I could hardly be more excited for Saturday's "Archer Live," the in-person incarnation of the hit FX show that blows me away every week.
I’ll just throw it out there: "Archer," the animated spy comedy is not only the funniest show on TV now, but it ranks among the funniest shows of all time. Filthy, witty and beautifully drawn, it packs an amazing amount of comedy into every episode.
Saturday at the Pabst Theater, most of the cast will come together for an interactive show in Milwaukee. The team, including H. John Benjamin (Agent Sterling Archer), Aisha Tyler (Agent Lana Kane), Lucky Yates (Dr. Krieger), Amber Nash (Pam Poovey) and Casey Willis (producer/moderator) will read classic scenes live onstage with visual aids from the show. They’ll also participated in a moderated panel discussion with time for audience Q&A.
I expect this to be very, very funny.
In advance of the show, I spoke to Tyler by phone. In our rapid fire interview, we talked about the process of creating "Archer," which, given the pacing of the series, surprised me.
"The great thing about the 'Archer Live show' is that it’s one of the few times that the cast gets to spend any time together," says Tyler. In fact, each actor records his or her lines in isolation, and they are mixed together for the final product. "We use our magical acting powers to deduce what the other side of the conversation will sound like."
Fortunately, the live show is a little different (spoiler alert: Tyler says it involves beer drinking).
"It’s super interactive," she says. "It’s an inside 'Archer’ experience in every way."
What you see on TV isn’t very ad-libbed, she says. "The scripts are really funny and they’re really well-written when they come."
And it’s the kind of show that Tyler would watch, even if she wasn’t involved in it.
"Oh, 100 percent. If I wasn’t on it, I’d still love it. It’s probably one of the smartest things I’ve ever done. That combination of really smart and really filthy – it’s a real cartoon for grown-ups."
"Archer" is just one of the many projects Tyler is working on, including TV, film, stand-up comedy, two books, podcasting and a lot of charity work.
How does she find time to pack all of it in?
"I'm exhausted," says the San Francisco native. "I really love being busy, and I feel very grateful that I’m able to do all the things that I like. I remember when I was a young comic and living off of credit cards. I can rest when I’m old."
Do Tyler’s different characters ever seep into her other jobs?
"It’s all the same person. I think the truest part of me comes out in my podcast, because it’s my show. It’s all same job to me," she says.
In our podcast, Tyler talks about her quarter-million Twitter followers, pushing the boundaries even harder on cable TV, the Hooters girl that she is modeled after, as well as her anti-bullying work.
If you’re a fan of "Archer," it’s definitely worth a listen.
Tickets for Saturday’s show range from $35.75 to $45.75, and doors open at 7 p.m.
Andy is the president, publisher and founder of OnMilwaukee. He returned to Milwaukee in 1996 after living on the East Coast for nine years, where he wrote for The Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau and worked in the White House Office of Communications. He was also Associate Editor of The GW Hatchet, his college newspaper at The George Washington University.
Before launching OnMilwaukee.com in 1998 at age 23, he worked in public relations for two Milwaukee firms, most of the time daydreaming about starting his own publication.
Hobbies include running when he finds the time, fixing the rust on his '75 MGB, mowing the lawn at his cottage in the Northwoods, and making an annual pilgrimage to Phoenix for Brewers Spring Training.
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