OnMilwaukee.com caught up with snark king and budding movie actor Joel McHale. The host of E! Entertainment Television's weekly show "The Soup" hits up The Riverside Theatre tonight at 8 p.m.

He talked about reality TV, potential corrections to his Wikipedia entry and his upcoming movie with Matt Damon, all while maneuvering through L.A. traffic and avoiding high speed chases.

OnMilwaukee.com: Before I start, I need to warn you Joel: famous people don't like Milwaukee. George Carlin and Charles Barkley were arrested here. President Teddy Roosevelt was actually shot here. Do you think you can stay out of trouble while you're in Milwaukee?

Joel McHale: As long as you ply me with beer and cheese, I'm happy. If that gets me arrested then arrest me 100 times!

OMC: About 50 years ago JFK's FCC Chairman famously declared that TV is a vast wasteland. That man, Newt Minow, is from Milwaukee. Do you think if he had a face-to-face with Audrina from "The Hills" it would change his mind?

JM: It would blow his mind. It would be too much. It would be like raw sodium hitting water. There would be an explosion and blood and Spencer Pratt (of "The Hills") would move on to his next victim and receive messages from his creepy, flesh-colored beard.

OMC: Are E! network functions awkward? Are you always worried about bumping into people you make fun of, like say, Ryan Seacrest or Denise Richards?

JM: Well that little guy Ryan Seacrest comes up to my belt buckle. And Denise Richards' show is cancelled. And she can't get her ass through the door. So you know, I'm pretty safe.

OMC: Joel what was your reaction when you heard that Kathie Lee Gifford was returning to morning TV?

JM: Oh we threw a party, it was like Cinco De Mayo. You know what, I've been on (the "Today" show) and Kathie Lee is pretty great. She's totally nice and totally cool. She enjoys the show ("The Soup.") She actually listens to what you're saying. Which I have to give her credit on, because there are a sh*tload of celebrities that do not listen to anything that anybody says to them unless they are complimenting them or telling them where to go next.

OMC: Milwaukee has never gotten a chance to host a season of "The Real World." But now the "Real Housewives" series is expanding. Do you think a version of "Real Housewives" in a blue-collar, rustbelt city like Milwaukee has some promise?

JM: I think it'd be better if they brought in the "Real Housewives" of the OC to Milwaukee. Their hotel would be stormed much like Frankenstein's castle. And that seems like engaging television to me.

OMC: Now Joel, you just did a movie with Matt Damon

JM: Yes I did, it was great.

OMC: Did he end up annoying you with a lot of questions about TV?

JM: No, Matt Damon is awe-some. Awwww-some. He's a father like I am, but since I have to watch reality TV, I have an excuse. But you know he is way too busy making A-List movies to bother with TV. Whereas I'm wondering like, "why isn't Flavor Flav back on the air?"

OMC: It's the start of the TV season - are there any new shows that you are particularly looking forward to?

JM: "Gossip Girl" has been the gift that is continuing to give. But it is no "Viva Laughlin." I don't know if you know that one, ever see "Viva Laughlin?"

OMC: That I did not see, no.

JM: Oh, Dan. Dan, I want you to go to YouTube after we talk. Type in "Viva Laughlin," as in Laughlin, Nevada. And you will go, "Oh my Lord, how did this make it on the air?" It's a musical. It's a one-hour, weekly musical.

OMC: Football is big in Wisconsin and you played D-1 football (at the University of Washington.) Care to tell us a little bit about your football career?

JM: I was bad; really, really bad and I made the defense look awesome when I was on scout offense.

OMC: But you were bad on a national championship team.

JM: Well I was actually on the team after that. That's erroneous. I know it's on Wikipedia. There's a bunch of crap on Wikipedia. Can you correct that? Like it says there, "He was a member of Theta Chi fraternity." Yeah I was a member of it for like four-and-a-half weeks. I left because I couldn't stand it!  Page 1 of 2 (view all on one page)

Next >>

3 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by sandstorm on Oct. 18, 2008 at 10:27 a.m. (report)

king of snark? when did david spade abdicate the throne?

Posted by beentheredonethat on Oct. 17, 2008 at 9:35 a.m. (report)

Yes, if you actually read the article it talks about Greg Kinear who hosted Talk Soup. BTW, neith greg Kinear or Joel McHale are annoying..they are awesome! (The hosts between there shows were annoying!) ANyway, I'm going to see Joel tonight at the Riversideand cannot wait to see how he is at stand up. The Soup rocks!

Posted by DVR on Oct. 16, 2008 at 4:41 p.m. (report)

Never heard of this guy until I saw in the OnMilwaukee Weekend Preview that he was coming to town. Didn't there used to be a show called "Talk Soup" with another annoying host?

Recent blogs/briefs by OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writers

When Sounds Collide: An Interview with Eon Sinclair of Bedouin Soundclash July 02, 2009 Before Gwen Stefani and No Doubt make their much buzzed about performance in Milwaukee ...

My new BFF, Paris Hilton June 12, 2009 When I heard Doug Reinhardt (of "The Hills" fame) was going to make a special appearance ...

Add a little Tex-Mex to your summer rock menu May 27, 2009 It's not a given that tales of tequila-soaked, wayward forays into Tijuana would play ...