Hacks co-creator Paul W. Downs is talking about his recent face-off with Andy Cohen. The two had an awkward but funny moment on Watch What Happens Live after Cohen brought up a joke made about him on the HBO show. It’s clear this interaction was memorable for Paul W. Downs fans.
Paul W. Downs addresses Andy Cohen’s Hacks joke confrontation and the ‘lawyers’ comment
The joke appeared in an earlier episode of Hacks. Jean Smart’s character, Deborah Vance, joked about turning down Andy Cohen “more than every twink on Fire Island.” Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky wrote the joke. Later, when Downs and Meg Stalter appeared on Cohen’s show on August 11, Cohen decided to ask Downs about it.
Paul W. Downs told E! News on August 13, “I can’t believe he went there.” And he added, “All I have to say is my lawyers don’t want me speaking about it because we are taking action.”
However, Downs said there were no hard feelings between them. He actually praised Cohen for taking the joke well. “He was so fun,” Downs said. “The only reason we name-check anybody is because we know they have a sense of humor and we’re fond of them. They’re in the Hacks family in that way.”
Meanwhile, Downs explained that the cast often adds its own jokes while filming. First, they perform the scene as written. Then, they do another take where they can improvise and have fun. “We always do it scripted first, we always do the lines as written,” Downs explained. “But then we always do a fun run and don’t really plan. We try and serve and respond in kind and it just works.”
Statsky also praised Downs and Stalter for their natural chemistry and quick responses, saying some of the show’s funniest moments come from their unscripted interactions. As a result, Paul W. Downs continues to earn acclaim for his spontaneous comedic style.
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