SuicideGirls: Do those Miracle Worker clips actually come from an episode?
Charlie Day: No, it’s not. It’s just a standalone way of pitching the show.
SG:
Wouldn’t that be a funny episode? “Charlie Gets Smart.”
CD:
It would be a funny episode. Yeah, right.
SG:
Your wife and costar, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, is on
New Girl. Is the waitress still on
Sunny?
CD:
Yeah, she’s coming back. She’s in three episodes this season.
SG:
Does Charlie still hold out hope with her?
CD:
You know, we have an interesting time down at the Jersey Shore, which is a better time than he’s ever had with the waitress before. So we do have a little moment of hope there, a little glimmer of hope.
SG:
I just went to Atlantic City. It was so Jersey.
CD:
It’s very Jersey. It’s very Jersey.
SG:
Would you have done that episode anyway, or now because of
Jersey Shore?
CD:
It is something that we probably would’ve done anyway because people in Philly go down to the Jersey Shore because it’s the closest ocean, I think. But with the Jersey Shore, we found a funny way to comment on that without what you’re used to, which is just people bashing those guys.
SG:
It’s always funny when Sunny does topical things. When you hear about the debt ceiling negotiations over the summer, do you think what can we do for this?
CD:
I’m a little angry that most of that came out after we already shot, because to me it’s hilarious. We actually do do one which is sort of about having a democratic process of things. We’ve gotten to the point where we’re always arguing in the bar, we’ve just achieved gridlock like the government, so we try a more democratic system of dealing with one another. It doesn’t pan out well for us of course.
SG:
Isn’t it amazing that Republicans are refusing to cooperate with a Democratic president. They just want to take four years off until they get a Republican?
CD:
It’s frightening. I think we’ve got to start giving every person there an aptitude test.
SG:
What other funny episodes are coming up this season?
CD:
Let’s see, Jersey Shore. We have a Frank’s Little Beauties episode which is a la
Toddlers and Tiaras, kiddie pageantry which is really funny. He gets in over his head and has to put this pageant on. We decide to help him out with it and we do a little singing and dancing in that. We have a really good one called “How Mac Got Fat” which is revealing how this happened to him and why. It’s a great season.
SG:
You’ve done the musical over and over at live shows. I love the yellow suit you wore in that. Do you still have the yellow suit?
CD:
Yes. I don’t have it like at my house but we have it in our Sunny wardrobe on lockdown.
SG:
What did you think of all the green guys walking around Comic Con?
CD:
I think it’s good. Those are my minions. They’re fantastic. I appreciate it.
SG:
Do you get a lot of green guy requests?
CD:
I do, I do. That one seemed to really stick in people’s craw.
SG:
Are there any other cool outfits you’re going to get to wear?
CD:
Let me think, yeah. We do a number in this kid pageant which is really more yellow and another great outfit.
SG:
You have yellow and green. When are you going to have a blue costume to make the color scheme?
CD:
That’s a good question. That’s the next step I think. We’ve got to do the whole rainbow.
SG:
Does Charlie grow and change at all, or would you not want that?
CD:
I don’t know if you want that. The sitcoms we love, like Seinfeld, you don’t want to see Seinfeld change or develop into a different person. So he really doesn’t grow or change. Maybe one day he’ll try and learn how to read and write and that could be a funny episode, but that’s about it for growth with that guy.
SG:
When do you start thinking of ideas for your next two seasons?
CD:
Well, we’ll probably start in the new year and then we won’t get writing until maybe April. I’m always, like you said, something comes up in the news and you’re like, “Oh, that could be a good one.”
SG:
Can you imagine a grand finale or just another Sunny episode that’s the last one?
CD:
I don’t want it to just randomly end. I want to write to what seems like a fitting ending to the series. Whether it’s grand or not, I don’t know but I can’t imagine in season nine or if we do a 10, not writing to the end of the series.
SG:
You’re getting ready to do Pacific Rim?
CD:
I am. We were going to start in October. They’ve now pushed it until I think January or even early February, but I’m really excited. I’m waiting to get the latest draft. They’ve got it under lock and key.
SG:
What kind of character will you get to play?
CD:
He’s a quirky scientist. I hate to pinpoint it specifically, but if you thought of Jurassic Park, he’s like Jeff Goldblum. He’s the sort of offbeat, irregular scientist.
SG:
He was the one with the best lines.
CD:
That’s right, that’s right. Well, we’ll see. I haven’t read the new draft. I hope so.
SG:
Will you look like you?
CD:
I will not look like me. I’ll look very different which I’m excited about. He’s got some ideas.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia returns Sept. 15 on FX.
