(Continued...)

So when Radar asked me to do this interview, I was like, "This is great," because I feel like I have a kinship with you guys because you're doing a sketch show on MTV and obviously I did a sketch show on MTV. But then I was reading some of your interviews and a lot of people ask you what your influences are and you never mention The State. And I just wanted to know what was up with that.
SCHEER: Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa!

This is your opportunity to just be honest, and if you didn't like it, you can say so.
HUEBEL: Dude, first of all, we're big fans of The State. We never meant to hurt your feelings. It sounds like we accidentally hurt your feelings, and we didn't mean to do that. We're big fans of The State. We always assumed that it was implied that—

"I was told this was going to be a fucking candy interview, and now you're gonna come in my face?"Why would you assume that?
HUEBEL: Well, because you guys were on MTV. We're a family. We're part of the MTV comedy family now.
SCHEER: And to do an interview and say that you love your father ... I mean, everyone knows that. You have to. That's your family.

But don't you think your father would appreciate you saying that?
HUEBEL: Look, Dad, first of all, you know that we love you and we respect you. There's just not enough time to list all of our influences.

You only said two. You said Mr. Show and Saturday Night Live.
SCHEER: I think we should turn this on the reporters. A lot of reporters will excise those comments. I know I always start off saying, "My influences were The State and Stella," and they cut it out.

Wait. Is that true, Paul?
ANSARI: I say, specifically, "Michael Showalter was a big influence," and it gets cut out.
HUEBEL: I say that, too. You know, when people ask me, "Who has influenced you more than anybody?" I say, "Showalter." And they say, "Oh, sounds like you're sucking up," and then they don't print it.

Now I just feel like you guys are patronizing me.
HUEBEL: We're not!

You're obviously making a big joke out of it, and what I'm trying to say is I don't understand why it is that when people ask "What are your influences in sketch comedy," no one ever says The State.
HUEBEL: Look, man. It seems like we're all yelling at each other now and part of it just has to do with the fact that it was a long time ago.
SCHEER: Where the fuck is our publicist? Where is our publicist right now? I don't want to fucking deal with this bullshit!
ANSARI: Jordan! Where's that Radar editor? Get back on the phone! What the fuck?
SCHEER: I was told this was going to be a fucking candy interview, and now you're gonna come in my face? Come on, man!
HUEBEL: I'm driving right now, and I'm swerving all over the highway.
ANSARI: Fucking bait and switch. You come on here, and you're like, "Oh, I know how it is. You get asked the same questions all the time." And now we're getting fucked in the ass!
HUEBEL: This is like a Michael Moore interview.
SCHEER: This is exactly the reason why we don't say we like The State, because you guys fucking try to sabotage us.
HUEBEL: I knew this would happen. I told you guys.
ANSARI: You were right. You were right.

Would any of you care to answer the larger question, then? When people list sketch comedy influences, why do they never mention The State? Now be honest. Maybe I'm being presumptuous, but it seems like there are comparisons to be made.
ANSARI:Because The State is not on DVD—that's why we've started a petition to put The State on DVD.

I'm asking you guys to be honest with me, and now you're evading the question.
SCHEER: I'll tell you right now that every article compares us. They call us "The next State." And that's something that, Huebel, I know you take great offense at.
HUEBEL: I'm offended by that because we don't have nearly the number of members in our group that you guys had. So to compare us, it's like comparing apples and oranges. You guys had no less than 35 people in your sketch group. We have three people in our sketch group. Each one of us ...

I thought there were four. How would your director [Jason Woliner] feel about the fact that you just left him out?
HUEBEL: Okay. Four.
SCHEER: Three on camera.
HUEBEL: Three on camera. The point is that, mathematically, each of us is doing the work of ten men to equal The State sketch show. It's a lot of work, man. I don't think you appreciate what we're trying to do here.

You guys have writers. Rob, you have writers?
HUEBEL: Yeah, we do. But for me, do you know the pressure that I'm under to go out there?

Why am I getting attacked? I feel like I'm the one whose feelings were hurt, but I'm the one being attacked.
HUEBEL: But we have nothing but respect for you. You are one of the biggest names in Hollywood, and we would not besmirch the good name—
SCHEER: Definitely not besmirch.
HUEBEL: We would never besmirch the name of Michael Showalter.

I'm giving you one final opportunity to answer the question honestly, and then I'm gonna drop it.
SCHEER: Well, Aziz wasn't even born when The State was on TV.
ANSARI: Yeah, I mean, honestly, I was too young, and we didn't get MTV. I was in South Carolina, and we didn't get MTV.

I give up! I give up! Because they say Kids in the Hall, they say Monty Python ...
ANSARI: I didn't watch Kids in the Hall either.

What about Mr. Show?
ANSARI: I've seen Mr. Show a bunch, but I haven't seen much TV. I mean, I didn't get MTV in South Carolina, and I was too young.
SCHEER: I actually have a VHS tape that has Eddie Murphy on The Arsenio Hall Show and three episodes of The State that is still in my closet right now.
HUEBEL: Enough about that. Let me ask you a question: I want to know about some behind-the-scenes gossip of Wet Hot American Summer. I want to know who was fucking who on that movie.

I can't even go there. When you're interviewing me, you can ask me that question.
HUEBEL: Okay, well, we're gonna go now. We appreciate it, Showalter.
SCHEER: Yeah, thanks so much for doing this, Michael. We'd love to do your show when we're all in New York.
ANSARI: Yeah, um ... bye.

READ MORE
• Rob Corddry is Coming of Age
• Radar Goes Clubbing with the Sons of Hollywood
• Today's Top Stories