When you think of Will Arnett, still fondly remembered as the clueless Gob Bluth in Arrested Development, the word "parent" isn't the first word that necessarily jumps out at you.
Good thing parenting isn't exactly the subject of his new comedy Up All Night, where he stars as a new dad. See, despite what the trailers are telling you, it's not so much about the baby, as it is about new parents Regan (Christina Applegate) and Chris' (Arnett) reaction to it — and they don't exactly want to give up their super social lifestyle, or, um, occasional curse words.
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TVGuide.com asked Arnett 15 personal and professional questions, including how Up All Night compares to his short-lived Fox comedy Running Wilde, and the show's Jersey Shoreconnection.
15. Why will Up All Night succeed while Running Wilde failed?
Will Arnett: Audiences might have an easier time identifying from the get-go with these characters than they would [the ones] in Running Wilde. Simply put, these characters are much more based in reality. Running Wilde was, on purpose, a real departure from reality. We tried to create a show that was bigger than life, fun and escapist. Our thought was, America is going through a tough time — the employment rate was high, the stock market was crashing — and we wanted to provide something other than a show that's really reflective of what's really going on, to create this show with absurd characters and people would respond to that. But man were we wrong! We were kind of shocked at how wrong we were!
14. Are you as nervous a parent as Chris?
Arnett: I don't think I'm as nervous, but I definitely am nervous. I'm getting better. But when our first son was really young, I was a wreck. What ends up happening is that you're so tired all the time because your baby is crying and stuff and you can't get any sleep, but then when your baby is not crying, you're like, "What's wrong?" That's me.
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13. Do you and your wife, Parks and Recreation's Amy Poehler, curse as much as Reagan and Chris?
Arnett: No, I don't think we do. Reagan and Chris, they can't stop cursing. It's a running theme we constantly have on the show, which I'm really excited about it. I love when they bleep on television shows. Not only because the actual bleep makes me laugh, because it's kind of funny, it's just real. There's nothing worse than a word that is invented. Sitcoms in the '90s used to use the expression "chucklehead." "That guy's such a chucklehead!" It's like saying, "What's your phone number?" "555..." Immediately, you're out of it. Nobody says that!
12. Who do you think makes for a better father: 30 Rock's Devin Banks or Chris?
Arnett: Let me think about that for no seconds: Chris. Devin is very committed to his triplets, but as was evident in the last episode that he was in on 30 Rock, even though he seemed like he was there being a dad, he immediately ripped off his sweatsuit to reveal he's wearing a suit underneath. Meaning that at any time, he was totally ready to get back in the game... Chris is much more real. [Laughs]
11. If you could return to 30 Rock, what would you want to see Devin Banks do?
Arnett: If I were to return to 30 Rock, I'd like to see Devin grow his spine back a little bit, even though his spine is still pretty jelly-ish.
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10. Who would you say is more like the baby on set: You or the actual baby?
Arnett: Good question. I would say... wait, that's a tough one. No, I'd say the baby, actually babies because it's twins playing the baby.
9. Who would win a battle of the babies: Baby Amy or the baby from Raising Hope?
Arnett: I don't really know a lot about that baby. I guess our baby. I don't condone baby fights, but I'd have to back my own. Is their baby big?
8. Do you personally play as many video games as Chris?
Arnett: Uh, more. I play a lot of Call of Duty; that's my game of choice. I play multi-player online and every once in a while, I'll be playing with some friends and we'll be playing some random opponents and you'll get a bunch of kids from Croatia, who are talking trash, I think, or they're just speaking Croatian.
7. In the pilot episode, Chris mentions he was once good at hockey. Will we ever get to see you on the ice?
Arnett: I hope not. My skills, even when I actually played hockey, were middling at best. I can't imagine that this old chassis of mine could hold up.
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6. How will you personally contribute to taking down your timeslot competitor, The X Factor?
Arnett: I think that we're the real x factor. Boy, I don't know. That seems like a runaway train that we want to get out of the way of, to be honest. I'm nervous about that. That show has already been crowned a hit. I feel like the ratings have already come out on that. The other show we're up against is Survivor, and I don't know how they do. Oh wait, I do: Super well!
5. Be honest, who takes longer to primp in the morning: You or Poehler?
Arnett: I will be honest, probably me, mainly because I get a full mani-pedi every morning. Then I get a fresh Brazilian twice a week. I'm a real chia pet.
4. Who is the bigger diva on set: You, Applegate or Rudolph?
Arnett: None of the above. We got a good situation going on, not unlike [Jersey Shore's] The Situation. I'm the Vinny, Christina and Maya are Sam and Ronnie. That's a total fabrication, I just love saying that. I hate that I even know that. Part of my soul left my body to never return.
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3. Why should people watch Up All Night?
Arnett: Because it's very relatable and it's very real. It's not a show about parents. I think people will identify with at least one of the characters on the show. It's good comedy.
2. Have you ever had an interview where you haven't been asked about the Arrested Development movie?
Arnett: Now, no. I was just about to get through one.
1. So, what's going on with the Arrested Development movie?
Arnett: [Laughs] There's nothing I can further say other than a storm is a-brewing. It's more real now, more than ever.
Up All Night premieres Wednesday at 10/9c on NBC.
