Think of it as American Idol for aspiring smart-aleck screenwriters.
Just when you thought there wasn’t room for another reality based TV show, Will & Grace star Sean Hayes has brought Situation Comedy to Bravo, a new series about two up and coming promising writers who will go through the exhausting process of casting, taping, rehearsals, and rewrites in hopes their show will be made into a sitcom and picked up by a major network.
To celebrate the premiere of Situation Comedy, Bravo threw a party at the swanky bar Falcon in Hollywood and invited a few of their celebrity friends which included Lauren Graham, Fred Savage, Nia Vardalos, and, of course, co-creator Hayes himself. Hollywood.com was on hand to talk to the celebs about the new show, their take on reality TV and what’s wrong with comedies today.
Hayes, who also serves as an executive producer, was as giddy as his character Jack McFarlane over his new project. “We brainstormed and thought what would be a fun, interesting, entertaining way to come up with a new kind of venue to discover talent for sitcoms,” he told Hollywood.com. “This is what we came up with.”
“Laughter, freshness, and funny people” are what’s missing from sitcoms today Hayes said. “It’s hard to find funny people to marry to good writing.” Out of 10,000 submissions, only two scripts were chosen: The Sperm Donor and Stephen’s Life. At the end, the viewer will determine which show wins and goes on to become a sitcom.
“America will get to vote. You really get to see the good, the bad, and the ugly of making pilots,” laughed Hayes‘ fellow executive producer Stan Zimmerman.
“You also get to see why everything is so bad on TV too,” added exec producer Maxine Lapiduss. “I feel like everything on TV right now is about people jumping out of windows or eating bugs. I think it’s important we all laugh.”
Golden Graham
Lauren Graham, who turned heads in her jeans from Italy (she couldn’t remember the brand), Calypso shoes and Balenciaga blue bag, came out to support for her friends involved in the show and told us about her high hopes for the series, sharing her behind-the-scenes connection: “Stan [Zimmerman] is a writer on Gilmore Girls and Sean has been a friend for a long time,” she revealed. “Sean use to come to parties at my house and we have the same [personal] trainer. I’ve just know him for a really long time,” she said.
As for the show itself, Lauren said she loves the concept and what it’s trying to do. “I just think TV is kind of changing and expanding. There’s so much cable and competition. I just think it’s sort of an interesting project. I don’t know to expand the pool into people who are not in the business already and sort of invite people who are not union or who haven’t had experience to kind of try it.”
We tried to pry some secrets from the upcoming season of Gilmore Girls out of her–she was in the midst of shooting the first episode–but she remained defiantly tight-lipped. “The season ended with me proposing to my boyfriend and so there’s an answer in the first episode,” said Lauren. “I can’t tell you what that is. I know because I shot it, but you’re going to have to wait,” she laughed.
A Little Help from His Friends
“Sean and I are old friends,” said Nia Vardalos, another pal of Hayes there to offer support. “We’ve known each other for about five or six years and I’m really so proud of him, because a lot of actors always talk about trying to do something different in changing the sitcom and he from the inside would know better than anybody what’s wrong and what could be better so I’m really proud of him for this night tonight. It’s like his prom night. It’s great.”
She confided to Hollywood.com Situation Comedy couldn’t come at a better time and she thinks reality TV is still going strong. “I think that like anything they have to evolve and change. That’s all it is. I think reality TV is here to stay. We have to accept it and embrace it. That’s the reality of reality TV.”
“I directed one of their shows [Stephen’s Life],” said former Wonder Years star Fred Savage. “It’s about kind of a little boy who has grand, grand aspirations for himself and will stop at nothing to achieve them.”
Fred, who’s also starring in ABC’s new fall comedy Crumbs, is really hoping his own aspirations for reality television will help guide the genre towards more independent ways of thinking. “I think what’s really missing is a distinct voice. I think as the networks and the studios become very strong and powerful they’ve kind of squeezed out the voice of the creator. You know they buy shows and then rework them to death. They all start to sound the same. I think what they are missing is really nurturing the creator’s voice.”
“Just Jack” – Live!
We couldn’t leave the party without trying to squeeze a little final season scoopage out of Sean, and he gave up a tidbit: “Alec Baldwin will be back for the first four or five episodes,” he said, before confirming the show’s big season premiere news: “The first episode will be live,” Hayes revealed. “That will be scary, but fun.”
