It went like this.
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So were here to talk aboutSay Whaaat?
(Laughs) Why?
Why cant you say it in a British accent?
What do you mean?
Its elongating the a sound in what in a British accent.
I feel like an idiot saying it.
Oh, I like that.
I cant do a very good British accent, as you could see in the pilot ofSay Whaaat?.
Obviously weve been on tour to the UK twice this year, our fan base is so strong.
We love our UK fans so much.
Fast forward to 2017 I sold that idea to Comedy Central and we just shot the pilot for it.
or you see a guy arguing with someone and youre like What is he complaining about?
and you start to double their voices.
Some people turn the volume down on their TV and dub over the characters on screen.
It seems like its likely to hit withJokersfans, because its a similar thing.
Its people being silly with their friends.
Yeah, thats exactly it.Jokersis an improv show in disguise.Say Whaaat?is exactly the same.
And as you could see… did you see the pilot?
Yeah, Ive just seen it this afternoon.
The pilot has this loose feel to it where anything can happen.
And you see were screwing around with each other.
We make mistakes, sometimes we succeed, but its always funny.
Even watching us stumble through things is funny, just likeJokers.
So I think theres enough tonal connection toJokers, camaraderie and friendship and screwing with each other.
Sal at one point even calls one of us out, like theres nobody talking right now.
Why are we talking if the characters on screen arent talking?
That kind of feel is just likeJokers.
How long have you actively been trying to make this a show?
It was a really quick process.
It was a very fluid process.
Do you see this as something that could work differently in different countries?
Because there are cultural differences in what people find funny and of course people act differently.
Thats the strength of the show, for my mind.
Speaking from a development point of view, this show can translate into any culture, any country.
You get local comedians and their local brand of humour.
Because people are universally funny.
So this show can travel around the world for sure.
Do you have a dream guest?
Well the cool thing about the guests is that they dont have to be comedians at all.
It would be hysterical to see Adele doing it.
So, ideal guest?
Ricky Gervais would be amazing.
I think Steve Carrell would be great to have on the show.
So, with regard toJokersnow, you guys have been doing it for quite a few years.
The seventh season is your next one.
Its a long time to be going.
I wondered if you had a ritual or something you do to get yourself psyched up for shootingJokers?
Its not so much rituals as it is revenge.
(laughs)
I think about the stupid tattoo I have on my body because of Joe.
I think about the two months it took for my eyebrows to grow back.
Oh, thats lovely.
Is your passport still the eyebrowless picture?
Yes, thank you for bringing that up.
No, my drivers license has no eyebrows, my passport photo has Qs hair.
So Ive got a drivers license with no hair and a passport with nothing but hair.
I look so stupid.
It could land you in serious trouble.
People will think youre faking your identity.
So Ive become a running joke to Homeland Security agents.
I wonder whether thats something you consider, where do people behave differently than on the steets?
Yes, thats a big part of it.
How are people interacting with this place?
Weve learned good and bad lessons from that.
We were like oh, lets film at a dry-cleaners one day.
People dont want to talk when they come to a dry-cleaners.
We learned that the hard way.
They walk in, drop their clothes off and want to leave immediately.
No one ever is like hey, lets go and hang out at the dry-cleaners.
We tried filming there in New York once and it was the worst day of shooting ever.
People were not playing with us.
Whereas you go to Universal Studios and people are in a good mood and theyre having fun.
Theres also this weird social etiquette that you have to obey in theme parks.
You know what I mean?
Its so crowded, you have to be careful of people and theres rules and ways that it functions.
Theres set rules that it’s crucial that you follow.
And thats always fun to screw with.
A theme park is a great place to doJokers.
Yeah, we did five nights at the O2 this year, sold out.
We did Madison Square Garden about three weeks ago, sold out.
We told this story on stage at Madison Square Garden.
They spent five dollars each per ticket.
I cant report in the press anything about that yet.
We would love to.
We have a great idea for the movie and fingers crossed it will happen.
The other project I really wanted to talk to you about is, youve written a book.
Ah, thanks man.
Yeah, I did.
Ill tell you a little funny story about the book.
LikeSay Whaaat?, I wrote the book in 2004.
I spent a year of my life writing it.
I spent a year writing this book.
No one would even read it because I didnt know anybody.
And now its coming out.
So Ive been doing tons of Facetime calls with fans from the UK.
Probably a hundred in the last few weeks, Facetime calls with UK fans.
Well it must be selling well then.
Its on presale now, it comes out in June worldwide.
But yeah, the presales going really good.
Im hoping its going to be a trilogy.
Im working on book number two now.
Whats your process when you write?
Do you outline, do you dive right in?
Well, you know, I teamed up with a British writer.
His names Darren Wearmouth.
Hes a superJokersfan, a great guy.
Hes a bestselling author.
Harper Collins recommended that I meet with him and we hit it off immediately.
He lives in Manchester.
And hes a really good writer.
He also has a military background which is really helpful for the book.
The books a horror movie, it takes place in the subways of New York City.
Its about these creatures that hunt us and theyre very, very scary.
We have complimentary skills.
Im really good at pace and dialogue and action, hes really good at description.
Hes excellent at that.
He really paints a picture of whats happening.
And its been optioned for a TV show with IDW, right?
My background, for the past eleven years, Ive run development for a TV company called NorthSouth Productions.
Im the Senior Vice President of Development.
So my job is literally to create and sell TV shows, for the past decade.
Thats how we gotJokers.
My goal with the book was always to develop it as a TV series or a movie.
Right after I got the book deal I immediately started going out and pitching it as a TV series.
IDW picked it up and were going out to networks with it.
What do you find really funny?
I was a huge Zucker brothers fan.
Those are the guys that madeNaked GunandAirplane, they do a few of theScary Movies.
Were all Richard Pryor fans.
In terms of British comedy, I used to loveThe Mighty Boosh.
Do you remember that?
Oh man, theyre so funny.
I loveKids In The Hall, Steve Martin.
Those are the influences I had growing up.
And Joe, I think, excels at slapstick comedy, the kind of classically funny buffoon.
You used to watchI Love Lucyand you laugh the physicality of Lucille Ball.
So those are some of our influences.
Thank you, James Murray!
Say Whaaat?airs on Comedy Central UK on Monday 18th December at 10:30pm.
