| There’s no live studio audience prompted to guffaw by flashing studio signs. There’s no repetitive set-up-line-followed-by-a-put-down-gag rhythm. In other words, Showcase’s original comedy series Naked Josh is not a sitcom. This came as great relief to Canadian actor David Julian Hirsh who plays the title role.
"They are not really writing jokes," Hirsh says of the Naked Josh scribes. "It’s not about punchlines, it’s more about the situations he (Josh) finds himself in and how he gets out of them."
Naked Josh tells the story of Josh Gould, a young, Oxford-trained professor who returns to his hometown of Montreal to teach a sex-based anthropology class. But, while he is quite proficient at talking about sex in the classroom, this prof is not as great at applied knowledge, as his hit-and-miss dating life makes clear. The series also prominently features Eric (Andrew Tarbet), Josh’s libido-driven roommate, Hunter (Krista Bridges), a complicated unrequited love from Josh’s college days, and Natalie (Sarah Smyth), Josh’s ambitious research assistant.
A show that deals with dating and sex issues with four main characters, one more prominent than the other three, can easily get one thinking this is a Sex and the City knock-off. Even some statements in the Naked Josh promotional material draw parallels to HBO’s long-running hit.
The star of the Showcase series cringes at the thought of constant comparisons.
"I hate to compare the shows, because they are so completely different," says Hirsh. "The only way I really see the two shows as being the same is New York is as essential to that show as Montreal is crucial to ours. The city’s like another character, almost."
This is just fine with Montreal native Hirsh. "Shooting in Montreal is the most incredible thing," says the actor, who now lives in L.A. "It’s ironic, because the character in the show is going back to his hometown to teach and I was going back to my hometown to work as an actor."
Hirsh appreciates the distinctive attitude Quebec’s largest city brings to the series. "It’s really a city where people work to live, as opposed to live to work," he says. "People will have a bottle of wine with lunch. They are much freer and the dating scene is so different than, let’s say, Toronto."
Much to the up-and-coming actor’s delight, his working relationship with Montreal will continue. "We did eight episodes and Oxygen in the States is airing the show as well," he says. "Word just came out that we are getting a second season. It’s very exciting and I can’t wait. We will probably be shooting again in the fall."
Being renewed before the first episode even aired in mid-June speaks favourably for a show that is trying to redefine what a Canadian comedy series can be.
"I don’t know why they even mentioned Sex and the City in the (Naked Josh) press release," says Hirsh, going back to that comparison. "I feel you shouldn’t compare them, because then the audience is going to look at production values."
It’s Hirsh’s assertion that Canadian producers can make a unique international impact with low-budget shows like his. "Naked Josh is a good prototype," he says.
Naked Josh airs Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. and 11:38 p.m. on Showcase. |
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