Matt Friend, known for his red-carpet celebrity interactions and spot-on impressions of Donald Trump, Howard Stern and Mitch McConnell, is bringing his bite-sized comedy to a longform podcast.
“Friend in High Places” will launch later this spring on Bill Maher‘s Club Random Studios network, joining a roster that includes Maher, Billy Corgan, Fred Durst, Sage Steele and Kevin Garnett.
Inspired by the late-night talk show format, Friend says he aims to be at the intersection of Maher, Graham Norton, Jimmy Fallon and Sean Evans of “Hot Ones.”
“There will be politics, but it’s going to be lighter,” Friend tells PvNew. “There will be a variety showcase element to it where I might do a topical sketch or comment on something in the news, but at the same time I’m going to be having longer conversations with actors and athletes and politicians. I love talking to people that have accomplished amazing things and putting them in relaxed, comfortable environments and then generating viral content.”
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With one million TikTok followers and nearly half a million on Instagram, Friend has taken his knack for celebrity impressions to the Golden Globes, SAG Awards and other red carpets. He’s imitated Stern several times on “The Howard Stern Show,” brought his political impressions on-air at CNN and MSNBC and impressed celebs like Austin Butler, Paul Giamatti and Jeff Goldblum. Friend says that while the podcast “is not just going to be the impression show,” he will bust out his beloved impersonations when appropriate.
“I look at Jimmy Fallon’s ‘Tonight Show,’ and how every episode isn’t him doing Bruce Springsteen next to Bruce Springsteen, but when he comes on they do it,” Friend says. “I’m really excited for audiences to see this other side of me that I’ve been exploring in my stand-up through the hour I’m doing.”
“Friend in High Places” originated only a couple of months ago, when Friend ran into Chris Case, who co-founded Club Random Studios with Maher and Chuck LaBella. Maher invited Friend on his show, “Club Random,” where Friend wowed with his Stern impression and attempted to do Maher himself.
“Part of the mission for the Club Random Studios network is giving new talent the platform they deserve, and no one deserves it more than Matt,” Maher said in a statement. “Matt is so talented that he has done something I never thought possible: making me want to hear MORE of Donald Trump’s voice.”
While Maher is famous for smoking weed on his show, Friend insists the name of his podcast is not a drug-inspired double entendre.
“That will be left to Bill’s show,” he laughs. “No weed on my show, unless the guest brings it. I’m not gonna control that!”
