No matter what else Andy Samberg does in front of the cameras, the Saturday Night Live stand-out will more than likely always be best remembered for his part in two of the funniest SNL skits of the past decade. First, Samberg and Chris Parnell scored big time with their incredibly addictive ‘Lazy Sunday: Chronicles of Narnia’ rap. Then Samberg and pop star Justin Timberlake topped that sketch with their unforgettable ‘D**k in a Box’ holiday song about two men whose private parts are enclosed in strategically placed gift boxes complete with wrapping paper and bows.
During his downtime from Saturday Night Live, Samberg made the leap to feature films with the comedy movie Hot Rod. Directed by SNL writer/director Akiva Schaffer, Hot Rod is set to hit theaters on August 3, 2007. At the 2007 MTV Movie Awards Samberg provided a little info on what audiences can expect from the movie.
Can you give me a short synopsis of the film?
"It’s sort of like a small town wannabe stuntman guy who wants to be like Evel Knievel, and he’s terrible at stunts. He’s got a sort of fighting relationship with his stepfather who gets sick and he has to stage a big jump in order to save his stepfather’s life so that he can kick his ass.
It’s hilarious because people crash a lot and there’s jokes. There’s funny people in it. Bill Hader’s in it, Sissy Spacek, Ian McShane from Deadwood, Isla Fisher from Wedding Crashers, my buddy Jorma [Taccone]. And this guy Danny McBride who’s about to be really big."
Why do think he’s going to be really big?
"He had a movie at Sundance called The Foot Fist Way and I think they’re going to pick it up and put it out soon. He’s in a ton of stuff coming out."
Do you personally do a lot of stunts in this?
"Let me put it this way: I did as many stunts as Paramount legal would let me do. Because if something bad happened, they’d have to stop the whole movie."
Did you want to do more than they let you do?
"Oh, absolutely. I’m an idiot. I would have crashed myself into someone else being in the movie."
So you believe in sacrificing yourself for your art?
"Always, absolutely. There’s nothing else, right? Your art or your family, those are the only two things."
