Watch Andy Samberg, John Mulaney read fan fiction involving gorilla

John Mulaney knows his talk show Everybody’s Live is less scripted than other programs and so, in an effort to course correct, he’s decided to branch out into the wonderful world of fan fiction. 

In the latest episode, Mulaney teamed up with guest Andy Samberg to read what the host claimed to be a real work of fan fiction published by an author by the name of GothGirl25. The story started off like a traditional talk show interview, with the pair going on a walk down memory lane over their time working together on Saturday Night Live.  

“Andy, do you remember what our friend Seth Meyers to us one rainy night at 30 Rockefeller Center?” Mulaney read. “You, me, and Bobby Moynihan got totally soaked. Our clothes were clinging to our tight bodies, but we didn’t care because we were all laughing so hard from all the funny jokes we were making.” 

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Others, however, weren’t so pleased with their output. “But then Lauren Michaels yelled at us for not making funny enough skits,” Mulaney recalled, presumably reading an incorrect spelling of SNL creator Lorne Michaels’ name. “And then Seth Meyers told us: ‘You only have to be funny for one person: yourself.’” 

Then, Mulaney’s phone chimed and unveiled the story’s deadly twist. “Oh, look at this alert. The gorilla that likes to ass-blast comedians just escaped from the zoo. Andy, I’m freaking out,” the host said, to which Samberg sagely replied, “Hey, look at me: as long as we have each other, nothing can ass-blast us.” 

Things continued to spiral further from there, with a space portal opening up in front of the pair and spitting out Bill Hader’s Ed Hardy-sporting SNL character Stefon and Adam Scott’s character Parks and Rec character Ben Wyatt. Stefon and Ben then revealed that “the ass-blasting gorilla is attracted to the scent of male comedians that are in love with each other” before promptly dying in each other’s arms. 

“I don’t understand,” Samberg remarked. “If the gorilla is attracted by the scent of male comedians that are in love with each other but Adam Scott and Stefon died already, then who is the gorilla smelling?”

Which, naturally, is when the gorilla appears and yanks Samberg and Mulaney’s pants down. “Oh no,” they shouted in unison. “Our little white butts!” 

And that’s the end of the story… at least, for now. Mulaney then read an author’s note in which GothGirl25 explained that they didn’t have time to write what happens next because “my Lyme disease ran into long COVID, which ran right into Passover.”

The note also hinted at a potential celebrity gorilla attack universe. “Tried to crack a version where Penn Badgley saves Jason Sudeikis from the gorilla, but it didn’t quite make sense. I feel like Brett Goldstein might have been a better choice? I can’t tell,” Mulaney continued. “Anyway, I have to go. It’s my dad’s weekend with me so he’s picking me up and my mom’s losing it downstairs.”

By the end of the story, Mulaney was seriously impressed. “What’s weird is it captured the way we talk?” He said. “But I was surprised by how erotic it was. It was more erotic than I expected. But, all in all, I think scripted interviews are a good idea.” 

Samberg may not have been exactly truthful when he claimed that he felt the exact same way. “Yeah, definitely, I didn’t feel uncomfortable reading any of that,” he replied. “Especially the parts about the many people that we know well.”

Watch Samberg and Mulaney read the story in the video above.