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[0:00] Mason Bray: So we have Lauren Greenberg. She is the head writer at the Late Late Show with James Corden, among other credits are she's written several special segments for the 70 and 73rd annual Tony Awards. She has also done special segments for the Grammys in 2017 and 2018. I'm so so so excited to have her here. Hi Lauren.

[0:21] Lauren Greenberg: Hi, thank you for having me.

[0:24] Mason Bray: No problem. How are you?

[0:26] Lauren Greenberg: Doing all right, you know. Just uh wrapped a show with Jodie Foster, which was very exciting. I'm home.

[0:34] Mason Bray: So can you walk me through how you got to where you are in the entertainment industry and how you got on, in my opinion, one of the best late-night shows?

[0:42] Lauren Greenberg: Uh um, okay. So I went to school for writing, but it was more like short stories and you know, poetry and you know, flowery, fun, I don't know, non-television stuff. And so I never really thought about working in TV, and I sort of just didn't like think I'd ever really be a writer. So I got like a normal job uh in the Bay Area where I'm from, working in human resources. And I'm like, I guess this is what I'll do now. I'll just have this office job and get married, and that's it. I'll never be a writer. So I was dating this guy and the relationship ended. And then it like I clicked, I'm like, wait, I'm still young, like what am I doing? So I'm like, I'll move down to LA and see what happens. So I started taking like a UCLA extension class and like wrote a bunch of scripts and like the feedback I got was really good.

And I'm like, okay, I think I might have something here. And at the same time, Twitter was really getting big. Uh it was nothing like it is now. Like it was just people writing jokes. And so I happened to be going through another bad breakup and was writing jokes about it, and it was really dark, and I got on dark but funny, and I got on all these lists of like people to follow, funny women, and so I started getting meetings with like managers and agents, and I signed with the manager, and he you know, he read all my stuff, and he's like, All right, so from there, like I just started submitting anything that I was hiring, and like you know, daily show, tonight show, and you know, most of the time I didn't get very far, but it was like really good practice, and then there was a show on E that was starting called Love You Meet It with Whitney Cummings, and I did a packet, and I was such a fan of hers, and through it was a totally blind submission, like they didn't look at the writers' names, they just read the packets, and she really liked mine, and so I got a meeting with her, and you know, kind of got the job on the spot, which is great because once you get your first writing job, it's easier to get others.

So that show was canceled after one season, and it was basically like uh now what? And so I worked a lot of like from there, like my contacts like kind of hooked me up, and I had little jobs like the MTV movie awards a few times, like pilots for Comedy Central that didn't go anywhere, uh just little things here and there. Did it some like MTV web series? And so, you know, I ended up just doing like a pilot for lifetime, and it was like a woman's version of the soup where it was just like recapping shows that we like, like 90-day fiance and stuff, and the executive producer of that show is like, I'm leaving, I'm gonna go run late night at CBS because James Corden show is starting up, and I was like, um, I loved Gavin and Stacey.

Like, like I was a fan already, and I was like, Are they taking packets? Please let me submit. And so I submitted a packet to Corden. And God, it must have been around November, early December. Uh, and then after I submitted it, I got a message from him being like, Would you like to meet after Christmas and possibly change to the future of late night? And I was like, oh my god. Like, it was amazing. So I, you know, had a really good meeting with him and got the job later that day, I think. And that was six years ago. Um, and I've been with him ever since.

[4:19] Mason Bray: So cool. So, what tips would you give to someone interviewing and sending in packets?

[4:25] Lauren Greenberg: Okay, I have a lot of tips. We actually just went through the hiring process. So I have a lot of tips for this. Um, for your packet, I would say any sketch ideas have a beginning, middle, and end, a clever title, and examples of the what the jokes would be, and really know the whoever you're writing for's voice. So, you know, James has a very different voice, he has a different skill set than other hosts. So, you know, you should know, you know, you know, their point of view a little bit, but also you don't want to do anything that like other hosts do already. So you kind of to be familiar with all shows and then really, you know, tailor it to the show you're submitting. Um I would say a lot of people don't put enough effort into their packets if I'm being honest.

Like it they'll do like a one-line pitch, and it's just like no. So, like I feel like even if the jokes aren't quite right, showing that you put effort into a packet, we'll get it read more because we'll be like, oh, this person really they really want to write on the show. Like, we want people who are like so excited, they've wanted to work in late night their whole life, or you know, they love comedy, they love James, like those are the people who end up, you know, being the strongest because they're just so passionate. Um, and then as far as monologue jokes, clean setup and punchline. Don't go, don't go five sentences setting up what the premise is, and then like try to have a joke after that. It's just it doesn't work. And those are the big ones I would say.

[6:05] Mason Bray: Yeah. So you said you were going through the hiring process. So do you get a big say in who's in the writing room with you?

[6:14] Lauren Greenberg: Yes. So we have another head writer, Ian Carmel, and we we get packets, and we he and I read through everything first, and then whoever we like, whatever packets we like, we'll meet with that writer. If we have a good meeting with that writer, then they'll meet with James and our EPs, Rob and Ben. And depending on how that goes, we'll, you know, move forward or not. So this is gonna sound like a really good. But it's like my favorite thing to do, quite honestly.

[6:42] Mason Bray: Oh, go ahead.

[6:45] Lauren Greenberg: Yeah, go ahead.

[6:46] Mason Bray: Oh no, I like we really love promoting from within. We've a let's see, two we have two writers who were writers assistants, but you know, there's nothing better than like being able to promote someone or like you know, help their career who's who've already been on the show and not who love the show.

[7:07] Mason Bray: Yeah. So this is gonna sound like a really simple question, but I'm wondering, how do you write a show with so many jokes and so little time?

[7:16] Lauren Greenberg: Well we have very talented writers. So every morning we have a meeting around 8 30 in the morning with just James and a few of our monologue guys and we go through the stories of the day we sort of pick about nine or so stories that we want to write on and then we put out a Google Doc for all the writers. So it has everyone's initials as the story everyone's initials a new story everyone's initials and everyone writes a few jokes per story and you know you end up with a packet a massive packet of jokes. So it's a major team effort. The problem is we have too many good jokes and not enough time. Um so after that 8 a.m meeting what's the time frame of your day like when do you film and all that?

[8:02] Lauren Greenberg: Okay well things are a little different now. Uh but I'll just go through what it is now because that's what it is. So 830 a meeting then we break off we write jokes until about 1045 in the morning and then Ian and I will go through and James will go through the packet of jokes and we'll check the ones we like and then the ones that get the most checks from all of us will be put into a monologue. We have a team that assembles that the same time all of our other writers are pitching new guest ideas, getting whatever sketches we have on the show ready for that day, you know, sketches ready for the next day. So it's all about you know production and pitching and you know using your time during the day to get future shows ready.

Then at about two, uh 1 30, we have a mono read through. Usually we would before COVID, we'd all just rehearse on stage. Now it's a group Zoom. James reads the monologue, all the writers are there. We see what works. Uh we get notes from him, Ben and Rob R A Ps. And then we have a rewrite. So we have about an hour to rewrite it if we need to. And then we right now we tape it three. So it's it's pretty quick. Like, and there'll be times when like like up at around the election, like news was breaking all day long. So we just be like, hey everyone, stop what you're doing. We need to joke on this story. We put out a Google Doc, just get a bunch of jokes and go from there. It's pretty fun. It's like really fast-paced and exciting.

[9:41] Mason Bray: Would an example of that um breaking news be the um four seasons press conference?

[9:49] Lauren Greenberg: Yes, exactly. Like and then you're like, what is happening right now? So since last March, the crew has been more um involved in the monologue and they go cut to them. So that leads me to the question: how much is scripted of that and how much is just in the moment?

[10:08] Lauren Greenberg: Oh, anything with the crew is in the moment. It is like it's all organic, which has been really fun.

[10:19] Mason Bray: So was it weird switching to that, or are you um used to it by now?

[10:24] Lauren Greenberg: We love it. Like, if anything, it's like it's really like brought everyone in studio together. And it's, you know, it's different with an audience because people are traveling from all over the world and they might English might not be their first language. So sometimes jokes don't hit because you know that they don't understand or you know, they're there to see one direction and they don't give a shit about the new COVID vaccine. So, you know, it's it's actually been kind of like freeing to be in the studio with just us.

[10:58] Mason Bray: Yeah. So in movies and TVs, we always see the battle between networks and battles between shows. At your level, do you see any of that?

[11:06] Lauren Greenberg: Not at all. It's yeah, it's a different era. You know, I think the hosts are all pretty good friends, and I have friends that work on other shows, and everyone's very supportive.

[11:18] Mason Bray: So what's the biggest obstacle that you face to getting to where you are?

[11:24] Lauren Greenberg: Um it's a good question. I am I think I'm a very strong writer. I'm not a strong performer or pit like and which includes pitching ideas. Like I'd rather write something and have someone read it. So I think sometimes trying to sell myself in a room during meetings did not go well. So that's been personally my greatest challenge.

[11:52] Mason Bray: Yeah. You know, yeah. So you said you took that um like poem writing course and like the other course. Do you think that benefited you more or experience in the field benefited you more?

[12:06] Lauren Greenberg: I think life experience is the best benefit. You know, I personally love reading and writing of all forms and genres. So I think that it always helps to know other things outside of script writing. But I think honestly, you have to live a life in order to be able to write and especially do comedy. And that's this that's actually the hardest part of this COVID time. It's nothing new to say. I haven't done anything, you know.

[12:38] Mason Bray: Um so other than doing the show every single day, um what have you been doing during quarantine?

[12:48] Lauren Greenberg: Oh my god a lot of home workouts uh working on I did I mean I've had a few other side gigs like I wrote on a commercial for something and you know we're trying to pitch a different show. Who knows if that'll go but what else? Honestly nothing just going on walks lots of zooms what have you been doing well for the first few months it was nothing at all. But then um I started getting back into the virtual theater realm because they had figured out the Zoom theater and all that and then recently I've been doing um rehearsal process for the high school shows because it's high school show season.

[13:35] Mason Bray: Yay Yeah um so that's coming up soon and we're showing oh we're doing high school musical oh awesome yeah I'm Ryan and the rest of our cast is so talented and I'm so excited.

[13:49] Lauren Greenberg: Oh my god that's great and other than that it's just playing on my computer all day and watching TV staying up late all the time and virtual school. Ugh.

[14:03] Mason Bray: Are you are you a TikTok person?

[14:07] Lauren Greenberg: I was for a phase in quarantine. I was like scrolling every hour of the day, like in the middle of class, just watching TikToks. But now but now I'm just like, I don't that's too much work. I have like I actually like there are so many I can't sing or act to save my life, but obviously I love theater. Um there's so many talented kids out there, like it's insane. I like wish we could all.

[14:41] Mason Bray: Um, and it's weird asking that. What have you been doing during quarantine quarantine? Because that's been a year now. And that's so weird.

[14:48] Lauren Greenberg: I know. Um, so is there anything you want to add?

[14:54] Mason Bray: Um actually I have one more thing about the packets.

[14:58] Lauren Greenberg: We can go back. Yeah. Don't pitch on any bits that already exist in the show. Like we get a lot of carpal karaoke things, and it's like, yeah, we're we're good on that. You know.

[15:09] Mason Bray: So don't like pitch your version of that.

[15:13] Lauren Greenberg: Yeah. And my favorite, just to put this out there, my favorite segment is celebrity noses.

[15:22] Mason Bray: No way. I'm always hoping, like, oh, maybe they'll get further this time. And then he doesn't say celebrity.

[15:30] Lauren Greenberg: I know. Um, we had one that's probably not gonna air because Ben Winston hated it, but it was one where James accidentally said celery noses, and then the whole thing is like change to celery noses, the theme song, the graphic, and like the art cards, and James keeps getting frustrated.

[15:53] Mason Bray: I love that so much.

[15:56] Lauren Greenberg: Well, thank you so much for being here.

[15:59] Mason Bray: Oh my pleasure.

[16:00] Lauren Greenberg: Yeah. So much fun to have you.