The TV Chick

Party Down is one of the funniest shows on television, and a breakout hit of last year. However, because of it’s mid-season placement and it being on Starz network, I don’t think it’s gotten all the attention it deserves. Created by Rob Thomas (creator all all things awesome, but especially Veronica Mars), as well as his team John Enbom, Dan Etheridge and Paul Rudd, this show is creative, hilarious, wonderful, and full of talent. It stars a couple of Thomas’ Veronica Mars cohorts: Ken Marino and Ryan Hansen, as well as the unstoppable talents of Jane Lynch, Martin Starr, Lizzy Caplan, and Adam Scott. The show centers around a catering company (aptly titled Party Down), made up of LA wannabee actors and actresses who cater on the side. Ron (Ken Marino) is their Michael Scott-esque manager, who always screws up in some hilarious way. The show has already started filming its second season, which will premiere this spring. I recently got a chance to chat with Ryan Hansen about the show, his character, the upcoming season, and what makes this show so incredibly unique.

What originally drew you to the character of Kyle and the Party Down?
Well for Party Down — I had been on the show Veronica Mars with Rob [Thomas] and I loved working with him a whole bunch and Paul Rudd was doing this and Dan Etheridge and John Enbom. So initially it was the people who were involved with it is why I was so stoked to be a part of it. And then they told me who else was going to be in it and I thought that I shouldn’t be in it because I wasn’t qualified but then they said No! You’re going to be in it! So I said “Okay, I’ll do it.”

(laughs) And do you see any of yourself in your character at all?
Zero. I’m completely opposite…no it’s based off of my life…no it’s based off…I think there’s a little bit of all of us in each of our characters, which is what makes it kind of funny and really real. Hopefully, not too much of my character — well there’s a little bit that’s kind of like me, but hopefully not too much…if that makes any sense.

(laughs) Yeah, it makes sense. Have you ever done anything that crazy to get a role?
Well I used to do — back in the day, I would — I think it was like Joan of Arcadia or something. It was kind of serious role. And in the audition, maybe it was like a page or two in–and I’m like thanks for having me, I can do a back flip. And they’re like oh that’s great. And so I just did a back flip. And they’re like “Oh my gosh, that’s amazing! You get the part.” So yeah, I’ve done some pretty stupid stuff. I used to do back flips all the time in auditions for no reason. Just so they would remember the back flip and not my audition.

He can do a back flip, we should give him this part!
Yeah, exactly! It works.

Have you ever worked in catering or as a waiter?
You know, I actually haven’t. The closest I did to waitering — I was the merch guy at a Hard Rock Cafe. I sold tee shirts and pins. So I was around a lot of waiters, but I didn’t actually waiter. But I did that for a couple months. I worked at a grocery store — I did that for a couple weeks.

Are there any LA actor types that you draw inspiration from to play your role?
Yeah. I mean, I’m not going to name anyone obviously. But just from going out to little events and things and auditions and stuff, I kind of draw from seeing certain guys and there’s so many people like Kyle in Los Angeles. And I’m not far from it, which is sad. But hopefully I’m far enough from it where I can make it believable — wait what? I lost myself, Alix help me!

It’s all good.
There’s guys in Los Angeles who are definitely like that…I’m not going to name anyone.

No I figured you wouldn’t sell out anybody. And so can you give a little teaser of what might happen on Season 2 of Party Down? Especially now that you have this new role on a movie, and Ron may be running a Souper Crackers?
Yeah, so obviously, in Party Down style, not everything that says it’s going to happen, happens for the better. So, obviously everything goes to shit, and we all end up catering still. You can be sure that we’ll still be catering. I think Jane Lynch gets married, that’s a fun episode. She’s coming back, and Kristen’s coming back — Kristen Bell.

Can we expect any more Veronica Mars cast member cameos on the show?
Last season there was a bunch. This season, well Kristen’s for sure coming back. I don’t think anyone else this season. Maybe, but I can’t remember.

And Party Down is such a unique show with a unique premise. What do you think makes this show work so well as a comedy?
Well I think that they’re really playing a lot of the realities of Los Angeles, which is a lot of people come out here to make it and they end up doing a crappy job until then. And a lot of the reality is — you don’t really make it. So I feel like it’s a very real, and it’s like the opposite of the Entourage scene, so it’s kind of just refreshing to see something that’s not always the jack pot. It’s kind of a funnier, darker side of Hollywood, which a lot of people don’t really talk about. They like to talk about the Hollywood dream, and not the Hollywood dreamers. Ooh that was good.

That was real good!
(laughs)

And you do a lot of charity work. Do you still work with Invisible Children?
Oh yeah, I’m still heavily involved with Invisible Children. We’re actually going to a little event, I think Vanity Fair is throwing them a party which is super cool. You know, Vanity Fair, that’s like bad ass. So yeah, still heavily involved with Invisible Children and I haven’t been back to Africa in like a year but I’m planning on going very soon. It’s pretty cool!

What other projects — TV or Movie — do you have coming up?
I did a little movie this summer with my buddy Travis Van Winkle, who I did Friday the 13th with, and the director of Wedding Crashers, and his name is David Dopkins. And it’s a fun little indie comedy that may or may not come out. So that was cool. Other than that, just sticking with Party Down. Hoping it will last another ten years, because we all love doing it so much.

What would you tell viewers to get them to watch Season 2 of Party Down?
I would say hey, you know remember that funny person Megan Mullally from Will and Grace? Well, she’s on it now! You should watch that!

(laughs) I have to ask, since there’s a lot of buzz around making a Veronica Mars movie. Do you have any scoop on that?
No, unfortunately, I don’t. I remember hearing a lot more about it six months ago. I haven’t really heard anything about it lately, so the economy? I don’t know.

And do you have a favorite episode of Party Down that you’ve filmed?
This season or last season?

Either one!
Well I have a feeling that next week is going to be one of my favorites. I don’t know. But it’s the Party Down company picnic, which I think will be a lot of fun to shoot. Because we’re all in normal clothes, and we play kick ball and stuff. There was an African American funeral that we shot a little bit ago which I thought was a lot of fun because this guy who plays the blues, teaches me how to sing the blues. That was fun. They’re all fun.

Do you have a favorite episode from last season that you liked especially?
Yes, last season, the Senior Singles Seminar was really fun, with Ed Begley Jr. I like that one!

Unless you have anything to add about Party Down’s great-ness, I think we’re good.
Yeah, I think we covered it. Thanks for watching the show, you’re so rad!