'It's Always Sunny' Star Rob McElhenney Talks Mac Comg Out as Gay

Contents:

• IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILALPHIA DIDN'T ALWAYS PLAN TO MAKE MAC GAY
• 'IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY' STAR ROB MCELHENNEY TALKS DECISN TO MAKE MAC GAY
• GLENN HOWERTON ON LEAVG ‘ALWAYS SUNNY’: ‘IT’S TIME FOR THAT CHARACTER TO CHANGE’GOLDEN GODTHE MAN FORMERLY KNOWN AS DENNIS REYNOLDS ON ‘IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY PHILALPHIA’ OPENS UP ABOUT LEAVG THAT CHARACTER BEHD AND STARTG ANEW WH NBC’S ‘A.P. B.’MARLOW STERNUPDATED MAR. 20, 2019 4:09PM EDT / PUBLISHED MAR. 22, 2018 4:50AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEASTATLANTA — FET MAC’S ABSURD WEIGHT GA, THE META SANY OF LETHAL WEAPON 5, OR GUILLERMO L TORO’S TURN AS GLASS-EYED PAPPY MCPOYLE. THE MOST SHOCKG MOMENT IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY PHILALPHIA HISTORY ME DURG THE SEASON 12 FALE WHEN, AS THE GANG ALL SHOOK THEIR BUTTS ALONG TO MALOW MAC’S “COUNTY JAIL,” DENNIS HAD A REVELATN: I N’T DO ANY OF THIS SH ANYMORE. I’M LEAVG. I’M GONNA GO BE A DAD. AND JT LIKE THAT: DENNIS REYNOLDS QU THE GANG.  THE SUDN PARTURE OF DENNIS, PLAYED TO CREEPY PERFECTN BY GLENN HOWERTON, LEFT SUNNY FANS WH PLENTY OF UNANSWERED QUTNS. IS THE DIVORCE PERMANENT OR WILL HE BE BACK? WHY DID HE LEAVE? DID HAVE TO DO WH HIS NEW SERI, A.P. B? AFTER ALL, HOWERTON NOT ONLY STARRED AS DENNIS, BUT ALSO SERVED AS A WRER AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ON THE LONG-NNG FXX S. I’M SEATED ACROSS OM HOWERTON AT THE FOUR SEASONS ATLANTA. HE’S HERE WH THE ST AND CREW OF A.P. B FOR ATVFT, A TELEVISN FTIVAL HOSTED BY SCAD, WHERE THE NBC SHOW IS HAVG S WORLD PREMIERE. CREATED BY SNL WRER MIKE O’BRIEN AND PRODUCED BY SNL’S LORNE MICHAELS AND SETH MEYERS, HOWERTON STARS AS JACK GRIFF, A BIG-HEAD HARVARD PHILOSOPHY SCHOLAR WHO, AFTER LOSG OUT ON A CHY PROFSORSHIP, IS FORCED TO MOVE BACK TO TOLEDO AND TEACH HIGH SCHOOL A.P. B. THERE, THE SCHOOL’S PHOVER PRCIPAL (PATTON OSWALT) AND HIS NOT-SO-IMPRSNABLE STUNTS CLASH WH JACK, WHO SEEMS FAR MORE TERTED TRYG TO GET LAID THAN IMPARTG KNOWLEDGE. THE DAILY BEAST SAT DOWN WH HOWERTON AT ATVFT TO DISCS HIS NEW SHOW, WHY HE WALKED AWAY OM ALWAYS SUNNY, AND MUCH MORE. THERE’S A HECK OF A TEAM BEHD A.P. B, WH LORNE MICHAELS AND SETH MEYERS ON AS PRODUCERS AND MIKE O’BRIEN AS CREATOR. IS THAT WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE SHOW? IT WAS ALL OF . THE FIRST THG WAS THE SCRIPT. I WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN TERTED IF I HADN’T READ THE SCRIPT AND LOVED , SO THAT BED WH THE FACT THAT I WAS FAIAR WH MIKE’S WORK ON SNL AND WAS A FAN OF HIS, AND THEN OF URSE HAVG LORNE AND SETH VOLVED, PECIALLY MEETG WH LORNE AND TALKG ABOUT , I FELT HE WAS GOG TO PROTECT THE TEGRY OF THE SHOW AND THAT WE WERE GOG TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SOMETHG THAT FELT DIFFERENT. “LOOK, ’S GOG TO BE HARD FOR PEOPLE TO SEE ME AS ANYTHG OTHER THAN DENNIS. THAT’S THE BLSG AND THE CURSE OF PLAYG A CHARACTER LIKE THIS.”— GLENN HOWERTON WHAT REASSURANC DID LORNE GIVE YOU? WH SOMEBODY OF HIS STAT AND SOMEONE WHO’S AS BY AS HE IS, I DON’T TST THAT THEY’RE GOG TO ACTUALLY BE THAT VOLVED. AND I DON’T KNOW LORNE. HE’S GOT A GREAT REPUTATN, PEOPLE LIKE HIM, AND HE’S DONE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT STUFF, BUT AGA, YOU NEVER KNOW. BUT WHEN HE WAS TALKG ABOUT , HE HAD SUCH AN TELLIGENT TAKE ON WHAT THE SHOW IS, WHY HE LIKED , WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS FUNNY ABOUT , AND WHY HE LIKED ME FOR THE ROLE. IT MA ME FEEL FORTABLE THAT WE WERE ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT WHAT MAK THE SHOW FUNNY, WHAT MAK TICK. KNOWG THAT HE AND I WERE ON THE SAME PAGE CREATIVELY, AND HIM ASSURG ME THAT, OM A BS STANDPOT, HE WAS GOG TO FIGHT AS HARD AS HE ULD TO MAKE THE SHOW THAT I ACTUALLY READ AND THAT WOULDN’T BE WATERED DOWN, THAT WAS REASSURG. AND THAT’S NOT A MENT ON NBC, THAT’S A MENT ON WHAT N HAPPEN TO ANY SHOW AT ANY WORK IF YOU DON’T HAVE CREATIVE NTROL. THGS N GET PHED A DIRECTN THAT IS NOT WHAT ORIGALLY MA GREAT.WAS DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO SURRENR CREATIVE NTROL AND GIVE YOURSELF OVER TO SOMEONE ELSE’S PROJECT? YOU’VE HAD SUCH A BIG HAND ALL THGS SUNNY. IT WAS EXTREMELY SRY, AND THAT’S WHY WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO TALK TO LORNE ABOUT AND TO S DOWN WH MIKE A UPLE OF TIM. AFTER MEETG WH THEM, I FELT THAT I ULD RELQUISH NTROL AND LET THEM STEER THE SHIP. IN TALKG WH MIKE, HE HAS SUCH A NFINCE ABOUT HIS SENSIBILY AND WHAT HE WANTED TO ACPLISH. IT’S IMPORTANT TO ME THAT IF I’M NOT GOG TO BE NTROL, I NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE NTROL WHO HAS STRONG OPNS—EVEN IF WE DISAGREE. AND SOMETIM WE DID. BUT I WAS HAPPY TO DISAGREE WH SOMEONE LIKE MIKE BEE HE WAS LLABORATIVE, TOOK MY OPNS VERY SERLY, AND STOOD HIS GROUND. I LIKE THAT. THE CHARACTERS—JACK GRIFF ON A.P. B AND DENNIS REYNOLDS ON SUNNY—ARE SIAR THAT THEY’RE BOTH LEGENDS THEIR OWN MDS. THAT’S A PERFECT WAY OF PUTTG : LEGENDS THEIR OWN MDS. INIALLY, MY GOAL WAS TO GO OUT AND DO SOMETHG PLETELY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I WAS DOG ON SUNNY, BEE ’S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO EXPRS MYSELF CREATIVELY AS AN ACTOR A VARIETY OF WAYS. FARGO WAS A EDIC CHARACTER, BUT A PLETELY DIFFERENT EDIC CHARACTER. IN MANY WAYS, THIS CHARACTER ON A.P. B DIDN’T F THE MANDATE THAT I ORIGALLY SET OUT TO DO, BUT WAS JT SO GOOD. IT FELT LIKE I PUT ON A SU THAT WAS ALREADY TAILORED TO MY BODY. IT WAS EXACTLY MY SENSE OF HUMOR, AND I ULDN’T SAY NO. THE TEMPTATN WAS TOO STRONG. DID TURNG 40 HAVE ANYTHG TO DO WH ? WHERE YOU MAYBE THOUGHT ABOUT NEEDG A CHANGE YOUR REER AND WALKG AWAY OM SUNNY?IT’S POSSIBLE THAT HAD SOMETHG TO DO WH . I NEVER HAD ANY “I’M TURNG 40” KD OF CRISIS OR ANYTHG. I N’T THK OF A MORE CREATIVELY SATISFYG JOB THAN IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY PHILALPHIA. I GOT TO EXPRS MYSELF CREATIVELY WAYS THAT I NEVER THOUGHT I ULD—OR WOULD. I NEVER SET OUT TO BE A WRER OR EVEN A PRODUCER, AND TO GET TO CREATE SOMETHG WHOLE CLOTH LIKE WE DID WH SUNNY WAS AN ABSOLUTE DREAM, AND TO HAVE PEOPLE RPOND TO THE WAY THEY DID. WE MA SOMETHG VERY PURE; WAS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANTED TO MAKE.SO WHY DID YOU LEAVE? I THK AFTER BEG ON THE SHOW FOR 12 YEARS, ’S NOT A KNOCK ON SUNNY, YOU JT WANT TO BRANCH OUT AND DO OTHER THGS. I SAW OTHER PEOPLE GOG OFF AND DOG OTHER THGS. THE THG THAT MAK DIFFICULT, FOR ME, IS THAT I STGGLE TO INTIFY AS A EDY ACTOR BEE I NEVER SET OUT TO BE A EDY ACTOR. SO SOMETIM I CLASH WH MY OLD SELF THAT WANTED TO BE AN ACTOR THAT DO ALL KDS OF ROL. THE YOUNGER VERSN OF MYSELF IS NSTANTLY NFLICT WH THE VERSN OF MYSELF THAT BEME KNOWN FOR THIS ONE CHARACTER AND KNOWN SPECIFILLY FOR EDY. I LOVE EDY AND THK I HAVE A KNACK FOR , BUT ’S…WEIRD. ORIGALLY, I WANTED TO DO DRAMA. SO WASN’T NECSARILY TURNG 40, BUT I THK WAS JT CHANGG AND VELOPG AS A PERSON, AND WANTG TO DO NEW THGS. I’M A LONGTIME ALWAYS SUNNY VIEWER, SO I’M CUR HOW YOU ALL ARRIVED AT THE IA OF DENNIS LEAVG THE GANG?   YOU KNOW… THERE WAS A REVELATORY MOMENT THAT WE HAD SHOOTG SEASON 11 WHERE WE HAD MAC E OUT OF THE CLOSET DURG THE CISE-SHIP EPISO, AND BY THE END OF THAT TWO-PART EPISO HE GO BACK . WE WANTED HIM TO GENUELY E OUT OF THE CLOSET, AND THEN ONCE HE ULD JTIFY GOG BACK , HE WENT STRAIGHT BACK . I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WAS FUNNY—AND NTUE TO THK ’S FUNNY—BEE ’S SO… SAD. THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HOLD THEMSELV TO A RELIG STANDARD AND TO A SOCIETAL STANDARD THAT THEY SADLY NO LONGER REALLY HAVE TO HOLD THEMSELV TO, BUT THEY FEEL THIS PRSURE TO. IN MAC’S SE, HE FEELS THIS PRSURE TO [NFORM] BEE HE HAS SOMETHG AGAST BEG GAY AND HE DON’T WANT TO BE GAY.WH MAC SEEMS LIKE ’S DUE TO HIS RELIG HANG-UPS. IT IS MOSTLY A RELIG THG. AND FOR AS AWFUL AS OUR CHARACTERS ARE, WE’RE ALWAYS ENURAGG HIM TO E OUT OF THE CLOSET, BEE WE DON’T RE IF HE’S GAY OR NOT. WE ALL ALREADY KNOW AND DON’T GIVE A SH. IN PURE SUNNY FASHN, OUR SP ON THAT IS, “LOOK DU, WE DISLIKE YOU EHER WAY. THE FACT THAT WE DISLIKE YOU HAS NOTHG TO DO WH WHETHER YOU’RE GAY OR NOT, HAS TO DO WH YOUR PERSONALY.” BUT ALL THAT IS TO SAY, WE GOT QUE A BIG REACTN OM THE FANS, WHICH WE LISTENED TO, AND I THK WAS IMPORTANT, ULTIMATELY, TO HAVE HIM E OUT OF THE CLOSET BEE I THK WAS IMPORTANT TO SEND THAT MSAGE TO THE MUNY, AND WE ALSO WANTED TO CHANGE THGS UP AND PUT NEW OBSTACL THE CHARACTERS’ LIV, BOTH TO KEEP THGS TERTG FOR OURSELV AND THE DIENCE. PART OF THAT WAS HAVG DENNIS LEAVE AT THE END OF SEASON 12. WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHG A LTLE B DIFFERENT, A LTLE B SHOCKG, AND ALSO HAVE A BIG, EMOTNAL MOMENT. DID HAVE TO DO WH THE CULTURAL CLIMATE AT ALL? DENNIS IS A CHARACTER WHO, BEE OF THE CHAOS AND MSS OF THE SHOW, GETS AWAY WH A LOT. HE’S SENTIALLY A RAPEY, PICKUP ARTIST-TYPE WHEN DOWN TO . UMM… I DO THK THAT ’S TIME FOR THAT CHARACTER TO CHANGE. I THK HE HAS TO CHANGE. IT WAS NEVER REALLY ACCEPTABLE THE WAY HE BEHAVED, AND NOW ’S EVEN LS SO TERMS OF HOW YOU ACTUALLY N’T GET AWAY WH ANYMORE. BEFORE, YOU ULD KD OF GET AWAY WH AND SKATE BY, BUT YOU N’T SKATE BY ANYMORE—AND I THK THAT’S A REALLY GOOD THG. YOU SHOULDN’T BE ABLE TO BEHAVE THAT WAY. AND FOR PEOPLE THAT UNRSTAND OUR SHOW, WAS ALWAYS OUR TENTN TO SHOW THAT HE DON’T EVER GET AWAY WH THIS BEHAVR. HE’S NOT JAIL BUT HE NEVER WS, HE NEVER SUCCEEDS, HE’S NEVER GLORIFIED. HE DO SEEM FAIRLY MISERABLE. I THK HE’S MAYBE TOO NARCISSISTIC TO BE MISERABLE. HE’S ANGRY, FIANT, AND PETULANT, BUT I DON’T THK HE’S SAD OR ANYTHG. WHY DO YOU THK YOU’RE SO GOOD AT PLAYG THE VAGLOR CHARACTERS WHO ARE, LIKE WE SAID BEFORE, LEGENDS THEIR OWN MDS?YOU KNOW WHAT? I LIKE TO THK THAT REAL LIFE, AS A PERSON, I STRIVE TO BE GOOD, TRY TO BE AWARE OF THE EFFECT I HAVE ON PEOPLE AROUND ME, AND TRY TO BE A SOCIALLY-NSC PERSON. I’M FASCATED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT THAT WAY; PEOPLE WHO DON’T GIVE A SH ABOUT ANYBODY BUT THEMSELV. A LOT OF EDY OM ANGER, TOO. THE IC MD, WE HAVE A TENNCY TO OBSERVE WHAT GO ON THE WORLD AND NEED TO MENT ON ; THERE’S A BURNG SIRE TO VENT. IF WE DIDN’T HAVE THAT OUTLET, WE’D BE ANGRY PEOPLE ALL THE TIME. SO I HAVE TO SKEWER , SATIRIZE AND FD THE EDY JT TO SURVIVE, BEE I GET REALLY UPSET BY PEOPLE WHO ARE PLETELY SELF-CENTERED AND NARCISSISTIC. IT’S TERTG, THEN, TO TRY TO GET SI THE HEAD OF SOMEONE WHO DON’T GIVE A SH ABOUT ANYBODY BUT THEMSELV AND TRY TO FD OUT WHAT’S FUNNY ABOUT THAT. IT’S A RELEASE VALVE FOR ME. BUT I DON’T KNOW WHY I’M GOOD AT . FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE, I THK THAT I’VE POSSIBLY HAD SOME ANGER ISSU, AND I FEEL I N LET OUT THROUGH THE CHARACTERS.ONE OF THE THGS I’VE ALWAYS ENJOYED ABOUT SUNNY IS ALL THE REAL-LIFE UPL ON THE SHOW. THERE’S ROB AND KAL, CHARLIE AND MARY ELIZABETH (AKA “THE WARS”), AND YOU AND JILL, WHO APPEARED AS YOUR VICTIM THE FAMO “D.E.N.N.I.S. SYSTEM” EPISO. CHARLIE AND MARY ELIZABETH WERE TOGETHER BEFORE THE SHOW STARTED, ROB MET KAL ON THE SHOW, AND JILL AND I WERE ALREADY TOGETHER. WE’D BEEN DATG AT THAT POT FOR TWO YEARS. I’D WANTED TO DO WH HER, BEE AS A PERSON I FELT WEIRD ABOUT DOG THAT WH SOMEONE ELSE—AND NOT DOG WH AN ACTRS THAT FULLY TSTS ME. THE OTHER REASON, TOO, IS THAT WE FELT LIKE SHE WAS RIGHT FOR THE PART BEE SHE’S SO FUNNY AND SMART, SO I DIDN’T REALLY WANT TO DO WH ANYBODY ELSE.HAVE YOU TWO RE-WATCHED THE EPISO RECENTLY? [LGHS] I HAVEN’T SEEN A VERY LONG TIME. IT WOULD FELY BE STRANGE TO SEE TODAY.PLAYG AN INIC EDY CHARACTER LIKE DENNIS REYNOLDS, DID YOU FD DIFFICULT TO BOOK OTHER GIGS? TO HAVE PEOPLE SEE YOU AS ANYTHG OTHER THAN DENNIS?  YOU KNOW, I DON’T KNOW IF I’VE LOST OUT GIGS BEE PEOPLE ULDN’T SEE ME AS ANYBODY OTHER THAN DENNIS. I SAY TO MY AGENTS A LOT, “I GET , ’S GOG TO BE HARD TO GET OUT OF THIS,” BUT THEN THEY SAY THAT WHEN THEY TALK TO PEOPLE THEY N TELL I’M A GOOD ACTOR. LOOK, ’S GOG TO BE HARD FOR PEOPLE TO SEE ME AS ANYTHG OTHER THAN DENNIS. THAT’S THE BLSG AND THE CURSE OF PLAYG A CHARACTER LIKE THIS. BUT I DON’T MD THAT CHALLENGE. I LOOK FORWARD TO SURPRISG PEOPLE WH WHAT I N DO. MARLOW STERN

IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILALPHIA DIDN'T ALWAYS PLAN TO MAKE MAC GAY

Of the rpective idsyncrasi of The Always Sunny Philalphia gang — such as Charlie beg illerate and Dennis beg a sexual predator — one of the funnier nng gags throughout the seri has been Mac’s latent homosexualy. In Wednday night’s “The Gang Group Dat, ” at one pot Dennis refers to Mac as “the gay one” and at another pot when he turns to Mac and tells him that he riv his self worth om “nvcg himself that he’s tough and straight, ” Mac fir back “I am tough.

Of urse, what mak the joke work is that Mac himself is probably the only one that don’t know that Mac is gay. If he were jt a guy stgglg to bottle up his homosexualy, that would jt be prsg, and a different kd of show.

But as a strict Catholic, Mac has reprsed his homosexualy so much that he don’t even unrstand his fatuatn wh badass tough guys is bee he wants to have sex wh them. FXX has renewed Always Sunny for two more seasons followg the 10th, which I n only assume will fally be the seri’ last, and I’m really hopg before ends we get an episo lled “Mac Realiz He’s Gay. ” Until then, I’ve put together this timele that outl Mac’s homosexualy as bubbl ever closer to the surface.

'IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY' STAR ROB MCELHENNEY TALKS DECISN TO MAKE MAC GAY

At this pot the seri, they probably didn’t yet have any tentn to make Mac gay.

GLENN HOWERTON ON LEAVG ‘ALWAYS SUNNY’: ‘IT’S TIME FOR THAT CHARACTER TO CHANGE’GOLDEN GODTHE MAN FORMERLY KNOWN AS DENNIS REYNOLDS ON ‘IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY PHILALPHIA’ OPENS UP ABOUT LEAVG THAT CHARACTER BEHD AND STARTG ANEW WH NBC’S ‘A.P. B.’MARLOW STERNUPDATED MAR. 20, 2019 4:09PM EDT / PUBLISHED MAR. 22, 2018 4:50AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEASTATLANTA — FET MAC’S ABSURD WEIGHT GA, THE META SANY OF LETHAL WEAPON 5, OR GUILLERMO L TORO’S TURN AS GLASS-EYED PAPPY MCPOYLE. THE MOST SHOCKG MOMENT IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY PHILALPHIA HISTORY ME DURG THE SEASON 12 FALE WHEN, AS THE GANG ALL SHOOK THEIR BUTTS ALONG TO MALOW MAC’S “COUNTY JAIL,” DENNIS HAD A REVELATN: I N’T DO ANY OF THIS SH ANYMORE. I’M LEAVG. I’M GONNA GO BE A DAD. AND JT LIKE THAT: DENNIS REYNOLDS QU THE GANG.  THE SUDN PARTURE OF DENNIS, PLAYED TO CREEPY PERFECTN BY GLENN HOWERTON, LEFT SUNNY FANS WH PLENTY OF UNANSWERED QUTNS. IS THE DIVORCE PERMANENT OR WILL HE BE BACK? WHY DID HE LEAVE? DID HAVE TO DO WH HIS NEW SERI, A.P. B? AFTER ALL, HOWERTON NOT ONLY STARRED AS DENNIS, BUT ALSO SERVED AS A WRER AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ON THE LONG-NNG FXX S. I’M SEATED ACROSS OM HOWERTON AT THE FOUR SEASONS ATLANTA. HE’S HERE WH THE ST AND CREW OF A.P. B FOR ATVFT, A TELEVISN FTIVAL HOSTED BY SCAD, WHERE THE NBC SHOW IS HAVG S WORLD PREMIERE. CREATED BY SNL WRER MIKE O’BRIEN AND PRODUCED BY SNL’S LORNE MICHAELS AND SETH MEYERS, HOWERTON STARS AS JACK GRIFF, A BIG-HEAD HARVARD PHILOSOPHY SCHOLAR WHO, AFTER LOSG OUT ON A CHY PROFSORSHIP, IS FORCED TO MOVE BACK TO TOLEDO AND TEACH HIGH SCHOOL A.P. B. THERE, THE SCHOOL’S PHOVER PRCIPAL (PATTON OSWALT) AND HIS NOT-SO-IMPRSNABLE STUNTS CLASH WH JACK, WHO SEEMS FAR MORE TERTED TRYG TO GET LAID THAN IMPARTG KNOWLEDGE. THE DAILY BEAST SAT DOWN WH HOWERTON AT ATVFT TO DISCS HIS NEW SHOW, WHY HE WALKED AWAY OM ALWAYS SUNNY, AND MUCH MORE. THERE’S A HECK OF A TEAM BEHD A.P. B, WH LORNE MICHAELS AND SETH MEYERS ON AS PRODUCERS AND MIKE O’BRIEN AS CREATOR. IS THAT WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE SHOW? IT WAS ALL OF . THE FIRST THG WAS THE SCRIPT. I WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN TERTED IF I HADN’T READ THE SCRIPT AND LOVED , SO THAT BED WH THE FACT THAT I WAS FAIAR WH MIKE’S WORK ON SNL AND WAS A FAN OF HIS, AND THEN OF URSE HAVG LORNE AND SETH VOLVED, PECIALLY MEETG WH LORNE AND TALKG ABOUT , I FELT HE WAS GOG TO PROTECT THE TEGRY OF THE SHOW AND THAT WE WERE GOG TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SOMETHG THAT FELT DIFFERENT. “LOOK, ’S GOG TO BE HARD FOR PEOPLE TO SEE ME AS ANYTHG OTHER THAN DENNIS. THAT’S THE BLSG AND THE CURSE OF PLAYG A CHARACTER LIKE THIS.”— GLENN HOWERTON WHAT REASSURANC DID LORNE GIVE YOU? WH SOMEBODY OF HIS STAT AND SOMEONE WHO’S AS BY AS HE IS, I DON’T TST THAT THEY’RE GOG TO ACTUALLY BE THAT VOLVED. AND I DON’T KNOW LORNE. HE’S GOT A GREAT REPUTATN, PEOPLE LIKE HIM, AND HE’S DONE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT STUFF, BUT AGA, YOU NEVER KNOW. BUT WHEN HE WAS TALKG ABOUT , HE HAD SUCH AN TELLIGENT TAKE ON WHAT THE SHOW IS, WHY HE LIKED , WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS FUNNY ABOUT , AND WHY HE LIKED ME FOR THE ROLE. IT MA ME FEEL FORTABLE THAT WE WERE ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT WHAT MAK THE SHOW FUNNY, WHAT MAK TICK. KNOWG THAT HE AND I WERE ON THE SAME PAGE CREATIVELY, AND HIM ASSURG ME THAT, OM A BS STANDPOT, HE WAS GOG TO FIGHT AS HARD AS HE ULD TO MAKE THE SHOW THAT I ACTUALLY READ AND THAT WOULDN’T BE WATERED DOWN, THAT WAS REASSURG. AND THAT’S NOT A MENT ON NBC, THAT’S A MENT ON WHAT N HAPPEN TO ANY SHOW AT ANY WORK IF YOU DON’T HAVE CREATIVE NTROL. THGS N GET PHED A DIRECTN THAT IS NOT WHAT ORIGALLY MA GREAT.WAS DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO SURRENR CREATIVE NTROL AND GIVE YOURSELF OVER TO SOMEONE ELSE’S PROJECT? YOU’VE HAD SUCH A BIG HAND ALL THGS SUNNY. IT WAS EXTREMELY SRY, AND THAT’S WHY WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO TALK TO LORNE ABOUT AND TO S DOWN WH MIKE A UPLE OF TIM. AFTER MEETG WH THEM, I FELT THAT I ULD RELQUISH NTROL AND LET THEM STEER THE SHIP. IN TALKG WH MIKE, HE HAS SUCH A NFINCE ABOUT HIS SENSIBILY AND WHAT HE WANTED TO ACPLISH. IT’S IMPORTANT TO ME THAT IF I’M NOT GOG TO BE NTROL, I NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE NTROL WHO HAS STRONG OPNS—EVEN IF WE DISAGREE. AND SOMETIM WE DID. BUT I WAS HAPPY TO DISAGREE WH SOMEONE LIKE MIKE BEE HE WAS LLABORATIVE, TOOK MY OPNS VERY SERLY, AND STOOD HIS GROUND. I LIKE THAT. THE CHARACTERS—JACK GRIFF ON A.P. B AND DENNIS REYNOLDS ON SUNNY—ARE SIAR THAT THEY’RE BOTH LEGENDS THEIR OWN MDS. THAT’S A PERFECT WAY OF PUTTG : LEGENDS THEIR OWN MDS. INIALLY, MY GOAL WAS TO GO OUT AND DO SOMETHG PLETELY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I WAS DOG ON SUNNY, BEE ’S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO EXPRS MYSELF CREATIVELY AS AN ACTOR A VARIETY OF WAYS. FARGO WAS A EDIC CHARACTER, BUT A PLETELY DIFFERENT EDIC CHARACTER. IN MANY WAYS, THIS CHARACTER ON A.P. B DIDN’T F THE MANDATE THAT I ORIGALLY SET OUT TO DO, BUT WAS JT SO GOOD. IT FELT LIKE I PUT ON A SU THAT WAS ALREADY TAILORED TO MY BODY. IT WAS EXACTLY MY SENSE OF HUMOR, AND I ULDN’T SAY NO. THE TEMPTATN WAS TOO STRONG. DID TURNG 40 HAVE ANYTHG TO DO WH ? WHERE YOU MAYBE THOUGHT ABOUT NEEDG A CHANGE YOUR REER AND WALKG AWAY OM SUNNY?IT’S POSSIBLE THAT HAD SOMETHG TO DO WH . I NEVER HAD ANY “I’M TURNG 40” KD OF CRISIS OR ANYTHG. I N’T THK OF A MORE CREATIVELY SATISFYG JOB THAN IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY PHILALPHIA. I GOT TO EXPRS MYSELF CREATIVELY WAYS THAT I NEVER THOUGHT I ULD—OR WOULD. I NEVER SET OUT TO BE A WRER OR EVEN A PRODUCER, AND TO GET TO CREATE SOMETHG WHOLE CLOTH LIKE WE DID WH SUNNY WAS AN ABSOLUTE DREAM, AND TO HAVE PEOPLE RPOND TO THE WAY THEY DID. WE MA SOMETHG VERY PURE; WAS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANTED TO MAKE.SO WHY DID YOU LEAVE? I THK AFTER BEG ON THE SHOW FOR 12 YEARS, ’S NOT A KNOCK ON SUNNY, YOU JT WANT TO BRANCH OUT AND DO OTHER THGS. I SAW OTHER PEOPLE GOG OFF AND DOG OTHER THGS. THE THG THAT MAK DIFFICULT, FOR ME, IS THAT I STGGLE TO INTIFY AS A EDY ACTOR BEE I NEVER SET OUT TO BE A EDY ACTOR. SO SOMETIM I CLASH WH MY OLD SELF THAT WANTED TO BE AN ACTOR THAT DO ALL KDS OF ROL. THE YOUNGER VERSN OF MYSELF IS NSTANTLY NFLICT WH THE VERSN OF MYSELF THAT BEME KNOWN FOR THIS ONE CHARACTER AND KNOWN SPECIFILLY FOR EDY. I LOVE EDY AND THK I HAVE A KNACK FOR , BUT ’S…WEIRD. ORIGALLY, I WANTED TO DO DRAMA. SO WASN’T NECSARILY TURNG 40, BUT I THK WAS JT CHANGG AND VELOPG AS A PERSON, AND WANTG TO DO NEW THGS. I’M A LONGTIME ALWAYS SUNNY VIEWER, SO I’M CUR HOW YOU ALL ARRIVED AT THE IA OF DENNIS LEAVG THE GANG?   YOU KNOW… THERE WAS A REVELATORY MOMENT THAT WE HAD SHOOTG SEASON 11 WHERE WE HAD MAC E OUT OF THE CLOSET DURG THE CISE-SHIP EPISO, AND BY THE END OF THAT TWO-PART EPISO HE GO BACK . WE WANTED HIM TO GENUELY E OUT OF THE CLOSET, AND THEN ONCE HE ULD JTIFY GOG BACK , HE WENT STRAIGHT BACK . I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WAS FUNNY—AND NTUE TO THK ’S FUNNY—BEE ’S SO… SAD. THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HOLD THEMSELV TO A RELIG STANDARD AND TO A SOCIETAL STANDARD THAT THEY SADLY NO LONGER REALLY HAVE TO HOLD THEMSELV TO, BUT THEY FEEL THIS PRSURE TO. IN MAC’S SE, HE FEELS THIS PRSURE TO [NFORM] BEE HE HAS SOMETHG AGAST BEG GAY AND HE DON’T WANT TO BE GAY.WH MAC SEEMS LIKE ’S DUE TO HIS RELIG HANG-UPS. IT IS MOSTLY A RELIG THG. AND FOR AS AWFUL AS OUR CHARACTERS ARE, WE’RE ALWAYS ENURAGG HIM TO E OUT OF THE CLOSET, BEE WE DON’T RE IF HE’S GAY OR NOT. WE ALL ALREADY KNOW AND DON’T GIVE A SH. IN PURE SUNNY FASHN, OUR SP ON THAT IS, “LOOK DU, WE DISLIKE YOU EHER WAY. THE FACT THAT WE DISLIKE YOU HAS NOTHG TO DO WH WHETHER YOU’RE GAY OR NOT, HAS TO DO WH YOUR PERSONALY.” BUT ALL THAT IS TO SAY, WE GOT QUE A BIG REACTN OM THE FANS, WHICH WE LISTENED TO, AND I THK WAS IMPORTANT, ULTIMATELY, TO HAVE HIM E OUT OF THE CLOSET BEE I THK WAS IMPORTANT TO SEND THAT MSAGE TO THE MUNY, AND WE ALSO WANTED TO CHANGE THGS UP AND PUT NEW OBSTACL THE CHARACTERS’ LIV, BOTH TO KEEP THGS TERTG FOR OURSELV AND THE DIENCE. PART OF THAT WAS HAVG DENNIS LEAVE AT THE END OF SEASON 12. WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHG A LTLE B DIFFERENT, A LTLE B SHOCKG, AND ALSO HAVE A BIG, EMOTNAL MOMENT. DID HAVE TO DO WH THE CULTURAL CLIMATE AT ALL? DENNIS IS A CHARACTER WHO, BEE OF THE CHAOS AND MSS OF THE SHOW, GETS AWAY WH A LOT. HE’S SENTIALLY A RAPEY, PICKUP ARTIST-TYPE WHEN DOWN TO . UMM… I DO THK THAT ’S TIME FOR THAT CHARACTER TO CHANGE. I THK HE HAS TO CHANGE. IT WAS NEVER REALLY ACCEPTABLE THE WAY HE BEHAVED, AND NOW ’S EVEN LS SO TERMS OF HOW YOU ACTUALLY N’T GET AWAY WH ANYMORE. BEFORE, YOU ULD KD OF GET AWAY WH AND SKATE BY, BUT YOU N’T SKATE BY ANYMORE—AND I THK THAT’S A REALLY GOOD THG. YOU SHOULDN’T BE ABLE TO BEHAVE THAT WAY. AND FOR PEOPLE THAT UNRSTAND OUR SHOW, WAS ALWAYS OUR TENTN TO SHOW THAT HE DON’T EVER GET AWAY WH THIS BEHAVR. HE’S NOT JAIL BUT HE NEVER WS, HE NEVER SUCCEEDS, HE’S NEVER GLORIFIED. HE DO SEEM FAIRLY MISERABLE. I THK HE’S MAYBE TOO NARCISSISTIC TO BE MISERABLE. HE’S ANGRY, FIANT, AND PETULANT, BUT I DON’T THK HE’S SAD OR ANYTHG. WHY DO YOU THK YOU’RE SO GOOD AT PLAYG THE VAGLOR CHARACTERS WHO ARE, LIKE WE SAID BEFORE, LEGENDS THEIR OWN MDS?YOU KNOW WHAT? I LIKE TO THK THAT REAL LIFE, AS A PERSON, I STRIVE TO BE GOOD, TRY TO BE AWARE OF THE EFFECT I HAVE ON PEOPLE AROUND ME, AND TRY TO BE A SOCIALLY-NSC PERSON. I’M FASCATED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT THAT WAY; PEOPLE WHO DON’T GIVE A SH ABOUT ANYBODY BUT THEMSELV. A LOT OF EDY OM ANGER, TOO. THE IC MD, WE HAVE A TENNCY TO OBSERVE WHAT GO ON THE WORLD AND NEED TO MENT ON ; THERE’S A BURNG SIRE TO VENT. IF WE DIDN’T HAVE THAT OUTLET, WE’D BE ANGRY PEOPLE ALL THE TIME. SO I HAVE TO SKEWER , SATIRIZE AND FD THE EDY JT TO SURVIVE, BEE I GET REALLY UPSET BY PEOPLE WHO ARE PLETELY SELF-CENTERED AND NARCISSISTIC. IT’S TERTG, THEN, TO TRY TO GET SI THE HEAD OF SOMEONE WHO DON’T GIVE A SH ABOUT ANYBODY BUT THEMSELV AND TRY TO FD OUT WHAT’S FUNNY ABOUT THAT. IT’S A RELEASE VALVE FOR ME. BUT I DON’T KNOW WHY I’M GOOD AT . FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE, I THK THAT I’VE POSSIBLY HAD SOME ANGER ISSU, AND I FEEL I N LET OUT THROUGH THE CHARACTERS.ONE OF THE THGS I’VE ALWAYS ENJOYED ABOUT SUNNY IS ALL THE REAL-LIFE UPL ON THE SHOW. THERE’S ROB AND KAL, CHARLIE AND MARY ELIZABETH (AKA “THE WARS”), AND YOU AND JILL, WHO APPEARED AS YOUR VICTIM THE FAMO “D.E.N.N.I.S. SYSTEM” EPISO. CHARLIE AND MARY ELIZABETH WERE TOGETHER BEFORE THE SHOW STARTED, ROB MET KAL ON THE SHOW, AND JILL AND I WERE ALREADY TOGETHER. WE’D BEEN DATG AT THAT POT FOR TWO YEARS. I’D WANTED TO DO WH HER, BEE AS A PERSON I FELT WEIRD ABOUT DOG THAT WH SOMEONE ELSE—AND NOT DOG WH AN ACTRS THAT FULLY TSTS ME. THE OTHER REASON, TOO, IS THAT WE FELT LIKE SHE WAS RIGHT FOR THE PART BEE SHE’S SO FUNNY AND SMART, SO I DIDN’T REALLY WANT TO DO WH ANYBODY ELSE.HAVE YOU TWO RE-WATCHED THE EPISO RECENTLY? [LGHS] I HAVEN’T SEEN A VERY LONG TIME. IT WOULD FELY BE STRANGE TO SEE TODAY.PLAYG AN INIC EDY CHARACTER LIKE DENNIS REYNOLDS, DID YOU FD DIFFICULT TO BOOK OTHER GIGS? TO HAVE PEOPLE SEE YOU AS ANYTHG OTHER THAN DENNIS?  YOU KNOW, I DON’T KNOW IF I’VE LOST OUT GIGS BEE PEOPLE ULDN’T SEE ME AS ANYBODY OTHER THAN DENNIS. I SAY TO MY AGENTS A LOT, “I GET , ’S GOG TO BE HARD TO GET OUT OF THIS,” BUT THEN THEY SAY THAT WHEN THEY TALK TO PEOPLE THEY N TELL I’M A GOOD ACTOR. LOOK, ’S GOG TO BE HARD FOR PEOPLE TO SEE ME AS ANYTHG OTHER THAN DENNIS. THAT’S THE BLSG AND THE CURSE OF PLAYG A CHARACTER LIKE THIS. BUT I DON’T MD THAT CHALLENGE. I LOOK FORWARD TO SURPRISG PEOPLE WH WHAT I N DO. MARLOW STERN

Season Six — “Mac Fights Gay Marriage”. Mac go on a csa agast gay marriage bee after pletg her transn to a woman, Carmen married a man named Nick.

Mac sists that Nick is gay sce Carmen was born a man, seemg to miss the irony that he had sex wh Carmen before she pleted the operatn, clarg their marriage to be a “gay marriage. This is the episo, which the gang participat a day that revolv pletely around Mac, they fally and fively realize: “I know we’ve never said this as a group, but Mac’s gay.

Mac’s “Country Mac” shows up — and not only is he tougher and more of a badass every sgle way than Mac is, but he’s also openly gay. While geics have never been scientifilly proven to have a role sexual orientatn, ’s always been a strongly held theory, so would make sense that Mac would have a gay . (Actually two gay s, as Mac ns to another gay Paddy’s the seri premiere when they accintally turn to a gay bar.

” But jt to le out, he volunteers to see if the leprechn might have a pot of gold at the end of the rabow — this se the “rabow” beg a fictnal Philalphia gay bar actually lled The Rabow, which he bravely volunteers to search solo. When the gang cis to go on a booze-ee Christian cise, Mac is ially flummoxed to meet a married Christian gay uple, pletely throwg a wrench to his nstant ternal stggle.