Q&A | Judd Apatow tries real-life funny in 'Funny People'

Writer-director Judd Apatow has been going city to city to talk about "Funny People," his third movie as a director after "The 40-Year-Old Virgin"and "Knocked Up."

The film about superstar stand-up comedian George Simmons (Adam Sandler) and his protégé Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) contains most of the hallmarks of an Apatow movie: realistically lowbrow guy talk; a large comic ensemble; supporting roles for Apatow regulars including Jonah Hill, Ken Jeong and Apatow's wife, Leslie Mann.

But there's also an unexpected serious and contemplative side to this movie — particularly Sandler's lonely, depressed character.

"Funny People," which opens Friday with some midnight screenings Thursday, also explores the areas of stand-up comedy where other movies fear to tread, including an almost documentary style of shooting in the clubs.

Q: How important was it for the comedy club parts in the movie to look right?

A: It was important for all of us that the stand-up be portrayed accurately, because it almost never has been in movies. So we brought in real crowds, and we shot five or six cameras, and whatever happened, happened. I didn't shoot Seth without a crowd and then shoot the crowd and then construct it. Everyone just did sets. ...

Q: Did unexpected things happen?

A: One night Adam said, "I want to do something with a piano tonight. Maybe I'll improvise a song." This whole song that he sings in the middle of the movie, he just made up on the spot. It's so sad and demented and funny. ... That's what I was hoping would happen.

Q: Did you have a George Simmons to help you during your stand-up days?

A: I had a lot of George Simmonses. There were a lot of comedians who mentored me. I don't know if they thought that's what they were doing. You would just hang out with older comedians, and they were nice and would give you advice.

Q: What was the best advice you got?

A: That it would take seven years to become a good stand-up comedian. I think that was from Jerry Seinfeld. ... I was writing jokes for comedians to pay my rent, because I wasn't making any money doing stand-up. So I started selling jokes, and that turned into longer-term gigs writing people's acts with them. I wrote Roseanne's act for a year.

Q: Did Roseanne have a dark side?

A: Everyone was very nice to me. That's why it took me a long time to come up with the story for "Funny People." Because I actually had to fabricate a much nastier character than anyone I knew. Roseanne was just great to me. I wrote her jokes, and she bought me a Rolex one Christmas. I had no complaints.

Q: Your kids are in "Funny People."Are they allowed to see "Funny People"?

A: I asked the editor to cut out everything bad in the movie that my 11-year-old can't see. So I have to look at it and see if it's OK.

Q: All that will be left is the James Taylor song and the 30 seconds where George meets his parents.

A: Yeah, we'll have to see. I think she can handle the cursing, but I don't want my daughter to know sex exists.