Tag: odenkirk

Bob Odenkirk is known best for his role in “Mr. Show” and “Breaking Bad”. Bob has recently released his new pilot on Adult Swim called “Let’s Do This!”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Bob about his new pilot and it’s chances to have the show turn into a series.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you originally come up with the idea for “Let’s Do This!”?
Bob Odenkirk: I played Robert Evans on “Mr. Show” and also on “The Bill Maher Show”. I loved his air of confidence and swagger. I find that guy funny and I like playing him. I think there is more life to a guy like him. This guy is a hybrid of him and some other people I have played. The other inspiration I had was from a movie I love called “American Movie”. I love people making movies especially those small companies with not much money but with a dream where people are sort of giving their time freely. It’s easy to discount or write those people off but the fact is everybody in Hollywood is on a continuum with those people. It’s not like there are legitimate people in Hollywood and then illegitimate people. We are all illegitimate. We are all just making it up. Even the people with lots of money and big companies behind them are doing that. Look at that film “John Carter”. That film was a massive bust! There was a very respected director driving that thing. He is a really smart guy who was working really hard. I am sure probably having years to work on it and think about it he thought it was going to be great. I am sure he had to tell lots of people, lots of times that this film was going to be great. Who is he when you compare him to Cal Gold? He is the same! In this case his dream is just as looney.

MG: Can you tell us about the road to getting it aired on Adult Swim?
BO: We made the show and while doing so it evolved. During the course of editing we found that the real fun lay in the crew that I put together. This included Fortune Feimster and John Ennis. The real fun was back stage shooting the movie. That part of the show was kind of improvised and put into a later edit. I don’t know how Adult Swim feels about it as a show? Obviously it didn’t go to series. Well at least not yet. We sat and thought about it for awhile and I just wanted them to show it to people and give everyone a chance to watch it. What happened was we showed the short at a benefit and there were kids in the audience. We showed just the Harry Potter film and not the story around it and, they loved it! Watching it with the audience I thought people would really like it. I called Mike at Adult Swim and asked if he would run it and he said yes.  What happens next? I don’t know. Mike Lazzo remains the coolest executive in Hollywood. I am not just saying that to kiss his ass. Most executives wouldn’t show the show if it didn’t go. They would not want people to see it because if they liked it then they would look bad for not ordering it to series already. There would be this embarrassment factor. Mike said to just let people see it. I don’t know what will happen next.

MG: Is there anything fans can do to help?
BO: I don’t know. Maybe just continue to like the show and talk about it. They could write a comment about wanting more to be made. I don’t know how often they read comments like that. I think that positive feedback helps and will probably make the executives at Adult Swim see that there is maybe life in the show. The other part is my job. I want to do the character again as I really like him. I started tweeting as Cal Gold. Honestly I really think the next part is for me to approach Mike Lazzo and Adult Swim with some ideas of what we could do next if he wanted to. I want to approach him with something more interesting than just a series. I would to give him some really specific episodes of what we would like to prank on and what movies are coming out in the next year. I want to give him a really targeted idea of what we want to do then allow him to make a decision from there.

MG: Do you currently have any other scripts written?
BO: We do. We have a lot of stuff we have written. This is all part of a process that I am discovering. This show was basically set aside as we thought that we had done it and it didn’t make it on the air. Now we are starting to see that there might be other things we could do with the show. I don’t know if we would go back to the scripts that we had so much than to think of new ways to make the most of it. The thing I keep getting comments on is the scene where we are shooting in a parking garage and Paul Rust has to lose the car and, he is kissing my ass. People really liked that part. I think I would look to create episodes that would allow us to create and make that crazy stuff happen. Watch the show, give it a lot of hits and if you like it say so. That’s all anyone can really do. It’s up to me to pitch a journey for it.

MG: Have you ever considered doing the show as a web series?
BO: Yes! I absolutely would. I have “Breaking Bad” starting up so there is that aspect to things as well. I don’t have maybe as much time as other people to do shows. I have to have something that is within my abilities to do. That will be part of me re-thinking things now that it has been shown. I am thinking a show an episode would have Cal talking to the camera and we get out with the crew shooting. Then we would have a trailer for something. I really want to have fun with movies that are set to come out.

Click here to view Bob’s latest pilot “Let’s Do This!” on AdultSwim.com
To follow Bob’s character Cal Gold on Twitter go to @CalGoldberg

Bob Odenkirk is known best for his skit series “Mr. Show with Bob and David” with David Cross. He has worked on Adult Swim shows like “Tom Goes to the Mayor” and “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” He has also has recurring roles on TV shows like “How I Met Your Mother” and “Breaking Bad”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Bob about his TV work and also his new upcoming pilot for Adult Swim.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about working on the “Breaking Bad”?
Bob Odenkirk: I love being a part of that show. It was something that came out of the blue and just fell on my head. It is different from all my other work as it is a drama. The show has a bunch of great actors and writers who work extremely hard. I don’t know if my character will continue to be a part of the show as I don’t really know what happens. Every year I will go down and hang out with the writers just to talk about writing. I guess while I am down there I will see if my characters name is up on any of the walls. I’m guessing they wouldn’t have me come over for lunch if my character wasn’t going to be around anymore. (Laughs) I really want to be a part of the show as I love playing the character. I have such respect for the challenge of making the show that I am for whatever they want to do with my character.

MG: What do you like most about playing the sleazy Saul Goodman?
BO: I want to play the sleazy guy. I love reading the script and asking myself what Saul is really trying to get done. He only is telling people what they want to hear or what will get them to do whatever it is he wants. It’s always fun to think about what he is really after.

MG: How does it compare to working on a show like “How I Met Your Mother”?
BO: The energy is different. There is a more relaxed feeling on a show such as “How I Met Your Mother”. “Breaking Bad” consists of a great group of people but in order to get the show done within the time constraints you have to work really hard. You have to show up knowing your lines and be ready to go. If that didn’t happen the show would just never get done. It’s a pretty serious place. It’s a challenge that is fun.

MG: Tell us about your recent stand up tour with the Birthday Boys, called “Seven Man Sweater”?
BO: The Birthday Boys are a sketch group here in Los Angeles that are really funny. We did a show earlier this year called “The Heroic Man”. We are currently working on coming up with a television show as well. I also did a show for Adult Swim called “Let’s Do This” that will air on their website next week. I want people to go to the site, check out the video and if they like it tell Adult Swim they want it made into a series.

MG: How did you get involved working with Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim?
BO: Tim and Eric are amazing, funny guys. They amaze me and are real artists. I think I am good at helping them with the tools that make a good show. They have a vision and a voice that is very distinct and unique. It’s an inspiration to work with guys like Tim and Eric. I envy them.

MG: Are you still writing for “Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule” season 2?
BO: I don’t. I think I helped with the first season by making some observations. I think I also talked with them about the point of view. That’s pretty much what I do with Tim and Eric as well. The episodes are pretty well completed and I just give them some notes.

MG: Are you going to be directing anymore films?
BO: Yes. When I finished “Brother Salomon” I felt like I really needed to step back from teachers and think about what I am doing there, why I am doing it and what will my next film be. I think I have a lot of fans that look at the 3 films I have done and they don’t really see my voice. It’s certainly not as potent as it was on “Mr. Show” and that’s understandable. I think the next movie I am going to make is going to be more of what you would want from me. I have a couple scripts out there and am actually meeting on one tomorrow. I also am shooting a short for “Funny or Die” next month which will be a lot of fun.

MG: Tell us about your role for the upcoming film “Movie 43”
BO: I am not in that but, I did direct a short for that film. Peter Farrelly is producing that and the film is made up of a variety of short comedy films. I gave them some stuff to look at and they picked one thing out of what I gave them. That film is pretty much out of my hands.

MG: What else do you have planned for 2012?
BO: David Cross and I are performing at the Amnesty International Ball with Cold Play. It’s nothing really big. (Laughs) David and I are also going to Vancouver where we are doing a show as well. I also will be recording my first Mr. Blow podcast which will be on Ear Wolf. Mr. Blow will be a podcast featuring people who wrote, were in or saw the live version of “Mr. Show”. The cast will not be about “Mr. Show” but about life now.