First off, what are you up to now – what have you been working on?
I’m doing Fallout season three now. And I’m working on making movies, doing standup and working on a lot of things. The Fallout talk show did well too. Just living life in LA!
How did acting start for you?
I did some plays in middle school – Carson – North Allegheny. I was always trying to be funny in school. I was obsessed with hockey too – I played from Pee Wee and Bantam through high school. But then I got into plays in high school and got good roles. That encouraged me.
When I was 16 I started going to Friday Night Improv – Lou Stein and Ben Mayer performed there and I felt if I could hang out with 30 year-olds that was pretty good. I was psyched. I got a role as the prince in a renaissance fair which was a big deal for me. It just became very easy for me to keep doing it.
Later I moved to New York and studied acting. I found The Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) there and that was a forum where you could experiment on things back in the day.
A lot of Pittsburgh actors and comedians- why do you think that is – and did you have Pittsburgh influences?
I met Steve Byrne once and am close to Anthony Jeselnik. I’m also friends with Joe Kwaczala – he’s a bit younger. He grew up where I grew up in North Hills – he’s hilarious. Anthony is a big-brain guy – a smart-ass big-brain dude!
I used to go to the Hollywood Hooters – I think it was owned by someone from Pittsburgh, I don’t know, but they had a museum of Pittsburgh sports memorabilia inside. I used to watch games there – it was fun to watch with so many other Steelers fans in LA. So many people from Pittsburgh migrated to LA after the steel mills closed. I couldn’t get over how many Steelers bumper stickers there were in LA. Steelers Nation was super strong there.
How did growing up in Pittsburgh affect you as an actor/comedian?
Pittsburgh was a great place to grow up – you could see so much art and performances. It was all easily accessible. I was able to do Friday Night Improve because of that – that’s what made me feel like I could do this. High school plays are one thing but hanging with adults and getting laughs is another. Those guys helped mentor me. Thank God for being young and able to go to the city like that.
A lot of your work is in comedy and improv – is that something you chose or sort of fell into? Would you want to do more drama/serious stuff?
I was always the fucking class clown in school – but I’ve done serious stuff too – Coen Brothers movies… I was obsessed with standups growing up – I went to plays and theater in Pittsburgh but was super in to comedy. It was just my personality – my DNA. I liked to crack people up.
I was into punk rock growing up – my brothers were in bands and I got into punk rock and bands like the Dead Kennedys. I thought they were hilarious. The Circle Jerks and those bands were freaking funny – that’s why I got into punk. Zappa too….
I also started listening to Monty Python records in sixth grade. My uncle had a bunch of records from the 70s he didn’t want anymore and told me I could take what I wanted. I took Zeppelin, Cream and those Monty Python albums and that got me into British comedy. I loved the Young Ones too and later got into Eddie Murphy and Saturday Night Live. Those were all highly influential. I loved Andrew Dice Clay too.
You’ve been in some big shows/movies – Fallout, Brooklyn Nine-Nine , Curb Your Enthusiasm, Modern Family, Parks and Recreation, Secret Life of Walter Mitty…. any good experiences across those and your career in general?
I realized I made it when I was in the Czech Republic for a TV show and was recognized there. “Your Jon Daly!” they yelled. I ended up hanging out with them. But I knew then that unequivocally – I couldn’t say I didn’t make it.
Bride Wars was my first big studio film – that was a big deal. I also remember when I was on the set of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. I was working with Candace Bergen and was just in a room alone with her. I knew all about her and was just trying to act cool. She was reading a book and told me it was her friend’s book about Laurel Canyon. I was thinking – I guess this is what movies are like – just sitting around and talking with Candace Bergen, who was being really nice to me!
How did the role in Fallout come about?
Graham Wagner – I worked with him on the Kroll Show and other things. He was the co-lead writer of Fallout and had me come in to audition for five roles on the show. They liked me but told me they wanted me for a role that didn’t get my head blown off! It felt like months until I heard back – but soon they called and told me I was going to Africa to film Fallout. Two weeks later I was in Namibiya in the dessert with the cast.
I didn’t know what I was going to do – I didn’t know how I was going to look until I went through makeup. I looked very nuclear-poisoned. Amy Westcott did a great job making me look like a wastelander snake-oil salesman from. I was like a Deadwood guy – it had a New Orleans snake-oil salesman look. It was brilliant.
It’s incredible how much work you put in every year across so many projects- how do you keep up with it all?
It seems like I’m constantly busy? That’s good! I think that’s just the business. I make my own stuff and try to keep selling it – and also do my standup and acting. I am trying to keep all of those balls in the air. I’ve bene lucky – my versatility has bene something that has helped me get to the next level – and it’s amazing being on a global sensation now like Fall0ut. It helps to be versatile – and I recommend to any actor – take a Youtube writing class. Being able to write in this industry is essential.
You do a lot of terrific of voice-over too – from Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers to M.O.D.O.K., Archer, American Dad! to BoJack Horseman – how did that start and how does that work?
It started in New York. For a while I did a lot of commercial voice overs. I was the voice of the Fuse Network – it was like a low-rent MTV. They paid me very little! I imitated DJs: “Check out Steve’s Untitled Rock Show!”
Working with Nick Kroll changed my life. A big shout out to him – he was responsible for a lot of my success. Steve Dildarian – he created The Life and Times of Tim – he was a great help and a super nice guy too. Getting to work on American Dad!, Big Mouth and Family Guy – that was huge.
You’re a big sports fan right? I saw you did something with Pittsburgh Dad? Any sports memories stand out?
Doing that Pittsburgh Dad show was fun!
My dad split season tickets to the Steelers were three other people so we went to about four games a year. Growing up then, the Steelers sucked. There was a woman in our section who would yell at Mark Malone every game – she was obsessed with him. I was a young kid and she was there yelling “Fuck you Malone! Suck a dick Malone!” It was super funny but she was probably mentally ill looking back on it now.
I was mainly a hockey guy growing up. I follow the Steelers more now. But growing up I loved Mario Lemieux – He was the reason I played hockey, subconsciously. It was just the best sport for me. I learned how to skate right away. My dad would get Pens tickets when Gretzky came to town, but the Flyers games were the better games.
But you follow the Steelers closely now?
I just hope we get past the point of making the playoffs then losing. We’ve been in this pattern – it’s a weird thing. Like, this is Steelers football – defense first and offense is an afterthought. Even at the expense of being good. It’s like they can’t let go of the 70s blueprint. The have accidentally good seasons and win close games. I am so tired of hearing Cris Collinsworth say “That’s Steelers football!”
I ascribe to the Buddhist mentality that maturing means facing reality. I hope Mike McCarthy is more willing to adapt to today’s NFL. It’d be nice to win a playoff game! And I hope Aaron Rodgers is gone. I’m happy to go on record saying he’s a dummy. He’s a good football player, but give me a break on his other stuff.