SmartLess

4.6 (49K) · COMEDY · UPDATED WEEKLYE

Sean Hayes surprises Jason and Will with actress and entrepreneur Jessica Alba. They talk about her journey from child star to building The Honest Company, navigating Hollywood as a Latina, and what's next after stepping back from acting.

9D AGO

Kevin Bacon

Will Arnett brings in Kevin Bacon — who has his own SmartLess connection thanks to the famous "Six Degrees" game. Kevin talks about Footloose, his band with Kyra, five decades in Hollywood, and the weirdest thing fame has ever done to his life.

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Jennifer Aniston

Jason Bateman surprises his former Arrested Development co-star with Jennifer Aniston. The conversation goes deep on friendship, aging in Hollywood, the meditation practice that changed her life, and what she misses most about Friends.

23D AGO

Tom Hanks

Sean reveals Tom Hanks as this week's mystery guest. The guys talk about everything: how Tom chooses roles, his actual relationship with forrest gump, and why he believes America needs kindness more than ever right now.

30D AGO

Reese Witherspoon

Will brings in Reese Witherspoon — and the energy is immediately electric. Reese talks about how she's built a media empire with Hello Sunshine, what she's learned about herself from playing flawed characters, and her book obsession.

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

SmartLess Live in New York

A special live episode recorded in front of an audience in New York City. The guys perform their full unboxing format live on stage — with a mystery guest who absolutely no one expected.

44D AGO

Ryan Reynolds

Jason, Sean, and Will welcome their actual friend Ryan Reynolds. This one gets weird fast. Ryan talks about creating Aviation Gin and Wrexham AFC, his anxiety, and whether Deadpool is the role he'll be remembered for forever.

51D AGO

Demi Moore

Sean brings in Demi Moore in the middle of the most remarkable career revival in Hollywood history. She talks about the reception to The Substance, the years she spent invisible to the industry, and how she made peace with her own story.

See All (0)

Hosts & Guests

Jason BatemanHost

Sean HayesHost

Will ArnettHost

4.6

out of 5

49K Ratings

The most natural chemistry in podcasting

The mystery guest format should have gotten stale by now, but it hasn't — because Jason, Sean, and Will's friendship is completely genuine. They crack each other up, they push back, and they occasionally get surprisingly emotional. There's a warmth to this show that's hard to find anywhere else.

GenuineLaughs · Mar 5, 2026

The guests open up in ways they never do elsewhere

I've heard countless interviews with some of these guests and SmartLess gets things out of them that journalists never could. The combination of being with funny friends who aren't trying to get a headline creates something remarkable.

UnscriptedMagic · Feb 24, 2026

Consistently delightful

Some weeks are better than others — it depends a lot on guest chemistry. But even the worst SmartLess episode is funnier than most shows at their best. The live episodes are particularly great.

WeeklyHighlight · Feb 12, 2026

About

"SmartLess" with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett is a podcast that connects and unites people from all walks of life to learn about shared experiences through thoughtful candid conversations. The format is simple: each week, one host surprises the other two with a mystery guest. No one knows who it is until they show up. The result is completely natural, unscripted chemistry between friends who are genuinely surprised — and some of the funniest conversations in podcasting. SmartLess has featured guests including Paul McCartney, President Barack Obama, Matthew McConaughey, Gwyneth Paltrow, and hundreds more.