Hey guys! Vanessa Bayer here. You may have seen me on SNL!, or more recently, in online comedy network Above Average's web series "Sound Advice," which is currently in its 2nd season!

Last week, my alter-ego Janessa Slater met with Drake to give him some (awful) life tips!

And in today's new episode, I gave some pointers to TV On The Radio

AMA!

Proof: https://twitter.com/vanessabayer/status/479379681284603904

**Update: Gotta go but I had so much fun you guys! Check out Sound Advice at http://www.aboveaverage.com. There will be new episodes up tomorrow and every Wednesday this summer! Also feel free to follow me on twitter at @vanessabayer. You guys are the best, let's do it again sometime!

Comments: 351 • Responses: 38  • Date: 

Frajer153 karma

Is there a real life Jacob the Bar Mitzvah Boy?

Also how did you start impersonating Miley?

VanessaBayer184 karma

There is no specific Jacob the Bar Mitzvah boy, but some people who know my brother think it's him! I went to Bar Mitzvah's almost every weekend in 7th grade, and I'd like to think that Jacob is a combination of all of those Bar Mitzvah boys- plus my brother of course.

VanessaBayer66 karma

Haha that's so sweet! He's very emotional!

dabest0220299 karma

How did overcoming childhood leukemia affect your life and your comedy career?

VanessaBayer158 karma

I think it really gave me a good perspective on life in general and taught me that comedy really does have the power to make you feel better and lift your spirits. During everything I went through, my family and friends never stopped making me laugh.

gventure93 karma

So when Miley Cyrus finally hosted an episode of SNL, did she think your impression of her was...pretty cool?

VanessaBayer165 karma

She's always been so great about it! In fact this last time she hosted, we had to talk "as Mileys" in unison, and I actually gave her a couple tips on how to do an impression of herself! She is one of my favorite hosts that we've had- super sweet, funny, and professional! She's definitely pretty cool.

EvolLanA90 karma

Venessa,

How many free Bvlgari watches and Lambertinis did you get?

That skit is a highlight for me ever since Stefan and Jason Sudeikis doing his dance during "What's Up With That?" went away.

VanessaBayer67 karma

None yet, but please let me know if you have any connections.

xThuganomicsx67 karma

What host was your first 'starstruck' moment when you started on SNL?

VanessaBayer113 karma

My first starstruck moment in general at SNL was actually meeting the cast and being like, ohmygod how am I going to act normal around you guys?!!!

outontheborder59 karma

Hey Vanessa! Love your work on SNL. My question: what's been the funniest or weirdest moment that happened during writing night? Those long hours seem like a good setup for some absurdly funny happenings.

VanessaBayer134 karma

Taran's reenactment of the Robyn song "Call your Girlfriend" was definitely a highlight. We didn't know exactly what we were getting into and then we were like, oh wait, he has the whole dance from the video memorized!

Cardsfan153955 karma

At the very end of that sketch you and Louis CK did were you're detectives, Louis seemed to flub his line of "I love you" by laughing and asking, "What?", breaking character. Can you give us any insight into why that happened?

VanessaBayer124 karma

His cue card was supposed to say "I love you now" but it said "I love you KNOW" It was so funny that I kept the cue card and it's now in my dressing room.

globochememployee44 karma

How many different kinds of apples have you had in your life?

VanessaBayer65 karma

Wait, did you just see me eat one?

nerveendingstory42 karma

Was the Miley Cyrus show your idea or were you asked to do it because you did such a good impression of her?

VanessaBayer77 karma

I auditioned for SNL with an impression of Miley Cyrus and I think it was actually Seth Meyers' idea for us to do the Miley Cyrus show! It was always very fun to work on and I would always write it with Rob Klein and Colin Jost who are amazing writers!

BanjoJ39 karma

What has been your all time favorite sketch that you were in? I love the one where you and Paul Rudd are negotiating your divorce!

VanessaBayer52 karma

That is definitely up there! I got to do what I think is my pretty good "mom dance" with Paul Rudd and what could be more fun than that!

Karlybitme4739 karma

Hi Vanessa! I am a huge fan- I love you on SNL, and I absolutely adore Sound Advice! You are a huge inspiration to me! I have 2 questions: 1) How did you get into comedy and acting? 2) Working on SNL is a dream of mine; what advice would you give someone who also wants to get in the industry? Thank you so much for doing this AMA!

VanessaBayer83 karma

Well I always loved comedy and watching SNL and I have a very funny dad (and mom and brother) so there was always a lot of joking going on in my house! I didn't actively start doing comedy until I was in college when I started performing with a sketch group called Bloomers. Once I started doing that, I knew I wanted to do comedy for life! I spent a couple summers in college interning at places like Sesame Street and Conan which helped me to get a sense of what it's like to work at great, funny shows, and I also took stand up and improv classes at Gotham Comedy Club in New York and UCB. When I graduated from college I moved to Chicago to pursue comedy because some of the best comedy is there, and so many comedians that I love came out of the Chicago scene! When I was there I studied and performed at iO, The Annoyance, and The Second City theaters. The first time SNL saw me was actually at a showcase at iO, it was really cool. There's no one way to get into SNL or the industry, but I would say to try to perform and write at local comedy theaters and on your own as much as you can. Also, remember there is comedy all around you! It's hard to support yourself as a comedian right away, but those day jobs are where you'll find some of your best material!!

globochememployee37 karma

Who would you want to play you in the Vanessa Bayer Lifetime Biopic?

VanessaBayer99 karma

Miley, duh!

Cardsfan153933 karma

Do you have an interesting story about Bobby Moynihan you can share?

VanessaBayer80 karma

When you mention his name I feel joy.

jmism28 karma

Hi Vanessa! Humongous SNL fan here. What is it like sharing an office with Aidy? Do you guys snuggle in a blanket and share candy/ popcorn constantly? XO

VanessaBayer48 karma

Yes! We also share an office with the fantastic writer Sarah Schneider. It is exactly what you said. So much candy, fun girl talk, and candy.

niktan25 karma

Hi Vanessa, I'm a huge fan! "Flirty" was one of my favorite sketches of this season, how did you and Kyle come up with it?

VanessaBayer58 karma

Kyle and I were doing that bit in the office pretty much nonstop. We're both very into nineties sitcoms and it feels like a thing that they always do on those shows- someone gets so close to asking the other person out and then they chicken out and say something ridiculous. It was really fun to shoot that video!

AmIInvitedToYourSBBQ20 karma

Hey Vanessa! What was your reaction when you found out about the twitter account dedicated to your teeth?

VanessaBayer50 karma

I still don't know how I feel about it?

imelissapow18 karma

Do you ever plan on coming back to visit Northeast Ohio?

VanessaBayer21 karma

I come back a few times a year to visit!

LMzz17 karma

Hi Vanessa! Fellow Bloomer here. Just curious, which Bloomers shirt did you give to Seth Meyers? Some of us are wondering.

I missed you by a few minutes after our New York show this year, but hopefully I’ll see you next time! Can’t wait for the Sound Advice episode with Haim. :)

VanessaBayer23 karma

I gave him the one that you can order online that has the logo. It looks great on him. Yay Bloomers!

999RPMs13 karma

Besides Jacob, are there any personal experiences that you've had that have become sketches on SNL?

VanessaBayer27 karma

Tons! Mrs. Meadows is based on my 7th grade English teacher, Laura Parsons came from the after school theater program I did when I was little, to name a few!

KingRandor13 karma

Who's your all-time favorite cast member on SNL?

VanessaBayer29 karma

I love Chris Farley!!

laurence20513 karma

There is a Lavalife commercial I keep seeing on tv and the voiceover sounds a lot like you. So I was wondering if indeed it was you?

VanessaBayer19 karma

No but I've gotten that before!

JMorg201412 karma

Hi, Vanessa! I'm a big fan of your work. My question is what's your favorite movie of all time?

VanessaBayer28 karma

Tommy Boy and anything with Claire Danes and/or Jared Leto.

Cardsfan153912 karma

Do you/the cast write sketches specifically around something you personally want to happen. Like, did you think, "I want to kiss Josh Hutcherson", then write the turkey sketch around it?

VanessaBayer62 karma

I didn't write that sketch, but if you're asking if it was always a dream to kiss Josh Hutcherson while dressed as a turkey, the answer is yes.

talbachman12 karma

Do you write the "jacob the bar mitzvah boy" skits? One of my most recent faves. Great work!

VanessaBayer23 karma

Yes! I write them with Marika Sawyer and Zach Kanin, two hilarious writers!

TheAssOfSpock12 karma

Waffles or pancakes?

VanessaBayer27 karma

Pancakes. Added bonus if they are blueberry or banana

FluidXChange11 karma

Who has been your favorite artist/band to interview on Sound Advice? Has there ever been a joke you were uncomfortable saying to one of them?

VanessaBayer22 karma

Really all of the artists are great because they're all so different. My brother and I wrote this question for Ted Leo and Aimee Mann's band "The Both" where I told them they should make their band name more specific, like, "the both of us are eligible for social security" and we thought it was so funny, and then as soon as we met them, we were like, oh my goodness we're about to say this super insulting thing to these two music geniuses!! Luckily, they are super hilarious and awesome so they totally went with it!

quesrah10 karma

If you could substitute yourself for any actor on TV, what role would you most like to steal?

VanessaBayer22 karma

Any of the Real Housewives!

Btg478910 karma

Quite a few past SNL cast members have made movies out of sketches, is there any character you would want to turn into a movie?

VanessaBayer25 karma

I think the voiceover lady, right?

RamsesThePigeon9 karma

[deleted]

VanessaBayer32 karma

Write, write, write! Sketch, standup, whatever you like! And watch the shows you like so you can learn from them! Isn't it fun when someone tells you to watch tv? I watch so much tv and I'm always like, IT'S FOR MY JOB!!

purplearmy8 karma

Do you have any good sketches that never made it to air that might appear on Seth's second chance theater?

VanessaBayer17 karma

Yes! So many! Taran mentioned our sketch "Boyds" on Seth's show. I think that one would be a real hit (and now I've definitely built it up too much)

Cardsfan15397 karma

Could you convince any of the other SNL cast members/writers to do AMAs in the future?

VanessaBayer30 karma

It depends, do you have access to unlimited frozen yogurt?

ateeter37 karma

What was it like being a guest star on the Mindy Project? How did that come about? (you were hilarious!)

VanessaBayer20 karma

It was so fun!! We also got to eat so much free sushi.

Jewker7 karma

Are you a fan of matzah ball soup?

VanessaBayer11 karma

Yes. Of course!

globochememployee6 karma

What guests do you guys have lined up for "Sound Advice"? Love this so far - good work!

VanessaBayer10 karma

We have some really awesome guests lined up. Tomorrow we have 2 episodes coming out that we shot at Gov Ball where we spoke with multiple bands and even some pretty sweet hipsters! Next week our episode with Tegan and Sara comes out, and we have episodes with Haim and Bastille and a lot of other great artists coming soon too!Head over to http://www.aboveaverage.com to check it all out!

flyingreferences6 karma

Let's be real... were you class clown?

VanessaBayer14 karma

No, in fact, I was really studious!

iamgraves5 karma

[deleted]

VanessaBayer10 karma

Yes! How do we feel about Ladies of London?

TimLStanton4 karma

If you could have lunch with any person/character, fictional, living or dead who would it be?

If you could perform a sketch on SNL with any former cast member or current celeb, that you haven't already, who would it be?

VanessaBayer9 karma

Too many to name!!