Paul Scheer: Mr. Thursday Night
November 9, 2009 by poprockcandy
BY JEFF CLARK
Senior Editor
Pop-Rock Candy Mountain
Every fall TV season, there is the one standout show that everyone is going to be talking about the next day at both the literal and proverbial water cooler. This year, that show is FX’s The League (although “Community” on NBC has finally started to come into it’s own and has had some great episodes recently.)
The League is an ensemble comedy about a group of friends who have a fantasy football league. As someone who picked QB Tom Brady as my first round pick in 2008 only to watch him injure himself in the first game of the season, the ups and downs of fantasy football are real, damn it, and The League recognizes this.
Comic Paul Scheer plays Andre on The League which is reason enough to watch (If you need other reasons: Nick Kroll, Jon Lajoie and the use of great words such as “dick” and “pussy.”).
Scheer is one-third of the comedy ensemble Human Giant, the greatest show MTV fucked up and didn’t know what to do with since “The State.” He’s also had a recurring role as Kenneth’s nemesis “Donny” on 30 Rock and was recently on Parks and Recreations. He’s also a prolific comedy writer and stand up comic and he was recently married — he’s a busy guy. However, he did takes some time from his bust schedule to discuss The League, Harold Ramis and Human Giant, among other things, with Pop-Rock Candy Mountain.
Co-creator Jeff Schaffer has quite a TV pedigree for his connections with “Seinfeld” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Is that something that excited you about this project?
Definitely, plus Jeff gives amazing foot rubs.
In the last few years, I’ve been coming from a place where I like to be very hands on in the production of whatever project I’m doing but whenever you get a chance to working with such talented people like Jeff and Jackie Marcus Schaffer all that goes out the window. Their credits are phenomenal and they are incredibly smart and funny people, so it’s been great to learn their style by watching them work.
From a viewer’s perspective, the ensemble cast seemed to really be cohesive from the first episode, with everyone making an equal contribution. Do you enjoy working in an ensemble environment?
Sometimes working in ensembles can be tricky especially when you work with people that you’ve never worked with before. I think the instinct for most people at first is to try to prove yourself and impress the other people in the group with your contributions to the scene, project, etc and that creates a sense of everyone just doing jokes over each other and not listening and reacting which creates really bad scene work. We are really lucky with The League because everyone is incredibly selfless. We don’t have the same backgrounds but everyone in that group is willing to “yes and..” and give and take focus and even pitch jokes to each other. It’s a real collaborative effort. I love knowing that you can find things in the moment and trust the other members of the group to set you up for those moments.
Also the best thing about ensembles is you don’t have to say that much in a big scene.
Did you have any involvement in the creation of your character, Andre? Do you share any of the same back story as far as being picked on in school, etc.?
Before we shot the pilot, I sat down with Jeff and Jackie and we talked a lot about Andre and his backstory. Some of the elements of that conversation were involved in the series and others are just good to know in the back of your head. For example, we have this idea that Andre’s family house growing up was the HOME ALONE house and Andre really took pride in that when he was young, just a silly detail that everyone in the cast knows but we’ve never referenced. I also want Andre to wear a jetpack in every episode but they haven’t listened to me.
I think when you are creating any character you always draw on moments from your life that will help you create some more realistic moments. Andre definitely is based on elements of me, other people I know, and situations that I’ve been in.
How many episodes did you guys shoot?
We shot 6 episodes to coincede with the 2nd half of Sunny’s season. We were rushed into production relatively quickly, we shot about 5 1/2 episodes in about 4 weeks and we just wrapped a day before the 1st episode aired. So it was tight schedule. If we are lucky enough to get a 2nd season we’ll do 12 or 13.
“The League” is FX’s second comedy and it follows “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.” How do you feel about the risks FX has taken with the show?
I think FX really is doing something very interesting which is letting creators create and execute the shows they want to do. When you work in TV and Film it seems like there are so many people that have to “sign off” on a script or finished show. By the time you add or address their thoughts, notes, and jokes you’ve lost the original idea. I think FX has created a world where they say, we trust our creators and let’s have them make a show they think is good (and funny). So you get to really live or die by your own sword which is exciting and nerve wracking cause if it fails it’s on you and if it’s succeeds you are a genius.
Are you a football fan?
I was always a casual fan but I have to tell you that before four months ago, I knew NOTHING about fantasy football. I didn’t know anything about it. I treated fantasy football like Northerners treat NASCAR, I was like, “Whatever, I’m not interested.” I like football, but I wasn’t into fantasy football.
Now I have slowly gotten into this world where I am addicted to it. I recently got married, and when we were away on our honeymoon, I was sneaking out of our room to set my lineup and read the waiver wire. I am full-on addicted.
Will we be seeing an appearance by Donny on “30 Rock” this season?
Hopefully. I haven’t shot anything for this season but you never know when it could pop up. It’s really at the discretion of the 30 Rock writers and if they have a good idea for Donny and Kenneth. But suffice it to say, that show is one of my favorites and Tina Fey and the rest of the people that work on that show have always treated me so well so yeah, I’d love to go back.
In the meantime though, Jack McBrayer and I shot a bunch of new KNOCK KNOCK JOKES for Season 3 of Yo Gabba Gabba.
Do people come up to you in the streets and say “Kaboom” after your appearance on “Parks and Recreation” or do they just leave a message on your voice mail?
Nah, people just make me build playgrounds in their neighborhood in one day which has become quite a bit of work.
You worked with Harold Ramis on “Year One.” Did you try to get him to write you a roll for the possible “Ghostbusters 3?” “Meatballs” or “Stripes,” which one is your favorite?
Ghostbusters hands down is one of my favorite films ever. It was such a treat to work with Harold Ramis on Year One. I reluctant at first to ask about GB but then every now and then he’d tell these amazing stories from set. Michael Cera and I are such huge fans of that movie it was the best we’d just sit and listen intently not wanting to miss a beat.
Tell me about your upcoming project for HBO.
Funny or Die teamed up with HBO to do a new comedy series that begins airing this Jan. Rob Riggle (The Daily Show), Owen Burke (Funny or Die) and Jason Woliner (Human Giant) teamed up to write a 4 part mini-series called DESIGNATED DRIVER. It has cameos from Rob Huebel and Kevin Grievous (Underworld). It’s kind like After Hours meets Midnight Run.
What’s the next project for Human Giant?
Right now we’ve been talking about a bunch ideas that are exciting to us. It’s just about getting all our schedules in order and devoting time and really committing to on one of them. We have the want and the desire to do it now all we need is someone to dry clean our red LETS GO track suits and we’ll be set.
Any theories on the final season of “Lost” you would like to share with me?
Yes, They all are in Human Zoo. Just like in Slaughter House 5 —that and they start Jurassic Park.
Did the police ever catch the bastards that burglarized the Human Giant house?
We never caught the thieves, but we’ll are still looking. However I did get my computer back thank you LOJACK!
From @paulscheer on Twitter
“I think the guy who penned the commercial jingle “The best part of waking up, is Folgers in your cup” didn’t really have much to live for.”
Paul Scheer Official Site
Human Giant Official Site
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