Our first guest tonight
is a talented actor and comedian you know
from shows like "Community" and "The Masked Singer"
and films such as "The Hangover,"
"Knocked Up," and "Crazy Rich Asians."
He stars in "The Pentaverate,"
which is streaming now on Netflix.
Let's take a look.
-This is awesome, man!
I've always wanted to be kidnapped.
It's been one of my dreams. So...bucket list!
-[ Laughs ]
-You guys mind telling me where we're going?
No? Okay, cool. Spoils the mystery.
Yep. Respect.
-Apply the blindfold, please.
-Blindfold. Okay, yes, please. [ Laughs ]
My safe word is "excelsior."
♪ Ahh ♪
Oh, it's the pilot. Why is it on the pilot?
Is this, like, a "Fifty Shades" type deal?
-Please welcome back to the show our good friend
Ken Jeong, everybody!
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪
Welcome back, my friend. How are you?
-Thank you. It is so good to be here live.
-It's so lovely to have you here live.
-God, the last few times, it's been over Zoom.
-We've Zoomed it a few times.
It's great to have you here in person.
It's also -- They were very lucky
to have you in person in Sacramento.
You were honored for Asian- American Pacific Islander Month.
-Yeah, there is -- In California, they --
it's Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month,
and they honored seven honorees in excellence
in different fields, where there was activism.
Mine was overacting.
And so it was really great!
[ Laughter ]
And it was such an honor.
And I, honestly, in all seriousness, want to thank you,
because I think the last time I was on the show via Zoom,
you let me talk about,
you know, just in terms of what had happened in Atlanta
a year ago and all the various efforts to stop Asian hate.
So thank you for giving me the platform and thank you
for continuing to raise awareness on all issues.
-Well, thank you. -Thank you. I appreciate that.
No, no, it's -- Yeah.
-I will say, I'm a little jealous.
You got to do this show with Mike Myers.
"The Pentaverate" is a Mike Myers show, six episodes,
where Mike plays eight characters.
And only Mike Myers could play more characters
than actual episodes.
[ Laughter ] -Yes.
In my career, I can barely play one, you know?
And so, honestly, it was one of my favorite projects
I've ever been involved in, in my life,
because Mike is one of my heroes.
He's one of the reasons I got into comedy.
He's one of the reasons I left my day job,
you know, as a doctor.
He's that powerful in my worldview.
-Yeah. -You know, I will leave
the most stable field of medicine
only through the power of a Mike Myers
that will allow me to overact
and get an excellent award in Sacramento.
That's what I'm saying. You know?
-I like you telling --
-Westside! Yeah.
-I like you -- the idea of you
telling the head of a medical institution
that you were leaving and then, like, showing a picture
of Fat Bastard and being like, "It was him.
-It was him!
-This man made a very convincing case."
-"I'm gonna get inside his belly!" Yeah.
-And he wrote this part with you in mind,
which is, I mean -- What high praise.
-I mean, the whole thing has been so surreal to be a part of
and now so sublime to even talk about it.
I've known Mike for a few years, since the days of him
hosting "The Gong Show." -Yeah.
-He was playing a character, also -- Tommy Maitland.
So we got to be good buddies just hanging out afterwards.
Afterwards, they would always have --
Like, when we'd wrap,
they turned the whole stage system at Sony
into a -- into a bar. -That's fantastic.
-And I literally went on "The Gong Show"
I think six times just so I could drink with Mike Myers.
That was my only goal.
And so we would hang out and talk.
And then, a couple years later,
he told me he wrote a part with me in mind.
And, of course, I was just like, "I'll be your medic.
I'll do whatever you want.
And just to watch his process, truly he's the GOAT
in terms of, like, he's not just the star.
He's the showrunner. He is the guy.
Literally on the call sheet, it says "Showrunner, Mike Myers."
So when he's writing and creating his own universe
of all these characters with his specificity and tone.
And then he's so involved, like, in the post
and the marketing of it. Just I've never seen
a more complete performer in comedy than Mike.
And it truly is, again, just an honor to be a part of.
-Yeah, the few times I've been lucky enough
to be in a room with him,
you realize there's this incredible attention to detail
and how hard he works
to make it look as easy as he makes it look.
-It was almost like improv comedy summer camp for me.
It really didn't matter to me
what my involvement was at the end.
I just wanted -- He was, like, coaching me
and guiding me through it, and he gave me a wig.
-He gave you a super-fun wig. -He gave me a super --
-The kind of wig you probably should have.
-Probably, yes, you know?
I think I could be an influencer with that wig.
-Yeah, I think so, too. -I think I could. TikTok!
-I'd listen to what this guy had to say
about vacation spots and skin care.
-Yes! Yes! Yeah, exactly.
"Take care of the pores, yo."
[ Laughter ]
-You know, with you and Mike involved,
I thought there might be a chance for some nudity.
And there is. -And there is.
-But kind of a little heartbroken.
-Why? -It wasn't you.
-What?!
The shocking part of the nudity is that I'm not nude in it.
-Yeah. -It's out front.
It's progressive. -Yeah.
-Been there, done that, for a lot of money.
[ Laughter ]
And so it really was just, again --
Watching -- Watching Mike go is something else.
-And the "SNL" makeup genius, Louie --
-Yes, shout-out to Louie Zakarian.
-Yes, yes.
-He does all the prosthetics and makeup on "SNL."
He flew in, I think, right after the finale to London.
And to see hair and makeup, to see British hair and --
"Oh, no, King Louie is coming! Oh, we've got to be careful!"
They had the red carpet out for him.
And he is the nicest, most humble guy.
And honestly, this, "Pentaverate," to me,
is just as much Louie's show as it is Mike's,
'cause you really get to see all the work and all the hours
that it takes to play the different characters.
I can't say enough great things about both Louie and Mike.
It was just -- I'm just so honored.
-I was very excited to hear Apple TV's "The Afterparty"
is coming back for a second season.
Even more excited to hear that you're joining the cast
for season two. That's great. -Yes, thank you.
Just hot off the presses. It got announced.
I'll be in season two of "The Afterparty"
by the geniuses Chris Miller and Phil Lord.
They did "Lego Movie," "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.
-Great guys, as well. -Great guys.
And it's actually -- Me and my wife,
it's our favorite show to binge-watch.
And I literally was just watching it,
and Ben Schwartz is a buddy of mine.
I'm watching, and he just steals the season for me.
And I'm like, "Oh, my gosh. It's my favorite show.
I wish I was relevant and young enough
to be on, you know, that kind of show."
And just to get the call
to be a part of it, again, is just so surreal.
-I'm gonna ask a true question.
Will your wife be less inclined to watch it if you're in it?
[ Laughter ]
-I'll never tell!
-Ken Jeong, everybody!
"The Pentaverate" is streaming now on Netflix.