Derek & Simon

Derek Waters and Simon Helberg are the masterminds behind the show Derek and Simon. Oh, and Bob Odenkirk is in the mix, directing.

If you haven't seen Derek and Simon, pull yourself out of the hole you're in and get your shit together.  It's only the smartest TV show that isn't on TV.






Chief Magazine: Where did you guys come from originally and where did you meet?

Simon: I’m from Los Angeles originally and Derek is from Baltimore, but Derek came out here and we both started doing stuff at Second City. We ended up forming this group that we performed with for a few years, Ha Ha Fresh. So we started this group and Derek’s manager is Naomi, who’s Bob’s wife, and my manager is Bob’s manager, Bernie Brillstein. Naomi knew me from Derek and thought we were both short and had completely different sensibilities, but had a similar look, so she had an idea of pairing us up together. We got together with Bob and started talking about all sorts of high concept ideas for something to do and we ended up making a presentation of what ultimately became Derek and Simon, but it had more of a high concept hook to it.

Derek: We were Gay.

Was that it, was that the high concept, you guys were gay?

Simon: No, no, that was off the show. No, there was a reality show element to it and there was sort of a whole thing with the same vibe to it. We took it to HBO, and they were like, "get rid of that high concept," which we never really wanted to use anyway, we sort of just put it that way to make it more commercial. So we were thrilled when they basically said just make it about these guys and that was all we really wanted from the start. So we took that little gimmick away and made a pilot for HBO and since then we’ve been meeting and making little stories.

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How long did the process take from idea to now? How long have you guys been working on this?

Derek: I think that presentation was three years ago. A few months after that we got the pilot deal with HBO, but that was like two years ago we made that, right? And then we did it and we all wanted to still do it, we were thinking about changing the title of it and talking to a different network. So then these guys at Super Deluxe saw it and said, “Do you wanna do a series?” And you know Internet money, you can’t turn down Internet money. So we had to. It was either that or a sitcom on TV and we chose the Internet.

How many have you guys made?

Derek: 14.

Simon: Or 12 or something.

Derek: But we’re pretty sure we’re gonna do more.

Yeah, I think you guys are the first ones I’ve seen that actually have a set day each week when shit comes out. That’s really cool because at least it means it’s ready and waiting.

Derek: Yes, us and our friends  clarkandmichael.com. Yeah and we like all the ones we’ve done, but the one that just started, the one this week, the "Peanuts" one and the ones that are coming, we’re really, really excited 'cause they’re starting to become…

Linear?

Derek: Sort of, the past three were. Linear means story right?

Like sequential.

Derek: Some of them are, but the more recent ones there’s one that’s gonna be coming soon called "The Epic." It’s all about the episode where Simon was in character with his girlfriend and Bob Odenkirk was the teacher and they do that play. It’s a whole story of that night, me going to see their show, trying to get out of it, all this awesome stuff comes, Bob keeps name dropping that Chris Kattan's gonna show up, we don’t know, or care. [Laughs] That one is really really good.
 
So far my favorite one is “Baby Talk.” That’s brilliant. I keep showing it to people like, "This is a perfect short film. It’s so sharp man."

Derek: Oh thanks, man. That came from when I dated a girl that baby talked and I said how much I hated it.

Simon: So we weren’t even planning on shooting that one that day.

Derek: No, no, that girl was an extra and we asked if anyone could do a baby talk that sort of sounds deaf and she did it and all our buddies were great, like Jake Johnson, he’s the one with the moustache, he plays it so good, so believable.

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Is the whole cast basically that troupe?

Derek: Yeah, it’s me, Simon, Eric Edelstein, Eric Filiopkowski, Jake Johnson and then we have different people come in and out, guest stars and what-have-you. Michael Cera (Arrested Development, clarkandmichael.com) is gonna be in one coming up soon in an episode called “Sweet Tits.”

So how long does it take to do one?

Derek: Like 10 minutes. I mean, I don’t know.

Simon: That baby talk one was about a half hour at the most I think.

Derek: Yeah, Bob’s crazy and awesome and he likes to shoot Dogma style and we like to improvise. So a combination of a director who wants to shoot like that and actors who wanna improvise, it goes pretty quick.

Simon: The HBO pilot we shot in three days, which is really crazy for a big production to shoot a half hour of material. It was really fast, he works really fast.

Derek: Most of the time we’ll go to a place and shoot more than one story, like we’ll have a bar. If you look, the "Baby Talk" one’s in the same place as the one about piss. The beginning of a lot of them is at that bar.

Yeah I heard that’s the same way they do Reno, they just set up in a location and just fuckin’ kill it all day there.

Derek: Speaking of that, someone wrote a comment and asked if you were on Reno 911, have you replied to that yet?

Simon: I have not replied but the answer is yes. I was on two episodes of Reno 911.

Who were you on Reno, or what were you on Reno?

Derek: He’s the guy with the tight shorts.

Simon: I did two, one I was a guy who was turning 18 and my mom took me to Reno to help me lose my virginity with a prostitute. So she was buying me a hooker and then I get busted. In another one I was a drivers ed student who gets pulled over and they keep demanding to see my license and registration and I tell them that I don’t have it.

Derek: And those were all your ideas too.

Simon: Well, just the hooker one. Yeah the second one’s theirs, but that was really fun, they work the same way, they shoot it twice. Although we’ve started shooting more actually 'cause Bob shoots so fast and makes the scenes happen, like in the scenes we’re moving quickly too. He really wants energy, everything is about the energy and pace and the excitement. He’s a baller.

Derek: He’s awesome and it’s cool 'cause Simon and I grew up as Mr. Show fans so it’s a dream working with Bob of Bob and David.

How did you end up on Reno?

Simon: Derek and I both had done a bunch of other stuff and we’re out there auditioning and acting so that happened through an audition. I mean it’s great to work, but it’s also great to do things that you believe in and that you have some creative control over. So it’s been pretty relaxing to do Derek and Simon even though Bob is high strung and eccentric. It still feels like you have a whole bunch of stuff to lean on, everyone involved is there just 'cause they love doing it.

Derek: No one’s there 'cause they’re like “Oh, it’s good money.”

Derek, did I see you on Tim and Eric?

Derek: You did, for a split, split, small second.

Two seconds on screen and managed to scream, “Fuck you!” If I'm not mistaken.

Derek: Yeah, I screamed, “Fuck you.” They censored me, I was very offended. And my name was Chunky; I was offended by all that stuff. Those guys are awesome, I love that show.

That show is fucking amazing.

Derek: We shot a whole day of pranks that I was really excited to see. It was this parody show of Jackass called Dumbellz and it was all these different pranks but in the show everything they do is 20 seconds long and cut, cut, cut, really fast. We know those guys 'cause of Bob.

Yeah I was wondering, it seemed somewhat related because of Bob.

Derek: But Eric actually used to live in my hometown in Baltimore.

That is small world stuff.

Derek: That is small world.

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What are you guys doing now if you guys finished up fourteen episodes already?

Derek: Well we might do more; Simon’s doing a real show.

Oh, what’s the real show?

Simon: I’m gonna be doing a sitcom called The Big Bang Theory which is gonna be on CBS on Mondays at 8:30, starting in the fall.

You had that already.

Simon: Oh I know, I’ve been following that time slot, looking for a show that had the possibility of me appearing on it. So yeah it’s good, it’s really funny, I’m excited to do that and I think we can still do Derek and Simon at the same time.

I kind of burned through all my questions, anything else you guys wanna bring up?

Derek: Yeah, someone should put this show on TV.

That would be good. Where would you want it, Adult Swim?

Derek: Adult Swim could be great.

Simon: It would be great on HBO, I still think. It was sort of a timing issue when we were there, but I don’t know if…

Well maybe it’s just a matter of them seeing you have so much material and it kind of clicking.

Derek: I would also like to include that anyone who watches our show, comment on the site about it. Because, now people just judge crap on how many views you get, even if it sucks - like some guy getting hit in the nuts. Two million people watch it and there’s proof of it on YouTube, but on our site there’s no proof of how many people have seen it except for the comments.

Oh, so you want everyone to leave comments?

Derek: Yeah, even if they think it sucks.

Just say something basically.

Derek: Or if they just say hi. I’m a human being and I can type.

I’m real dammit!

Derek: I’m real! Simon do you wanna add anything?

Simon: I’m just in the middle of watching Forrest Gump on TNT.

Derek: Is that movie good?

How does it hold up?

Derek: I heard it’s a sad ending.

I hear he ends up being retarded.

Simon: So far I’ve seen just out of the corner of my eye, I mean Hanks always delivers.

Derek: He's got the goods. So was that a good interview? Did it come across that we're acting on the show? That we're not just being "us"?

Simon: We’re both married; we both have three kids.

Aw, you’re family types.

Derek: We’re family men.

That’s good.

Derek: We’re both in our thirties.

Well before we go, do you have any stories of anything you’ve ever done when you thought, this is it, I’m gonna die?

Derek: Oh, god I have a lot.

Simon: Yeah, I feel like that’s every moment of my life is thinking I’m gonna die.

That’s a terrifying way to live.

Simon: Yeah, yeah it keeps me feeling dangerous.

Derek: I think when I saw the Spin Doctors open up for Soul Asylum, I thought I was gonna die.

Simon: Yeah, I saw that same show and I actually did pass away for a minute and a half, reportedly.

Derek: Did you ever think you were gonna die, Simon?

Simon: Yeah, yeah. Mostly mine involve deranged homeless people that are aggressively walking towards me. I think homeless people are always after me - I make eye contact with them. I’m not trying to disparage homeless people but I have had crazy encounters with people in the street.

Derek: Has a guy ever swung at you on the street?

Simon: No, but a guy did pretend to stab a friend of mine once on the promenade in Santa Monica as a joke, like he was with his friends and ran up and pretended to pull out a knife and stab my friend and I immediately ran, actually I think I peed a little bit and then I started to run. How about you, have you had anything?

Derek: I’m trying to think, I’m trying to relate to homeless people attacking me. [eating noises]

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What are you eating?

Derek: Oh, I’m sorry, it’s rude.

No I’m just starving. I’m jealous.

Derek: It’s carrots and hummus.

God, you are in L.A. You’re absolutely in L.A.

Derek: Not to brag. I’m able to testify, I’m not healthy at all.

Simon: That is a very uncharacteristic meal for him.

Derek: It’s weird that I’m eating carrots and hummus.

Simon: They’re not carrots and hummus flavored Doritos?

Derek: No.

I want those.

Derek: I do have Ruffles on the side, you were right. I have Ruffles and carrots, I’m balancing; I’m balancing protons and neutrons.
 
Simon: [laughs] Protons and neutrons.

Derek: I guess I got in a car accident once, I thought I was gonna die. But, I don’t know if I can think of a good story.

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Well, it’s alright. Sometimes I feel bad for putting people on the spot.

Derek: Yeah, you’re making me depressed.

I know, right? Maybe we should just end here.




Website
www.superdeluxe.com


Photos
Steve Agee

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