Deadline Hollywood - Emmy Preview/Comedy - 06/07/17

PRESENTS JUNE 7, 2017 EMMY PREVIEW/COMEDY

SNL’S GOLDEN YEAR TRUMP’S REALITY TV PRESIDENCY Plus:

KEVIN BACON TIG NOTARO LOUIE ANDERSON AMY POEHLER OUR LADY J

THE GOOD

DONALD With Atlanta, Donald Glover has forged his own path and delivered the comedy hit of the year.

DEADLINE.COM/AWARDSLINE

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PRESENTS

G EN ERA L MA NAG E R & C HI EF R EV ENUE O FFICE R

Stacey Farish EDI TOR

Joe Utichi C R EAT I V E DIR ECTO R

Craig Edwards

AS S I STA N T E D ITO R

Matt Grobar

DEA DL I NE CO - E D ITO RS - IN- CHIE F

Nellie Andreeva Mike Fleming Jr.

AWA R DS ED ITO R & CO LUM NIST

Pete Hammond

DEA DL I NE CO NTR IBUTO RS

Peter Bart Anita Busch Anthony D’Alessandro Greg Evans Lisa de Moraes Patrick Hipes David Lieberman Diana Lodderhose Amanda N’Duka Dominic Patten Erik Pedersen Denise Petski David Robb Nancy Tartaglione V I DEO P ROD UCE RS

David Janove Andrew Merrill

C HA I R MA N & CEO

Jay Penske

V I C E C HA I RM A N

Gerry Byrne

C HI EF OP ERATING O FFICE R

George Grobar

EX EC U T I V E V ICE PR ES ID E NT, B U S I NES S A FFA IRS A ND G ENERA L CO UNS E L

Todd Greene

EX EC U T I V E V ICE PR ES ID E NT, B U S I NES S D EV E LO PM E NT

Craig Perreault

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FIRST TAKE Trevor Noah finds his groove, Beverly Goldberg speaks, Trump’s reality TV presidency.

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COVER STORY Donald Glover is riding high with the success of Atlanta.

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FEATURE STORY Celebrating a banner year for Saturday Night Live.

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THE DIALOGUE: EMMY CONTENDERS Kevin Bacon Tig Notaro Louie Anderson Amy Poehler Our Lady J

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FLASH MOB Gold Derby Emmy Season Kickoff Party, AwardsLine Screening Series

S EN I OR V I C E PR ES ID E NT, FINA NCE

Ken DelAlcazar

V I C E P R ES ID E NT, CR EATIV E

Nelson Anderson

V I C E P R ES ID E NT, TV

Laura Lubrano

V I C E P R ES ID E NT, FILM

Carra Fenton

S EN I OR ACCO UNT EXECUTIV ES , T EL EV I S I ON

Brianna Hamburger Tiffany Windju ACCOU N T MA NAGE R

London Sanders

A D SA L ES CO O R D INATO RS

​Kristina Mazzeo Malik Simmons

P RODU CT I ON D IR ECTO R

Natalie Longman

DI ST R I B U T IO N D IR ECTO R

Michael Petre

A DV ERT I S I N G INQ UIR IES

Stacey Farish

S FA R I S H@ PM C.CO M 3 1 0 -4 8 4 - 2 553 FOLLOW US: FAC EBOOK

f facebook.com/deadlinehollywood l @Deadline TWITTE R

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ON THE COVER Donald Glover photographed for Deadline

by David Vintiner at The May Fair Hotel, London.

ON THIS PAGE Kevin Bacon photographed for Deadline

by John Russo

6/2/17 2:48 PM

THE ACTOR’S SIDE Intriguing one-on-one conversations between Deadline’s awards editor and leading actors of film & television new videos every wednesday WATCH NOW AT DEADLINE.COM

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Beverly Goldberg’s Fave First Lady

p. 8

| Designing Grace & Frankie p. 10 | Trump’s Grasp on Reality (TV) p. 12

Great KNIGHT The Daily Show host Trevor Noah on his mission with the late-night legend

BY MATT GROBAR

TAKING OVER HOSTING DUTIES on The Daily Show in 2015, Trevor Noah led his show to its most-watched week ever last month—a testament to the balance the host strikes between entertainment and political conversation, and his forthright approach to the job. Noah’s Daily Show continues to evolve, calling out “BS” in the world of politics with the understanding that what Noah is presenting is a particular point of view.

PHOTOGRAPH BY

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Dan Doperalski

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pre-tapes, we play around with the format. The way we shoot our field pieces has changed. Stylistically, the show has a different approach to telling a story. Those are small changes that happen under the hood that, over time, when you look back, you would see a big change, but I always think the best change is incremental.

What is the responsibility of someone in your position, in terms of balancing entertainment with serious political discussion? Your correspondent, Hasan Minhaj, commented recently on the line between the two, and the damaging effects of snark in the media.

I think the biggest thing that separates us from the news is the fact that we don’t hide our intentions, nor our position. I tell you how I feel. With Hasan’s piece, what was great is he was talking about, if news wishes to portray itself as unbiased, it should act accordingly, and imbuing the news with personality and snark doesn’t really work to that end, unfortunately.

It feeds into the narrative that

“WE’VE BECOME A SHOW THAT IS LESS ABOUT MEDIA CRITICISM, AND MORE A SHOW THAT PUTS FORWARD AN ARGUMENT, AGAINST OR IN FAVOR OF CERTAIN ISSUES.”

Trump and his supporters claim about the news—that they are biased against Trump, as opposed to being objective—which I feel the news is, in many ways, but the personality of the host sometimes overrides that objectivity.

People may be getting the news from us, but maybe it’s because we come in with the disclaimer of, “Hey, this is how we feel about things.”

We’re giving you our dissection of what is happening, so that’s, I think, what separates us.

The responsibility, I think, is differ-

factors—most importantly, the fact

We’ve become a show that is less

news should be to inform you. Our

hit its most-watched week ever

that people now care. Some would

about media criticism, and more a

job is to give context to the informa-

last month. How does that feel,

say it’s the Trump effect, but it’s

show that puts forward an argu-

tion that you now have.

and to what do you attribute this

rather the effect of people really car-

ment, against or in favor of certain

success?

ing about what’s happening in the

issues. In many ways, the show is still

Certain late-night hosts seem to

It’s nice to know that something

news, and what’s going on in their

evolving. I think to get away com-

express a joy in being a thorn in

we create with love and passion is

politics, now more than ever.

pletely from the DNA of The Daily

Trump’s side, as he repeatedly

Show with Jon Stewart in a year and

lashes out at the media. Is this

a half would be unrealistic.

attitude reflective of you or your

something that people appreciate; that it’s connecting with audiences,

From your perspective, how has

and especially growing diverse

the show evolved since you ini-

audiences.

tially took over hosting duties?

show. We have a lot more sketch-

No, not necessarily. I don’t define

I think it’s evolved in its point of view.

based elements, we do a lot of

myself by whether or not Donald

I attribute it to a combination of

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The goal is to steadily change the

approach to the job?

DA N D OP E RALS K I

ent. If I put it this way, the job of the The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

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// CHARACTER STUDY Trump hates me or loves me, or whether I’m fighting against him or not, because I’d like to think I exist beyond him. I’m existing in my world.

My world happens to clash with his on occasion, and that’s part of what I’m doing. That’s an opinion; that’s a point of view. I’m not trying to be a thorn in his side. I’m trying to be a host of a show that’s constantly calling out BS and seeking out the facts, and if the facts happen to be a thorn in his side, then that’s a byproduct of what we’re doing.

Having grown up in South Africa—outside of the context of the United States—what perspective does your background bring to your work on the show?

One thing that informs my perspective is that I understand the reality and the possibility of a dictatorship forming from a democracy, which is something most Americans don’t think is possible. Now, I am not an alarmist. I know that American institutions are stronger. I know that there are foundations that have been put in place to prevent this, but that doesn’t mean that all of these ideas are impossible.

Donald Trump is the stress test of America’s democracy right now.

Over time, you will come to realize that you have many buttresses in place designed to prevent against it, but you also realize that there were some fortifications that could have been improved.

For instance, being able to

BEVERLY GOLDBERG

As the world of comedy is preoccupied with Donald Trump (see our other pages) The Goldbergs matriarch explains to Deadline her obsession with another President’s First Lady

installing a series of people who have your best interest at heart before the country’s best interest, is a troubling trend.

To see both houses of Congress towing the party line before the country line, that causes concern, and America can quickly get to the place where your only holdout is the courts. That’s how South Africa is to a certain extent now.

We rely on our courts to be our final stop, but that gives me perspective, because I know it’s possible. I know people say it can’t happen in America, but that’s what they said about Donald Trump. ★

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A lot of people are confused about your obsession with Nancy Reagan— they just don’t get it. Why is she so important to you?

As a First Lady, she does exactly what she’s supposed to do. She looks adoringly at her man, and she looks chic—Adolfo suits and separates; top drawer. And by the way, I vote what my husband tells me to vote. He has a list called “Murray’s Picks,” I take it into the booth with me; civic duty, blobbity blah.

I wonder about her parenting. Don’t do drugs—I hate drugs so fucking much, it’s not even funny. I don’t like them. I know that’s controversial: I don’t like drugs. Her whole thing is, “Just Say No.” Is that all you want to say? That speaks to me as a mom, right there. But that is an incomplete thought; it should be: “Just Say No, It All Looks Delicious, Thank You, But My Mother Will Kick My Ass.” Isn’t it just easier not to do drugs? Isn’t it easier to just clean your room when I ask you to clean it, rather than me cleaning your room? That’s how I threaten my kids—“You’re not going to clean your room, I’ll clean it, and I’ll find what you’re hiding, because I know you’re hiding something.”

—Channeled through Wendi McLendon-Covey

M IC H A EL BUC KN E R

fire the head of the FBI, and then

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CHARTED TERRITORY

Gold Derby’s Emmy Odds At press time, here is how Gold Derby’s experts ranked the Emmy chances in the Comedy Series Actor and Actress races.

Get up-to-date rankings and make your own predictions at GoldDerby.com

LEAD ACTOR COMEDY SERIES

SoCal SANCTUARY

Grace and Frankie production designer Devorah Herbert discusses the process of designing a brand new home for Sol and Robert in Season 3

the case in Season 3 of Netflix original series Grace and Frankie, as production designer Devorah Herbert confronted the challenge of designing a new home for newlywed couple Sol and Robert.

Approaching this new set piece, Herbert contemplated a design for a “sanctuary” that would honor the distinct personalities of each of the men, while setting the tone for the future of their life together, in stark contrast to the “chill” at the heart of Robert and Grace’s former home.

“We decided that the house should marry two different architectural styles at the same time,” Herbert explains. “We would use the bones of a traditional Spanish Colonial, which is very emblematic of Southern California; also, traditional, like Robert is.”

“Then, we decided that the house would’ve been remodeled completely,” she continues, “almost like a metaphor for how they remodeled their own lives.” –Matt Grobar

THE NEW NORMAL

The Handmaid’s Tale costume designer Ane Crabtree on designing the instantly iconic handmaid’s garb Approaching Hulu’s dystopian drama series The Handmaid’s Tale, costume designer Ane Crabtree spent time thinking about ways in which costumes can be used to subjugate and oppress, as embodied in the visually powerful costume of the handmaid. She looked to real-life cults, as well as Margaret Atwood’s novel, for inspiration.

“I thought about what happens in prison—they remove your laces so you can’t harm yourself. I took all the laces from their boots, and sewed the grommets down,” Crabtree explains. “There were also these waist detractors, for lack of a better description. It’s a take

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on a Japanese obi or corset that is meant to hide the waist—the sexual part of a woman—and yet, what it does is it emphasizes their boobs and their hips.”

1

Donald Glover Atlanta

10/3

2

Jeffrey Tambor Transparent

4/1

3

Anthony Anderson Black-ish

11/2

4

Aziz Ansari Master of None

6/1

5

Thomas Middleditch Silicon Valley

11/1

LEAD ACTRESS COMEDY SERIES

AS CHARACTERS CHANGE, SO, TOO, DO THE SETS. Such was

That was all an intentional part of the design, demonstrating Crabtree’s true loyalties, which lie with the oppressed. “The commanders are foiled, while trying to control something,” she says. “I did that for the women.”

One of the biggest challenges with the handmaid’s costume was finding the perfect shade of red for the cloak, a process that took time.

“Reds are probably the hardest thing to translate on film in the frame,” Crabtree notes. After thorough investigation, though, she landed on blood red. “There would be this beautiful visual river of blood, of these handmaids traveling,” she says, of her visual concept.

“Ultimately, what was incredible and miraculous was that that red actually looked good on any skin tone.” –Matt Grobar

ODDS

ODDS

1

Julia Louis-Dreyfus Veep

3/1

2

Tracee Ellis Ross Black-ish

4/1

3

Issa Rae Insecure

7/1

4

Lily Tomlin Grace and Frankie

9/1

5

Ellie Kemper Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

9/1

SUPPORTING ACTOR COMEDY SERIES

ODDS

1

Alec Baldwin Saturday Night Live

3/1

2

Louie Anderson Baskets

9/2

3

Tony Hale Veep

9/2

4

Tituss Burgess Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

9/1

5

Brian Tyree Henry Atlanta

10/1

SUPPORTING ACTRESS COMEDY SERIES

ODDS

1

Kate McKinnon Saturday Night Live

3/1

2

Judith Light Transparent

5/1

3

Anna Chlumsky Veep

5/1

4

Rita Moreno One Day at a Time

7/1

5

Andrea Martin Great News

12/1

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COLU M N Nielsen ratings, showing President Obama’s first, historic inauguration had drawn a larger crowd. The following month, at the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump asked visiting dignitaries and religious leaders to join him in prayer—for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Celebrity Apprentice ratings, Trump being one of the show’s producers. More recently, Trump boasted Spicer’s press briefings are the most watched thing on daytime TV. 9. Trump reflexively brawls like a reality show participant. He missed few opportunities to whack Schwarzenegger’s performance on Celebrity Apprentice, even though he had a financial interest in the show’s success, as producer.

In January, Trump savaged Schwarzenegger’s performance and called himself a “ratings machine”, tweeting: “Wow the ratings are in and Arnold Schwarzenegger got ‘swamped’ (or destroyed) by comparison to the ratings machine,

TRUMP IDOL

DJT.” Schwarzenegger said his longtime friend was angry because

The nation’s first reality TV President is living up to his billing

he had not voted for Trump and

BY L I SA D E M O R A E S

told others to do the same, adding that he would not return to the show, if asked, because the Trump

ONCE POLITICAL PUNDITS

had no idea what “covfefe” meant.

White House Communications

connection was toxic to viewers.

RECOVERED THEIR BREATH

Hillary Clinton speculated it was a

Director Mike Dubka quit after just

Trump hit back that he did not

after Election Night, they forecast

message to the Russians; Sen. Al

three months, multiple people

quit—he was fired.

Donald Trump would be America’s

Franken explained it was Yiddish for

approached for the gig have replied

first made-for-TV president and

“I gotta go to bed now.” But White

“nope,” and a veteran from W’s

teases about a big Paris Climate

his White House would resemble a

House Press Secretary Sean Spicer

administration advised prospective

Accord In-or-Out reveal were

reality TV show, chock-a-bloc with

insisted, when asked, the tweet was

replacements, via Mediaite, they’d

straight out of Ryan Seacrest’s

loud, scripted, populist brawling.

entirely understood by Trump and a

come out of Trump’s administration,

American Idol “after the break!”

They were right. Four months in,

handful of his confidantes.

“with your reputation in tatters,

playbook.

are reveling in the chaos.

Let us, then, count the ways in which President Donald Trump is running the White House along reality TV lines: 1. He’s got a cabinet full of rich guys—like Shark Tank.

2. He has “the best words”—like Newlyweds star Jessica Simpson.

3. His fashionista daughter and

your credibility utterly destroyed,

11. Like the Kardashians or Dr.

rich son-in-law are always in the

and your job prospects close to nil

Oz, Ivanka has her product lines

picture, in the best Kardashians

unless you want a low level CNN

on the side, which the president’s

tradition.

contributorship.”

campaign-manager-turned-adviser

4. He revels in ice cream

7. Trump gets much of his news

Kellyanne Conway happily endorsed

and flat-screen excesses when

from Fox & Friends; people trying to

on a cable news network. As

entertaining guests at the White

get his attention have been known

President of the United States, Trump

House, in the manner of Real

to get themselves booked on his

attacked Nordstrom’s for dropping

Housewives of Fill-in-the-Blank.

fave shows.

Ivanka’s line, citing sagging sales.

5. His grasp of history (he said

8. He is obsessed with Nielsen

12. Trump seems to prefer to

Most recently, he middle-of-the-

Andrew Jackson, who died in 1845,

ratings, which forced White House

operate within the confines of a

night tweeted a six-word sentence

opposed the Civil War, which broke

Press Secretary Sean Spicer to

“Winter White House,” aka Mar-a-

fragment: “Despite the constant

out in 1861; he mistook Frederick

hold a post-inauguration presser

Lago, or his “Summer White House,”

negative press covfefe”. And, faster

Douglass as being among the living)

and insist, of Trump’s inauguration,

aka Trump National Golf Club in

than you can say “Ambien Tweeting”

is Bad Jeopardy.

facts notwithstanding: “This

Bedminster, NJ. Very Big Brother.

the hashtag #covfefe began to

6. His relationship with his

was the largest audience to ever

But, maybe most disturbing

trend worldwide on Twitter. Hours

Communications Office is straight

witness an inauguration—period”

of all: Donald Trump is starting to

later, he tweeted to suggest he

out of Hell’s Kitchen. Most recently,

after press reported on the actual

sound like Alec Baldwin. ★

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RE X /S H U T T E RSTO CK

viewers and TV news networks still

10. His tantalizing any-day-now

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THE

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PODCAST

AND ON DEADLINE.COM

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You seem like one of those people who

How has being in London led to that?

carries their world with them—very

Oh, you know, Brits have a ton of muse-

confident, very distinct; is that how

ums. Britain is really particular about its

you feel and has it always been the

history. Everything’s old here, obviously, but

case?

everyday people are really into the history

I’m very confident in my point of view.

of things. You can even talk to people who

’Cause I think that that’s all you can really

don’t really fuck with the monarchy and

have. I’m never really going to know what

they’re like, “Well I don’t want to get rid of

anybody else is going through, so it’s just

it though. I think it’s important because it’s

kind of your job to be expressive with your

a history thing.” It’s funny to me, because

point of view. So I’m very confident in the

American history is just a couple hundred

way I see things. But I think the balance

years. So I think seeing how it works over

of being, I guess, a good person is actively

here has kind of opened my eyes to that.

looking for and through other people’s points of view. And to make sure that it’s

Brits are happy with the Queen

balanced, because otherwise you become

because currently the idea of having a

a really stagnant and, I think, bad person.

President seems terrifying.

We’re kind of going through a point

Yeah [laughs]. It’s funny to be over here

in time where, if you don’t want to hear

during that. Hearing people’s conversa-

anybody else’s point of view, you really

tions. People tend to be more interested in

don’t have to. So I think it’s about the

it over here than they are over there. I was

company you keep. People used to know

watching Gogglebox [a UK reality show in

people who were smart enough to argue

which people react to television shows and

the opposite—like, they used to actively

the news] and learning a little bit about

hang around with people who have oppos-

British politics. It’s more interesting. I know

ing points of view. I don’t know if that’s the

far less than I feel like the normal person

case anymore.

here does about American politics.

It feels like people are looking for reas-

Is that the way things are or a con-

surance rather than looking for the

scious decision to not overly engage

truth.

with that stuff? The news can be a bit

Yeah. I mean, I think that’s just human

overwhelming.

nature. But I think now we have so much

I don’t know. I think there’s a generation of

information people are slowly starting to

Americans coming up who truly consider

realize, like, “Oh anything can be true if

themselves metropolitan. I don’t know

you want it to be true.” Like there’s always

if that was the case before. I think since

somebody out there—because there’s

European countries are so close together,

money in it. There’s money in information

it forces Brits to be interested in that.

now. There will eventually be places where

Brexit affects everything over here. That’s

you’ll buy things based solely on the fact

going to affect everyone. So I think it just

that you give them data. That will come

forces you to see yourself a little smaller. A

soon. Data’s really important and it always

smaller part of the bigger thing.

has been. Being in London has really taught me how important history is. Just having

We really should talk about Atlanta. I

information of the past. It helps you pre-

thought it was terrific, which is fortu-

dict the future, which is all we really have

nate, right? It’d be awkward if I didn’t.

as, you know, humans.

Yeah, I think it’d actually be a good interview.

D O N A L D G LO V E R P H OT O G R A P H E D AT T H E M AY FA I R H O T E L , L O N D O N

SCREENWRITER-MUSICIAN-DIRECTORCOMEDIAN-ACTOR, DONALD GLOVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A WORLD SHORTAGE IN HYPHENS. A household face after a starring role in NBC’s Community, he was also a name-to-watch behind the camera, for writing on 30 Rock. Movie audiences have seen him in Magic Mike XXL and The Martian. Yet another demographic knows him as Childish Gambino, a Grammy-nominated musician whose eclectic albums deserve way more time than the comedic moniker may make you believe. For Glover there is no side project— the music, the writing, the TV, the acting, it’s all him, it’s all about story.

Still, though he’s not likely to favor one medium over another, or to choose one creation above all, you could argue Atlanta is his greatest achievement. He created, co-writes, stars in (and occasionally directs) the FX series about a college dropout trying to navigate life in the music industry of Atlanta, Georgia. Earnest “Earn” Marks (Glover) spots the potential of his cousin Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles (Brian Tyree Henry) and sees an opportunity to improve his lot—and that of his on/off girlfriend and his daughter. Dealing with music, celebrity, race, TV, stereotypes, ambition and failure, Atlanta is prescient without being preachy—and really, at its core, it’s about a young man looking for direction; for purpose.

Glover won the Golden Globe for Best Actor— and the show picked up Best TV Series Comedy or Musical, as well as recognition from the PGA and WGA, among a host of others. Season 2 won’t air until 2018, though, as Glover is now in a galaxy far, far away. Deadline talks with him on an unfeasibly sunny day in London, where he is shooting Disney’s untitled Han Solo pic, the second in the Star Wars anthology series of side-stories, after Rogue One. He’ll play Lando Calrissian, Han Solo’s old friend and fellow space smuggler, first made famous by Billy Dee Williams in The Empire Strikes Back. Glover is having a blast. 33 and thoughtful, he’s quick to laugh and ask questions back—perhaps pointing to a secret to his success: he’s forever inquisitive.

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If I hated it?

The Godfather and The Sopranos, and in

If you hated it, it would be probably a super

my show we dive into that more and more

interesting interview. I feel like interview-

as we go on, just like what business is, and

ers can’t really do that nowadays. I feel

music. Music is something that is truly

like people would feel very awkward about

ethereal and just joyful, but also it’s the

doing it. Like, how many show creators or

music business, and that’s really the oppo-

whatever could defend their show do you

site. How those things intertwine is almost

think?

the heart of the show, like: What’s personal and what isn’t?

I think a lot of people take criticism really personally, because it feels

Your character, Earn, is in a position

like you’re criticizing their child—and

where he has to be looking for oppor-

that’s not the case. You’ve spent a lot

tunity, but he also doesn’t want to be

of time on it, but it’s not you.

a vampire.

Right. But it is personal. I don’t mean

I mean, he understands he kind of is, he

this show specifically—I just mean art in

just doesn’t want to be called out for it. I

general. It’s a personal thing if you’re doing

think he thinks he’s too smart for that or

it correctly. It’s not like something com-

too cool for that. And I think he slowly fig-

pletely objective that you’re just bringing

ures out he’s not as clever as he thinks, as

into the world. Hopefully if you’re making

far as this is concerned. ’Cause his back is

art it is personal on some level. But I also

up against the wall. It’s hard to act like your

see it as a conversation with the audi-

back isn’t against the wall when it is.

ence—like something that seems trite and heavy-handed just needs to be in the right

That’s when you find out who you

place and right time. 50 years before, or 50

really are.

years after, you show it to a different group

Yeah, that’s when you do all the worst or

of society and it’ll hopefully taste differ-

best things, when you have no choice.

ent. You know what I’m saying? I think it

Like, you know, I’ve seen people do really

changes like that a little bit, too. But I do

heinous things when they thought, “I was

want it to be or deal with the world the

think some people do take it personally. I

going to die.” I’ve seen people do really

way it is,” and that really troubled me,

think that’s because it’s tied to commerce.

amazing things when they thought they

because I realized I was dealing with

If it’s something bad then then you can’t

were going to die. But that’s when you

the world in a fantasy way. I think most

make money off of it, then that becomes

really are who you are.

people live in the land of good intentions, rather than the land of what is

super personal, I think, for people.

And then, if you get through that,

actually happening and what they’re

Because it feels like a threat to your

you have to live with the knowledge

actually doing.

livelihood?

of what kind of person you actually

Exactly.

might be.

Right. That is the problem. The top one

Yeah. But I think that’s the weird thing

percent, they have the resources to build

And that then becomes primal.

now—some people choose to just forget.

that world around them, sort of like a

Yes, then it becomes primal.

’Cause that’s super valuable information

shield. They kind of reap the benefits of

when you think of it, to know, like, “Oh,

their ancestors seeing the world for what

The other thing is personal/profes-

when I’m this situation, I will do this, ’cause

it was and protecting themselves. I think

sional is sometimes a false divide—like

I did that.” But I think people tend to ignore

there’s a large amount of people who

The Godfather thing, “It’s not personal,

that information when they get it.

don’t. It’s hard. To see the world the way

it’s strictly business”; well, actually

it is, you do need advantages. That’s why

kind of everything is personal if that’s

We tend to spend a large portion of our

I like making things, because you need

how you spend most of your time.

lives ignoring the facts of where we are

that a little bit to go on. It’s easy to look at

Time is the most valuable thing we have.

and what we’re like.

a bloody scene if it’s with, like, Lego men.

So like if you spend 40 years at a job and

Yeah. Do you think that’s a survival thing?

Because then it’s a little disconnected

then you get fired and they’re like, “You

People being, like, “I have to ignore this or

from actuality. It can be as truthful as you

know, it’s not personal, it has nothing to do

else I couldn’t go on”?

want, but it’s not really people, because if

with you,” it’s still personal. That’s 40 years

it was really people, you might not be able

you literally can’t get back. You’re right,

Maybe. Steven Soderbergh said some-

to go on; it’d be too horrible. I think some-

everything does become personal, even

thing to me to the effect of “you can

times you just need like a pair of shades in

when it is business. But it’s cool watching

either deal with the world the way you

order to keep going.

20

GLOVES OFF Donald Glover (clockwise from main photo) in Atlanta, with co-star Zazie Beetz; in Community; in Magic Mike XXL; performing as Childish Gambino.

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Something to get you through the day.

to shoot through a studio. There are a

had the idea for a long time. It was a more

Yeah. Something to keep going. But the

plethora of options for him to do that. I

of a sitcom structure when it first started.

question is, what are you going for? Every-

think that’s what actual success is, when

It felt more like something like 30 Rock or

body has an ancestor. We’re all descen-

you’re able to do whatever you need to do

Community or something a little more like

dants of people who decided it was more

whenever you need to do it. I think that’s

a network sitcom, like The Office or some-

important to keep going.

my definition for it.

thing. But the more I kept thinking about it, I think I just became a little more inter-

What keeps you going? You’ve been

On some scale you can’t be far off

ested in fear. And how fear forces people

successful commercially, but at what

that.

to do things. And I liked how fear makes

point did you consider yourself suc-

On some scale I guess I’m not, but there

people feel. It’s something that people

cessful on your own terms?

was a general survey asking people, “How

think is exclusive from a lot of other things,

I’m very fortunate I’m able to do the things

much money is enough money?” And

but fear and comedy are very related, and

I’m able to do. But I feel like I would be

everyone said double what they make. Like

I think if you do them well… If you’re scared

successful when I’m at the point I don’t

from the richest to the poorest, everyone

by something, you’re more likely to laugh.

have to explain what I do. I’m not saying I

said double. So I think that just speaks to

Once that idea came into play, that’s when

don’t want to. I think explaining your ideas

people not being satisfied. That’s just what

I started thinking this could be cool. In my

is a good way of getting people’s takes on

you do. So I’m sure I’m saying that, but I’m

head I was like, “That’s going to feel dif-

it. But I feel like when I’m at a point where

sure I’ll find, you know, something else I

ferent than most other things.” And I think

I just don’t have to ask permission, I think

need to strive for.

that’s probably the most important thing

that’s real success. That’s real freedom. If

to making any sort of art now. That it’s dif-

Steven Spielberg wanted to make a movie

What was the genesis of Atlanta—

right now about, I don’t know, horses that

when did you think, “This is something

shit gold, no one’s going to be like, “We’re

I want to spend years of my life on”?

There’s an episode where someone

not going to let you do that.” He has every-

I just thought about it a lot. Whenever I

is killed. And what struck me about

thing. He can really do it on his own if he

have an idea I just keep thinking about it.

it was that no one seemed surprised.

wanted to, if he wanted to self-finance, if

Like subconsciously, it’ll just keep coming

This wasn’t an event that was going to

he wanted money from someone else, if he

back, and I’ll keep writing down things and

make their highlights reel of the year—

wanted to shoot it on his own, if he wanted

thinking about it and thinking about it. I

it was just a thing that happened. That

ferent. Because there’s so many options.

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was shocking to me. Was that a point

advice. Play your part. People don’t

right thing, by their instinct, but it’s

you were consciously trying to make?

want Justin to be the asshole. They

disastrous. How much has that been a

It absolutely was not a point I was trying

want you to be the asshole. You’re a

personal fear?

to make at all. I just thought it was an

rapper—that’s your job.” How much

I think kind of everybody has that. It’s a

honest ending. The year before we made

is that a reaction to your own experi-

weird thing that it’s considered brave to be

Atlanta, me and my brother went to a club

ences in terms of people trying to cat-

faithful, to just blindly follow something.

and someone was shot in front of us. And

egorize you as one thing or another?

And I think everybody has that fear of like,

it wasn’t like a top three event in our lives

I feel that’s pretty true. People don’t want

“What if I’m just wrong? You know, I have

by any means. It was just something that

you, people want a brand. They want

no idea.” As a species we don’t know if we

happened. It was sad, but life went on. And

something they can believe in. They want

just fucked up. I think that’s a fear. I think

we went to Waffle House afterwards. And

consistency; that every time they go

subconsciously we’re looking for clarity.

that goes back to the perspective. I think

there, it’s going to be the same thing. They

it is perspective. There’s not a lot of guns

want McDonald’s. They want something

It’s that sense that life is like coming in

here [in London]. It would probably feel

that’s packaged and easy to understand,

halfway through a movie and just try-

different to you than somebody who lives

because it’s too hard to really see some-

ing to figure out what’s going on?

in Atlanta where somebody dies of a gun-

body as a full thing. And I think that’s [in]

Yeah. I mean, like, one day you were born.

shot like every hour. But I have heard that

everything: that’s TV, that’s rap music,

People told you how it is. You get older

actually from a lot of people. They’re like,

that’s rock, that’s everything. “I go here for

and some of that stuff was fake. We’re just

“It didn’t really matter.” I feel like it doesn’t

that.” The internet has made that quite

caught in the middle. And then you’re just

have to matter to most people. Not in a

clear to me, too. Everybody wants a brand.

asked to play a part. What if that train’s

shitty way. I’m not trying to make people

Not because people think it’s better. I think

going somewhere we’re not supposed to

feel like, “Oh yeah, you don’t care.” I’m just

it’s because it’s very fluid information—not

go, you know? Everybody’s looking for the

saying that’s part of life and it happens a

hard to hold. It’s something that’s simple.

adults to say this is the right kind of thing.

lot.

When something becomes complex, it’s

We have to do that together. It’s this weird,

harder to keep in your head.

big, giant Ouija board.

the first season—“Value” and “B.A.N.”

Was this in your mind when you cre-

You’re shooting at the moment, but

Was that because the subjects were

ated Childish Gambino? Was that

what does the average day look like for

particularly important to you, or just

a way to distance your music from

you at home?

practically because your character

yourself, or make it easier for people to

I have a rough schedule. I just have a little

wasn’t in them as much?

understand it’s a different thing?

office and I sit at my desk and I just play

Both. They were written with that in mind.

I think the ingredient in everything that

around with sounds or writing. Some days

I knew I wasn’t going to be in those, like the

people tend to forget is time. I just wanted

it’s all work, and I’ll work until two in morn-

focus wasn’t me. I wanted people to know

it to be something that was special, but

ing, four in the morning if I’m really on a roll.

this isn’t The Donald Glover Show at all. It’s

also something where people could ask

And then some days it doesn’t feel right

about life in this place.

questions. I think if Drake started making

and I’ll go to the park with my son. It really

films now, it would be hard for people to

depends.

You directed a couple of episodes of

Can you see yourself directing a fea-

understand who he is, because people

ture film at some point?

have invested so much in the Drake brand.

That’s important, if it’s not happening:

Absolutely. I think it’d be fun. I just have

He was an actor before. I think it’s hard for

just enjoy your life.

to have the right idea. I think directing

large amounts of people that this person

Yeah. If it’s a nice day, you should go out.

is like everything else; if you’re storytell-

does that and does that and does that.

I’m not going to look back and be like, “I’m

ing, then you have to be really confident

And I was aware of that early. Music is

glad I stayed in that day!” Life is about

in what you’re telling. I think Atlanta only

important to me, no question. Music is one

experience. Like everything now is going to

works because I was confident. Even if I

of the loves of my life. But there isn’t one

be running towards experience. Live con-

was wrong, it had a perspective and I was

thing I’d do forever. I don’t believe in things

cerns are becoming so popular because

very confident in what I wanted to achieve.

forever. It was just important to me to give

you can get everything else kind of straight

I think eventually I will, but I’d have to be

myself some fluidity, something that could

to you through your phone, or your televi-

confident in what the story was and what

adapt, you know?

sion. It’s hard to have an actual experience.

the script was, and right now, I feel pretty

So I’d just rather have an experience.

good just focusing on Atlanta. It’s kind of

Under the Childish Gambino credit

scratching that itch for me.

you’ve also directed a short, Chicken

And how are you finding the experi-

and Futility, in which your character

ence of being Lando at the moment?

In the episode “Nobody Beats the

says he’s sad about moths flying

This is probably one of my favorite experi-

Biebs”, a TV presenter says to Paper

towards the light because they think

ences ever. For working under, like, a huge

Boi, “Listen, I want to give you some

it’s moonlight—they’re doing the

conglomerate, it’s actually been quite an

22

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enjoyable, artistic thing. I get to play him in a way that I think is honest and true and cool. And it’s great ’cause I didn’t have to write anything, I’m focused strictly on being this guy. And I really respect him and I respect the actor who played him before. I’ve learned a lot about this character, so it’s actually been really fulfilling and nice to just turn off everything else and focus on just being someone. So it’s been cool.

Lando is my son’s favorite character…

Lando seems to be a lot of people’s favorite character. It’s cool. It’s a lot of pressure, but it’s also very exciting. He was my favorite character too. I grew up on Star Wars. It’s just cool to see him again. I feel like people like him ’cause he has a lot of style, but also he’s a complicated character in this world. I think even Han isn’t as complicated as Lando is. From the first time you meet him, you don’t know whether to trust him or not, and you’re constantly not knowing whether to trust him. I like that about him.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

I think it was probably Joel McHale [his co-star in Community]. He told me, “Get a financial manager right now.”

He said, “Money isn’t anything, but it is freedom.” I think that helped me a lot.

I like freedom and it affords you that.

And I think people sometimes think about that as like, “Oh, he needs more money.” But I don’t think you need more money. I think you need to be aware of how much money you need to live how you want to live. It really did force me to think about life and experience.

The balance is working out pretty well for you at the moment.

It’s all right, right now. But right now, I’m having a moment of creative elasticity. It’s easier for me to do it, but I know eventually the rubber band will come back together. So I’m just doing what I can right now. I’m, you know, the word isn’t really “fortunate” because it’s not like luck or anything, it’s just the wave of things—I’m cresting. It’s cool. ★

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HOW SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE HAS STRUCK A NERVE IN WASHINGTON, HITTING RATINGS NOT SEEN IN 23 YEARS

decades—Chevy Chase’s stumble-

Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman and a

bum Gerald Ford, Tina Fey’s Russia-

pre-Senate Al Franken.

BY GREG EVANS

mahvelous” and “More cowbell” and

SNL—any other season of any TV

“Schweddy balls”.

entertainment show, for that mat-

ON THE SUNDAY MORNING IN MAY after Melissa McCarthy hosted Satur-

spotting Sarah Palin, “You look

But this season, the ratings and

And has any other season of

ter—worked its way so thoroughly

day Night Live for the fifth time, one of those dead-serious Beltway chat shows

the buzz make the case: NBC’s

and boisterously into the highest and

told a joke. Well, repeated a joke. The night before, Weekend Update co-anchor

Saturday Night Live, just finishing its

lowest levels of our national political

Colin Jost had summed up a claim by Donald Trump’s attorneys that the Presi-

42nd season, is more popular than

debate? Armed with the direct-

dent of the United States had received no money from Russian sources, ”with

it’s been in 23 years. An average

action delivery system of Twitter, the

a few exceptions.”

10.952 million viewers have been

President of the United States took

watching this year’s cast in live and

his feud with SNL—and its go-to

hearing, ‘Don’t worry—all the kids came back from the field trip. With a few

delayed viewings, the best figure

Trump impersonator, Alec Bald-

exceptions.’”

since an average 11.213 million tuned

win—public. Very public. “Watched

in each week to watch Mike Myers,

Saturday Night Live hit job on me,”

No Sunday pundit could have summed it up better than Jost. “That’s like

SNL has had plenty of these peak zeitgeist confluences over the

24

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0607 - Feature - SNL.indd 24

6/2/17 2:55 PM

CHARACTER BUILDING Main image: Melissa McCarthy’s eerily spot-on impression of Sean Spicer takes to the streets of Manhattan. Right column, from top: Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton; Eric (Alex Moffatt) and Donald Trump Jr. (Mikey Day) address Weekend Update host Colin Jost; Alec Baldwin as Trump and Beck Bennett as Putin.

Trump tweeted last October. “Time

attempt at good sportsmanship

utility player. It was Day who tailored

president, nabbed an SNL writing

to retire the boring and unfunny

slipping beneath his whine that

a fondness for tacky suits into last

gig in 2005, just 22 years old. He

show. Alec Baldwin portrayal stinks.

SNL had “gone from being funny to

Halloween’s viral Tom Hanks smash

replaced Seth Meyers on the Update

Media rigging election!”

just bad. Those aren’t jokes. They’re

“David S. Pumpkins”.

desk in March 2014, and was joined

SNL didn’t back down, unleash-

inappropriate…I think for a lot of

We’ve edited and condensed

there the following season by his

ing a weekly barrage of can’t-miss

people, regardless of your political

the interviews into a sort of oral his-

comedy club pal and fellow New

impersonations and parodies, from

persuasion, that’s not what you’re

tory of life inside this year’s cultural

Yorker, Michael Che. Early days were

Kate McKinnon’s Kellyanne Conway,

tuning in for.”

whirlwind, looking for a sense of

rocky: The Atlantic asked in 2015

Hillary Clinton and Jeff Sessions to

Spicer had it exactly backwards.

how it feels when the President of

whether Update could be saved:

Mikey Day’s Donald Trump Jr. and

Deadline recently spoke to a few

the United States has your number,

“Che and Jost’s struggles show what

Steve Bannon-as-Grim Reaper. By

of those jesters—Weekend Update

pundits are nicking your punch lines,

an incredible pro Meyers was in mak-

January, Trump’s press secretary

co-anchors Colin Jost and Michael

and Tom Hanks wears the pumpkin

ing it look so easy for so many years.”

Sean Spicer was trying to shrug

Che, and Mikey Day, latest in the Dan

suit you’ve dreamed up.

This season, Jost and Che made it

off Melissa McCarthy’s hysteri-

Aykroyd/Phil Hartman/Bill Hader tra-

cally unhinged Spicey routine, his

dition of character machine and vital

The talkers: Colin Jost, a Staten Island kid turned Harvard Lampoon

look easy.

California native Mikey Day, a

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longtime Groundling, had been an

Honestly, I never thought ratings

and they were sort of in a stacked

SNL writer for three seasons before

would go up ever again, just because

triangle? Kind of creepily looking into

becoming a featured player last

of the way people are viewing

the camera? I remember seeing that

October. His onscreen integration

television. It’s so splintered now,

and I went up to Alex [Moffat] and

was remarkably swift and unusu-

and to have this kind of resurgence

was like, “We should try and write

ally expansive: Few SNL players in

ratings-wise, and that people are

maybe a Weekend Update feature

recent memory became so integral

paying attention in this way, it is

where we’re the Trump brothers.”

so quickly. On YouTube, his skeleton

frankly shocking. And exhilarating.

The whole persona of Eric being just

dance in the David S. Pumpkins sketch

The President tweets...

sort of like “I’m Eric” was really based

has been viewed more than 7 million

off that picture, because he was just

times, and his Grim Reaper debut as

Che: Well, it didn’t feel like the

kind of in the background, sort of

Trump adviser Steve Bannon in Febru-

president was tweeting, you know?

weirdly stacked in the back, like he

ary quickly outdid even that.

It just felt like Donald Trump. One of

didn’t really know what to do. Don Jr.

the hardest things in the world to

Instagrammed a picture of himself

SNL IN THE CULTURAL WHIRLWIND—AND WITH BETTER RATINGS

say is “President Trump,” and not out

with some Cheerios, like he took

of disrespect—just because people

Eric’s snack, and then he said some-

have known him just as Donald

thing about my hair on the show. I

Colin Jost: I sensed it in my own

Trump for so long. It would be like if

think he said, “He’s got the hair down

life, you know, outside of the show,

people said, “He’s a doctor now, call

better than I do.” That slicked back

the kind of response on the streets,

him Doctor Trump.”

sort of Wall Street look. They have

or when I traveled to do stand-up. I

that 1980s, smooth-talking busi-

noticed, like, 50 percent more atten-

Jost: It was surreal, for sure. It’s kind

ness guy thing. You can see them in

tion than in past years, you know?

of a sad moment, I don’t know—a

an ’80s movie going, “We’re going

sad moment in the sense of, why is

to tear this community center down

HERE’S SPICEY

Michael Che: People used to say,

this the thing that bothers him, ver-

and put in a high rise.” But it was cool

Day: I was in the main Groundlings

“Oh, I like the show, it’s funny.” And

sus so many other issues and prob-

Don Jr. reached out, cool that he had

company with Melissa McCarthy

this season, people were saying, “Oh,

lems? I mean, the Kristin Stewart

a sense of humor about it. It’s surreal

and Kristen Wiig and Kent Sublette,

I love the show, I needed it, thank

monologue that she did on the show

when people reach out like that. It

who is one of the head writers now.

you.” It started towards the end of

this year, which was fully based on

really reminds you that they’re real

When Melissa did Spicer—it was just

last year, when the Primary started

what happened in her real life, when

people and they’re seeing what

a real fun moment to be in 8H and

to heat up. I remember in the sum-

she and Robert Pattinson broke up,

you’re doing.

in a sketch with her. In that second

mertime people were excited for it,

and Trump tweeted at her like 20

talking about SNL in July and August,

times to run her down. It was just,

you know? When it was announced

episode where she has her podium and it had wheels on it, I mean, I had

who is this guy? On some level, it is

DON’T FEAR THE REAPER, OR STEVE BANNON

that Alec was going to be playing

his genius. Of course, you have to fig-

Day: That was Chris Kelly and Sarah

where she’s basically attacked me, so

Trump, people couldn’t wait for it.

ure out how to handle it on the show.

Schneider who wrote that. Originally,

I think she felt pretty comfortable and

Do you address it? Do you respond

it was Darth Vader. I did one blocking

was just like, “I’m going to go at you

Mikey Day: I was on a plane and this

directly to him? I think Lorne smartly

in a full Darth Vader suit, with the

with this podium, like, I’m going to try

woman came up to me and was just

didn’t want to have a sketch that

Darth Vader voice, and then they

to make contact, and hopefully mess

like “Thank you guys for what you’re

was just talking at Trump, because

changed it to the Grim Reaper, the

you up a little bit.” It was a lot of fun.

doing.” It definitely felt like it was

then you’re suddenly engaging in

embodiment of death, with a little

reaching people in a different way,

a way that’s not helping you keep

voice amplifier. A lot of times in the

certainly with the political stuff. And

some sort of distance. It’s a weird

descriptions, [the press] would say,

HOW WEEKEND GOT ITS GROOVE BACK

there was proof that the powers-

rabbit hole to go down.

Donald Trump—and then in paren-

Jost: You sense it from the audience

theses, Alec Baldwin—talks to his

in the studio, and you sense it from

that-be who were being lampooned

been in Groundling sketches with her

were aware of the show. The show

Che: Of course there’s a backlash.

advisors Kellyanne Conway, paren-

people you know, from stray civilians

was kind of having a direct effect on

Of course. Look, half the country

theses Kate McKinnon, and Steve

out there, but also friends in comedy.

who we were satirizing, if that makes

voted for him. But I think one of the

Bannon, parentheses Grim Reaper.

Sometime last year, it felt like we

sense.

things that we try to do on Update is

Like, the Grim Reaper had come in to

weren’t just gasping, we weren’t just

we try to hit him on the facts. If Hill-

play this role. Then it kind of got out

trying to survive. We got comfort-

Jost: The big thing for us this year

ary Clinton was President we would

that I was under the mask. Melissa

able enough at some point last year

was just the cast gelling in a way, and

be making fun of her just as much.

Instagrammed that picture. The first

where we were aiming to make each

portrayals that really hit, from Alec

We’re not trying to be right, we’re not

time we did it, I had that black all

episode as solid and as interesting

doing Trump, and Kate [McKinnon],

trying to be wrong, we’re trying to be

around my eyes, and it’s kind of hard

as we could, and it felt like less of an

obviously, doing Hillary, Kellyanne,

funny.

to get that stuff off, so for the rest of

existential crisis. Che and I have a

Jeff Sessions. Beck [Bennett] doing

the show I have what’s clearly black

great chemistry in life. We hang out

eyeliner on in all the other sketches.

all the time. It’s a very natural thing,

run with those figures. Melissa for

ENTER DONALD JR. AND “I’M ERIC”

That Emma Stone episode, it’s like,

so it was really just a matter of time,

Spicer. It was all a good mix of luck

Day: Remember that picture that

“Mikey has eyeliner on the entire

letting both of us get comfortable,

and foresight from Lorne [Michaels].

came out with the Trump kids

show.”

sort of naturally develop, instead

Putin. The cast really hit a home

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PLAYING SKETCH Main image: Keenan Thompson, Beck Bennett, Tom Hanks and Kate McKinnon in the Haunted Elevator sketch; Hanks plays David S. Pumpkin. Right column, from top: Jost and Weekend Update co-host Michael Che; Thomson and Day with Margot Robbie.

of trying to figure out an artificial

find that chemistry. Tina [Fey] and

the skeletons, and videos of kids

was just confused how she and I

construct. We’re having fun now. It

Jimmy [Fallon] were really good at

reenacting the sketch, doing the

could be together. And we did a

doesn’t have the anxiety that it used

it. They knew how to play off of each

skeleton choreography. It was really

Dunkin’ Donuts thing that I wrote

to have. Of course, it’s stressful and

other.

cool to see yourself out there in the

with Streeter Seidell, with Casey

pop culture of the world. I wrote

Affleck.

it’s always a huge challenge every

Other Update anchors had their

week, but it’s a fun challenge versus

set formula of the way they liked to

“Pumpkins” with Bobby Moynihan

an overwhelming one.

write and the way they liked to pro-

and Streeter Seidell. Originally, there

where John Cena kicked me through

duce the segment, and it was based

were going to be three dancing

four walls, or five walls. It was

Che: When you get this show, you’re

on their tastes and their schedules

skeletons in sort of a haunted house,

amazing how the film unit put that

really trying to do the show you’ve

and their processes. Colin and I

but then I just kind of, well, I love

together. They literally strapped me

seen, not the show you want to do,

kind of inherited their processes,

loud, crazy suits. For some reason,

to a chair and dragged me through

because you’re a little insecure in

as opposed to just blowing it all up

to me, that’s so funny. I just had an

five different set walls. We talked to

your place. At least it was for me. I

and doing it the way we would do

image of Tom Hanks in a pumpkin

the film unit and we’re like, “Is this

was a little bit more like, well, how

it. I think at the second half of last

suit saying, “I’m David Pumpkins.” So

even possible?” And the director,

would we make this an Update joke,

season, we started doing things

then we sort of reverse-engineered

Oz Rodriguez, was like, “Yeah, I think

as opposed to how would I tell this

that were easier for us, picking jokes

it from there, based on that Twilight

we can pull it off.” In the beginning

joke on stage? But Lorne in particu-

as if there was no boss, producing

Zone Tower of Terror ride at Disney-

of the scene, when John Cena kicks

lar was saying, “You have the job,

the segment as if it was our own

land, where the doors open and it’s a

me, the stage direction just said,

stop auditioning,” which meant stop

12-minute show outside of SNL. And

lot of madness. It was definitely fun

“Mikey is punched out of his pants”,

doing what you think it should be,

it started to work.

explaining it to Tom Hanks—“Okay,

so they hooked me up to a wire and

and do what you think is funny. We

“The Karate Teen” was great,

this is the guy, his name is David

attached my pants to the floor, and

started trusting our instincts more,

MIKEY GOES VIRAL

Pumpkins, and he says, well, he says

yanked the wire, and I’m literally

and we started just having fun on

Day: I’d been writing for the show

his name. And no one’s sure why he’s

yanked out of my pants. That was a

stage.

for three seasons, so probably for

there.” Tom was great. He was exper-

moment where you really take stock

me [as a new cast member] it was

imenting with the character, and

of the situation: there’s no other

Update: Colin and I are very, very

Here’s the weird thing about

a little less of a jarring change. I was

then on-air, really kind of found the

show I can write on a Tuesday that

rarely on camera together. We’re not

used to putting material up. But it’s

David Pumpkins everyone saw, with

I’m punched out of my pants, and

talking to each other. People would

definitely interesting having people

the voice and his hand dance thing.

then two days later, we’re shooting it

say “Where is the chemistry?”, and

recognizing you, asking for your

That was all Tom. Pretty fantastic.

on a sound stage.

I’m like, well, where would it be? You

picture and stuff. A couple times I’ve

have to find moments that let every-

been out with my mom and a few people wanted pictures. My mom

…PANTLESS, AND MATT SHATT

NEXT?

body know he and I are in the same room. There are ways to do that. I can

loves it. She’s definitely very proud of

Day: I feel like the whole season

time gig this summer, which is pretty

respond to his joke, I can laugh, I can

her son now.

has been a highlight. The premiere

exciting. And then unless we blow up

was fun, with Margot Robbie, when

the studio, I’m guessing we’ll be back

look over. We can have moments, find

After “David Pumpkins,” a lot of

Che: Colin and I are doing the prime-

a way to fill up those little gaps where

people were sending me pictures

I played a character named Matt

in October, or September, whenever

we can acknowledge each other and

dressed up like David Pumpkins and

Shatt in a news report, and everyone

the season starts. ★

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D THE DIALOGUE

EMMY CONTENDERS/ C O M E DY

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Ke vin

Working predominantly in films over the years, what has been the experience of

B AC O N

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working on an Amazon series?

When I started out, kids watched television, and adults watched movies. And now, kids go to the movies, and adults watch television.

There’s a part of me that’s actually saddened by it, I have to say, because when I became an actor, I just wanted to do movies and

The I Love Dick star on his journey from TV, to films, and back again.

BY M AT T G RO BA R

theater.

I left Guiding Light in 1979, or something like that, and was like, “Goodbye, TV.” There’s a part of me that is sad about the state of the movie business. It becomes harder and harder to find anything to do in that space.

The studios make a handful of movies, and if I don’t get the bad guy in a comic book movie, then that’s kind of it [laughs].

It’s like, where’s The French Connection,

IN SO MANY OF HIS NOW-ICONIC FILMS—from Footloose, to Tremors to Apollo 13—Kevin Bacon appears as the spitting image of masculinity, so it’s easy to see why Jill Soloway and Sarah Gubbins cast the actor as the titular Dick in their Amazon series, I Love Dick, an impenetrable cowboy and artist of few words and even less bedside manner.

Even so, when stepping into Dick’s boots, Bacon didn’t think of any roles that had come before, only the one right in front of him. Approaching an unusual series with equally unusual characters, the actor started “swatting the ball around,” and therein found his way.

where’s Dog Day Afternoon? Where’s Serpico, and The Deer Hunter, and the films of John Cassavetes? These are the types of movies that I would like to be working in. But since they’re not in the movies, I’m going to try to find them wherever I can.

That’s what I Love Dick is like—a cool, experimental film. And yet, it doesn’t have to be in some little rundown theater on the Lower East Side, where you’re begging

For most of the first season, Dick is

The dynamic between Dick and Kath-

anybody to come see it, hoping that there’s

more or less an impenetrable charac-

ryn Hahn’s Chris is quite awkward and

lightning in a bottle, and it gets an Oscar

ter. What was discussed in your initial

complicated. What was the collabora-

nomination so that people will know about it.

conversations with series creators Jill

tion like with Hahn?

That becomes a struggle, after a while.

Soloway and Sarah Gubbins, in terms

We immediately trusted each other, as

of who this man would be?

actors, and had a lot of mutual respect.

I love that you could watch it all at once. In

You kind of put your finger on it. One initial

We’re more into throwing ourselves into a

fact, I’ve had a lot of people tell me that they

conversation was to get a sense from

situation than questioning a situation.

did watch it all at once, and that was kind of

them, if he was going to move beyond this impenetrable, iconic object.

While I thought that was really cool and

part of the experience, where you just kind

scene and start swatting the ball around,

of immerse yourself in Marfa and the lives of

and she’s very much like that. I think she’s

these people for four hours.

interesting, and something that we hadn’t

a very emotionally available actress, and

really seen before, I also didn’t know, if we

a very fearlessly committed actress, and I

Did you discuss the sentiments you’ve

were lucky enough to get multiple seasons,

really admire that.

just mentioned with Soloway, who made a splash in film before becoming a pow-

whether that would be something I would

My feeling about what sometimes is

want to keep doing. Because I don’t know

considered “chemistry” is that it’s often a

erhouse in television?

if that would really be challenging enough.

little bit of a way to dismiss what actors

I had discussed it with her, yeah. In fact, it

They assured me that their idea was to

do, by saying, “Well, they just liked each

was kind of strange for us. Really, our first

see into the soul of this man, and see beyond

other, and therefore the scene works.”

exposure on the show was at the Sundance

what we learned about him in the book, which was a very different kind of thing.

One of the things, also, that Jill and I

I don’t believe in that. I’ve worked with plenty of people that I don’t like, necessarily, but you have to talk to them, and be

Film Festival, where I’ve been going since 1988 or something.

Again, this was bittersweet. I couldn’t

discussed a lot, was the idea that when we

in the scene with them. And then there’s

think of a place where I’d rather launch

see him, he’s at a crucial point in his life—

plenty of examples of people who probably

something like I Love Dick. On the other hand,

what I like to call a “passage.” He wants to

had whatever real chemistry is, that end up

it made me think, “Wow, this is techni-

make some big changes in his life, and is

getting married or whatever, and then it’s

cally not a movie, and yet, here we are at

confronting a lot of stuff. And then, thrown

not that good.

Sundance.”

into the mix of that, when he least expects

I think “chemistry” is really just a word

it, is this intense woman and her husband.

for two actors who are really in the scene

and I feel like, hopefully, there will be some

That’s part of what we need to see,

with good material, and talking and listen-

good movies in my future. But I haven’t read

ing to each other.

them [laughs]. ★

how they affect him.

PHOTOGRAPH BY

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What I really need to do is get into the

So, I’m thrilled. I think it’s really cool, and

John Russo

I’m not giving up. I think things are cyclical,

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Tig

How have you been able to move away from being known for having cancer?

N O TA R O

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I think I can feel a change, but I’m also always aware that I probably don’t fully know how I’m seen. I can see myself in a certain light, or think I’m moving in this direction, or changing in this way. People might not see me as that, whereas I feel like I am on the other side of all of that trauma that I went through.

The stand-up comic takes her show One Mississippi – and her whole life – into a new season B Y A N T O N I A B LY T H

Obviously, things carry on in ways. You still always deal with things. I think I really was kind of stuck, at a time, in just a hard place, physically and emotionally. Now, I feel so good, and my stand-up even, there was a lot of talk about how I was this dark and truth-telling comedian. It’s like, I did that when I was going through that, and I think a part of me was thinking, “Gosh, all these people are saying that. Is this what I am? Is that who I am now? Maybe that’s

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HEN TIG NOTARO MADE THE LEAP from talented comic to household name, that change went hand-in-hand with her breast cancer diagnosis. Having just received the news from her doctor, Notaro famously rocked LA’s Largo theater by opening her stand-up routine with the words, “Hello, I have cancer.”

who I am now.”

Then I had to remind myself that my whole career, I’ve always been changing, and trying new things, and doing what felt right at each moment, and that felt right then. Whereas now, I don’t really have anything depressing to talk about, you know?

that I went through, it’s been so fun to move

What inspired your new stand-up

Notaro then published a memoir, became

away from and let go of it more and more,

material?

the subject of Showtime and Netflix docu-

as thankful as I’ve been for all these different

I’ve been touring around with this new mate-

mentaries, and was nominated for an Emmy

outlets to let me express myself in all these

rial, and I’m hoping to do a special this year.

for her HBO special, Boyish Girl Interrupted.

different ways.

There’s a segment in my new material that

The resulting audio became a hit album.

Her new half-hour series, One Mississippi—

I think is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever

co-created with Diablo Cody (Young Adult)—

What’s the dynamic like between

done, and it lasts about 15 minutes. You have

was subsequently snapped up by Amazon.

you, showrunner Kate Robin and the

to be there to see what it is.

Based on her life, with some fictionalized

writers?

elements, Mississippi follows Notaro—in the

Kate’s so great. I think that she and I have a

it’s so fun. It’s just a reminder of, “It’s not all

lead role as herself–through the passing

really great relationship and understanding

darkness.” This is purely silly ridiculousness—

of her mother, Notaro’s recovery, and the

of what we’re trying to do here. It’s all very

that’s all this is.

heartbreaking and hilarious scenarios that

based in reality, with natural comedy, hope-

followed.

fully, coming from it.

We have two new writers this season, but

I’m hoping to do it on my special, and

How about a Mississippi Season 3?

Season 3 would be dreamy. I never know.

While the pilot was based on your real-

they’re right on target. It’s like a big therapy

It’s like going back to the thing I was saying:

life experience, the show then moved

session, our writer’s room. I mean, every day

I don’t know if people really think of me. I

more into fictional territory. Did you

somebody is crying or sharing something

don’t ever assume that people are going

always know where Season 2 would go?

they never told anyone. I think we’ve been

to love or appreciate what I do. It would be

That’s really been the fun of it: I don’t know

good at having the right eye and feel for

great. I don’t assume that they’re not going

where it’s going to go; let’s figure out where

who’s going to be good in the group, or in the

to. I just am like, “I’m going to do my absolute

this is going to go. I’ve brought in ideas to the

room. I owe a lot to Kate for keeping things

best at everything I do, and I’m going to put

writer’s room of where I’d like things to go;

on track in that way.

it out with pride, and hope people enjoy it.”

everybody has. We follow those storylines,

That’s how I feel about Season 2.

and sometimes we get to a place where

In real life you’re married (to co-star

they have to scrap it. Those have been sad

Stephanie Allynne), but will your charac-

completely lost us here,” or it’ll be like, “Yeah,

moments, because I’ve had a couple of

ter explore dating in Season 2?

let’s have Season 3.” Like I said, I want to do

storylines that I really was excited to do, and

Well, there are people that I’m dating

a new comedy special. I have an idea for

then it didn’t quite make sense with what we

[on the show], and checking things out

another book. I have my babies and my wife,

were doing with other elements of the show.

with, and checking out the spark that got

and I can’t wait to spend the summer with

started with the Kate character. That’s

them. I just feel truly on top of the world, and

definitely in Season 2.

the luckiest, luckiest person. ★

As time has gone on, and there’s been more distance from that traumatic time

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Louie

The political discourse between them, pitting Reagan against Jimmy Carter,

ANDERSON

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★

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★

is beautiful—cordial, in a way that we don’t see too much these days.

It’s an interesting microcosm of things, right?

I didn’t love Reagan, but I didn’t hate him—I reserve my hate for myself. I performed at the White House, at the reopening

The Baskets star discusses Christine Baskets’ evolution in Season 2 B Y M AT T G R O B A R

of Ford’s Theatre, and I got to bring my mom.

There was a special thing there, because my mom and I both got to meet Ron and Nancy, and have that picture, and that was a big thing for a kid from the projects, going to the White House and performing, and meeting the president and his wife.

I do think it reflects the times and our struggle out there, that we’re really two different groups of people, with the liberals and the conservatives, but it doesn’t mean

WINNING HIS FIRST PRIMETIME EMMY AWARD last year, for his portrayal of Bakersfield matriarch Christine Baskets in FX original series Baskets, Louie Anderson’s reception by the TV Academy was particularly meaningful.

Channeling his own mother’s relentless, yearslong optimism for his stand-up act, and bringing that same energy to Baskets, this recognition was a testament to the light his mother brought to his life.

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we can’t love each other.

Towards the end of the season, Christine seems to be embarking on a significant weight loss journey, involving surgery. This creates a unique creative challenge for the show going forward.

Her struggles are my struggles, quite literally. It’s interesting when it pairs with reality. I’m just wondering how they’re going

Part of what is so lovable about Chris-

it in, with ice, and then she poured it into

to handle that plot line. The writers don’t

tine is her eternal optimism, and the

nice glasses that she got somewhere. That

start till June, so I don’t know, but I know

way in which she’s able to find joy in

mattered to her. She wanted us to feel

what I want to do.

the little things. Where does this come

special, and she did that to each of us.

from, and was it always going to be a

She couldn’t control my dad’s drinking;

How I feel is, this is another chance for Christine to learn her lessons—to learn more

defining part of her character?

she couldn’t control the fact that we were

about her family, and to maybe jitterbug a

It comes from my mom—I’ll just be upfront

dirt poor. She couldn’t control the fact that

little. Maybe just step out, way out of her

about that. It was taught to me by her. She

she had 11 kids running around, and it must

comfort zone, which is really going to be true.

found the joy in a fork that she found at a

have been very difficult. But she never lost

I’m super excited about the potential

garage sale for a nickel that was worth a

sight of the fact that she could bring some

[next season], because as hard as Chris-

quarter. She would feel so excited to tell

sunshine and some beauty into a desolate

tine’s working on herself in the show, I’m

me, “This is a very good fork.” I would think,

place.

working on myself in life. I think the show

“What?” “For a nickel. Can you believe I got this for a nickel?” I’d go, “No, I can’t.”

We didn’t have a lot of money, so my

What I wanted Christine to be was—

has afforded us a chance to go to the next

above all of the noise—a lifeline to hook

level. It’s like we found a giant piece of

onto, because that’s what my mom was.

carbon that could be a diamond, could be

mom would find things like that. She would

an emerald, or could just be carbon. Which

find a Duncan Phyfe table, which meant

You have a love interest this season:

a great deal to her, but to us, it didn’t

Ken, played by Alex Morris. What was

mean as much. Even in the middle of our

it like exploring a romantic side to

Another major moment involves Chris-

being poor, the Duncan Phyfe table was

Christine?

tine buying out the rodeo, rather than

a highlight of our dining room, you know?

It’s probably the first time that Christine

building her own Arby’s franchise, in a

She knew the value of well-made, pretty

has noticed anyone being nice to her for

totally selfless act of love for her son.

things, and she wanted us to feel that even

25 years, in that boyfriend type, or man/

What does this plot point mean for the

though we were poor, that we had the pos-

woman thing. That started with my shock

future of the series?

sibility of getting them.

and dismay and joy of getting the bracelet,

I think what it will mean is, is Christine

I remember her more than once saying,

one is it? I said it would be diamond.

but when he hugged me, I took the hug as,

the mother she could be, or is she the

“Don’t you love a delicious, ice-cold glass

“I haven’t been hugged for 25 years.” I tried

mother she always is? I think that both

of water?” I’d go, “Yeah, I do actually like

to play it that way. I was so scared. I played it

are satisfying to the audience, but one is

ice water.” You know what made it special?

like a girl being hugged by a suitor. Like, “Oh,

more satisfying than the other, but much

My mom had a crystal pitcher that she put

hey, this hasn’t happened in a long time.”

harder to do. ★

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Amy

as I used to, and the thing the show does for me is it makes me incredibly nostalgic for

POEHLER

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★

★

New York, the way people talk to each other, and nobody really gives a fuck what you want. It’s like, “Tell the guy at the deli your order, and move to the side.” There’s this urgency and bluntness that I miss out here in California.

As someone who put in a lot of hours

The Difficult People EP on the new era of streaming

on a network show, what is it like now, working with Hulu, in a time when media

B Y M AT T G R O B A R

is consumed so differently?

It’s really cool. We’ve had a really interesting and exciting couple of years over at Paper Kite [Productions], where we’ve dealt with everything from Broad City, to doing a show over at Netflix. We did a multi-cam with Carol Burnett, or an unscripted craft show with me and Nick Offerman. We’re doing all

HILE AMY POEHLER HAS BEEN a powerful presence in television, comedy and entertainment at large for decades, some may not know that the actress has been working just as tirelessly behind the scenes for many years, shepherding comic projects and talents with a keen awareness that, more than experience or anything else, a specific voice and point of view is what matters most. Below, the Difficult People EP discusses the universal and specific dimensions of Hulu’s original show biz comedy series, her early experiences hustling in entertainment, and possibilities she sees in the brave new world of streaming.

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these different genres, and it’s not just like, “Oh, you can swear on cable.” It’s not that.

There’s a couple things that the viewer might not notice, but as a producer, are huge. One is that there’s a flexibility of time; in a 24-minute show, those extra three minutes are huge.

Hulu was just starting to dip into comedy a couple years ago, and it’s been exciting to see what they’ve been doing. You really want to work with creative people, creative execs, and also, people who understand, “OK, I’m going to let this show percolate. I’m going to

How would you describe Difficult People to someone who’s never seen it? It’s

that everybody “gets along”.

let the creator find their voice.”

There’s just a lot of friction. They’re just

pop culture, it’s satire, it’s meta, it’s

really sharp, and biting, and Julie and Billy

You’ve been working on the producing

non-stop jokes—it’s a lot of things.

[Eichner] are both performers who really like

side of the business for many years now.

What is really universal about the show is

to go for the joke. It’s the biggest shame, if

What lessons have you taken along the

this idea of two outsiders, people who feel

it’s left unsaid, and really, nobody is safe.

way that inform your work now?

they can’t find a way to move up in the

The characters are obsessed with pop

If anything [has been] shown to us over the

world, whatever that means. Their frustra-

culture. They think, like most of America

past couple of years, it’s that people are

tion makes them, at times, narrow-minded,

right now, that happiness lies within there,

really drawn to a sharp voice and point of

and petty, and misanthropic. I love that Julie

but one hopes that you keep watching it

view, especially in comedy. I think that noth-

[Klausner, creator and star] can present a

because it’s a story of friendship.

ing can substitute for that.

It’s hard to imagine you ever being like

tion, working with really esteemed, talented

either of these characters, and you’ve

people who, frankly, just need me to stay out

like to be an actor and performer in New

built such a stellar career for yourself.

of the way. But I love the problem solving

York, what it’s like to be a gay man in New

But was there ever a moment, early on,

that comes with producing, the opportu-

York during this administration, what it’s like

when you experienced similar frustra-

nity to work with all kinds of people, who I

to be a woman working in comedy, and the

tions, as you pursued a place for your-

learn a lot from. And I just dig that I can give

frustration one has to face.

self in entertainment?

opportunity to female showrunners, writ-

Oh, yeah [laughs]. “Hell is other people”

ers—directors, especially—to try to, in any

is this cast of people that work at the café,

is what Sartre said, and this business, it

way, chip away at the ridiculous imbalance.

that are completely original.

doesn’t matter what level of success you’re

It’s a great reason to go to work.

female character who doesn’t have to win our hearts.

Specifically, the show is about what it’s

The larger world, of which I’m very proud,

The other thing is, I really love collabora-

One of the things that I think Difficult

at—if you want to, you can torture yourself

People doesn’t get enough credit for is they

by what you don’t have, or what somebody

some old school, Hollywood quote. “Always

present a lot of LGBTQ characters that are

has over you. It’s always: How do you define

go to bed angry.” [laughs] How about that?

very different, and aren’t all chummy. Julie’s

success? What are the stakes?

In summation, always go to bed angry. That’s

writing doesn’t pander to people assuming

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I don’t spend as much time in New York

Let me think… I should probably give you

my Hollywood advice. ★

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Our

was this feeling that trans-ness was really handled quite reverently in Season 1, but

L A DY J

★

★

★

★

every other character wasn’t handled reverently. In a way, the trans-ness, I wanted to rough it up a little bit, make it a little bit more real, include some of the ugly things.

Do you have a lot of interaction with Jeffrey Tambor (who pays trans char-

Transparent’s writer and producer discusses why she took the kid gloves off trans B Y A N T O N I A B LY T H

acter Maura)?

Normally, the writers are on set for their episodes, but I was lucky enough to be asked to be on set for any of the episodes that had trans characters. I was there for every scene, especially if it had context to do with transitioning, or an obstacle that had to do with being trans.

The difference between Jeffrey and Maura is that Maura has been living her life as a trans woman 24 hours a day from the

HEN OUR LADY J joined the writing team at Transparent, it was something of a career departure. Previously known as a singer-songwriter who’s worked with Lady Gaga, Debbie Harry and Cyndi Lauper, she applied for the job by writing a short story about her experience of growing up trans in Pennsylvania.

As Transparent prepares to air its fourth season, Our Lady J (who is now also a producer) talks about the show jumping ship to Israel, how Trump’s win almost flipped the script and how she bonded with Dolly Parton.

W

beginning. There’s a lot that happens when you wake up in the morning that Jeffrey so graciously acknowledges that only trans people can truly experience. Those tiny, minute details, Jeffrey and I would talk about.

Next up for you is a concert where you perform Dolly Parton’s music.

I do have a concert. I’m doing a couple of dates all around the world of this show that I call The Gospel of Dolly, which is a tribute

So for Season 4, the action will head

It felt like—when we were counting on

to Dolly Parton’s gospel music. As a hillbilly

to Israel?

having our first female president—we were

who grew up in the church, I really, really

Yes. This next season we go global, quite

writing for these characters and these

love gospel music. I especially love Dolly

literally. We’ve been in Los Angeles for the

stories that were going to be taking place

Parton, as an inclusive person who doesn’t

first three seasons and it’s about life in LA,

in that America. Then, we took a step back

preach the dogma, but preaches the spirit

but also life in America. With everything

and we realized that our themes that had

of love. I perform with a gospel choir.

that’s happening politically in the world

been running through what we were writ-

right now, we wondered, how would the

ing were actually right in line with what the

And Dolly herself has said that she

Pfeffermans react? We take a little trip

country was feeling. There was this general

loves your performances, right?

around the world and we find out. You can

anxiety, there was fear, there was uncer-

Yeah. It’s a weird story. I’m going to be

watch them misbehave in the holy land,

tainty. We ran with those themes and we

honest; it makes my heart race really fast

not just Los Angeles.

really leaned into those things.

when I think about it because she’s such

Creator/showrunner Jill Soloway has

When you joined the show at Season 2,

concerts in New York years ago and asked

said it will be more specifically political

had you already been a fan? What did

to meet me. I thought for sure she was

this season.

you want to bring to the show?

going to hand me a cease and desist, but

Yeah. I come from Amish country in

I was a huge fan of the show. I auditioned

instead she just thanked me for singing her

Pennsylvania. I wasn’t surprised that the

for the part of Davina in Season 1, actually.

music.

country was going to lean in this conserva-

When I first met Jill at the GLAAD awards,

tive direction again. It felt somewhat like

she was telling me about this character.

gender-confirming surgeries a few years

the trauma of growing up in rural USA as a

Alexandra Billings got the part because

ago, she helped me raise money for that

trans person. We can isolate ourselves in

she is a goddess and amazing, but I had

before insurance companies were covering

these metropolitan cities and really forget

decided from that moment on that I was

anything. She helped me get my boobs, so

what’s happening outside. There was

going to be involved somehow in Transpar-

I have a little bit of Dolly in me forever now.

this feeling of doom that was impend-

ent, because I believed in it so much.

I saw her last summer and I told her that I

an angel. She found out I was doing these

Then when it came time for one of my

ing–we just were hoping it didn’t happen.

When I got into the writer’s room, one

Then when it happened, it did feel like we

of the first things that I wanted to do was

missing a beat she said, “Well, mine are

needed to re-break everything.

take off the kid gloves with Maura. There

called shock and awe.”★

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had named my right boob Jolene. Without

PHOTOGRAPH BY

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6/2/17 3:01 PM

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HYSTERICAL

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