@@FixtaFernback Believe it or not, I met him once after a show a long time ago and he was nice enough to let us take a photo with him. For the photos, there was a wall behind us. So, after the photo was taken we looked at it and we both looked serious, so I said “this looks like a double mug shot”. He laughed and said that’s funny. I will never forget that. If only he said I’m funny and weird!
Steven Wright is undoubtedly a master of his craft and pillar of comedy. One of my favourite jokes of his: "I almost had a psychic girlfriend - but she left me before we met". Love seeing him and Conan make each other laugh 😂
I love how Conan makes the bad scientist joke at 5:50 and when Sona laughs he immediately feeds off of that and rolls right into a bit for 30 seconds. Hearing and seeing Steven Wright laugh is also a rare treat, his dead pan is so incredible when he is performing.
This is one of the best examples of the genius and intelligence that is Steven Wright. His command of language but also of all forms of art is astounding. And it is clear to anyone who writes and creates what this talent, vision and spontaneous creativity is that separates the good or even great comic from a true artist. Wright is on a whole different plane.
5:50 - and out of nowhere, completely in the moment and giving weight to everything they've been talking about, an absolutely brilliant bit is born ("My dad's a terrible scientist")
Abstract comedy is my favorite genre, Mr. Wright is one of the best at it. ""If you travel at the speed of light and you turn on a light switch, what will happen?." for example. Brilliant. .
The actual joke is something far more akin to this; "I went to a job interview and said 'Sorry to interrupt but let me ask you something. If you drove you car at the speed of light and you turned you lights on.... would they do anything?' The guy said 'I don't know' so I said 'Well, for get it, then. I don't wanna work for ya."
I really feel it fitting that Conan was a great friend of James Lipton and loved having him on the show, and now Conan has practically revived the "inside the actors studio" feel of these long form interviews, but with his own Conan twist.
it makes sense too, I've known creativity to work that way. the brain is ready to do something clever, but it's stalled because there's nothing stimulating it. so you look around for something, anything to perk it up, and once it clicks on something.. it's like rain forming around a dust particle
Steven is like a master watchmaker in how his jokes have so much detail and depth and layering that they just keep on giving like echoes. Brilliant comedian and one of my favourites
MORE of this! You guys need to do a segment or show like this clip: Comedians talking to comedians about comedy. Specifically, the craft of comedy: writing jokes, performing, etc. I love hearing how differently they all approach comedy. I'd pay to see that show. Also, LOVE Steven.
I really admire Conan’s point about making connections, and I agree with him. My favourite kind of comedy is in the style of Wright where it’s almost a kind of linguistic pareidolia where you point out a pattern or connection that may be apparent, but isn’t actually causally connected. The “surprise” that that evokes, for me, lay at the heart of all the best comedy.
Conan has a good explanation of connecting two things that usually aren’t known together. Norm McDonald was a master at that. He’s take you to a place you didn’t think he was going.
That is the first time I've heard him being serious. It was hard to take him serious, I was on edge waiting for the joke the whole time. S.W. is a god amongst men.
I think the undercutrent of the comedy 'process' they decribe is an umbilical to the stoned or tripping mind. The fluid juxtapositioning of words and images is a comefy algorithm. And Stevens is acute and energized and reaches everyone. So special.
I grew up listening to Steven Wright. I remember when Mitch Hedberg released his Strategic Grill Locations album thinking, Mitch is hilarious and in that same vein as Steven. What a gift to share this interview with us. Steven is a living legend.
Steven wright with Conan is such a funny joy to watch and listen to, I hope he’s back often or becomes part of your crew! Love his comedy and the connection you both hav w your great comedy too! Thanks for having him on!
On the connection between comedy and music, I learned that Robin Williams was a great admirer of Keith Jarrett, the jazz pianists. Both men possessed unparalleled improvisational abilities in their fields.
I was living in Boston in the 80's attending Emerson College, where Steven went to school years before. I was walking down Massachusetts Avenue near the intersection of Newbury Street and there in front of this Chinese restaurant was Steven Wright staring intently at parking meter. I really wanted to say hello, being a huge fan with a College in common. I decided to wait until he moved on to approach him as I didn't want to distract him in the middle of his process. I waited ten minutes or more before I realised that I was going to be late and had to keep on walking. Never heard Steven's parking meter joke, but never regretted waiting. His brain and comedy are priceless.
I love that connection between comedy and art. The space between things is called "negative space" and I feel like in Steven Wrights humor, and in folks like Mitch Hedberg, its often the negative space around the words that is funny, not the words themselves... its that unsaid thing. Like that connection between "French" and "the Renaissance"... thats the negative space of the joke that allows us to instantly see something else. Its also the "weight" Conan was talking about... maybe another analogy would be like Dark Matter... we cant directly observe Dark Matter, but we think that there must be something there because we can observe the effects of its weight. Its really cool.
I remember the first time seeing Steven standup. He blew us away. He was\is so funny and yes there is something not wired so beautifully in Steven's head.
I first became aware of Steven Wright just from his various guest appearances in sitcoms. But I never seemed out his stand up comedy. What a brilliantly funny man. A true original.
Great clip, i loved (love) the direct way that Steven goes into his explanations... Just as perfectly/equally descriptive as it occurs to him in his mind, that's the way it should always be done, imho... Just good to see/listen to.
He says all of comedy is noticing. Well, sure, but we all notice things. To make comedy it has to go through a bizarre, off-camber interpretive lens that is human-specific. With Wright, I’m constantly astonished about how he put the joke parts together. Conan captures this idea near the end of this clip. What a phenomenally weird, unique, bizarre associative ability-then you combine that mind with that voice. Unicorn. 🦄 😊
Yes to the mis-wiring thing, thank you! That's what I love about my favourite comedians - Norm, Hedberg, Steven Wright himself... I think they just see (saw) reality in a different (and not necessarily wrong) way.
From decades ago in high school until this morning I never imagined that was Steven Wright's real voice. I thought it was part of his comedy persona. I am suddenly reminded of Leonard Cohen's funny song lyric: "I was born like this / I had no choice / I was born with the gift of a golden voice."
I lost count of how many times I listened to I Have A Pony when I was a kid, but the tape eventually wore out. It was one of the first CDs I ever bought once it came out on that too. Just an all time great of comedy!
Conan: "My dad's a scientist..." Steven: (Genuinely) "Wow..." Conan: "Not a good one." Conan's ability to read the room & find these types of jokes as a host is unrivaled.
Seeing Steven break and laugh is so magical. I would love it if he did a new comedy special where he wasn't in character and showed that side of himself more.
This was great - so funny and also thought provoking t the same time. Comedian's brains make connections between things that aren't supposed to go together; that makes a lot of sense.
The lovely and talented Mr. Stephen Wright needs to do some voice work. Can you imagine what crazy cool animated characters could come alive with his iconic voice?
I've always said this about the practice of drawing, that the very activity forces one to expand and appreciate their powers of observation and perspective. So, when someone cites seeing someone's point-of-view or their perspective in terms of life experiences, that has a real meaning. Which is why everyone should draw, and everyone can. You don't have to be a master from the beginning. It's the process and practice...
Two of my favorite comics ever, just brilliant minds. It is so interesting to hear how Wright writes, how things come to him. I have loved the power of puns since I figured them out as a child. I guess I am like Wright in some ways, the radar is subconsciously scanning. I'm always "on", as some woman said to me in a bar once, ages ago. I tend to think homophonically, perhaps something that O'Brien's dad might think needed treatment. I think one of the biggest hurdles in writing jokes is being able to recall the initial synapse that comes to mind. Those synapses are fleeting, they can disappear like trying to recall a dream upon waking up. I used to keep a dream journal, decades ago. I found that I could recall dreams much better if I had the notebook by my bed, ready for any new entries. It became sort of a chore that I didn't like, but I kept it up for a few weeks, at least. So, I wonder if Wright and O'Brien keep a notepad or a recorder handy to record any jokes that may appear. If they did, that might impinge the joke making process that often comes spontaneously. Wright touched on that a bit with his, "gotta make a joke, gotta make a joke..." line.
Steven Wright's album was the first comedy album that I bought as a teenager. The fact that his jokes still ring true today are testament to his genius.
I’d love to hear Jonathan Richman on the show some time. When I was first watching Conan as a kid he used to be a bit of a regular, I loved seeing him and Conan go back and forth
All communication is relating to each other. We're buried in our heads, knowing how we feel, but not sure about anyone else. To relate to someone; guess what moves them, you have to look for clues. That's what artists do - look for clues to what will move others and put those thoughts into a medium. Music, painting, sculpture, books, comedy, it's all the same.
I think the amazing thing that good comedians/comedy do is point out , sometimes absurd things that when “normal” people hear them said, make complete sense.
It's amazing that he told that electrolysis joke in his first TV appearance on Carson, and it's just right there. If someone asks me to tell them a joke, my mind goes blank.
"Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty were a duo known as stealers wheel when they recorded this dillon-esque pop bubblegum favorite from april of 1974. That reached up to number five as k billy's super sounds of the seventies continues."
Omg I was taught to draw using that empty space between objects to make it more realistic. It was a breakthrough moment for me. I think Steven is on to something. I agree. I feel I notice more of odd things in life.
I have never heard or seen Steven Wright laugh out loud before.
What a gift.
You owe it to yourself to look up his appearances on Craig Ferguson. They absolutely killed each other on stage.
@@DevinGates I was gonna say the same. 😆
In one of those videos, Steven also called Craig “funny and weird” .. that means something lol
@@parsoumash if Steven Wright called me "funny and weird" I would be able to die happy.
@@FixtaFernback Believe it or not, I met him once after a show a long time ago and he was nice enough to let us take a photo with him. For the photos, there was a wall behind us. So, after the photo was taken we looked at it and we both looked serious,
so I said “this looks like a double mug shot”. He laughed and said that’s funny. I will never forget that. If only he said I’m funny and weird!
@@parsoumash
Bro, you are enshrined in greatness. Would love to see that pic, what a story. You can now die happy. [Digital bow]
Steven Wright is undoubtedly a master of his craft and pillar of comedy. One of my favourite jokes of his: "I almost had a psychic girlfriend - but she left me before we met". Love seeing him and Conan make each other laugh 😂
"I used to work at the place where they made fire hydrants. I quit because you couldnt park anywhere near the place."
I'm not afraid of heights - I'm afraid of widths
I drew a map of the United States. It was actual size.
Or
They say you should never microwave metal. They're right. I'm missing half my kitchen wall.
"Sponges grow in the ocean. That just kills me. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be if that didn't happen."
🤣🤣
I love how Conan makes the bad scientist joke at 5:50 and when Sona laughs he immediately feeds off of that and rolls right into a bit for 30 seconds. Hearing and seeing Steven Wright laugh is also a rare treat, his dead pan is so incredible when he is performing.
Wright almost did a spit-take.
I love how excited Conan gets when he starts riffing and people around him are laughing.
Steven Wright and Gary Larson are two artists I’m so happy exist in this world!
This is one of the best examples of the genius and intelligence that is Steven Wright. His command of language but also of all forms of art is astounding. And it is clear to anyone who writes and creates what this talent, vision and spontaneous creativity is that separates the good or even great comic from a true artist. Wright is on a whole different plane.
This sea captain look drew me right in
Money! 🤌🤌🤌🤌
5:50 - and out of nowhere, completely in the moment and giving weight to everything they've been talking about, an absolutely brilliant bit is born ("My dad's a terrible scientist")
Steven is a peripheral visionary
He sees into the future, but way off, to the side.
LMAO. Epic.
Nailed it, mate! A tad bent, but no-one's gonna see it.
Comedy Gold!
where is that from? a tv show, right?
Abstract comedy is my favorite genre, Mr. Wright is one of the best at it. ""If you travel at the speed of light and you turn on a light switch, what will happen?." for example. Brilliant.
.
If in a car, the headlights would work, but would only project light forward as you slow down.
The actual joke is something far more akin to this; "I went to a job interview and said 'Sorry to interrupt but let me ask you something. If you drove you car at the speed of light and you turned you lights on.... would they do anything?' The guy said 'I don't know' so I said 'Well, for get it, then. I don't wanna work for ya."
I really feel it fitting that Conan was a great friend of James Lipton and loved having him on the show, and now Conan has practically revived the "inside the actors studio" feel of these long form interviews, but with his own Conan twist.
Steven Wright is a icon in comedy. And its so amazing to hear him breakdown comedy. Such a unique voice, Thank you Conan and crew and thank you Steven
it makes sense too, I've known creativity to work that way. the brain is ready to do something clever, but it's stalled because there's nothing stimulating it. so you look around for something, anything to perk it up, and once it clicks on something.. it's like rain forming around a dust particle
Nice to see Steven Wright has become a sea captain in his spare time. He's multitalented!
I once once watched a Stephen Wright routine on UA-cam. It was 45 minutes in that I realized it was a still image
Me to. This the first time, I ever seen Steven Laugh and smile like this. His jokes only fits him and his delivery. The King of dead pan.
Steven is like a master watchmaker in how his jokes have so much detail and depth and layering that they just keep on giving like echoes.
Brilliant comedian and one of my favourites
Conan, what does it feel like to make Steven laugh? Pretty damn good, I'd say! You can tell these guys have a mutual love and respect, great stuff.
In all of the years that I've been watching and enjoying Steven's comedy, I don't think I've ever heard him really laugh. What an excellent interview!
MORE of this! You guys need to do a segment or show like this clip: Comedians talking to comedians about comedy. Specifically, the craft of comedy: writing jokes, performing, etc. I love hearing how differently they all approach comedy. I'd pay to see that show.
Also, LOVE Steven.
Seeing Steven makes me miss Mitch Hedberg even more. I used to love Mitch…I still do, but I used to too
was absolutely not expecting to see this on my feed today. only five seconds in, i know this is gonna be a real treat.
Note to self: This is an episode I can't miss.
I really admire Conan’s point about making connections, and I agree with him. My favourite kind of comedy is in the style of Wright where it’s almost a kind of linguistic pareidolia where you point out a pattern or connection that may be apparent, but isn’t actually causally connected. The “surprise” that that evokes, for me, lay at the heart of all the best comedy.
One of the best of all time. I would love to see him live one day, I can only dream how good his sets are in person as opposed to clips on UA-cam.
This episode is such a gem. How awesome to listen to Steven laugh out loud that openly.
I'm just so happy Steven Wright is still alive! He's like my favorite Comedian Deadbeat Dad. Where have you been, Steven???
He's been crashing on Dave Chappelles couch!!
Conan has a good explanation of connecting two things that usually aren’t known together. Norm McDonald was a master at that. He’s take you to a place you didn’t think he was going.
Steven one line jokes and his voice tone makes them makes him one of a kind.
“I remember when the candle factory burned down. Everyone stood around singing happy birthday.”
Steven Wright is a comedy treasure and im happy to see him make an appearance again. Havent seen him since Craig Ferguson quit the Late Late show
Saw him at Smith College in MA back in like 1990ish. Very funny guy.
Wright is one of my all time favorites. Brilliant…
That’s actually how I come up with things. I see or hear a word and it just evolves.
I cannot imagine how good it must feel to make a legend like Steven Wright crack up like that.
The funniest of episodes. And hearing the laconic Wright crease and burst out loud was properly joyful. Well played, all!!!
That is the first time I've heard him being serious. It was hard to take him serious, I was on edge waiting for the joke the whole time. S.W. is a god amongst men.
Please make more of these with older comics, Steven Wright is one of my favorite joke writers, this was such a pleasure to watch.
I think the undercutrent of the comedy 'process' they decribe is an umbilical to the stoned or tripping mind. The fluid juxtapositioning of words and images is a comefy algorithm. And Stevens is acute and energized and reaches everyone.
So special.
The hardest I've laughed in a long time was during this interview. Brought the absolute best out of Conan. Amazing listen.
I grew up listening to Steven Wright. I remember when Mitch Hedberg released his Strategic Grill Locations album thinking, Mitch is hilarious and in that same vein as Steven. What a gift to share this interview with us. Steven is a living legend.
Steven wright with Conan is such a funny joy to watch and listen to, I hope he’s back often or becomes part of your crew!
Love his comedy and the connection you both hav w your great comedy too! Thanks for having him on!
On the connection between comedy and music, I learned that Robin Williams was a great admirer of Keith Jarrett, the jazz pianists. Both men possessed unparalleled improvisational abilities in their fields.
I was living in Boston in the 80's attending Emerson College, where Steven went to school years before. I was walking down Massachusetts Avenue near the intersection of Newbury Street and there in front of this Chinese restaurant was Steven Wright staring intently at parking meter. I really wanted to say hello, being a huge fan with a College in common. I decided to wait until he moved on to approach him as I didn't want to distract him in the middle of his process. I waited ten minutes or more before I realised that I was going to be late and had to keep on walking. Never heard Steven's parking meter joke, but never regretted waiting. His brain and comedy are priceless.
GREAT INTERVIEW - STEVEN WRIGHT MY ALL TIME FAVE COMEDIAN !!!! ❤❤❤❤❤
I love that connection between comedy and art. The space between things is called "negative space" and I feel like in Steven Wrights humor, and in folks like Mitch Hedberg, its often the negative space around the words that is funny, not the words themselves... its that unsaid thing. Like that connection between "French" and "the Renaissance"... thats the negative space of the joke that allows us to instantly see something else. Its also the "weight" Conan was talking about... maybe another analogy would be like Dark Matter... we cant directly observe Dark Matter, but we think that there must be something there because we can observe the effects of its weight. Its really cool.
I remember the first time seeing Steven standup. He blew us away. He was\is so funny and yes there is something not wired so beautifully in Steven's head.
shout out to Conan and the team coco channel! Congrats 🙂🤨! And to Billie Ellish nice singer ..
Easily the 80s for me. Richard Pryor was hilarious, but the blue stuff was hard to process as a young person.
I first became aware of Steven Wright just from his various guest appearances in sitcoms. But I never seemed out his stand up comedy. What a brilliantly funny man. A true original.
Great clip, i loved (love) the direct way that Steven goes into his explanations... Just as perfectly/equally descriptive as it occurs to him in his mind, that's the way it should always be done, imho... Just good to see/listen to.
The podcast format has given conans hair the room to explore its creative side
I put instant coffee in the microwave and almost went back in time.
I’m smoking a tobacco pipe and choked on the smoke laughing, reading this lol😂
This whole podcast was a delight, top to bottom.
He says all of comedy is noticing. Well, sure, but we all notice things. To make comedy it has to go through a bizarre, off-camber interpretive lens that is human-specific. With Wright, I’m constantly astonished about how he put the joke parts together. Conan captures this idea near the end of this clip. What a phenomenally weird, unique, bizarre associative ability-then you combine that mind with that voice. Unicorn. 🦄 😊
Yea, its observation, plus his unique ability to combine ideas. You're just left wondering: how did he write that?
Watching steven's comedy is pure treasure. Boston does have a hero. I always now and then watch steven late night appearanceson Craig and conan.
My dream guest for this pod! It finally happened!!
Yes to the mis-wiring thing, thank you!
That's what I love about my favourite comedians - Norm, Hedberg, Steven Wright himself...
I think they just see (saw) reality in a different (and not necessarily wrong) way.
We see two masters at work here, Conan’s improvisational genius contrasted perfectly with Wright’s exacting verbal associations. Fascinating interplay
From decades ago in high school until this morning I never imagined that was Steven Wright's real voice. I thought it was part of his comedy persona. I am suddenly reminded of Leonard Cohen's funny song lyric: "I was born like this / I had no choice / I was born with the gift of a golden voice."
Steven is brilliant with his jokes. He was born to be the best comedian ever!
I didn’t know ANYONE else knew Steve Wright one of my favorite comedians love the one liners
Connecting unrelated things by twisting a common denominator is definitely his magic.
WOW YOU MADE HIM LAUGH! Ive never seen him laugh before and i lost it lmao That was hilarious!!
I lost count of how many times I listened to I Have A Pony when I was a kid, but the tape eventually wore out. It was one of the first CDs I ever bought once it came out on that too. Just an all time great of comedy!
It´s so rare to find a comedian who writes his own original jokes. Wright is among the greatest.
Conan: "My dad's a scientist..."
Steven: (Genuinely) "Wow..."
Conan: "Not a good one."
Conan's ability to read the room & find these types of jokes as a host is unrivaled.
I've been waiting to hear A gutlaugh from Steven for awhile now. Respect CoCo
Seeing Steven break and laugh is so magical. I would love it if he did a new comedy special where he wasn't in character and showed that side of himself more.
Seeing him crack up is great :)
This is an amazing conversation.
This was great - so funny and also thought provoking t the same time. Comedian's brains make connections between things that aren't supposed to go together; that makes a lot of sense.
I LOVE these comedy dissection pieces. I love Seinfeld's coffee-car thing for the same reason. ENDLESSLY fascinating. Thanks, Conan!
The lovely and talented Mr. Stephen Wright needs to do some voice work. Can you imagine what crazy cool animated characters could come alive with his iconic voice?
That Conan O'brien should have a TV show. He's a funny mug.
Always enjoyed Steven Wright. His dry delivery and approach to comedy stand alone.
absolutely fantastic, wish more interviewers would ask comics these questions
I had no idea Steven Wright still walks among us. Wow. What a pleasant surprise.
I've always said this about the practice of drawing, that the very activity forces one to expand and appreciate their powers of observation and perspective. So, when someone cites seeing someone's point-of-view or their perspective in terms of life experiences, that has a real meaning. Which is why everyone should draw, and everyone can. You don't have to be a master from the beginning. It's the process and practice...
Steven Wright is the only well-known comedian I ever saw live. Hilarious.
"what's another word for thesaurus?"
The day that Steven found his skill, comedy took the Wright turn.
Two of my favorite comics ever, just brilliant minds. It is so interesting to hear how Wright writes, how things come to him. I have loved the power of puns since I figured them out as a child. I guess I am like Wright in some ways, the radar is subconsciously scanning. I'm always "on", as some woman said to me in a bar once, ages ago. I tend to think homophonically, perhaps something that O'Brien's dad might think needed treatment. I think one of the biggest hurdles in writing jokes is being able to recall the initial synapse that comes to mind. Those synapses are fleeting, they can disappear like trying to recall a dream upon waking up. I used to keep a dream journal, decades ago. I found that I could recall dreams much better if I had the notebook by my bed, ready for any new entries. It became sort of a chore that I didn't like, but I kept it up for a few weeks, at least. So, I wonder if Wright and O'Brien keep a notepad or a recorder handy to record any jokes that may appear. If they did, that might impinge the joke making process that often comes spontaneously. Wright touched on that a bit with his, "gotta make a joke, gotta make a joke..." line.
The scientist riff is so good
steven wrights "ihave a pony" was the 2nd cassette tape i bought in 4th grade (immediately after oingo boingo)
“I put spot remover on my dog and now he’s gone.”
🙌🏼 SW is a comedy god IMO - first time I saw him on tv in the 80’s I was crying laughing!
That was #!$%ing beautiful! I can use that. It's like permission to let your mind wander.
This clip was brilliant. Seeing Steven Wright crackup, and I was also cracking up because Conan hit that out of the park. So great.
Steven Wright's album was the first comedy album that I bought as a teenager. The fact that his jokes still ring true today are testament to his genius.
What album?
@@TheeLeTonzy I Have a Pony
A fountain of wisdom from two big gift givers. A clinic if you will.😊
Conan makes Steven Wright laugh.
That's awesome.
I’d love to hear Jonathan Richman on the show some time. When I was first watching Conan as a kid he used to be a bit of a regular, I loved seeing him and Conan go back and forth
I loved Steven in his role as “guy on the couch” in Half Baked.
All communication is relating to each other. We're buried in our heads, knowing how we feel, but not sure about anyone else. To relate to someone; guess what moves them, you have to look for clues. That's what artists do - look for clues to what will move others and put those thoughts into a medium. Music, painting, sculpture, books, comedy, it's all the same.
Steven Wright is in my top 3 comedians of all time.
Great interview, Steven Wright I love your brand of comedy.
Steven Wright and Werner both have two of the best voices of all time
Two absolute geniuses!!!
I think the amazing thing that good comedians/comedy do is point out , sometimes absurd things that when “normal” people hear them said, make complete sense.
It's amazing that he told that electrolysis joke in his first TV appearance on Carson, and it's just right there. If someone asks me to tell them a joke, my mind goes blank.
"Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty were a duo known as stealers wheel when they recorded this dillon-esque pop bubblegum favorite from april of 1974. That reached up to number five as k billy's super sounds of the seventies continues."
Steven is the best of all time.
The scene where Steven Wright gets punched in the face in "Canadian Bacon" is the funniest scene in movie history.
SW repeating Conan's funny bits while hysterically laughing is making my week!
Omg I was taught to draw using that empty space between objects to make it more realistic. It was a breakthrough moment for me. I think Steven is on to something. I agree. I feel I notice more of odd things in life.