'Off Centre' Team Gets Fresh on The WB - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 04-17-2002, 06:23 PM

http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?25255

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - The team behind The WB's comedy "Off Centre" was very happy with the show's fourth episode.
The episode showed Mike (Eddie Kaye Thomas) turning down several women while out with roommate Euan (Sean Maguire) and friend Chau (John Cho), in an effort to stay faithful to his girlfriend, Liz (Lauren Stamile). He later finds out that Liz ended up kissing an old boyfriend that night.

Afterward, network representatives approached executive producer Danny Zuker, telling him they liked the episode a lot and "don't do it again."
The problem? "It didn't have anything overtly randy," Zuker tells Zap2it.com.

"This is the first network I've been associated with" where the higher-ups want more risqué material, says Zuker, a veteran of such shows as "Roseanne," "Grace Under Fire" and "Just Shoot Me."

Such are the travails of working on a comedy from the brothers Chris and Paul Weitz, who directed "American Pie" and executive produced its sequel. "Off Centre," loosely based on Chris' experiences in New York with a British roommate he met at Cambridge, contains about as much bawdy dialogue as network TV has ever allowed, and The WB likes it that way.

"It's sort of a Faustian bargain for them. They really want us to push the envelope," Paul Weitz says. "After our first meeting [WB President] Jordan Levin said, 'Don't let us soften this up.'"
"It's more a problem for them than for us," his brother adds. "The poor lady who has to deal with standards and practices -- it's her weekly nightmare. But we've been pretty much allowed to do what we wanted."

Hence, viewers have been treated to storylines about an outbreak of crabs (not the crustaceans), whether couples should watch porn together and, in the April 21 show, adult circumcision. Euan goes to a urologist who tries to give hime advice on circumcision.

"He tries to talk [Euan] through the experience and it's incredibly awkward," Paul Weitz says. "He tries to use humor to defuse the anxiety of the situation, but it only makes them more nervous."
The episode may also break a record, Zuker says, for use of the word "penis" and its many euphemisms.

"They began to talk to us about tonnage," Chris Weitz says of The WB's standards department.

The urologist is played by Eugene Levy ("Greg the Bunny"), one of several "American Pie" cast members who've filmed guest appearances on the show (Regulars Cho and Thomas were also in the movie). Jason Biggs appeared as an uninspiring career counselor earlier in the season, and Shannon Elizabeth who played Cho's girlfriend in the April 14 episode.

"I think we also have the guy who said, 'Huh?'" Chris Weitz jokes.

Stunt casting can be a chore for a show's regular cast and crew, Zuker says, but the "Pie" alumni made that week's work easy.
"Because Chris and Paul had this great ensemble of young actors who really enjoy [working with] them," the process was a lot smoother than normal, Zuker says. "To have Shannon and Jason and Eugene come on -- all three of them made their episodes better."

While The WB won't announce its schedule for next season until next month, Chris Weitz says he's heard "encouraging noises" about "Off Centre" returning for a second season. The show's ratings aren't great -- it's averaging about 2.3 million viewers per week -- but it attracts a young audience that The WB covets.

If the show is picked up, the Weitz brothers will have another year to get adjusted to the every-week work schedule of TV, which Paul says is "completely different" than making movies.

"It's been what we hoped it would be," Paul Weitz says. "We knew it would either be a disaster that would suck the lifeblood from us, or a pleasure where we're exposed to a new medium in a cool way."

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04-17-2002, 06:23 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,181	'Off Centre' Team Gets Fresh on The WB http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?25255 LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - The team behind The WB's comedy "Off Centre" was very happy with the show's fourth episode. The episode showed Mike (Eddie Kaye Thomas) turning down several women while out with roommate Euan (Sean Maguire) and friend Chau (John Cho), in an effort to stay faithful to his girlfriend, Liz (Lauren Stamile). He later finds out that Liz ended up kissing an old boyfriend that night. Afterward, network representatives approached executive producer Danny Zuker, telling him they liked the episode a lot and "don't do it again." The problem? "It didn't have anything overtly randy," Zuker tells Zap2it.com. "This is the first network I've been associated with" where the higher-ups want more risqué material, says Zuker, a veteran of such shows as "Roseanne," "Grace Under Fire" and "Just Shoot Me." Such are the travails of working on a comedy from the brothers Chris and Paul Weitz, who directed "American Pie" and executive produced its sequel. "Off Centre," loosely based on Chris' experiences in New York with a British roommate he met at Cambridge, contains about as much bawdy dialogue as network TV has ever allowed, and The WB likes it that way. "It's sort of a Faustian bargain for them. They really want us to push the envelope," Paul Weitz says. "After our first meeting [WB President] Jordan Levin said, 'Don't let us soften this up.'" "It's more a problem for them than for us," his brother adds. "The poor lady who has to deal with standards and practices -- it's her weekly nightmare. But we've been pretty much allowed to do what we wanted." Hence, viewers have been treated to storylines about an outbreak of crabs (not the crustaceans), whether couples should watch porn together and, in the April 21 show, adult circumcision. Euan goes to a urologist who tries to give hime advice on circumcision. "He tries to talk [Euan] through the experience and it's incredibly awkward," Paul Weitz says. "He tries to use humor to defuse the anxiety of the situation, but it only makes them more nervous." The episode may also break a record, Zuker says, for use of the word "penis" and its many euphemisms. "They began to talk to us about tonnage," Chris Weitz says of The WB's standards department. The urologist is played by Eugene Levy ("Greg the Bunny"), one of several "American Pie" cast members who've filmed guest appearances on the show (Regulars Cho and Thomas were also in the movie). Jason Biggs appeared as an uninspiring career counselor earlier in the season, and Shannon Elizabeth who played Cho's girlfriend in the April 14 episode. "I think we also have the guy who said, 'Huh?'" Chris Weitz jokes. Stunt casting can be a chore for a show's regular cast and crew, Zuker says, but the "Pie" alumni made that week's work easy. "Because Chris and Paul had this great ensemble of young actors who really enjoy [working with] them," the process was a lot smoother than normal, Zuker says. "To have Shannon and Jason and Eugene come on -- all three of them made their episodes better." While The WB won't announce its schedule for next season until next month, Chris Weitz says he's heard "encouraging noises" about "Off Centre" returning for a second season. The show's ratings aren't great -- it's averaging about 2.3 million viewers per week -- but it attracts a young audience that The WB covets. If the show is picked up, the Weitz brothers will have another year to get adjusted to the every-week work schedule of TV, which Paul says is "completely different" than making movies. "It's been what we hoped it would be," Paul Weitz says. "We knew it would either be a disaster that would suck the lifeblood from us, or a pleasure where we're exposed to a new medium in a cool way." ---------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.geocities.com/tmc_132000/...Meets_CBS.html http://www.geocities.com/tmc_132000/..._Hospital.html http://www.geocities.com/tmc_132000/...dventures.html http://www.geocities.com/tmc_132000/...ends_Game.html http://www.geocities.com/tmc_132000/..._to_Worse.html http://www.geocities.com/tmc_132000/..._Bar_Site.html http://www.geocities.com/tmc_6882/Bookworm.html<a href="http://www.gwgs.co.uk"><img src="http://www.gwgs.co.uk/i/gwgebanner.jpg" border="0"></a> [/B][/QUOTE] [/B][/QUOTE] [/B][/QUOTE]