Will Arnett Says a ‘Very Famous Comedian’ Was So Rude They Scrapped the Podcast Episode

Will Arnett isn’t holding back — even if he’s holding back the name.

The actor and comedian recently shared a wild behind-the-scenes story from SmartLess, the hit podcast he cohosts with Sean Hayes and Jason Bateman.

Appearing on The Romesh Ranganathan Show on Jan. 26, Arnett revealed that one recent guest — a “very famous comedian” — was so unpleasant that the hosts shut the interview down after just 10 minutes.

Arnett didn’t mince words, calling the mystery guest a “f---ing rank a--hole.” According to him, the trio quickly wrapped things up, politely thanked the comedian, and decided to completely ditch the episode.

Though Arnett refused to name the person, he joked that the reveal would shock people. “You’ll be blown away by who it is,” he said, before jokingly adding, “You’ll be like, ‘How did you get Bill Cosby!’”

That wasn’t the only SmartLess episode that never made it to air.

Arnett also shared that another comedian — this time a woman — personally asked for her episode not to be released. The reason? She was worried the conversation could hurt her career because she was still “up-and-coming.”

The hosts agreed to honor her request, even though Arnett admitted that producing each episode costs them money. Still, he couldn’t resist a gentle jab, joking that she probably didn’t need to worry too much about her rising-star status. “We were like, ‘You’re good,’” he said.

Naturally, Arnett’s comments sparked intense online speculation, with fans trying to piece together clues about the two mystery comedians.

One name, however, is officially off the table: Matthew McConaughey.

Even though the actor isn’t primarily a comedian, some listeners wondered if he could be involved due to a past SmartLess mishap. But Arnett made it clear that McConaughey is not the rude guest.

In fact, when McConaughey appeared on the podcast in 2023, the group laughed about a failed earlier recording session that fell apart because of Jason Bateman’s technical meltdown.

Bateman later agreed to play audio of the chaotic moment, which captured him spiraling after repeated tech issues. “Let’s just cancel,” he said in frustration. “I’m in a total f---ing tailspin.”

For now, the identities of the two comedians remain a mystery — and Arnett seems perfectly happy to keep it that way.