Jason Segel exclusive interview!
The Five Year Engagement red band trailer
We caught up with one of our favourite funny men who gave us some good advice on playing it cool with the ladies... Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The Muppets) spilled the beans about his latest comedy - produced by Judd Appatow The Five Year Engagement is available on DVD and Blu-ray from Monday October 29th.
Hey Jason! We loved your new film - it’s this year’s Bridesmaids. So why should Nuts readers check it out?
Nowadays most romantic comedies just throw two big name actors together with a fake obstacle: He’s a scientist but she hates science! The rom-com label applies but The Five-Year Engagement is quirky and very rude!
It’s full of saucy one-liners… So has a girl ever caught you “sending telepathic weiner missiles to her face” like your character Tom?
Daily! If my girlfriend notices I just make a joke out of it and go further!
How would you propose for maximum effect?
We’ve all seen those guys on youtube who go down on one knee at a ball game in front of thousands of people and get rejected. Don’t do it! Public proposals are a bit cheesy and not my style so it would have to be a quiet thing. And private!
Guys find it harder to talk about their feelings. What can your rom-coms teach them about how to be a hit with the ladies?
It’s a bizarrely inflated sense of masculinity to feel that you can’t talk about your feelings. Don’t worry about being vulnerable. Sometimes you’ve gotta wear your heart on your sleeve to get the girl.
Your character fakes orgasm with his fiancee (played by Emily Blunt). Ever had to do it in real life?
We shot that a million different ways - every version of a fake orgasm. Emily couldn’t keep her shit together. There were tears streaming down her face we were laughing so hard. It was a blast to shoot – no pun intended! But when a man starts to become passive-aggressive like that the relationship is screwed!
How would you spot the signs if a girl is faking on you?
Faking on me? They can’t help themselves!
We’ve heard there were outbreaks of flatulence on set. Is it a good omen when the film is so funny it makes people fart?
Our soundman was trying not to laugh. I could see him shaking and clenching his teeth but something had to give so he just let rip! It became our challenge – to see if we could make the sound dude fart. I hope that makes the DVD!
You lived the slacker lifestyle in your early 20s. Did you go method to find “caveman software” Tom?
I’m a workhorse these days but there’s a bit of me in the scenes where Tom degenerates and starts hanging round at home in a bunny suit, growing a mad beard and making mead - which he drinks out of a fur-lined mug that looks like Chewbacca’s penis.
You’re a veteran of Judd Appatow's films. How much did improv and the stand up skills of your cast play a part in this comedy?
Stand up comedy is a crazy skill that you’ve gotta hone because the best people make it look easy. That’s the measure of a comedian – just getting up alone in front of a crowd. As a writer my job is to create a blueprint for the actors to be as funny as they can be. I’ve got no pride about them sticking to my words as long as the intent stays the same. Everyone killed it but it’s still gonna say written by Jason Segel!
Tell us a joke then?
A man walks into his living room and his best friend is there staring at a box of orange juice. He says to his friend, “What’re you doing man?” His friend replies, “Well, the box said concentrate.”
Ha ha! Some of your nakedness was cut from the film. Was that a blow to your ego?
I’ve shown it before in Forgetting Sarah Marshall but there was a reason for it and this time it just felt gratuitous so you don’t get to see my manhood!
Nicolas Cage calls his acting style nouveau shamanic. How would you describe yours?
Do a face that matches the words I’m saying!
You’ve lived in the UK. What do you miss most when you’re back home?
I could move here in a heartbeat and really miss kebab shops. I lived near a road in London where there were forty different restaurants called Ranush. My friends would say, “Meet us at Ranush.” I’d spend eight days eating doners to find them.
We’ve heard you’re a basketball fan. How about football?
I don’t have the dexterity to actually play soccer because I’m one clumsy mother******! I love watching it though. For me it’s less about the particulars of the sport and all about the atmosphere and the camaraderie between fans.
You play a chef in the film and admit to being a geek when it comes to reality cooking shows. What's your signature dish to impress a lady?
I make a delicious lemon chicken with roast potatoes and sautéed spinach. That’ll do it.
You've said you drank a lot to get through your Sarah Marshall nude scene. What’s your favourite tipple these days?
I quit the booze. Work is a rollercoaster right now. I’m addicted to Red Bull – it’s the only fuel keeping me going but it’s just slowly eating me away from the inside…
Tell us something Nuts readers would be surprised to learn about you?
I like to sit on my porch and listen to the radio. It’s a bygone pastime and I f***ing love it! And get this… I performed a wedding service on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show. I’m an Ordained Minister of the interfaith Universal Life Church so you have to treat me with respect.
Who would play you in the movie of your life?
It would have to be Brad Pitt, Steve McQueen or James Dean. Just so the looks match up.
But if acting hadn't worked out what would you be doing?
I’m not good enough in music to make it a profession so I’d just be writing. I’ve been lucky to make music a side job of the movies I do. Once you get famous enough you get to indulge in things you’re not qualified for. It’s one of the perks.
You’re taking a “Muppet break” and won’t be doing the sequel. So what do you do to chill out when you're not working?
I used to collect puppets from around the world – marionettes, ancient Chinese dolls, Japanese bunraku and all kinds of hand puppets… But right now I can’t get enough gadgets. My favourite thing is my Sonos wireless music system. It connects to your network and streams your music from your library and all the online services and you can control it from your phone. You can rig your house for sound for music and movies. It’s f***ing awesome!
Have you got a blinging superstar motor?
Gadgetry serves a function but I’m an A to B kinda guy. I’m not flashy. A car is designed to make a statement but I could never be that guy driving down the street in a bright yellow Lamborghini that says, “Look at me!” It’s not who I am. If I had that kind of f***-you money it would be cooler to have a small apartment in lots of my favourite cities. London, Hawaii… A guy’s gotta dream.
Where's the weirdest place you've been recognised?
I was on a plane recently and keeping a low profile and just taking it easy when suddenly the steward made an announcement. “Ladies and gentleman we have a celebrity in the cabin tonight. Jason Segel is here so let’s give him a big round of applause!” I’m thinking, ‘What the f*** is going on!’ He was a big fan, but you’re in a captive space and can’t get away!
What's next for you on the big screen and will it involve flashing your penis?
Only to get the part! I’m interested in branching out from the comedy stuff but I’m always kicking around ideas with Russell Brand and I’m hoping to write something we could work on together again. He’s one funny dude.
Interview by Dan Brightmore
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