Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

Matt Walsh interview with Time Out Chicago

Time Out Chicago February 25-March 3, 2010
Walsh What Happens
by Steve Heisler

Upright Citizens Brigade’s Matt Walsh fronts a sports bar–set comedy.

After playing a part in vaunted ensemble projects like the Upright Citizens Brigade, Dog Bites Man and The Daily Show, Chicago native Matt Walsh is on his own with Spike TV’s new Players. Well, not totally alone: The sports bar–set comedy about two brother-owners, premiering Tuesday 2, costars fellow UCB alum Ian Roberts, and episodes are created using the game-focused improvisation that’s been Walsh’s calling card since early UCB shows in Chicago.

The show is based on your experience working at a sports bar. When was this?
In college during the summers. Our suburb [Westmont] had never had a sports bar so it was like when a Starbucks opens up and everyone is talking about it. Nobody’d seen Pop-A-Shot inside a restaurant before. We’d get done with work at 2am and have a bar breakfast: hard-boiled eggs and Slim Jims, with beer. The waitresses would do aerobics in the restaurant. It was like a little YMCA camp.

Though you created the show, your character is almost secondary to Ian’s character in the first episode. How did that decision come about?
I had the idea that the two brothers would be polar opposites. Maybe I’m lazy: I’m all for having other people be funny. [Laughs] Ian’s a strong improviser, and because he’s the straight man, all plots have to go through him.

You’ve mentioned that you and Ian have a dynamic when playing together. What is that, exactly?
We have a shorthand—chemistry or whatever—where we know where the other is going. And we can sustain bits for a really long time. There were times we would goof around so much on stage that we’d ruin the show. We’d take fake guns and fire them. It kinda distracted the actors.

Are there particular roles you fall into when improvising with him?
Ian’s very logical and I’m more, oh, random—I can’t think of an adjective to describe myself.

Well, you already said “lazy.”
I know. That’s a great way to characterize yourself. I guess I’m the crazy person.… I don’t know. Maybe I need some therapy.

The Upright Citizens Brigade was known for its antics in Chicago. You once staged a suicide and threw a dummy off the roof of a building. Ever cross the line?
There was one UCB show where I came out and said a green Ford Focus was blocking an ambulance. I’d come back later and say, “The license plate is this; please move your car.” Then at the end, I’d announce the guy died and say, “Thanks a lot.” [Laughs] We’ve accidentally given hits of nitrous to people on stage.

Accidentally?
Uh, we’d have a balloon and try to not let the person huff it. But they’d accidentally do it. Or, not accidentally—we’d let somebody do it. But we only did that once, and it was stupid.

Aside from the show, you currently have a Chicago Bears podcast called Bear Down. Have sports always been a big part of your life?
Definitely. I’m from a big family, and one of the rites of passage for the boys was that we’d go see the Bears or the Bulls. We didn’t necessarily get to bond with our father unless there’s a big event to go to. I had three older brothers and three younger sisters, and I got beat up by my older brothers. And you can’t beat up the girls, so I had nowhere to take out my anger.

Did you play sports, then?
I played football in high school, and I actually did gymnastics for a year or two. I wanted to try something different, and I wasn’t coordinated enough for hoops.

Do you still have those skills?
I’m doing this interview in a headstand right now. I’m holding an iron cross on the rings.

Players premieres Tuesday March 2 at 9:30pm on Spike TV.