Thomas Middleditch had the bad luck Tuesday night of his “Silicon Valley” co-star Kumail Nanjiani Googling “Thomas Middleditch nude” while they shared a stage.
It all started when Middleditch was asked about an interview with Pete Holmes in which Middleditch said he used to enjoy going to a nude spa in Los Angeles’s Koreatown. It was a question about whether a willingness to be vulnerable makes you a better comedian, but of course it didn’t stop there.
Middleditch and Nanjiani were part of TheWrap’s panel discussion for comedic actors in Emmy contention Tuesday, along with William H. Macy (“Shameless”), Kaitlin Olson (“The Mick”) and Gillian Jacobs (“Love”).
Nanjiani pulled up an image of Middleditch and passed it to Olson.
“I can see your penis right now,” panelist Olson said to Middleditch.
“I didn’t know it was going to be so intense right away,” Nanjiani chimed in.
Middleditch said in all seriousness that so long as everyone is protected, being naked is worth it for the sake of comedy.
“I’ve already been nude in films with the wiener out and everything, so if it’s funny and it feels like this is going to be a worthwhile activity, I think totally embarrassing yourself is part of the role of ‘clown.’ What ego would you have if it weren’t?” Middleditch said.
“It’s a different thing for dudes,” Olson said. “There’s a way to make it funny, and if you can make it funny, that’s great. But if it’s going to be a nude, sexual thing, that defeats the purpose. I think there’s a double standard there a bit. What I’m saying is I think your naked body is very funny to me.”
“Well, about 3,000 other women don’t think so,” Middleditch retorted.
All the talk of nude scenes turned into something of a competition, with everyone on the panel sharing their stories.
“I bet you I’ve been in my knickers more than anybody else on this stage,” Macy said. “I’m butt-naked in every third show! I’m 67 f—ing years old! There’s 25 teamsters, and I’ve got a sock on my dick!”
Nanjiani could relate, telling his story about being on set for “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates.”
“I had a sock on my penis, and I’m all oiled up in the scene, and at the start I was kind of nervous,” he said. “But after a couple takes I was just hanging out. And they were like, ‘Do you want a towel between takes…sir?’”
Middleditch described the penis sock he’s worn as a “cloth thimble.” Nanjiani clarified his was closer to a “Christmas stocking.”
“You look in the mirror and it just looks so much weirder than just your penis being out,” Middleditch said. “It draws the eyes.”
“I did an indie film, it was so low budget, they didn’t have a sock, so they gave him one of those booties you put on your shoe at the hospital,” Jacobs said.
Here’s something you didn’t know about Hollywood: Macy said that there’s a whole industry behind these “actors” socks. He considered giving them to the cast and crew of “Shameless” at the end of one season.
“I thought that was going to be my wrap gift — and get them embroidered,” Macy said. “They’re 40 bucks each! It’s a specialty!”
If you want to watch this awkward exchange, jump to the 18:40 mark. But you should really watch the whole thing.
Also, check out the panel’s advice for getting over insecurities, and Jacobs talking about her time at Juilliard.