, co-created the series, co-wrote it and wrote all the songs. STRONG: Yes. (Carolyn Van Houten / Chicago Tribune) . And then I remembered, like, hearing my straight male friends talk about interactions that they'd had, like, with some girl that seems normal, and then it's like, oh, she just said something crazy, and how do I get out of this conversation? STRONG: Yes. She's nominated for an Emmy for her work on "Saturday Night Live." I feel like when my kids were little, they were still teaching square dancing. What was it like for you to go from this heightened sense of anxiety and depression to flying to - was it Vancouver? And there was no lines; it was all facial expressions. STRONG: Well, first of all, just thank you for saying that. GROSS: Cinco Paul, welcome to FRESH AIR. And I think, you know, getting that job is how I got into the union. 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. STRONG: It's actually - I mean, it's funny timing. During her youth, she often attended Broadway shows, thanks to her uncle's career as a . Yum. STRONG: I almost enjoy it more to see when someone's laughing. GROSS: They didn't connect to the world I lived in. 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. And you're being, you know, waited on by a - you know, a very lovely, very young (laughter) waitress. GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. Or I'll go to my garage. And in many ways, that was Ken. And you know, there is still an element of, like, you're playing with your friends. UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As character, singing) Every steak's bound to have some fat. So if he wants my puddin', he'll have to marry me. GROSS: You did you first paid gig when you were 10. And I wound up never stopping. And she ends up, you know, falling in love with this kind of mean-spirited older man who, of course, becomes a much better human being as soon as he falls in love with her, this kind of, like, magical transformation. (SOUNDBITE OF MARVIN HAMLISCH'S "MULTI-TASKING"). But apparently, according to the leprechaun, this isn't true love. (Credit: Apple TV+) "It was an easy yes for me to do this . It's a nice melody. Facts Buddy Fast, Factual, Free! It was like, in order to do the show next week, I just need to step away this week. How were you first exposed to musicals? You know, I really wanted them - like, oh, that could genuinely have been a song sung in an undiscovered Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. And this is from the February 20, 2017, edition of "Saturday Night Live." But also, really, in many ways, the mayor's story is at the heart of the show 'cause he is one of these characters that, back in the day, could only be queer coded, you know, and - but because we have modern characters in "Schmigadoon!" PAUL: He was not a fan. . What Is Cecily Strong's Net Worth? With a Broadway producer uncle in her own family, Strong was heavily exposed to the musical scene, making it an early love in her life. You're nominated for an Emmy for your work on "SNL," and so are some of the other cast members. So I've gotten to see a lot of his . She stars in the new series "Schmigadoon!" 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. SNL's Cecily Strong stars in it as Melissa and is also a producer. So if he wants my puddin', he'll have to marry me. She attended Oak Park and River Forest High School respectively. The couple, Josh and Melissa, are played by Keegan-Michael Key and Cecily Strong. 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. And I should mention here that you now - you bought a home in the Hudson Valley, which is outside of New York City. UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #7: (As character, singing) Who wants corn puddin'? You have to do people that everybody knows. And then it was just such a gift. And she told me I was looking at the world with S - I can't swear - with crap-colored glasses. Of course I love you. I saw "Guys And Dolls." You have to do people that everybody knows. And then I have to say the Marx Brothers have played a huge role in my life. ", which is a loving satire of classic musicals from the '40s and '50s. Production Photos See Emmy Nominee Cecily Strong Take the Stage in Los Angeles Run of The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe. GROSS: Were you thrilled to be doing a commercial? 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? See if you can recognize what inspired this song. And we were making the sets and making our props and hair and makeup, so it was really - we had a fun little make believe studio here. They just performed, you know? We'll hear two interviews related to the series. GROSS: And who did you think of as being the girl? Oh, he'll have to marry me. GROSS: So the Cecily Strong character loves musicals. STRONG: Thank you. STRONG: I almost enjoy it more to see when someone's laughing. CHE: (As himself) Yeah. CECILY STRONG: (As Melissa Gimble) I don't understand. My brother actually did try to kill himself in eighth grade. But I was just always performing around the house. It kind of felt like that a little bit. I mean, "Corn Puddin'" came out of - initially, I was thinking, you know, what is the song that is most going to annoy Keegan's character? UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As character, singing) You can't plow a field without hitting some stone. The Search . PAUL: Yeah, that was part of the curriculum somehow. But also, I remember singing "Singin' In The Rain" for the first time as a kid and Donald O'Connor doing "Make 'Em Laugh," and I thought that was the greatest thing I'd ever seen in my life. Farmer McDonough craved a son. You know, my grandmother would buy me musicals on VHS. GROSS: Would you describe that experience? You want to try with other people? Like, what are you thinking? He's a hard man to know, it seems - different. - which is now streaming on Apple TV+. I wish I could free him so I could finally see him the way he truly is and let him shine. And then my uncle is also a Broadway producer. Yes, he is not anyone from the film industry. And so it makes me want to, like, poke harder. GROSS: How were you introduced to music of that period? Here to explain is Jeanine Pirro. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. STRONG: It's hard to say, honestly. Cecily Strong is an American actress and comedian who is best known for being a cast member of Saturday Night Live from 2012 to 2022. . Like everyone on this list, we'll miss seeing her on "SNL," but we can't wait to follow her (and everyone else's) career!

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