Seth Meyers is changing the politics of parenting in a new standup special

NEW YORK – Seth Meyers admits that there are times when he finds himself in a disagreement with his wife or in an absurd situation with his children, and he can’t help but immediately think about transforming a little. The comedian and host of “Late Night with Seth Meyers” turned some of those funny stories into his latest HBO/Max standup special “Dad Man Walking.”

Meyers’ latest HBO special, “Lobby Baby” in 2019, he also delved into his parenting adventures, and Meyers says that after being locked up with his family during the pandemic, he couldn’t NOT write about his kids and his marriage to his wife, Alexi Ashe .

“I’ve always loved how — unlike the late-night show, which is so connected to politics and the world we live in — this was more about a kind of universal experience of being part of a family,” Meyers said in a recent interview. “It’s really fun to be on stage and realize you’re not alone in the way you feel about things.”

The special was filmed live at the Vic Theater in Chicago, where Meyers got big laughs as he talked about mundane things like not knowing how to fold a stroller and the risks of playing board games with his kids, who are 8, 6 and 3 years.

Meyers said so far his kids haven’t objected to him talking about the funny things he says and does on stage. “I’m very conscious of saying things that I feel are going to be okay with,” he said. Right now, they enjoy being on TV occasionally and fueling their act, but he knows that might end as they get older. His eldest son has recently seemed less than enthusiastic about one annual turkey costume for thanksgiving.

“The moment someone at school arrests him for wearing a turkey costume, it’s game over,” Meyers said with a laugh. “But we will give them permission … because my wife agreed to be married to a comedian, while they did not choose her.”

One of the show’s standouts is about Alexi trying to get through airport security with a tub of hummus. Meyers was going to keep it for himself, but then he couldn’t resist trying it on stage. “I’m literally thinking in real time … it’s not just that the story is so funny, but I realize that this is really a perfect example of who we both are in this marriage,” he said. “It kind of overlaps with the theme in a nice way. of what I’m trying to do.”

The special’s director, Neal Brennan, suggests that the humor is in Meyers’ relatable stories, despite his fame and acerbic nature. “Does he have a lot of control over ‘Late Night’ and his home life? He’s not in control at all,” Brennan said, laughing.

Brennan, who also directed “Lobby Baby,” says Meyers has no airs when it comes to family. “His idea is, ‘I’m a very good businessman … and I have all the power.’ I have all the authority, whatever I say is valid. And then I get home and it’s just a bunch of people taking advantage of me and wanting to talk about lava.”

Known for his biting political commentary, Meyers says the humor in his act comes from recognizing how men and women fail each other, and he tries to spread the blame fairly.

“I’m so against doing this specifically with a man complaining about his wife,” Meyers said. He enjoys it when husbands and wives recognize themselves in his comedy. “Balance is very important to me. While both sides politically is a completely useless waste of time, I try to do both sides through marriage.”

Meyers also reflected “Saturday Night Live” celebrates 50 years and said he enjoyed witnessing the “great swings” of his era on the show. “I loved being there as you watched Kristen Wiig, Fred Armisen, Andy Samberg and Bill Hader all become the people who would go on to be a big part of show business for the next two decades.”

While there will always be naysayers who say “SNL” isn’t as funny as it used to be, Meyers says being “beautifully uneven” is one of its most enduring qualities and likens it to watching live sports.

“You don’t know until it happens what it’s going to be like,” Meyers said. “I’ve always said that the worst show has something great and the best show has something terrible. And there is no host that guarantees consistency.”

As for whether it will continue to rise, Meyers said with all the family shenanigans, it’s a pretty safe bet. “They keep providing content. So yeah, I can’t imagine it stopping anytime soon.”