Comedian Pete Holmes said that he plays himself, but a “2007 version” of himself, in his new HBO comedy series “Crashing.”
Holmes was asked at the Television Critics Association press tour whether the comedians who play themselves on the series are playing themselves or caricatures of themselves.
“I would say you’re seeing the real them,” Holmes said. “The only person who has regressed is me. I’m playing a 2007 version of myself. Which, by the way, I don’t think anyone will mind. I don’t think anyone watching is like, ‘This isn’t the Pete Holmes we all know!’”
In the series, Holmes plays a sheltered suburbanite who married his childhood sweetheart and dreams of making it as a stand-up comedian. But when he finds out his wife is cheating on him, his world unravels, forcing him to reevaluate his priorities and plunging him into the deep end of the rough-and-tumble New York comedy scene.
Lauren Lapkus stars as Pete’s wife, Jessica, and George Basil as Leif, Jessica’s lover. Among the notable comedians appearing as versions of themselves on the show are Dave Attell, Hannibal Buress, Artie Lange, T.J. Miller, Jim Norton, Rachael Ray and Sarah Silverman.
Frequent HBO collaborator Judd Apatow serves as an executive producer on the series, in addition to directing the pilot and the eighth episode.
“Crashing” will debut on HBO on Feb. 19 at 10:30 p.m./9:30c.