'1600 Penn': Josh Gad Reveals Secrets Behind NBC's White House Comedy (Exclusive Video)

9:00 AM PST 1/7/2013 by Philiana Ng

68
26
0
0
234
Email
Print
Comments

In a new behind-the-scenes featurette, the co-creator/actor and creative minds share little-known facts about the half-hour show, premiering Jan. 10.

NBC

"1600 Penn"

Who are the minds that make NBC's new White House comedy 1600 Penn tick? One of them is co-creator/actor Josh Gad.

'1600 Penn' Taking Political Cues From 'The West Wing'

'1600 Penn' Star Benjamin Stockham Talks Playing Bill Pullman's Son (Q&A)

'1600 Penn': Bill Pullman on Playing the President - Again - and What He Learned From the Election (Q&A)

1600 Penn: TV Review

The Hollywood Reporter has an exclusive four-minute, behind-the-scenes featurette spotlighting the writers and producers behind the half-hour sitcom. As Gad brings us through the writers' offices, he can't help but bring on the funny.

"I think they look to me as a father figure although I'm much younger than pretty much all of them," Gad deadpans.

PHOTOS: '1600 Penn' Set Visit: Hollywood's Version of the White House

What does co-creator Jon Lovett, who worked for three years in the White House as one of President Obama's speechwriters, do when he sits behind his desk? Well, according to Gad, "he sits at his two computers and he says, 'Ooh, I'm funny!' " before writing to Obama (not really) and asking if "he needs funny jokes" to use.

Jason Winer, co-creator and director of 1600 Penn, called the show one of the "more realistic sitcoms" on television "because this family actually has a reason to be in the house all the time."

TV REVIEW: NBC's '1600 Penn'

Executive producer Mike Royce, who worked on Everybody Loves Raymond and Men of a Certain Age, shared a little-known behind-the-scenes story. "Every time [Josh] sees me, he kisses me on the head," he said, with Gad lurking behind and granting him his wish. "That's it."

1600 Penn, from Gad, Lovett and Winer, centers on the dysfunctional Gilchrist family who live in, you guessed it, the White House. Gad, Bill Pullman, Jenna Elfman, Martha MacIsaac, Amara Miller, Andre Holland and Benjamin Stockham star.

1600 Penn premieres 9:30 p.m. Thursday on NBC.

E-mail: Philiana.Ng@thr.com
Twitter: @insidethetube