Miley Cyrus’s Twerking Tips

Bennett Marcus

Miley Cyrus taught Taran Killam the secrets of twerking for their much-discussed Saturday Night Live parody video last weekend. "You'd think it's about the hips," she told him. "But it's not, it's more about the ankles." Killam and head writer Seth Meyers opened up about the insane (and brilliant) parody at a screening of Alexander Payne's Nebraska-which stars SNL alum Will Forte. "At least for the near future, Miley's impression will be the one people think of when they see Michele Bachmann on television," head writer Seth Meyers predicted at a post-screening party at Monkey Bar. As for Killam's orange-y John Boehner, Tina Fey described it as "upsetting."

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Below, highlights from our chat with Killam:

VF Daily: Tell me about wearing that suit in the John Boehner skit.

Taran Killam: Oh, I wore so many suits! I was just complimented because they had to take everything in. [In funny voice:] I'm sooo skinny!

You didn't feel odd wearing that skimpy costume?

No. I have no shame. That's why I was the guy for Boehner. If Bill [Hader] were here, he would have done it. I'll wear anything.

Seth Meyers said that the writers know that, so they'll keep pushing the limits.

I mean, for my money, if you're in comedy, nothing is sacred, right? Including your very average body.

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And the twerking. Did you have to practice?

I was with the master, right? I'm on set with the master of the twerk.

Did Miley Cyrus give you lessons?

Of course, pointers. And here, I'll reveal it-I'm sorry Miley-but she said: "It's more about the ankles. You'd think it's about the hips, but it's not, it's more about the ankles."

Very interesting.

Yeah.

So you're learning on the job.

Important stuff, too.

Were you all secretly a little disappointed that Miley Cyrus didn't go further and take things to the V.M.A.-type level of outrageousness on the show?

Yeah. Whenever a guest comes, you're taking care of them, right? Like, even though they're the host of the show, you're hosting them. But certainly between the last time she hosted and this there's been some hullabaloo in her life. So we were a little guarded. I can tell you she's reaching for that icon status, but she's fully in control.

Ah.

She is. She's with it, she's funny, she gets it. Everybody was impressed. And she's got a fantastic voice.

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