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Let all the other late-night shows tell you the news, or make the same Trump-Russia jokes.
We just do us, and whatever happens, happens.
Desus talks faster and longer; Mero interjects to punctuate the jokes with an impression or a voice.
Theres no studied style to their comedy, or to their show.
Everyone else makes late night seem hard; for Desus and Mero, its breezy.
Perfect takes and all of that?
Thats the other shows, Desus says.
For us its effortless.
Were just shooting the shit with each other.
And how Rihanna makes Fenty Beauty out of foreskins.
Did you know that?
Wait, really?Desus: Nah, we just made that up!
We Googled What happens to foreskins after circumcision?
thinking, like,Oh, they just get thrown out as biohazard.
Apparently, theyre used to make high-end makeup.
The Kid Mero: Beauty products, yeah.
You learn something new every day on the podcast.
Desus: We just thought they made calamari with it, but no.
Mero: We wereverywrong.
Mero: We needed people who know the formatting of a sketch, technical shit.
Cause we already know how to be funny, not to sound arrogant
Desus: Talk your shit!
Mero: But you know what I mean?
Weve been doing this.
We did like four gagillion episodes previously on our other show, so we know what were doing.
The first half of the program is exactly what you would expect: us, off the cuff.
But its just shinier.
Its not as weird and basement-y as it was before.
Okay.Mero: Theres money there, now!
Desus: Every writer in New York.
Some of them, you see a name, and its like, Oh.
I know this person like theyre people we hang out with.
We didnt really just pick people we never worked with before.
Like Heben [Nigatu] fromAnother Round thats my homegirl right there.
She was a no-brainer.
Shes gotten our humor before our humor was even a podcast.
Josh Gondelman was with John Olivers show.
It was really hard to pick because there are so many talented people.
Some of the names, we were just like, Wow.
You want to work onourshow?
Mero: Like, Wow.
You want to work onthis?
Desus: People with mad Emmys and stuff!
I dont know these guys.
Worse than that were people who overdid it: Yo!
Mero: [Rolling his eyes.]
And theyre Yankees fans!
Desus: And then a pit bull comes and asks, Wheres my rent?
And they hide in a magic do-rag.
Were a little more than that.
Were a little more than Bronx stereotypes.
The best part of your stuff together is just how easy your rapport is.
Were not doing too much.
You ask the teacher, How much do I need to pass?
Ill see you at the final.
But more specifically, how does that happen?
Were just sitting around just talking shit.
Therell be stagehands walking around setting shit up still, with the cameras still going.
[right in the middle of a joke].
Its like,Damn, dude.
We were on a roll.
Can you say this?
Thats what were trying to completely steer away from in this incarnation of the show.
Desus: We dont treat it as a job.
We get up in the morning, were texting each other like, Yo, you seen this tweet?
When we get to the office were already rolling.
Other people, they get in the studio, they got to talk to writers.
You cant overproduce that.
So what does the best show look like?
He was in pain.
And I had like a wild sinus infection.
But immediately people are fucking crying in the audience.
The staff is cracking up.
Not to be gas, but we dont make bad shows.
Mero: I cant even say that we have been in a position where theres been like dead.
There might be a lull and shit, where its just us laughing.
Thats the lull: us laughing.
Now we have time to reshoot a trailer from our point of view.
A Star Is Born, from your point of view.Desus: Were tryin!
We shot a remake ofGreen Bookthat is amazing.
And I cant say any more than that.
All I can say is Mero has a wig on.
Mero: But, like, have you seen the movie?
Unfortunately, yes.Mero: Didnt you see how ham-fisted it is?
Desus: Its like, Were gonna solve race relations today!
Even the Italian-ness was so stereotypical.Desus and Mero, in unison: Exactly!
Desus: We see something like that and were like, All right.
What other show on TV right now can mock this and mock this the right way?
Other shows are like, This is a great movie.
But were like, Its not.
And were gonna point out to you why its not.
Mero: Were depending on the intelligence of our audience with this stuff.
When you have to explain a joke, its not funny.
Everything we do has to be organic and feel right.
Desus: If were having a conversation, its real.
I probably wouldnt even record if Im doing my taxes because Im fucking doing my taxes.
Desus: Yeah, like, also I wouldnt be doing my taxes, Im a sovereign citizen.
Do you ever feel like the brand is … too strong?
Were not out there cursing at people.
Were actually pretty normal.
Mero: And were not saying shit thats not true.
Were not over here just randomly slandering people, saying fake shit.
Our fans are rabid.
Yo, I cant believe its you; its you!
Is there ever a giveaway?Mero: I was on vacation with my wife in the Caribbean.
When I got there, Im on the beach with my wife and shit.
I started laughing, and some dude was like, Mero?
The dude recognized my laugh, and he turned around.
Hes like, Yo, I fuck with the show, crazy.
Then hes like, Yo, I got vapes.
Desus: I was in the bodega by my house yesterday.
I was saying hi to the sandwich guy, who hasnt been there in a while.
The person in front of me was like, I know that voice anywhere.
Oh, shit, its the legend.
Mero: Were just from the Bronx.
Were giving you the real: This is how we talk.
This is how we dress.
This is how we address each other.
Desus: One web connection was basically like, You guys will never be accepted in the Midwest.
You guys are too New York.
Its jarring to them.
And what Showtime found is that people love that.
Mero: Were talking about bodegas, but a bodega is just a small business.
I want to get back to the Trump stuff because the so-called Trump bump is so palpable.
Mero: From the election special, we were like, This motherfuckers the … Youre fired dude?
We had just talked about him every day because he was just doing such wild things.
Mero: He cantdrinkwater.
Do you feel like a lot of celebrities are, or should be, harsher on Trump?
They live in bubbles, and theyre so detached from actual society.
But I feel like its such a layup to roast him because hes so roastable.
Mero: Trump is goofy, hes fat.
Hes out of shape.
He thinks super highly of himself.
Just like a cartoon.
Hes a human cartoon.
Im like, Yo, how can you not roast this dude?
If you see the assistant principal of your high school acting like that, he would be roasted.
Something I loved about the Vice shows were how good you both were at interviewing.
Whats your secret?Desus: A good interview?
Mero: All the other late-night people preinterview, pre-this and pre-that.
Were gonna talk to you and were gonna find out.
And youre gonna find out with us, and thats the best thing about the interviews.
Youre not getting canned answers that youre gonna see all day on the shows.
They just keep moving you from room to room, and were just sitting there in a 40-man cell.
We all know youre here to plug a product, your book, your movie.
But its just, like, show me a piece of your humanity that I should care about you.
You cant get that if someone gives you a press kit.
Its like, Hey, at 17, they had their first Emmy Award.
Its like, What were you doing at 16?
What were you doing at 14?
What were you doing at 10 that made you decide to get into this industry?
Did you ever sleep in your car?
Did you ever have a moment where youre just like,Yo, this is not for me?
Mero: Especially when you get people who are likeus.
You know what I mean?
You know what I mean when I say that.
Has your friendship changed, as youve been on this ride together?Desus: You know what?
Its less stressful now because we got money.
