Patton Hopes You're Horrifyingly Fascinated

Jarett Wieselman

November 07, 2011

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If you haven't caught The Heart, She Holler in its first three airings, here's what you've missed: a VCR BJ, a disemboweled puppet, tons of buck-toothed inbreeding and some of the most insane comedy you'll find anywhere.

Not a huge shock considering the show comes from the warped minds behind Wonder Showzen. I caught up with star Patton Oswalt to talk about this bold new comedy, his recent membership in The Breakfast Club and what fans can expect from his new movie with Charlize Theron, Young Adult

Insider.com: I have to ask, is this the hardest project to sum up for people?
Patton Oswalt: It really is [laughs]. I mean, the creators explained it really smartly to me because we clicked on a lot of references -- like Michael Lesy's Wisconsin Death Trip and certain documentaries of that era. But yes, it's tough to explain to people who don't know those things.

Insider: I'd imagine the crazy costume -- buck teeth, bowl cut -- you wear to play Hurlan helps create the vibe of the character.
Patton: Oh, he's fantastic. Like a deep fried Kaspar Hauser. It certainly informed my acting, having to articulate around those teeth.

Insider: With the tone of the show, what do you think people will like about it?
Patton: You know, I don't even think it's crucial for people to take to it – I'm just hoping they're horrifyingly fascinated and can't take their eyes off of it [laughs]. That is more of the reaction we're going for.

Insider: What is it about the show that makes you laugh?
Patton: Accidental countercultures are always something I've found really funny. You go five minutes outside any major city and you get a big toe in that world.

Insider: You also got to play Brian Johnson in a live stage reading of The Breakfast Club recently, that had to be a blast.
Patton: Oh, it was so much fun. We didn't know if it would work or not, so everyone was thrilled with the way it went. Plus, I thought it was so interesting how everything changed about the show based solely on the actors.

Insider: Absolutely. Your Young Adult director Jason Reitman staged that production -- are you aware of the anticipation building for that?
Patton: I'm not -- but that's great. It's such a well-written movie, a huge evolution for Diablo [Cody], whose stuff I already liked. This really goes in a different direction than you'd expect. Also, what Charlize [Theron] does with the character is incredible. Something that I've been excited about since the first table read.

Insider: Along with Big Fan, Young Adult is the latest movie where you've embraced a more dramatic character. Was that something you'd always planned to do?
Patton: Well, I don't know how conscious I am of genre. I just always hoped that I would be able to be allowed to explore different arenas that interested me. I just want to tell good stories. That goes beyond the genre in a lot of ways.

The Heart, She Holler airs every night at 12:30 a.m. on Adult Swim. 


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