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Bill Hader on Creating Vinny Vedecci for His “S.N.L.” Audition

Bill Hader talks with the New Yorker deputy editor of Talk of the Town, Lizzie Widdicombe, about his “S.N.L.” audition and creating Vinny Vedecci, who is based on a guy he was stuck in line with.

Released on 10/17/2014

Transcript

(inquisitive music)

I was gonna ask about Vinny Vedecci.

Where did you come up with that wonderful--

That was, I was in line on opening day to see AI.

(laughing)

A guy in front of me was like that, and he had that voice,

and he was hitting on two women.

(chuckles)

He was wanting to buy them gelato.

(laughing)

He was like, I want to buy you gelato, gelato.

(speaks in foreign language)

I started just doing it with my friends.

Gelato, gelato.

I remember we went into the rest room

and he was in the urinal in between me and my friend.

I was like, (mumbles foreign language)

Then we purposely sat behind him,

and I was doing him responding to the movie.

I was like, Oh, the little robot boy eats beans.

It's his face. (speaks foreign language)

Oh no, he don't work no more.

How many endings do this movie have?

(laughing)

Naomi Odenkirk's my manager.

When I met her she said, Do you do any impressions?

I was like, No, I don't really do impressions.

I didn't. I learned them for my SNL audition.

I didn't do impressions, so I was like, Okay.

She said,

Just do a voice.

I went, (speaks foreign language)

(laughing)

She went, Okay, don't do that in front Lorne Michaels.

Was that part of your audition?

Yeah, it was Vinny doing impressions,

so it was Vinny doing Al Pacino

and all these other people. (laughing)

One of the things I have is James Mason going into a

donut shop with an expired gift certificate

for a dozen donuts. (laughing)

Vinny Vedecci would be like, Here is James Mason

going into a donut shop with an expired gift certificate

for a dozen donuts. (speaks foreign language)

Then I'd go, (clears throat)

Yes, I would like to buy a dozen donuts

with this gift certificate. (laughing)

And I'd also like your biggest bottle of Yoohoo--

I'm sorry? (laughing)

Eh, I see.

What's today's date?

Yes.

Yes.

How much are the donuts without the gift certificate?

(laughing)

Yes.

(speaks foreign language)

That would be kind of how the audition went.

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Starring: Bill Hader, Lizzie Widdicombe

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