…Jason Lee, star of "My Name is Earl", and Greg Garcia, the show’s creator and executive producer. "My Name is Earl" returns Thursday April 3rd with a one-hour episode beginning at 8:00 PM EST on NBC.This is Jason Lee’s first work on a television series. He has starred in numerous films recently starring in “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” lent his voice to Disney’s “The Incredibles,” and starred in the cult classic “Mallrats.”
Greg Garcia also created the CBS comedy “Yes, Dear.”
Jason and Greg took a few moments to give us their TwoCents.
Continue reading for the entire interview..
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…Jason Lee, star of My Name is Earl, and Greg Garcia, the show’s creator and executive producer. My Name is Earl returns Thursday April 3rd with a one-hour episode beginning at 8:00 PM EST on NBC.
ReplyDeleteThis is Jason Lee’s first work on a television series. He has starred in numerous films recently starring in “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” lent his voice to Disney’s “The Incredibles,” and starred in the cult classic “Mallrats.”
Greg Garcia also created the CBS comedy “Yes, Dear.”
Jason and Greg took a few moments to give us their TwoCents.
TwoCents: How are you both doing?
Jason Lee: Good.
Greg Garcia: Hi.
TC: Do people approach you guys telling you that they identify with the characters so much that they have made their own lists like Earl?
Jason: Not in those exact words. I mean, I haven’t experienced that myself but you do hear stories about a friend who heard a DJ on a radio station talking about karma. How they’ve started their own lists. It started getting popular. I think the idea of karma and the word is being used a lot more. It felt that way, anyway. And Greg’s whole point at the very beginning was that we’re talking about karma. We’re talking about redemption. We’re talking about a low-life dude trying to turn his life around. Why not make it mean something you know?
If that’s ultimately what happens at the end of the day, great. I mean we’d never pretend like it’s not important, it’s just about the jokes and the characters and the moustache. There can be something to take from it without being too preachy and I think it’s because the show is very accessible. The characters are very likeable and at the end of the day you find yourself wanting to root for Earl. I think people have really grown to like the show a lot and if it makes them feel good that’s a bonus for sure.
Greg: I’ve read a couple things online about people making their lists and stuff. I’ve never had anyone actually come up to me and say that, but the things that I have experienced that are pretty cool. I’ve had people clip out things and bring them to me or come to me and say they were at church and the sermon was about an episode of Earl. That’s not your intention. Your number one intention to do the show - making people laugh and we don’t take ourselves too seriously at all.
If they want to use an example of something we did in a sermon well that’s pretty cool. And if people are going to watch it and go, “Hmm.” You know, if somebody out there goes, “Eh, I did something to somebody,” and this show’s about redemption and maybe I will go make that up. Well if that happens, that’s fantastic. But obviously our first goal is to make you laugh.
TC: If you guys didn’t believe in karma before doing the show, do you believe in it now?
Greg: I’ve always just, I mean I’ve always believed in it in different forms. One , just common sense that if you’re doing good things then obviously you’re working hard and doing good things…
Jason: Yeah. But certainly, we work very hard at this show and everyone treats everybody on the show with respect and we treat each other like family and so far we’ve been able to keep doing it. So I guess that’s a good example of karma.
TC: At the end of the credits of each show, a different picture is shown of someone wearing a sombrero. How do you get that picture?
Greg: That’s my production company logo and I started that on “Yes, Dear.” I did 122 different pictures and then I kept the tradition going on “My Name is Earl.” It’s called Amigos de Garcia Productions – Friends of Garcia. I ran out of friends around episode 10 of “Yes, Dear.” I don’t have that many friends. I just filled up with various friends and their kids and then people that work on the show and maybe the writer of the episode. I don’t repeat people, although – I try not to repeat people. I’ve put my kids in them a couple times as they grow older. But it’s just anybody – lately it’s been people working on the show.
TC: If you were to come across someone new to the United States, what five movies would you show them to teach them about American cinema?
Greg: Oh.
Jason: Oh, man. Are you kidding?
TC: I’m not.
Jason: Let’s see. “Easy Rider,” “Smokey and the Bandit,” “Raising Arizona,” “Coming to…” No, no. What’s the Albert Brooks movie?
Greg: “Lost in America?”
Jason: “Lost in America” and “Bachelor Party” with Tom Hanks.
Greg: Nice. I have two in those – I don’t want to repeat Jason’s but there’s two in those that I would have to repeat, which would be “Raising Arizona” and “Smokey and the Bandit.” I’m like a goldfish because I can only remember things that I’ve seen recently but I would have to say “King of Kong” documentary…
Jason: Funny, I saw that. I couldn’t believe that thing. I just rented it three nights ago.
Greg: So I would put that one in there. Oh, God, I don’t even know. “Midnight Run.” I’m going to (say all) comedies. But…
TC: All right, one more Greg.
Greg Garcia: I need one more. I would say, oh, “Jackass.” It’s the funniest movie I’ve ever seen in my life. I don’t even know why we try to do comedy when I sit and watch “Jackass” and “Jackass 2.” I went with people – we went with the writing staff. They were crying. People were crying from the beginning to the end, just dying laughing and I’m like, why do we even try to compete with this? So I would say, “Jackass 1 and 2." Take “Midnight Run” out of there.
TC: I will. Thanks for your time, guys.
Greg: Thank you.
This is great! I love this show! Awesome inteview!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! I love the new season so far. I'm so glad Earl is finally back to the list! I also think it's rad Greg is a Jackass fan! Love it! :)
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