Last week I broke out a fun little news nugget from my conversation with Danny DeVito about his interest in doing a "Throw Momma From The Train" sequel. Today I bring you the rest of our chat all in the service of promoting the new season of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" (this show is well worth your attention, it premieres Thursday night on FX and it's first two amazing seasons have just been released on DVD).
DeVito is just as you'd expect him to be: candid, funny, and more than a bit naughty. We talked about everything from his dirty new viral video to why Tim Burton should have cast him in "Sweeney Todd."
MTV: Congrats on the third season of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," perhaps the most demented, dirty, and depraved show on TV.
Danny DeVito: [He laughs.] I've never had such good fortune. It's beautiful to be involved with guys like this. They're really energetic and fun. We've opened up the envelope and maybe tossed it out the window. It's a joy to go to work everyday.
MTV: How did you end up joining the cast?
DD: The head of FX sent it to me. He said it was a really special thing and I really dug it. I thought the writing was great. Less than a year later they called and asked if I'd be interested and I jumped at the chance.
MTV: You haven't been a regular on a TV series since "Taxi."
DD: I was really looking forward to it. You want to keep mixing it up. And this was as different a thing as had come along, playing around with a bunch of people half my age. I always want to work with people who are fresh out of the box. It's so nice to be exposed to that after producing movies and running a company. All of a sudden you're back doing those farmers' hours, get up at 5:30 and go plant the rhubarb with a bunch of young guys on a soundstage. [He laughs.] We shoot the show with digital cameras. The equipment that we use, Uncle Joe would take that with him on vacation.
MTV: Your new short film on Funny or Die, "The Contract," is pretty amazing (note: dirty language).
DD: I drive a hard bargain.
MTV: So what happened? No full-frontal nudity?
DD: If Rhea wasn't around, maybe I would have done it. Actually it was Fred Savage I didn't want to take my clothes off in front of. In "Big Fish" you see my ass like 60-feet across. That was kind of scary.
MTV: Sometimes less is more.
DD: Sometimes you want to leave it to the imagination.
MTV: Did the lackluster critical and commercial reception to "Duplex" take the wind out of your sails at all when it comes to directing?
DD: Not at all. I did "Death to Smoochy" right before that and that's one of my favorites. I don't get swayed by that kind of stuff. If a studio drops a movie, it's the studio dropping the movie. They can sell pretty much anything and that was a good movie and so was "Death to Smoochy." It's just a matter of, is somebody going to be behind it? "Smoochy" is high on my list. Edward [Norton] is a gem to work with. And of course Jon Stewart is the fourth male lead in that movie. If it wasn't for Jon Stewart, I really wouldn't know what to do. I read the paper everyday. I read all about the crap in the world but he and Keith Olbermann, those are the guys that hold their feet to the fire. I tell my kids, we need you so much because we've kind of fu**ed it up for you. We just have to get the evildoers out of power.
MTV: Did Tim Burton find a cameo for you in "Sweeney Todd"?
DD: [He laughs] I don't think so. I haven't heard from him. The bum! Maybe he doesn't realize that all Italians can sing. He'll know now!
MTV: When are you and Michael Douglas going to get back together for a film?
DD: You ask him! For crying out loud, I just emailed him! There are a couple people where you just go, what a great life! Mikey D, he's got a new family, he lives who knows where. He's always flying around, playing golf. And then you got Clooney, works a little bit and then goes over to Italy to edit. Come on!
MTV: While you're in the trenches!
DD: Yeah, I'm in the tenches. I'm like in "Paths of Glory." I'm walking over bodies! These guys are sailing boats and drinking my limoncello!
MTV: Just conference in Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Robert Zemeckis for another "Romancing the Stone."
DD: That's another one: Zemeckis. Come on man, let's get together and make a movie! That would be so great! Have Kathleen beat the sh*t out of us! It'll be great. It'll be like old times!
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