Michael McDonald might be best known for the 10 seasons he spent on the sketch comedy show MADtv but around these parts, we know him best for being an Orange County native who is an all-around funny ass mofo. Nowadays, McDonald spends a lot of his time by juggling writing, directing and producing, he's been popping up on shows like Web Therapy and House of Lies, and he just finished co-starring with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy in a movie that will be coming out June 28th called The Heat.
The bottom line here folks? This guy has been staying plenty busy since his days playing Stuart Larkin on MADtv and with a list that could go on and on, we don't have time for all of that. We have things to talk about! Like that Michael will be at The Comedy & Magic Club in Hermosa Beach on Tuesday May 14th for one night only. Before the “magic” happens in Hermosa all in the name of hilarity, we commiserated with him about CNN, pope jokes, and how he almost became a young farmer with the last name McDonald. Yeah, really.
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OC Weekly (Ali Lerman): Our awesome music editor Nate went to the same high school as you and said Catholic school kids have the best jokes. Care to touch on that subject and give us a good pope joke since I did just say “touch?”
Michael McDonald: I don't know if I have any pope jokes that I haven't already heard from a thousand other folks. I will say that I like that he doesn't call himself Francis though because I that is my favorite saint. I guess there's nothing funny about that. I'll have to noodle on a good pope joke for you…
Hey, I'm happy to take a rain check. Judging from your Twitter, you seem to be as pleased with CNN as I am at this point. They're deplorable.
They should just not call themselves the news anymore. They should just say, “You know what? We are just really doing everything for jokes and our bit is going to be that we get it wrong every time.” They literally cannot get a story correct. Even if it's a story that has already happened and has been reported by somebody else. It's like, we'd like to tell you what didn't happen and who didn't do it. But as a comedian, I need them. I really need them. If we had people doing their jobs properly, there would much less for comedians to get to do or say. It's like, CNN, the number one name in news. Incorrect news. Or you know, they had that thing where they were like, “You are watching CNN.” They should at least change it to have a question mark at the end of it. [Laughs.] Like, you're watching CNN? They're breaking news because they are literally breaking the concept of news.
You're right, you do need them in your life. It would seem like you're a pretty big fan of the libations as well. I mean, there are a lot of twit-pics of wine on your feed. Do you think if you weren't in the biz you'd be a Sommelier?
Yeah I am! Maybe it's from working on Cougar Town. A lot of times it's also from being in airport bars where I have to have a drink in me if I am going to keep my crying to a minimum. I'm a very fearful flyer so I need a cup of courage. I have panic attacks, it's the worst! It wouldn't shock me if I was in the wine making business or maybe farming of some kind of citrus if I didn't go into acting though. You know, when I grew up in Orange County they had groves for real back then. That is what I originally wanted to do back then, be a farmer of sorts. But farming wine is a really good idea. You never know. Although they say that's the surest way to turn a large fortune into a small one.
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Super off topic, it was cool seeing you on House of Lies. I love that show.
Oh thanks! Yeah, that was really fun to do! To work with Don Cheadle is pretty spectacular in that he is just really good. I've never had more reason to be intimidated by someone and then I wasn't because he was so great to work with. And, I got to play a villain which was fun.
But you play a villain in your new movie The Heat too right? Is it still a comedy movie?
Yeah I'm a villain and it's a comedy. But it's not a wack-a-doodle comedy like…well, I sound like I am putting it down when I say “wack-a-doodle.” I mean like, a Will Ferrell movie is hilarious but, this style is more like “Beverly Hills Cop” where there are real dangerous moments. The movie is really super funny but it's also a really good action movie. There is a whole style to it that is really throwback. There's also incredible music and I think people are really going to like it.
I'm not trying to bust your balls but…I'm dying to see a new comedy special from you too! And chance that's in the works also?
I'd like to! [Laughs.] I largely have the material but it's just a matter of getting it together. I'm hoping sometime in the fall or winter. I've been doing a lot of shows and this will be my first time to this venue in Hermosa Beach but, it's a very famous place and it has an excellent reputation. I'm sure after this tour I'll be all loaded up!
Michael McDonald performs at The Comedy & Magic Club in on May 14th, 1018 Hermosa Ave Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. (310) 372-1193. For tickets go to www.comedyandmagicclub.com. For more info, visit www.michaelmcdonald.biz and follow him on Twitter: @McDonaldComedy.
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Ali Lerman knows much about comedy, basketball, and celebrating Wu-Tang Wednesday. She’s been writing for sixteen years and still calls her mom with grammatical questions.
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