Ladner native and avid Canucks fan Will Sasso — who rose to fame as a cast member on MADtv — stars alongside fellow Canadian William Shatner in the new CBS sitcom $#*! My Dad Says, which premiered Thursday. The series is inspired by a Twitter account by Justin Halpern, who re-tweets his cantankerous, elderly father’s outbursts to 1.7 million adoring followers. Sasso chatted with Metro about the show.
What’s your role?
I play Vince, the eldest of the two sons. I’m married to Nicole Sullivan (from MADtv). It’s a real luxury to team up with her again. I know her rhythms and she knows mine. We kind of picked up where we left off (after MADtv). Playing a married couple is almost too easy.
Did you follow the Twitter account before being cast?
I was following it. The first time I heard about it I thought it was made up. It’s wild. The plot comes from (Justin’s) tweets. And that’s why Justin’s there. He’s a talented writer but he keeps it very legit. A lot of it comes from Justin’s real life and now the rest of the writers are in there bringing stuff from their own families and fathers.
What has the reaction been from Justin’s father?
His father has been to a couple of tapings and it’s been really interesting to see the guy’s reaction. The guy doesn’t care. He wears sweatpants every day. He’s a nice guy, a loving father, but you’re talking about a guy who’s 72. He’s put in his time.
What’s it been like working with William Shatner?
It’s a dream. He’s long been a hero of mine and working closely with him is wild. It’s wild being able to see him do what he does. He hits a joke at exactly the right moment and it’s like the audience is on a spring. He’s hilarious. And very humble.
What are your thoughts on the fact that two of the stars of the show are Canadian?
It’s the NAFTA approach. It’s kind of cool. Shatner is a Canadian icon. Hopefully, it will (give the show) traction (because) it’s literally half represented by Canadians.
