Mather Zickel is starring in ABC’s new comedy series “Man Up!”, along with Christopher Moynihan and Dan Fogler. The show is one of the funniest new shows on television. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Mather about his new show and what we can expect from season one.
Mike Gencarelli: What do you like most about playing Will Keen in “Man Up”?
Mather Zickel: I like the character because I think he is a decent honest guy. I like playing a guy with the struggles that he has. He is someone that likes the life he created. He works hard and I think he is just a responsible honest guy. I think the character doesn’t feel that he is a man in the more traditional sense. I think he has some lingering insecurity about himself. I think he is a guy caught between generations in a funny way.
MG: It looks like the show is a lot of fun to shoot, tell us about the production?
MZ: We have shot about seven episodes so far and we are about half through this shooting block. I have been very impressed with the scripts and I think they are very funny. I think they always take a premise for each episode that is very germane to the show and to the idea of the show. I think they are very relatable and share a common place but then think the writers expand on it in a very silly way. I think the jokes are just great. Every script takes a turn that I never see coming…which I like.
MG: We spoke with Amanda Detmer and she said the woman rule on the show [laughs], any comment?
MZ: [Laughs] Well I guess they think they do [laughs]. The thing that I love about all of the characters, both men and women, they are both always trying to get away with something. All of the characters have their weaknesses and all of the characters mess up. Everyone is vulnerable and everything it puts themselves inthese silly situations. Teri (Polo) and Amanda are very funny on the show. I think they calls the shots often but they then will get busted doing other stuff. It all comes around full circle. The thing I like most about my relationship with Teri s that I think the characters still love each other and they are a team. I think they like their lives together and they both kind of jockey in the position of who is calling the shots. I think that Will has to often pick his battles and ask himself [laughs] “Is this worth sleeping on the couch or not?” I think they do sling stuff back and forth in a fun way. They are a real team.
MG: Since Christopher Moynihan created and stars in the show, do you guys have a lot of room for ad libbing?
MZ: No we don’t ad lib, if we do it is very little. It is very tightly scripted and we are kept to the page.
MG: What has been your favorite episode to shoot so far in season one?
MZ: Actually yes there is. There is one we just did [laughs]. I think it is called “Disciplining The Keens”, which I particularly liked. The premise is that our son is not showing up for his science club and I am upset because I think he doesn’t have a discipline to stick with something. If it was my father he would never let me quit something and would be on my ass. The truth is that we discover he has an allergy to gluten and he is actually getting stomach aches. The doctor tells him he has to quit gluten and I tell him it is all about will power and the whole family is going to go off gluten. I have no idea what gluten is or how many things it is in. Within days everyone is starving and going crazy. It is this whole episode about how the whole family is cheating trying to find ways [laughs] to get away with eating gluten. I think it is a very funny episode.
MG: How do you feel this comedy will stand out amongst other comedies on TV?
MZ: I think it is strike a good balance between something that feels naturalist, relatable and very silly. I think it is a very funny show and the jokes are really strong. I find all the characters very appealing. I have seen some of it and I think it looks like our director of photography did a really nice job. The lighting also feels natural and layered. I think it is going to be really easy and fun to watch.
MG: How did you get involved with playing Louis La Fonda in “Children’s Hospital” reprising from the movie “The Ten”?
MZ: [laughs] Yeah, Louis La Fonda. He came from “The Ten”, which was written by David Wain and Ken Marino. Marino is a regular on “Children’s Hospital” and David is a director and producer on “Children’s Hospital”. David loves just bringing characters back even when it totally doesn’t make sense. He created this bizarre universe with repeated characters and that is what happened with Louis La Fonda. I have have two episodes now and he just does what he does.
