Rob Corddry
***WARNING: the following exclusive interview – like the movie Hot Tub Time Machine- contains some colorful, entirely profane, strictly R-rated conversation. Please be advised, and feel free not to read if you're likely to be offended.***
Before you see Hot Tub Time Machine, Rob Corddry may be little more to you than a familiar face, that smart-ass commentator from The Daily Show and bit player in Will Ferrell comedies Blades of Glory and Semi-Pro. But after this time-traveling adventure, you are guaranteed to have a new perspective on Mr. Corddy, a fearlessly energetic funny man willing to go to any length (and state of undress) for a laugh. Stacked against the talented cast of HTTM, Corddry rises to the top of the heap, stealing scene after scene and owning his character, Lou, as no one else could.
After the carefree glory days of youth, life hasn’t been so much fun for Lou. Now in his late 30’s, his life is going nowhere fast. After a near-death experience while rocking out to Motley Crue and revving his Camaro engine in a garage, his old pals Adam (John Cusack) and Nick (Craig Robinson) decide to take him on a little getaway. Adam’s nephew Jacob (Clark Duke) tags along and the group head back to the ski resort town where they used to spend Spring break. Unfortunately, time hasn’t been too kind to this party town. The hotel is a bust as well, but the hot tub looks inviting following a little maintenance work. After a night of boozing it up in the tub, they hit the slopes for some fun. But something isn’t quite right. In a colorful haze of neon leotards, yellow Walkmans, ALF, Reagan and MTV (actually playing videos!), they come to the realization that they have traveled back in time to 1986.
Fandango recently traveled to Lake Tahoe, NV for a fun-filled weekend with the cast and crew of Hot Tub Time Machine. We got to check out the film and party with the cast at an ‘80s party where Craig Robinson even took the stage to perform Rick Springfield’s classic “Jessie’s Girl.”
Somewhere along the way, we got to speak exclusively with Rob Corddry about his star turn in HTTM, a lifetime love affair with Motley Crue and the one (or two) parts of his body he’s not willing to show on screen.
Fandango: It’s very surprising to watch the development of your character over the course of this movie. He kind of seems like a jerk throwaway character at first, but he becomes the hero.
Corddry: That’s what’s kind of fun about it. He’s the guy you least expect to have heart. That irony is just really satisfying to anybody.
Fandango: You rock hard to the Crue in this movie. Was that all for the role, or have you had years of practice?
Corddry: I have been rehearsing for that scene since that song came out. I was a huge Motley Crue fan when I was a kid. I used to read Kerrang! magazine. I had a whole wall in my bedroom, like a collage of Motley Crue that I’d cut out from magazines. Yeah, it was pretty dedicated. My poor dad. His son had a wall of men in makeup, longhair and wearing chaps. I kind of lobbied for that song. I suggested that I sing that song in my first scene. I’d been playing the piano on my dresser my whole life.
Fandango: In the midst of all the craziness, Hot Tub is really a story about friendship. Did you do a lot of bonding with your co-stars because you pull off the old friends vibe quite well.
Corddry: Thank God. We really just genuinely like each other a lot. I hang out with them outside of all this. Clark is 24 years old and yet he’s completely on our level and shares our sensibilities and seems as world weary as all of us. I really enjoyed coming to work every day to work with these guys and I think that shines through in the performances as well. It rarely happens, but we would emphasize something and we would say, ‘You know what, I think you should say that line. I think it’s more appropriate for your character to say it.’ So we would give each other our improvs and people don’t do that. It was a really cool and supportive environment.
Fandango: So let’s go down the list. You’ve got a nude scene with Clark.
Corddry: Yeah, I tuck in his ****.
Fandango: You almost blow Craig. Is there such a thing as too far for a laugh?
Corddry: I will never show my ***** in a film. It’s become very hip these days for comedians to show their ****. I won’t show my ***** either. I have a very tight *******. It wouldn’t look good. So yeah, I’ll never do that. That’s my own business. You can’t have that.
Fandango: On a movie set, when an actress has a nude scene, they close everything off so only necessary crew are used for the scene. What was it like when you had to perform in the buff?
Corddry: Yeah, funny, the guys don’t get that kind of treatment.
Fandango: Did you have to wear the banana hammock?
Corddry: I think it was just a piece of felt taped to my stomach and that was it in that one full-on *** shot. But yeah, people seem to care less about my comfort than they did Jessica Pare’s and I think for good reason.
Fandango: Were there any ‘80s pop cultural references you wish had made it in?
Corddry: Well, I’m really proud that this movie doesn’t rest on all those things. It serves a purpose, to remind us and the audience that we are in the past. We’re not saying, ‘Hey, look at this.’ A lot of movies or TV shows that reference the past will kind of go overboard like, ‘Boy, the Rubik’s Cube was crazy, huh? How do you solve this thing?’
Fandango: We’ve been hearing great things about The Winning Season. When will it make it to theaters?
Corddry: You tell me, man. I don’t know. It got picked up at Sundance last year and it did really well. It’s Lionsgate and its been made for a good year and a half.
Fandango: What’s the part you play?
Corddry: I play the principal of the school who recruits Sam Rockwell’s character, an alcoholic, to give him one last chance to coach a basketball team. It also happens to be a girl’s basketball team, which he’s not really into. And my daughter is on the team as well. So on one hand, it’s kind of the heavy. He’s the guy that gives the main character his shot and then has to take it away from him. But he’s also the really dorky dad who’s proud of his daughter on the team. Their team colors are red, so he always wears red pants to the game. I have some really fun scenes with Sam Rockwell and I also got to do some silly stuff as well.
Fandango: Your web series, Children’s Hospital, was recently picked up by Adult Swim. What will the format be?
Corddry: They are going to be the 15 minute format like Tim and Eric and Tenacious D. We’re airing the web series in two episode blocks starting in July, I believe, and then Season Two will follow after that. We just finished shooting it and we’re cutting it together.
Fandango: You had some exceptional cameos in Season One. Who will we see this season?
Corddry: Clark Duke, for one. Adam Scott, Ed Begley Jr., Henry Winkler. We’ve got Marian Ross, Mrs. C. Rob Hugall makes out with Marian Ross. Malin Ackerman is a new member of the cast. She takes over for Lake Bell when Bell dies. Nick Offerman. Ernie “f-ing” Hudson, that was awesome. Lizzy Kaplan plays a part. It’s basically a chance for me to cast all my friends and also people that I admire. Season Two is going to be great. I’m really proud of it. It’s shaping together nicely.
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Hot Tub Time Machine opens in theaters nationwide on March 26th, 2010. Children’s Hospital will debut on Adult Swim in Summer 2010.
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