Reviews, Television
Sep 10, 2013

PALEYFEST: SPENDING TIME WITH THE “MEN” OF CBS

The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles kicked off its annual weeklong Fall TV preview season September 6th with the new and exciting programming to come from CBS. The night not only featured full premiere screenings of Mom (Anna Faris), The Millers (Will Arnett, Beau Bridges), The Crazy Ones (Robin Williams) and Hostages (Toni Collette, Dylan McDermott), but a special screening and Q & A panel featuring the cast and creator of CBS’ new comedy We Are Men.

Press Pass LA’s own Sarah Huggins was there to not only attend the panel, but also have a few laughs with the “Men” of the hour. The hilarious comedy is loosely based on creator Rob Greenberg’s (How I Met Your MotherHappy Endings) own divorce experience and the adjustments he had to face. However, he was quick to point out those days are behind him and his current wife is even a member of the show’s staff.

Newcomer Chris Smith plays Carter, who after being left at the alter moves into temporary housing in the LA valley. There he meets Frank (Tony Shalhoub), a four time divorcee with a vivacious libido, Stuart (Jerry O’Connell), a twice divorced OB/GYN who is hiding his assets until a settlement can be reached, and Gil (Kal Penn), who even after two years of separation still hopes to get his wife back. The group along with the help of Frank’s beautiful daughter Abby (Rebecca Breeds) guide Carter into his new life of single manhood.

Smith said he has learned a lot from his veteran cast mates as far as what to do both on and off camera and they have been very helpful along this journey into his first sitcom. When the actor found out he got the role via text from Jerry O’Connell he thought it was just O’Connell being his prankster self. However Smith said the biggest prankster on set was definitely Kal. Saying “There is always something he is plotting and you have to try to always be one step ahead of the game.”

Penn, freshly back from a one year sabbatical from acting working at the White House said he loved the pilot script because “it was debaucheries humor between crazy guys but it ends with a whole lot of heart, which is what I found onHow I Met Your Mother as well, which drew me into the project.”

O’Connell, whose character appears almost always in a revealing Speedo said We Are Men will appeal to a lot of audiences saying “People who are divorced will really enjoy this show because they will be able to laugh at very painful experiences they had. I think people who are considering divorce will watch it and probably not get divorced because they won’t want to go through any of that.” The role is very different from O’Connell’s real life. He says he and wife (Rebecca Romijn) have a good balancing act going where one person works while the other stays home with the kids at all times.

In the Q & A, Rob revealed they shoot at the famous valley apartment complex ‘The Oakwood’s’ and the boys enjoy the endless possibilities of shooting at the various parts of the complex i.e. Karaoke nights and Sunday boozy brunches as well as the clutters of bars up and down Ventura Blvd. Viewers can also expect some exciting guest stars such as Jane Leeves, who plays Frank’s soul mate and Tim Conway, the world’s oldest and slowest waiter, along with several planned others.

The group was all in agreement of their favorite episode so far stating it is called “Gentlemen’s Night” named by Frank and it is a celebration of the anniversary of one of his divorces. In the episode it is a night, no one wants to be a part of but Frank insists and it ends up being even worse than the guys imagine.

We can’t wait to see what kind of crazy situations the “Men” get into and hopefully a little love along the way when We Are Men premieres Monday September 30th on CBS.

Check out a preview here.