Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes & Will Arnett Share Heartfelt Praise During SmartLess Live Event

The SmartLess podcast hosts—Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett—took the stage at Avalon Hollywood on Saturday for a live taping where they were asked to share what they love about one another. The moment marked a rare shift from their usual playful teasing.

Hayes kicked things off with a lighthearted compliment, calling one of his co-hosts “super squishy.” Bateman followed with heartfelt words about his friends:

“Sean, I find is the most genuine, warmest, sincere, attentive friend I’ve ever had. Will has all of that, and just happens to make me laugh more than anybody I’ve ever met in my entire life.”

Arnett responded with humor, admitting it would take a moment to reciprocate the praise for Bateman:

“You are, you’re so Jason, you know? Which I f–king love about you … Jason is such a sweet boy. And you know it’s true, and he’s made such a great thing of yourself. You really turned it around. I mean, you kind of grew up in the woods and you just got out. You’re a beautiful person. And I give him s–t. We give him s–t for being so [indiscernible], but he’s so special.”

Hayes then chimed in with more praise for Bateman:

“Yes, I love you because you also are a genuinely kind person. And you really think of other people. And you are one of the smartest people I’ve ever known in my entire life.”

He shifted his focus to Arnett, adding:

“This fella is also super squishy. The funniest person on the face of the planet, both of them are. And I love you guys both.”

The trio launched SmartLess in July 2020 and signed with Amazon a year later. In January 2024, they extended their partnership with a multi-year deal with SiriusXM.