sarah silverman When David Letterman asked her if she'd be interested in hosting his new show, Stupid Pet Tricks, she didn't have to think hard.
“I was like, oh yeah. Oh my god. Yes. A million times,” she jokes.
The series was inspired by a fan-favorite segment on Letterman's late-night talk show that ended in 2015. In each clip, the animals (and their owners) attempted to perform simple tricks on live TV, with hilariously different results.
Letterman's animal guests included a skateboarding rabbit, a pickpocket dog, and a horse who could get his own drink from the refrigerator.
Now, “Stupid Pet Tricks” has been revived as a standalone show, with Letterman as executive producer and Silverman as host. In the expanded version, you'll spend more time with the animals. human Friends.
Aside from the furry, flying guest stars in “Stupid Pet Tricks,” Silverman also starred in Jon Hamm, Jack McBrayer, Judd Apatow, Reggie Watts, Jeff Ross, Charlotte McKinney and Howie Mandel. He brought along several comedians and fellow actors, including:
“I never want to have to ask a friend for a favor,” Silverman says. “But I asked for this!”
She opens up to TODAY.com about her cute animals, the axis of her career, and how she ended up owning a camel on live TV.
“Stupid Pet Tricks” will premiere on Sunday, February 11th at 5pm, with subsequent episodes airing Mondays at 9pm on TBS.
Silverman is a lifelong animal lover
Silverman, who has been a vegetarian since witnessing the death of a Thanksgiving turkey as a child, briefly tried veganism in 2021.
“I don't understand people who don't love animals,” she says. “The more time you spend interacting with animals and nature, the more you think about human existence.”
Silverman has been open about his love for his pets. She wrote a lengthy eulogy for her beloved dog Duck, who died in 2014 at the age of 14.
“When I finally had to put him down, I remember having the vet come to my house and put him down, and I was like, “Bring me two needles! You know? “I couldn't imagine life without him,” she says. .
Silverman has since adopted two more dogs.
“They always got along, but now they're inseparable and sleep in tiny little stacks,” she says.
Working with animal guest stars on “Stupid Pet Tricks” posed some additional challenges. Without messing up too much, an absorbent rug came in handy with the set.
What exactly are silly pet tricks?
The tricks featured on the show range from the simple, like a cat high-fiving, to the amazing, like a high-flying dog.
If you're wondering how on earth the camel ended up on the studio stage, you're not alone. Silverman said the camel entered the studio through an “elephant door,” a type of stage door large enough to fit an elephant.
Silverman explains that the behind-the-scenes staff on “Stupid Pet Tricks” took great care to ensure the safety and well-being of the animal guest stars.
“I was very concerned about working with animals and doing everything right,” Silverman says. “And we did. There were people on set who were like, 'Cat's tired.' Let's move on to something else.”
“People need to stay calm,” she continues. “And we had to do what was best for the animals.”
Silverman isn't necessarily looking for the next great dog.
“I'm just like you and me, trying to find the most fun, really awesome, incredible tricks to pair with our pets,” she says.
In fact, at events organized by the “Stupid Pet Tricks Tour” amateur animals have the opportunity to show off their abilities. Pets will have the opportunity to audition for the show at each stop on the tour. The tour begins on February 3rd and will visit five cities: Tampa, Florida, Dallas, Texas, Austin, Texas, Longmont, Colorado, and Brevard, North Carolina.
she wants to make a show for everyone
In addition to her eponymous comedy, “The Sarah Silverman Show,” which aired on Comedy Central from 2007 to 2010, Silverman is known for numerous projects.
Silverman voiced Vanellope von Schweetz in the 2012 Disney film “Shrek-It Ralph” and hosted the late-night talk show “I Love You America with Sarah Silverman” in 2017. , and launched The Sarah Silverman Podcast during the pandemic, an adaptation of her memoir. “The Bedwetter” will be made into an off-Broadway musical in 2022.
Her latest comedy special, “Someone You Love,” premiered on Max last year.
However, while some may feel that “Stupid Pet Tricks” is different in tone from Silverman's previous songs, Silverman says it's on brand.
“It's a very sleazy thing to do, but that's what makes me happy,” she says.
Silverman said “Stupid Pet Tricks” is meant to be watched by the whole family, comparing it to shows like “Sesame Street” and “The Muppet Show.”
“This is for people who are my age and have my sense of humor, and their children. It's perfectly fine for children, but there are some things that only adults can understand. “Yes,” Silverman says.
Hosting a family show about pets may seem like an unconventional choice for Silverman, who is known for his sharp and raunchy sense of humor.
Silverman discussed current events and personal stories with a variety of guests on “I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman.”
“Through this show, I hope to connect with people who don't think the same way,” Silverman said of the show in a 2017 interview.
With “Stupid Pet Tricks,” Silverman takes a different approach.
“I wanted to do something for everyone,” she says. “And I was so excited to not think about anything political. In that sense, it's political and because I wanted to put on a show for everyone. ”
Silverman wrote a short one-line theme song that plays at the end of each episode. The lyrics were inspired by Silverman's hobby of watching videos about unlikely animal friendships.
“If they can get along, then we can get along,” she sings.
After all, she said, “we are all connected.”
This article originally appeared on TODAY.com
