Charlie Day, best known for his illiterate, glue-sniffing character on FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, has been put in the unlikely position of explaining why being pursued for a sexual liaison by a character resembling Jennifer Aniston is an unpleasant prospect. It’s not an easy job.
“Most men don’t cheat on their wives. Not all, but close,” he offers rather sheepishly. His character in the comedy Horrible Bosses is a dental hygienist for Aniston’s man-eating dentist. Devoted to his fiancée, Day’s Dale is terrified by his boss’ blackmailing seduction. As the logic of the film goes, he and his buddies, played by Jason Sudeikis and Jason Bateman, decide to kill Dale’s boss. Dark as it may seem, Bosses isn’t afraid to cover the controversial topics.
“I don’t think anything is too taboo to make funny,” says Day.
“Murder is a terrible thing. It ruins people’s lives. But set against this backdrop, in this idiotic light with these guys that have no business trying to commit a murder go about it, then it becomes a comedy. The things aren’t inherently funny themselves. It’s how you tell the joke.”
That’s where the overlap lies between Horrible Bosses and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
He’s just wrapped production on the seventh season of the sitcom on which no topic — from abortion to crack smoking — is too crooked or bizarre.
“Managing to fly under the radar enough so that we don’t lose our street cred but be a big enough hit that we’re actually a very successful show has been a really nice balance,” says Day. The new season premieres in September.
