Q&A with Joel McHale: He learned the art of snarkiness in Seattle

It's the wrong day for a scheduled interview with Joel McHale, and we've accidentally caught him on his cellphone, fresh off a plane and waiting at a baggage carousel at the Burbank airport. He affably agrees to chat anyway; we decide that spontaneity and frequent travel-related interruptions will lend a certain celebrity-jet-setting air to the conversation.

"That way my answers will be disjointed and odd," he says, then, gleefully, "heeere comes the luggage!"

You may recognize McHale, 34, from the cast of Seattle's now-defunct sketch comedy show, "Almost Live!," or as the office jerk in those Burger King commercials. But he's reached cult status as the snarky host of "The Soup" on E!, where he regularly pokes fun at Oprah, reality television, commercials and celebrities, with the occasional affectionate shout-out to Seattle ("Extra Access Report La-De-Dah Gaylord Perry On The Mound For The Mariners"). "The Soup" airs at 10 p.m. Fridays on E!, with frequent reruns.

In honor of "The Soup's" momentous 103rd episode this Friday, Mercer Island native and UW grad McHale told us why he hates "Grey's Anatomy." Among other things.

Q: Are you a fan of reality television?

A: No. I am a fan of good television. "The Real World" and "Big Brother" drive me insane. "Big Brother," I can't believe people watch. It's just people whispering to each other for hours and then some silly challenge like, who can pull the most stones out of a stuffed alligator, with some product tie-in.

Q: And yet, what would "The Soup" be without VH1's "Flavor of Love"?

A: That is one of the most morally bankrupt shows on television. ... There is an amount of enjoyment in making fun of [reality shows]. I feel like I'm doing a service to everyone. And also, it's stuff you would never see — we'll watch Suzanne Somers' QVC show because it is awesome. It's fishing with a gigantic net on that show.

Q: What do you consider good television?

A: I'll watch "Dog the Bounty Hunter." I like "American Idol" because it's an actual talent contest. I love "Lost," "24," "Battlestar Galactica." I LOVE "Battlestar Galactica" ... Most women are like, "I don't want to see 'Battlestar Galactica.' " I can't get my wife to do it. We tried, and it was like trying to get her to play the Xbox 360.

Q: What about "Grey's Anatomy"?

A: I hate that show. That show is a joke. It's a soap opera shot on a film set. So they kill a guy with a heart problem so he can get a heart first, and all the cute doctors are in on it. And then of course, very plausible, the doctor carrying the heart is shot in the parking lot outside the ER. So what does the head of the hospital do? He says, "I want you to go home and put on a ball gown or a tux, and we're going to have a prom right here at the hospital for a sick girl." That's a show? That's it.

Q: But it's set in Seattle.

A: Of course. Oh my Lord. How can you defend that show? The Burbank airport is the greatest airport in the world, by the way. Sea-Tac is so bad. I don't know what they're doing there, but the security lines are unbelievable.

Q: As a UW grad, have you been following the Huskies' football season?

A: I'm a huge Huskies/Sonics/Seahawks/Mariners fan. I played football for the Huskies. It was great to see them beat UCLA. If Huskies men's basketball is good at the same time as football, that is a sign of the apocalypse. It seems like this could be the year.

Q: Do you get recognized a lot? What do people say to you?

A: They're like, 'Hey, are you a male model? Oh, you host 'The Soup.' When I was on "Almost Live!," I was recognized all the time. People like John Keister, Nancy Guppy, Pat Cashman really taught me how to be a comedian, how to be on television. I have to give each of them one of my children. We've decided to become Mormons to compensate.

Q: So why are we celebrating "The Soup's" 103rd episode instead of the 100th?

A: It's a joke. It's not very funny, apparently. Yes, it will be special.

Pamela Sitt: 206-464-2376 or psitt@seattletimes.com