美国国家公共电台 NPR SNL's Ana Gasteyer Sings About 'Sugar And Booze' In A New Holiday Album

 

NOEL KING, HOST:

The new Christmas song that gets right to what this season is really about.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SUGAR AND BOOZE")

ANA GASTEYER: (Singing) I love snowmen and turtledoves in twos. Holly¹, ivy², mistletoe can take away my blues³. Kriss Kringle and his reindeer⁴ friends - they endlessly amuse. But the best part of the holidays is sugar and booze.

KING: True to life? Is that how you celebrate?

GASTEYER: Yeah. You know, you got to write what you know.

KING: (Laughter) That is Ana Gasteyer. She was a cast member on "Saturday Night Live" for six years. And if you watch that show, you remember her parodies⁵ of Celine Dion and Martha Stewart. She also created one of the most hilarious⁶ Christmas sketches⁸ of all time with NPR as the punchline⁹. We're going to talk to her about that in a minute.

But first, she's written and recorded a series of new, very funny Christmas songs with a few standards thrown in, too. The album is named after the song you're hearing right now. It's called "Sugar And Booze."

GASTEYER: There was not a song out there that quite celebrated¹⁰ the season the way that it was meaningful to me. I knew right out of the gate that it was going to be a record celebrating seasonal¹¹ secular¹² favorites. I'm not a very religious person, but I love a party.

And the holidays really can be that. It can be a time where people - I mean, that's really what the sentiment of the song "Sugar And Booze" is. It's just this kind of time of year where you can really let it rip. You can connect with people. You can go to some really great parties. Even the most ardent¹³ dieter is going to, you know, tuck into some ham at least once over the holidays, you know?

KING: We hope.

GASTEYER: We hope. Music to drink prosecco and eat ham to.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SUGAR AND BOOZE")

GASTEYER: (Singing) Once a year, we all deserve some fun. Life is short so why live like a nun¹⁴? Grab a fork; there's damage to be done. King Wenceslas, hit the sweets and sauce, give me gin and cinnamon buns.

KING: It can be a little uncool to make a Christmas album. And I think of you as, like, a very dope person.

GASTEYER: Oh, really?

KING: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

GASTEYER: I'm going to tell the children, yeah.

KING: (Laughter) And so I wondered, you know, how did you keep it from being overly earnest?

GASTEYER: You know, that is exactly the word that I lean into all the time. Obviously, it's, like, the root of what I find funny is over-earnestness. It's also the Achilles heel of anyone who's been driving in a different lane and suddenly wants to make music. It's just the most nauseating¹⁵ idea in the world of a comedian¹⁶ in a gown leaning against a baby grand, you know, without making a joke.

And so that's actually how I really came to this kind of cocktail¹⁷ jazz, happy lounge place where I sing because it's deeply musical, and it's rooted in this kind of late '50s, early '60s entertainers-era music - honestly, a time when it really was appropriate to be both a comedian and a singer. It was OK to tell a joke and sing really well. And since I kind of do both things, I would never be able to make an overly sincere Christmas record.

(SOUNDBITE OF ANA GASTEYER SONG, "SECRET SANTA")

GASTEYER: When we were writing originals, I wanted them to have an old feeling to them with a little modern wink¹⁸, of course. I mean, I wrote this ridiculous song about secret Santa.

KING: "Secret Santa."

GASTEYER: Yeah.

KING: Yes, you are joined on that song by your friend Maya Rudolph...

GASTEYER: Yes.

KING: ...Who we know from "SNL" and other things. Tell me about that song.

GASTEYER: Yes, really not far from a fugue state...

(LAUGHTER)

GASTEYER: ...Which - the lyric¹⁹, call me a banana, but I went down to Havana...

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SECRET SANTA")

GASTEYER: (Singing) To buy my secret Santa a present today.

ANA GASTEYER AND MAYA RUDOLPH: (Singing) But I slipped on a banana, woke up in a cabana sipping²⁰ rum and orange Fanta, so I think that I'll stay.

GASTEYER: So I decided²¹ as I was writing it that it really was this kind of woke anthem²² of this woman who felt obliged to buy her secret Santa boyfriend a really fancy present, and then it kind of occurs to her what a jerk he is.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SECRET SANTA")

ANA GASTEYER AND MAYA RUDOLPH: (Singing) He finds my stories silly. He says I laugh too loud. But now I see how life can be. I'm brassy and sassy and proud. So tell my secret Santa I'm staying in Havana, don't want his big banana and his gift will be late.

GASTEYER: So I knew that Maya would like it. It has this kind of ridiculous, retro, Cuban, fun energy to it. And I just thought it would be really fun to harmonize. And I asked, and she said yes. So that was a great privilege to have her on the record.

KING: You said earlier that earnestness makes you really uncomfortable. Why is that?

GASTEYER: I don't know. I just have never been - I mean, that's the essence of, I think, just being a comedian, too, is you stand outside of things and you look at them. And...

KING: Mock them.

GASTEYER: It's not even mockery. I mean, I know that's, like, the lean-in. Obviously, I'm on NPR, and there's a, you know, elephant in the room on that one with me.

KING: Oh, I'm going to bring it up (laughter).

GASTEYER: Yeah, but it is funny. It's like a weird²³, mutant skin. I think people who write comedy just tend to be pretty good at watching what's happening while it's happening and observe upon it, you know?

KING: Can I ask you about the elephant in the room?

GASTEYER: Absolutely.

KING: OK.

GASTEYER: It's big Schweddy ball season.

KING: (Laughter) It is that season. So for listeners who are not familiar, when you were on "Saturday Night Live," you did a parody²⁴ sketch⁷ of NPR. You played the host of a show called "The Delicious Dish."

GASTEYER: That's right.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE")

MOLLY SHANNON: (As Teri Rialto, ph) Now, what's on your list this holiday season, Margaret Jo?

GASTEYER: (As Margaret Jo McCullen, ph) Well, Teri, I really got greedy this year. I'm asking Kriss Kringle for a wooden bowl, some oversized index cards and a funnel²⁵.

KING: And there's an episode where Alec Baldwin is - he's a guest on your show. He's a guy named Pete Schweddy.

GASTEYER: Yes.

KING: And he makes a very specific kind of Christmas treat.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE")

ALEC BALDWIN: (As Pete Schweddy) Over at Season's Eatings, we have balls for every taste - popcorn²⁶ balls, cheese balls, rum balls - you name it.

GASTEYER: We have a long, exaggerated conversation about Schweddy balls. One of my favorite things I think I did on the show - very much just an observation of people who were not aware of what was happening while it was happening.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE")

BALDWIN: (As Pete Schweddy) They're made from a secret Schweddy family recipe.

(LAUGHTER)

BALDWIN: (As Pete Schweddy) No one can resist my Schweddy balls.

KING: The joke - in addition to Schweddy balls just being funny, the joke is that the NPR hosts have no sense of humor whatsoever²⁷. And I learned - I'm relatively²⁸ new, but I learned that some 20 years ago, it really did strike a chord here. Like, people were questioning themselves.

GASTEYER: I have to tell you, yeah. I mean, I definitely felt like it bummed²⁹ people out who worked at NPR. And the funny thing is, like, I - you know, they always say this - whatever - imitation is the highest form of flattery. Everything that I have parodied³⁰ is stuff I'm interested in. You know, I think Celine Dion is one of the greatest singers out there. Martha Stewart - you know, I was a subscriber³¹. I admire her as a businesswoman, as a homemaker, as a cook - I mean, all of those things. And NPR, I'm an avid³² listener, so I couldn't - you know, it's just funny to me. Like, you end up writing what you love and - yeah.

KING: Well, Merry Christmas to you, too. And I mean that sincerely and earnestly.

GASTEYER: Thank you. I really appreciate it.

KING: Ana Gasteyer - her new album of Christmas songs is called "Sugar And Booze." Thank you again so much, and happy holidays.

GASTEYER: Happy holidays.

(SOUNDBITE OF ANA GASTEYER SONG, "HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS")

1 holly   

n.[植]冬青属灌木

参考例句：

• I recently acquired some wood from a holly tree.最近我从一棵冬青树上弄了些木料。
• People often decorate their houses with holly at Christmas.人们总是在圣诞节时用冬青来装饰房屋。

2 ivy   

n.常青藤，常春藤

参考例句：

• Her wedding bouquet consisted of roses and ivy.她的婚礼花篮包括玫瑰和长春藤。
• The wall is covered all over with ivy.墙上爬满了常春藤。

3 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

4 reindeer   

n.驯鹿

参考例句：

• The herd of reindeer was being trailed by a pack of wolves.那群驯鹿被一只狼群寻踪追赶上来。
• The life of the Reindeer men was a frontier life.驯鹿时代人的生活是一种边区生活。

5 parodies   

n.拙劣的模仿( parody的名词复数 )；恶搞；滑稽的模仿诗文；表面上模仿得笨拙但充满了机智用来嘲弄别人作品的作品v.滑稽地模仿，拙劣地模仿( parody的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Later, however, they delight in parodies of nursery rhymes. 可要不了多久，他们便乐于对它进行窜改。 来自英汉非文学 - 民俗
• Most parodies are little more than literary teases. 大多数讽刺的模仿诗文只能算上是文学上的揶揄。 来自辞典例句

6 hilarious   

adj.充满笑声的，欢闹的；[反]depressed

参考例句：

• The party got quite hilarious after they brought more wine.在他们又拿来更多的酒之后，派对变得更加热闹起来。
• We stop laughing because the show was so hilarious.我们笑个不停，因为那个节目太搞笑了。

7 sketch   

n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述

参考例句：

• My sister often goes into the country to sketch. 我姐姐常到乡间去写生。
• I will send you a slight sketch of the house.我将给你寄去房屋的草图。

8 sketches   

n.草图( sketch的名词复数 )；素描；速写；梗概

参考例句：

• The artist is making sketches for his next painting. 画家正为他的下一幅作品画素描。
• You have to admit that these sketches are true to life. 你得承认这些素描很逼真。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 punchline   

n.（笑话、故事等的）结尾警语，点睛之笔

参考例句：

• Even then,the magical pause can strengthen the punchline.即使这样，有魔力的停顿依然可以增强笑点。
• A good joke or a mystery novel has along wind up to the final punchline.好的笑话或神秘小说都是一路曲折，直至最后的笑料或真相。

10 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

11 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

12 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

13 ardent   

adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的

参考例句：

• He's an ardent supporter of the local football team.他是本地足球队的热情支持者。
• Ardent expectations were held by his parents for his college career.他父母对他的大学学习抱着殷切的期望。

14 nun   

n.修女，尼姑

参考例句：

• I can't believe that the famous singer has become a nun.我无法相信那个著名的歌星已做了修女。
• She shaved her head and became a nun.她削发为尼。

15 nauseating   

adj.令人恶心的，使人厌恶的v.使恶心，作呕( nauseate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I had to listen to the whole nauseating story. 我不得不从头到尾听那令人作呕的故事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• There is a nauseating smell of rotten food. 有一股令人恶心的腐烂食物的气味。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 comedian   

n.喜剧演员；滑稽演员

参考例句：

• The comedian tickled the crowd with his jokes.喜剧演员的笑话把人们逗乐了。
• The comedian enjoyed great popularity during the 30's.那位喜剧演员在三十年代非常走红。

17 cocktail   

n.鸡尾酒；餐前开胃小吃；混合物

参考例句：

• We invited some foreign friends for a cocktail party.我们邀请了一些外国朋友参加鸡尾酒会。
• At a cocktail party in Hollywood,I was introduced to Charlie Chaplin.在好莱坞的一次鸡尾酒会上，人家把我介绍给查理·卓别林。

18 wink   

n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁

参考例句：

• He tipped me the wink not to buy at that price.他眨眼暗示我按那个价格就不要买。
• The satellite disappeared in a wink.瞬息之间，那颗卫星就消失了。

19 lyric   

n.抒情诗，歌词；adj.抒情的

参考例句：

• This is a good example of Shelley's lyric poetry.这首诗是雪莱抒情诗的范例。
• His earlier work announced a lyric talent of the first order.他的早期作品显露了一流的抒情才华。

20 sipping   

v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• She sat in the sun, idly sipping a cool drink. 她坐在阳光下懒洋洋地抿着冷饮。
• She sat there, sipping at her tea. 她坐在那儿抿着茶。

21 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

22 anthem   

n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌

参考例句：

• All those present were standing solemnly when the national anthem was played.奏国歌时全场肃立。
• As he stood on the winner's rostrum,he sang the words of the national anthem.他站在冠军领奖台上，唱起了国歌。

23 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

24 parody   

n.打油诗文，诙谐的改编诗文，拙劣的模仿；v.拙劣模仿，作模仿诗文

参考例句：

• The parody was just a form of teasing.那个拙劣的模仿只是一种揶揄。
• North Korea looks like a grotesque parody of Mao's centrally controlled China,precisely the sort of system that Beijing has left behind.朝鲜看上去像是毛时代中央集权的中国的怪诞模仿，其体制恰恰是北京方面已经抛弃的。

25 funnel   

n.漏斗；烟囱；v.汇集

参考例句：

• He poured the petrol into the car through a funnel.他用一个漏斗把汽油灌入汽车。
• I like the ship with a yellow funnel.我喜欢那条有黄烟囱的船。

26 popcorn   

n.爆米花

参考例句：

• I like to eat popcorn when I am watching TV play at home.当我在家观看电视剧时，喜欢吃爆米花。
• He still stood behind his cash register stuffing his mouth with popcorn.他仍站在收银机后，嘴里塞满了爆米花。

27 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

28 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

29 bummed   

失望的，沮丧的

参考例句：

• I was really bummed out that there were no tickets left. 没有票了，我非常恼火。
• I didn't do anything last summer; I just bummed around. 去年夏天我游手好闲，什么正经事也没做。

30 parodied   

v.滑稽地模仿，拙劣地模仿( parody的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• All these peculiarities of his style have been parodied by his assailants. 他的所有这些风格特征都受到攻击者模仿嘲弄。 来自互联网
• The above examples are all slightly parodied versions of classical dance steps. 上述例子都可以说是经典舞步的模仿版本。 来自互联网

31 subscriber   

n.用户，订户；（慈善机关等的）定期捐款者；预约者；签署者

参考例句：

• The subscriber to a government loan has got higher interest than savings. 公债认购者获得高于储蓄的利息。 来自辞典例句
• Who is the subscriber of that motto? 谁是那条座右铭的签字者？ 来自辞典例句

32 avid   

adj.热心的；贪婪的；渴望的；劲头十足的

参考例句：

• He is rich,but he is still avid of more money.他很富有,但他还想贪图更多的钱。
• She was avid for praise from her coach.那女孩渴望得到教练的称赞。