Larry David Told Bill Hader How He Wanted “Barry” To End | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

I. had an interesting choice I had to make. because I loved Barry and I've been. waiting I loved the way it wrapped up. last season and I was very much. fascinated with what's going to happen. and usually what happens is you you. might get sent an episode. but I got sent almost all the episodes. yeah you got to send everything but the. finale and my pact with my son who. adores this show loves it and has great. taste is that we watch them together and.

he has been unavailable and I was like I. don't know and I and also I didn't want. to cram. it was like this beautiful meal has been. laid out that I'm looking forward to and. they're like you know and so what I did. was I decided I'll watch uh one and a. half without my son. um which I did because and and then I. will watch the rest of the season unfold. and I was. I'm just I I don't I trust you I trust I. trust you guys I know that you know what.

you're doing but you have painted. yourself into such an incredible corner. and I'm riveted I'm absolutely riveted I. loved I loved it and I love where it's. going but you've put Barry in this. impossible situation not just Barry but. I don't want to give anything away but. these characters are in this position. where you think I don't see a way out. and I'm. just enthralled just absolutely. enthralled yeah that tends to be what.

happens at the end of every season is. we'll write it and then it you know. beginning of season three I think my. first day of the writer's room I said. well he needs to get caught. and so you know I think we're writing. towards that you know I don't see how. this can keep going and then we did that. and speaking of Larry David I saw Larry. he was like watch Barry that's it right. I said no we have a whole new season and. he went why.

I go well I think there's more story to. tell and he's like but you it's done. this is because he ended Seinfeld with. the ball in jail yeah right right he's. like hey they're done yeah and so. exactly I didn't think about that that's. true jail means it's over jail oh it's. like Monopoly uh. but he said uh but he said uh that he. was yeah he was just you know we so we. have that and so you start every riding. session for season four and this one was. during the pandemic.

like the pandemic happened we were two. weeks away from doing starting to shoot. season three the pandemic happened and. when I went to HBO and said is it okay. if we just write season four to have. something to do and then as we were. writing season four we started to go. back to season three and so I see three. and four is kind of one that's. interesting season it kind of like we. kind of it all kind of rolls into each. other but you know season four yeah you. start off with him in jail and everybody. he loves hates him and uh and no one.

ever finds the stuff I find funny funny. this doesn't ruin anything but the. opening of the the season is Barry. calling Jing Cousino yes and the first. thing he says was. um did you trick me yeah. did you trick me and also and he's such. like a child he goes did you trick me. and no one has ever laughed at it but me. and and Ali Greer the editor Frankie. Gutman the other we are crying laughing.

at house how he's like Homer Simpson can. we say that he's gotten progressively. Dumber he's got progressively. and uh so yeah we just you know it's you. start with him there and then it just. turns into like well what would happen. what would what would you do. you know and you and the character is. kind of really dictate it and so you. kind of walk through all these steps and. you take a lot of. you know missteps you go down Avenues. and it doesn't work and and from working. it started live for so long and doing.

this where it was such an immediate. thing what was so nice about the show is. you could create something and feel like. good and then walk away from it and then. come back six weeks later and go what. the hell were we thinking this has. nothing to do with what the story's. about you know what I mean it's more. about this isn't it you know and and. that was so helpful so we we had. you know of two years of able being able. to kind of percolate these ideas and.

then even with that you're still on set. going Duffy Boudreaux who's the. co-writer and uh my oldest friend we've. been friends since high school he yeah. he's he's because he's been my friend. for so long you kind of know how it is. where you're like. on set I'm the guy it's you know it's my. show and so people are very nice and I. feel like I'm a very nice boss but it is. kind of like you hear the uh. you know what I mean it's like uh Bill's. here so it's like you know it's like. puns coming up the opponent's cars here.

trust me there is none of that here I. assure you there is no reverential or. like oh God. put on your listening ears. get ready to laugh put on your pretend. happy face. uh no but it is that when I show up it's. like oh gee like you know and and so it. is everybody's kind of what and it is. nice to have your friend from high. school there going like well that's dumb. yeah you know what I mean yes or like.

why would you I have there's a scene in. this there's a little bit in the trailer. so it always but there is a scene this. season. where Barry is at his lotus in the first. episode where he's kind of at his lowest. point he's in the bathroom and I kind of. flip out in the bathroom that's a great. scene okay very uh very intense very. intense yeah it was hard it was you know. you two cameras I'm directing it so it's. like okay with two cameras on me uh. uh I'm gonna flip out and then we'll.

just keep going and I'm gonna hit a wall. and we'll just keep going and um so I do. what I think you know I I do the first. take and I'm feeling. well I really brought it you know that. was really good. the door opens and Duffy comes in and. goes uh. it's a lot of acting dude. I go what well that's why it's called. you know you get into like a fight like. you did like with your friend from high. school like well that's what I'm doing.

man he's like I don't I mean look I'm. from Oklahoma what do I know but it just. it was a lot of like. a lot of like hey look at me you know. and he's walked out and so I got mad I'm. like all right let's go again and then. and then I in the scene I start hitting. myself so the action I'm looking myself. in the mirror and they start hitting. myself and behind the wall I hear there. he is. like there you go come on man but he.

doesn't have any like you know there's. no reference there's no reverence. there's no anything he's like come on. man what are you doing you know and then. Gavin Klein top our first ID and aita. Rogers our producer they got to that. place too and that's. infinitely how it's so helpful and our. our editors are like that where I go hey. you're not going to believe this scene. we did and they look at it and they go. that's pretty corny bill you know and. you need that you need somebody to say. you know I just this doesn't feel like. the show man I don't know what this is.

this reminds me of. um. just uh. one of the times uh that. I think it was the first time Gary. Shandling came on my late night show. we've been on for a couple of years and. we've gotten through the rough spot and. things are really starting to gel and. then I heard Gary was gonna come on. which was just a huge you know thrill. never had met him in person and he uh he. came on the show and was fantastic and. then afterwards he came into my dressing. room and.

sort of shut the door like he just. wanted to talk to me and see how I was. doing and and he said to me uh well. how's it you know how's men how's the. staff how are you guys you know. you feel good about and I said yeah I do. I really have excellent people and he. said uh do you feel like you have too. many like yes men or something and I. said Gary I would kill for just one yes. man and he was laughing at that but it. was true that's the kind of family I. grew up yeah yeah there's not a lot of. um I mean people just sort of.

uh make jokes there and I know that we. all love each other but we make a lot of. jokes yeah and so uh there's not a lot. of hey I just have to tell you hey your. work really inspires me you know that's. not the yeah that's not the environment. I'm I'm I would be comfortable in just. thinking about it. if I said that to you I was like Conan. you really inspire me yeah yeah so good. I would say how much money did you get. paid yeah where's the camera what's the. joke it really inspired me too the. opposite to nap and inspire you to nap.