FX introduced the new season of Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia to the Television Critics Association with their series of four unique TV spots. With one spot for each character, they feature the gang in overly dramatic situations that are innately hilarious, because its the gang.
Charlie Days was a Miracle Worker spoof where Danny DeVito teaches him to read and pump water. Charlies character is known to be illiterate. After the gangs presentation to the critics, I got some quality time with Day as he walked from the stage to his next interview. It was a little shorter than the usual interview, but still a solid walk and talk. The Sunny gang and I go way back. At one TCA party, I rode Santa Monica pier rides with Glenn Howerton and Rob McElhenney, and I was on the set of their classic Charlie Writes a Musical episode.
Day created the show with Howerton and McElHenney and hired Kaitlin Olsen for the FX show. Danny DeVito joined the show in season two, and the gang has relentlessly practiced hilariously bad behavior. They regularly take the politically incorrect position on hot button topics like abortion and the economic crisis (see episodes like Dee and Dennis Go On Welfare).
As with any success, movies came calling. Day has costarred in studio comedies like Going the Distance and Horrible Bosses. His next movie will be Guillermo del Toros Pacific Rim. Sunny is signed for at least two more seasons on FX and Day addressed all of that, plus his standards of The Green Guy and Charlies crush on the waitress in the time we had.
SuicideGirls: Do those Miracle Worker clips actually come from an episode?
Charlie Day: No, its not. Its just a standalone way of pitching the show.
SG: Wouldnt that be a funny episode? Charlie Gets Smart.
CD: It would be a funny episode. Yeah, right.
SG: Your wife and costar, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, is on New Girl. Is the waitress still on Sunny?
CD: Yeah, shes coming back. Shes in three episodes this season.
SG: Does Charlie still hold out hope with her?
CD: You know, we have an interesting time down at the Jersey Shore, which is a better time than hes ever had with the waitress before. So we do have a little moment of hope there, a little glimmer of hope.
SG: I just went to Atlantic City. It was so Jersey.
CD: Its very Jersey. Its very Jersey.
SG: Would you have done that episode anyway, or now because of Jersey Shore?
CD: It is something that we probably wouldve done anyway because people in Philly go down to the Jersey Shore because its the closest ocean, I think. But with the Jersey Shore, we found a funny way to comment on that without what youre used to, which is just people bashing those guys.
SG: Its always funny when Sunny does topical things. When you hear about the debt ceiling negotiations over the summer, do you think what can we do for this?
CD: Im a little angry that most of that came out after we already shot, because to me its hilarious. We actually do do one which is sort of about having a democratic process of things. Weve gotten to the point where were always arguing in the bar, weve just achieved gridlock like the government, so we try a more democratic system of dealing with one another. It doesnt pan out well for us of course.
SG: Isnt it amazing that Republicans are refusing to cooperate with a Democratic president. They just want to take four years off until they get a Republican?
CD: Its frightening. I think weve got to start giving every person there an aptitude test.
SG: What other funny episodes are coming up this season?
CD: Lets see, Jersey Shore. We have a Franks Little Beauties episode which is a la Toddlers and Tiaras, kiddie pageantry which is really funny. He gets in over his head and has to put this pageant on. We decide to help him out with it and we do a little singing and dancing in that. We have a really good one called How Mac Got Fat which is revealing how this happened to him and why. Its a great season.
SG: Youve done the musical over and over at live shows. I love the yellow suit you wore in that. Do you still have the yellow suit?
CD: Yes. I dont have it like at my house but we have it in our Sunny wardrobe on lockdown.
SG: What did you think of all the green guys walking around Comic Con?
CD: I think its good. Those are my minions. Theyre fantastic. I appreciate it.
SG: Do you get a lot of green guy requests?
CD: I do, I do. That one seemed to really stick in peoples craw.
SG: Are there any other cool outfits youre going to get to wear?
CD: Let me think, yeah. We do a number in this kid pageant which is really more yellow and another great outfit.
SG: You have yellow and green. When are you going to have a blue costume to make the color scheme?
CD: Thats a good question. Thats the next step I think. Weve got to do the whole rainbow.
SG: Does Charlie grow and change at all, or would you not want that?
CD: I dont know if you want that. The sitcoms we love, like Seinfeld, you dont want to see Seinfeld change or develop into a different person. So he really doesnt grow or change. Maybe one day hell try and learn how to read and write and that could be a funny episode, but thats about it for growth with that guy.
SG: When do you start thinking of ideas for your next two seasons?
CD: Well, well probably start in the new year and then we wont get writing until maybe April. Im always, like you said, something comes up in the news and youre like, Oh, that could be a good one.
SG: Can you imagine a grand finale or just another Sunny episode thats the last one?
CD: I dont want it to just randomly end. I want to write to what seems like a fitting ending to the series. Whether its grand or not, I dont know but I cant imagine in season nine or if we do a 10, not writing to the end of the series.
SG: Youre getting ready to do Pacific Rim?
CD: I am. We were going to start in October. Theyve now pushed it until I think January or even early February, but Im really excited. Im waiting to get the latest draft. Theyve got it under lock and key.
SG: What kind of character will you get to play?
CD: Hes a quirky scientist. I hate to pinpoint it specifically, but if you thought of Jurassic Park, hes like Jeff Goldblum. Hes the sort of offbeat, irregular scientist.
SG: He was the one with the best lines.
CD: Thats right, thats right. Well, well see. I havent read the new draft. I hope so.
SG: Will you look like you?
CD: I will not look like me. Ill look very different which Im excited about. Hes got some ideas.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia returns Sept. 15 on FX.
Charlie Days was a Miracle Worker spoof where Danny DeVito teaches him to read and pump water. Charlies character is known to be illiterate. After the gangs presentation to the critics, I got some quality time with Day as he walked from the stage to his next interview. It was a little shorter than the usual interview, but still a solid walk and talk. The Sunny gang and I go way back. At one TCA party, I rode Santa Monica pier rides with Glenn Howerton and Rob McElhenney, and I was on the set of their classic Charlie Writes a Musical episode.
Day created the show with Howerton and McElHenney and hired Kaitlin Olsen for the FX show. Danny DeVito joined the show in season two, and the gang has relentlessly practiced hilariously bad behavior. They regularly take the politically incorrect position on hot button topics like abortion and the economic crisis (see episodes like Dee and Dennis Go On Welfare).
As with any success, movies came calling. Day has costarred in studio comedies like Going the Distance and Horrible Bosses. His next movie will be Guillermo del Toros Pacific Rim. Sunny is signed for at least two more seasons on FX and Day addressed all of that, plus his standards of The Green Guy and Charlies crush on the waitress in the time we had.
SuicideGirls: Do those Miracle Worker clips actually come from an episode?
Charlie Day: No, its not. Its just a standalone way of pitching the show.
SG: Wouldnt that be a funny episode? Charlie Gets Smart.
CD: It would be a funny episode. Yeah, right.
SG: Your wife and costar, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, is on New Girl. Is the waitress still on Sunny?
CD: Yeah, shes coming back. Shes in three episodes this season.
SG: Does Charlie still hold out hope with her?
CD: You know, we have an interesting time down at the Jersey Shore, which is a better time than hes ever had with the waitress before. So we do have a little moment of hope there, a little glimmer of hope.
SG: I just went to Atlantic City. It was so Jersey.
CD: Its very Jersey. Its very Jersey.
SG: Would you have done that episode anyway, or now because of Jersey Shore?
CD: It is something that we probably wouldve done anyway because people in Philly go down to the Jersey Shore because its the closest ocean, I think. But with the Jersey Shore, we found a funny way to comment on that without what youre used to, which is just people bashing those guys.
SG: Its always funny when Sunny does topical things. When you hear about the debt ceiling negotiations over the summer, do you think what can we do for this?
CD: Im a little angry that most of that came out after we already shot, because to me its hilarious. We actually do do one which is sort of about having a democratic process of things. Weve gotten to the point where were always arguing in the bar, weve just achieved gridlock like the government, so we try a more democratic system of dealing with one another. It doesnt pan out well for us of course.
SG: Isnt it amazing that Republicans are refusing to cooperate with a Democratic president. They just want to take four years off until they get a Republican?
CD: Its frightening. I think weve got to start giving every person there an aptitude test.
SG: What other funny episodes are coming up this season?
CD: Lets see, Jersey Shore. We have a Franks Little Beauties episode which is a la Toddlers and Tiaras, kiddie pageantry which is really funny. He gets in over his head and has to put this pageant on. We decide to help him out with it and we do a little singing and dancing in that. We have a really good one called How Mac Got Fat which is revealing how this happened to him and why. Its a great season.
SG: Youve done the musical over and over at live shows. I love the yellow suit you wore in that. Do you still have the yellow suit?
CD: Yes. I dont have it like at my house but we have it in our Sunny wardrobe on lockdown.
SG: What did you think of all the green guys walking around Comic Con?
CD: I think its good. Those are my minions. Theyre fantastic. I appreciate it.
SG: Do you get a lot of green guy requests?
CD: I do, I do. That one seemed to really stick in peoples craw.
SG: Are there any other cool outfits youre going to get to wear?
CD: Let me think, yeah. We do a number in this kid pageant which is really more yellow and another great outfit.
SG: You have yellow and green. When are you going to have a blue costume to make the color scheme?
CD: Thats a good question. Thats the next step I think. Weve got to do the whole rainbow.
SG: Does Charlie grow and change at all, or would you not want that?
CD: I dont know if you want that. The sitcoms we love, like Seinfeld, you dont want to see Seinfeld change or develop into a different person. So he really doesnt grow or change. Maybe one day hell try and learn how to read and write and that could be a funny episode, but thats about it for growth with that guy.
SG: When do you start thinking of ideas for your next two seasons?
CD: Well, well probably start in the new year and then we wont get writing until maybe April. Im always, like you said, something comes up in the news and youre like, Oh, that could be a good one.
SG: Can you imagine a grand finale or just another Sunny episode thats the last one?
CD: I dont want it to just randomly end. I want to write to what seems like a fitting ending to the series. Whether its grand or not, I dont know but I cant imagine in season nine or if we do a 10, not writing to the end of the series.
SG: Youre getting ready to do Pacific Rim?
CD: I am. We were going to start in October. Theyve now pushed it until I think January or even early February, but Im really excited. Im waiting to get the latest draft. Theyve got it under lock and key.
SG: What kind of character will you get to play?
CD: Hes a quirky scientist. I hate to pinpoint it specifically, but if you thought of Jurassic Park, hes like Jeff Goldblum. Hes the sort of offbeat, irregular scientist.
SG: He was the one with the best lines.
CD: Thats right, thats right. Well, well see. I havent read the new draft. I hope so.
SG: Will you look like you?
CD: I will not look like me. Ill look very different which Im excited about. Hes got some ideas.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia returns Sept. 15 on FX.