"Ike Barinholtz"

Episode of SmartLess · July 6, 2026 · 54 min

The SmartLess hosts talk with comedian Ike Barinholtz about his Chicago improv roots, MADtv, The Studio, Running Point, family life and his trivia podcast.

Summary

Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes opened with banter about Bateman living alone in New York while preparing to direct a film, before Arnett introduced surprise guest Ike Barinholtz, calling in from a London hotel room where he was attending the BAFTAs for Apple TV's The Studio. The group joked about Barinholtz's stay in Amy Poehler's apartment during a Broadway run, stage-door etiquette, and a Kathryn Hahn story about years of texting someone she mistook for Laura Dern.

Barinholtz recounted growing up in Chicago's Uptown near Wrigley Field, being expelled from Boston University after a semester of partying and watching movies, and being inspired by Tim Meadows at an ImprovOlympic show to take improv classes. He described working as a busboy at The Second City, performing with Boom Chicago in Amsterdam, moving to Los Angeles with Seth and Josh Meyers, and spending five years on MADtv, which he said suffered from comparisons to what he considered SNL's best-ever cast. He credited Danny McBride with casting him on Eastbound & Down during a long dry spell, followed by six seasons of The Mindy Project and co-creating Running Point with Mindy Kaling and writing partner Dave Stassen.

Barinholtz discussed his three daughters, joked about a fictional wife's boyfriend, and said The Studio's second season would likely arrive in March 2027. He quizzed the hosts with questions written for his new solo trivia podcast, Funny You Ask. After he left, Bateman lamented never having worked with the Seth Rogen–Judd Apatow circle, and the hosts debated how "true mirrors" work.

Chapters

0:04
Opening banter
The hosts joke about Bateman's diet, his solitary New York work life, and his habit of claiming the prime couch spot.
5:47
Ike Barinholtz introduced
Arnett introduces surprise guest Ike Barinholtz and recalls their 20-year friendship.
8:22
Broadway and stage-door etiquette
Barinholtz jokes about a Broadway run in Chicago and the hosts debate whether celebrities should visit actors backstage.
Linked moment · 13:50Skip to 13:50 using a listen link in the info box.
13:50
Chicago, Portillo's and a Kathryn Hahn story
Talk of Chicago suburbs and Portillo's leads to Barinholtz's story about Kathryn Hahn's mistaken years-long texting with someone she thought was Laura Dern.
16:21
In London for the BAFTAs
Barinholtz explains he is recording from a hotel room in London where The Studio is nominated for a BAFTA.
18:25
Chicago improv roots
Barinholtz describes discovering improv, the mid-1990s Chicago scene, and a reading of Jerry Lewis's unreleased The Day the Clown Cried.
23:43
College expulsion and Boom Chicago
Barinholtz recounts being kicked out of Boston University and joining Amsterdam's Boom Chicago with his parents' support.
27:59
MADtv, Eastbound & Down and The Mindy Project
Barinholtz reviews his TV career from MADtv through a dry spell, Eastbound & Down and six seasons of The Mindy Project.
33:32
Running Point and The Studio
The hosts praise his work on The Studio and Running Point, including shooting in Venice.
35:24
Family and work-life balance
Hayes asks about balancing work and family, prompting jokes and talk of Barinholtz's three daughters.
39:12
Trivia quiz
Barinholtz quizzes the hosts with questions for his new trivia podcast.
44:11
Funny You Ask and downtime
Barinholtz explains his solo podcast format, TV-watching habits, and the hosts debate Carey Mulligan's reputation.
49:52
Wrap-up and true mirrors
The hosts praise Barinholtz, then Bateman laments never working with the Apatow crowd and they debate true mirrors.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

Ike Barinholtz
Barinholtz said meeting fans at the Broadway stage door, signing autographs and taking selfies, moved him.
“you go out and you schmooze and you sign autographs and take selfies. And that really touched me”
Listen from 9:51 · Stage door etiquette
Jason Bateman
Bateman said he considered celebrities visiting actors backstage uninvited presumptuous and a delay to actors' rest.
“And I've just thought that that would be presumptuous and also would delay those actors getting home and resting”
Listen from 10:59 · Stage door etiquette
Ike Barinholtz
Barinholtz said seeing Tim Meadows at the ImprovOlympic anniversary show convinced him to sign up for improv classes.
“Tim Meadows in particular was so, so funny that I was like, I'm going to sign up for improv classes”
Listen from 18:48 · Improvisational theatre
Will Arnett
Arnett recalled seeing UCB's Bucket of Truth after the group moved from Chicago to New York in January 1996.
“They moved in January of 96 to New York. I went and saw Bucket of Truth”
Listen from 22:02 · Improvisational theatre
Ike Barinholtz
Barinholtz said he believed Jerry Lewis himself, rather than the financiers, kept The Day the Clown Cried from being released.
“I think Jerry Lewis himself was like, no, no, no, we can't”
Listen from 23:07 · The Day the Clown Cried
Ike Barinholtz
Barinholtz recounted learning on the way to the airport that Boston University was expelling him after his first year.
“I just got a letter from BU. They're kicking him out”
Listen from 25:19 · Boston University
Ike Barinholtz
Barinholtz described Boom Chicago as a job where performing was his full-time work with no day job needed.
“that is where your job is acting. You don't have to have another day job”
Listen from 26:18 · Boom Chicago
Ike Barinholtz
Barinholtz argued that SNL's 2002–2008 cast was the best ever, which made MADtv's constant comparisons difficult.
“It was tough at the time because SNL, I think that's the best SNL show. cast ever, that like 2002 to 2008-ish”
Listen from 28:24 · Saturday Night Live
Ike Barinholtz
Barinholtz said that after leaving MADtv to pursue sitcoms, he went roughly three and a half years without work.
“And then I left Mad TV and they literally did not work for like three and a half”
Listen from 29:16 · MADtv
Ike Barinholtz
Barinholtz credited Danny McBride with casting him on Eastbound & Down during a period when he was not working.
“Danny McBride did cast me on Eastbound and Down. at a time when I just was not working”
Listen from 29:58 · Eastbound & Down
Ike Barinholtz
Barinholtz contrasted today's complaints about 10-episode seasons with the 22-episode seasons of The Mindy Project era.
“We complain about 10-episode shows, and it's like, we used to do 22 episodes”
Listen from 31:39 · The Mindy Project
Ike Barinholtz
Barinholtz described his podcast concept as interviewing funny friends and quizzing them on subjects they know.
“I want to do a podcast where I interview friends of mine who are like funny or cool and then ask them trivia questions”
Listen from 41:10 · Funny You Ask (podcast)
Will Arnett
Arnett called Carey Mulligan the most underrated actor of their generation.
“Carey Mulligan is the most underrated actor of our generation”
Listen from 47:24
Jason Bateman
Bateman countered that among knowledgeable people Carey Mulligan is not underrated.
“I will say, to those who know what they're talking about, she is not underrated. They're talking plenty about her”
Listen from 47:38
Ike Barinholtz Prediction · due Mar 2027
Barinholtz predicted that season two of The Studio would be released the following March, in 2027.
“That's going to come out next March, I believe”
Listen from 48:59 · The Studio (TV series)
Ike Barinholtz
Barinholtz said he invests only in friends' businesses and holds no market investments or retirement accounts.
“I only invest in my friends' companies. We have no money in the market, no mutual funds, no Roth IRA”
Listen from 49:31

People

In the conversation

Jason BatemanAmerican actor and director, co-host of SmartLess
Will ArnettCanadian-American actor and comedian, co-host of SmartLess
Sean HayesAmerican actor and comedian, co-host of SmartLess
Ike BarinholtzComedian and actor who worked with Kaling on The Mindy Project

Discussed

Amy PoehlerAmerican actress, comedian and podcast host, formerly of Saturday Night Live
Mindy KalingAmerican writer, actor and producer, creator of The Mindy Project, Never Have I Ever and Not Suitable for Work
Tim MeadowsAmerican comedian whose improv performance inspired Barinholtz
Seth MeyersAmerican comedian and host of Late Night with Seth Meyers
Jack McBrayerAmerican actor and Chicago improv friend of Barinholtz
Del CloseImprov teacher and director at ImprovOlympic
Jerry LewisAmerican comedian who made the unreleased film The Day the Clown Cried
Danny McBrideAmerican actor and writer who cast Barinholtz on Eastbound & Down
Jordan PeeleFilmmaker and former sketch comedian whom Kaling cited as an inspiration
Kathryn HahnAmerican actress who appears in The Studio
Laura DernAmerican actress in Hahn's mistaken-texting story
Seth RogenActor who voiced the alien in the film Paul, referenced in an anecdote about healing
Carey MulliganBritish actress praised by Arnett for Beef season 2
Sam RockwellAmerican actor seen with Bateman at a Knicks game
Josh MeyersComedian and Seth Meyers' younger brother
Adam PallyAmerican comedian and co-host of Staying Alive podcast
Dave StassenBarinholtz's writing partner and Running Point showrunner

Topics

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Mindy Kaling
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Amy Poehler talks with Mindy Kaling about her path from Dartmouth improv and Matt & Ben to The Office, The Mindy Project, and Not Suitable for Work.
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From the publisher

Keep talking to the hand— it’s our friend Ike Barinholtz. Hustling, trivia, college, bottle-service, true mirrors, and a Southwest flight home. “Hey guys, where did you go?” It’s an all-new SmartLess.

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 29, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Comedy Interviews·TV & Film·Improv