Maya Rudolph And Andy Samberg Talk Holiday Dishes And Their New Show Baking It - Exclusive Interview
Those who have seen "Making It" hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman might immediately recognize the similarity in name of the new show "Baking It." In the latest show produced by a division of Universal Studio Group, Poehler hands over the keys to the lovely little cabin where she, Offerman and eliminated contestants sing a tune at the end of each episode. And the pair who take over the cabin while Poehler is away on vacation are the hosts of "Baking It," "SNL" veterans Maya Rudolph and Andy Samberg.
This new holiday baking competition features eight teams of two home bakers who celebrate the holidays through traditions and signature bakes. Rudolph and Samberg of course provide comedic and even musical commentary during the show as the teams bake up their holiday treats. To round out the show, the panel of judges is actually made up of four grandmothers who just happen to have their own list of baking accolades too. While their criticisms can be harsh, no one ever leaves the cabin without a hug from grandma.
But to learn more about the holiday fun on "Baking It," Mashed talked with Rudolph and Samberg to find out more about their time together on set — and off.
Maya Rudolph and Andy Samberg on Baking It
Can you tell us a little bit about what it was like being reunited and working together on "Baking It"?
Maya Rudolph: Being reunited was a joy.
Andy Samberg: Yeah, it was awesome. For me, it was like being asked by Amy and told I would be working with Maya was kind of the whole reason I wanted to do it. And it turned out to be the right call. Cause we hung out for a lot of time and caught up and it was really fun.
Maya Rudolph: Yeah. And I think that's kind of, you know, Amy's so smart in that way because of her work on "Making It," she knows that it's a time where she gets to work with a friend that she loves and she finds it to be just enjoyment in the creative with someone that you know so well. So she really set us up for nothing but joy.
Do you have a favorite thing about the granny judges?
Maya Rudolph: I have so much favorite stuff.
Andy Samberg: Yeah. Lot to choose from.
Maya Rudolph: My gosh. I mean what a gift we got in those judges. I miss them, deeply miss them.
Andy Samberg: I miss them, but not deeply.
Can you share anything that happened behind the scenes?
Maya Rudolph: I mean, those guys, they would go back to their hotel, just the four of them. They didn't, like the party didn't stop after the camera stopped rolling. They were really excited to try a lot of the local restaurants cause none of them were from here and talk about cocktails that they enjoyed. They were living it up.
Maya Rudolph and Andy Samberg on their holiday dishes
Do you have a favorite holiday treat that you and your families make each year?
Maya Rudolph: What do we make? I mean, I always make pies, right? Yeah, I make pies. I wish I were like that lady that's like, we make a thing every year. Like every contestant on this show was like, well this is what we do. Like wow, you guys have a lot of tradition. Right? Didn't you feel that?
Andy Samberg: My family would do like a Hanukkah brisket and I always looked forward to it.
Maya Rudolph: That is nice.
Andy Samberg: And then I liked it so much, they started doing a Thanksgiving brisket also that would be in conjunction with the turkey. But then the brisket was so bomb that everyone would end up just eating that and the turkey would just kind of sit there.
Maya Rudolph: The turkey was like, thanks for nothing.
Andy Samberg: Yes.
So, no more turkey. Or do you still do a turkey?
Andy Samberg: I think both still. Yeah, both.
Maya Rudolph: Turkeys like...
Andy Samberg: I'm right here, right? You know the turkey ducks.
Is there one holiday dish that you could just do without?
Maya Rudolph: I like the combination of flavors when it comes to like, I mean, I don't know, do people do like a wildly different meal for Christmas than they do for Thanksgiving? Cause I like the stuffing, mashed potato, cranberry, turkey vibe. I like the combo of all flavors.
Andy Samberg: Yeah. The difference I think with like main is Turkey versus Christmas is more of a ham, right?
Maya Rudolph: Oh, so not a boiled goose.
Andy Samberg: I mean, you know I flex with a boiled goose. I've had many Christmas hams that I really, really liked.
Maya Rudolph: Christmas ham is good.
Andy Samberg: So good.
Maya Rudolph: Do you like a honey-baked?
Andy Samberg: Mm-hmm, I do. I like a honeycomb cereal.
Maya Rudolph: Oh.
Andy Samberg: Yeah.
Maya Rudolph and Andy Samberg's go-to fast food orders
Do you have a favorite fast food order and from which restaurant do you have to have that order from?
Maya Rudolph: I would say I get a double, double, animal-style protein style. If I'm feeling frisky from In-N-Out.
Andy Samberg: Definitely a double, double, grilled onions is a go-to with a shake, like a half and half shake. I had a long stretch of time where I was a Jack in the Box guy and I would get a chicken fajita pita, two tacos, curly fries. And I'm forgetting the rest of the order. Oh and chicken strips.
Maya Rudolph: Chicken fajita pita. You just made the clock rewind for my brain. Wow.
Andy Samberg: All four of those things. And then I reached an age where my body, when consuming that, would be all, nope. And so now, every now and again, when I have too many drinks, I'll beg someone to drive me through the drive-thru, usually during the holidays honestly, and get that.
Maya Rudolph: A chicken fajita pita? Do they still make it?
Andy Samberg: It's been a few years since I've had one, but I believe within the last three or four years, I have done that order. Chicken strips, chicken fajita pita, curly fries, what was the fourth thing? And two tacos for 99 cents.
Maya Rudolph: That makes sense. I love a bean and cheese burrito from Poquito Mas. You cannot go wrong.
Andy Samberg: I don't know. I almost don't even consider that fast food.
Maya Rudolph: No, I guess you're right. Sorry.
Andy Samberg: It's pretty good.
Maya Rudolph: Sorry.
Maya Rudolph and Andy Samberg would love dinner made by these chefs
If you could have one and celebrity chef cook dinner for you, who would it be?
Maya Rudolph: Ooh, you are talking to somebody who is going to take this question really seriously. Damn, where do I begin?
Andy Samberg: Damn Daniel. Right?
Maya Rudolph: Daniel Craig?
Andy Samberg: Damn Daniel, where do I begin? Is what you were saying?
Maya Rudolph: Oh yeah, sure. What's that reference?
Andy Samberg: The damn Daniel guys.
Maya Rudolph: Oh yeah, okay.
Andy Samberg: Yeah.
Maya Rudolph: I'm old, that's cool.
Andy Samberg: I don't ... That's a tough call.
Maya Rudolph: I mean, what day of the week do we want to start? Like, I'm not going to lie, I might have just ... I just got to eat something that David Chang made and it might have changed my life.
Andy Samberg: Yeah.
Maya Rudolph: Like I don't feel like I will ever be the same molecularly again.
Andy, do you have a quick answer?
Andy Samberg: I don't have an answer.
Maya Rudolph: It's like too complicated.
Andy Samberg: I feel like as soon as this ends, I'm going to be like, oh I should have said them.
Maya Rudolph: Wolfgang Puck!
All six-episodes of "Baking It" will be available to stream Thursday, December 2 on Peacock.