Strange Wilderness is the outrageous new road comedy from Paramount Pictures (in theaters on February 1
st) that takes viewers on a treacherous trek to the jungles of Ecuador with one of the most inept groups of misfits ever assembled on screen. After the beloved TV host of the popular wildlife show “Strange Wilderness” dies, his son Peter Gaulke (Steve Zahn) takes over the series with his sidekick (Allen Covert). Desperate for a stunt to drive the ailing wildlife show’s ratings back up, Pete brainstorms with his crew, which also includes cameraman Milas (Ernest Borgnine), Milas’ stoner nephew Junior (Justin Long) and the show’s obnoxious production assistant Cooker (Jonah Hill), and they decide to go on a quest to find Bigfoot. Upon hiring two new crew members, alcoholic auto mechanic Bill Whitaker (Kevin Heffernan) and the beautiful travel coordinator Cheryl (Ashley Scott), they set off for Ecuador in a dilapidated RV. Along the way, the hapless crew will have to survive near-death encounters with more obstacles than they ever could have imagined.
The film’s stars Steve Zahn, Allen Covert, Peter Dante and Ashley Scott spent an afternoon at the Los Angeles Zoo, answering questions about this wild new comedy.
When you are comedy actors working from a script written by comedy writers, how much do you actually get to improvise?
Pete Dante> Most of it.
Steve Zahn> Honestly, the better the script, the better the improv. The script was amazing. It was really funny. And so, then, that makes the improv all work. If it’s bad, which is usually the case, and you’re like, “We’ve got to improv to make this good,” then it can be a nightmare.
Ashley Scott> They’re comedians too, so they allowed them to run. They hired you guys . . .
Allen Covert> . . . and you . . .
Ashley Scott> . . . yes, and me.
Allen Covert> You’re in there too, you know.
Ashley Scott> There was a lot of freedom. It gave you a lot of freedom to just do your thing.
Allen Covert> Like Steve said, when what they wrote is actually funny, it makes it easier to go, “Hey, you know what? What if we said this too?”
How open were the filmmakers to allowing you to go off script?
Steve Zahn> A lot.
Allen Covert> For 100% of the script.
Pete Dante> We added a lot to their lines. They gave us freedom to write whatever we wanted, and all you had to do was approve it with them.
Steve Zahn> It was hard for me, though, because I had a crapload of dialogue. I was exposition guy. And then, these guys would improv around me.
Allen Covert> Yeah, but you threw the greatest hissy fit on the side of a mountain that I’ve ever seen.
Ashley Scott> That was my favorite.
Pete Dante> Thank God, Steve was there, because with all of our crazy improvs, his character had to keep everyone even-keeled.
When you have so many actors together on a film that are known for their comic abilities and talents, how do you keep it together enough to get through the scenes?
Steve Zahn> I am the worst.
Ashley Scott> I wet my pants four times.
Allen Covert> There were scenes where we were actually laughing, and they used them.
Steve Zahn> There was a scene where we were laughing so hard that it was absurd. You couldn’t even talk, and I had lines I had to give. I had to wait two seconds, and I still couldn’t do it. And then, we went and watched it, and they had rolled the whole time, and it’s in the movie.
Your director, Fred Wolf, began as a stand-up comedian. What does someone like that bring to a film like this that another director who doesn’t have that background wouldn’t be able to do?
Pete Dante> Besides his Pro-Keds and his bologna sandwich on white bread, Fred brings a lot to set.
Steve Zahn> And, (co-writer) Peter Gaulke.
Allen Covert> They were both on the set, and they were both stand-ups. They both also worked in live TV with comedy on SNL, so they were really good at coming up with 500 different jokes.
Steve Zahn> It became annoying, and I was always pissed when they’d come up, but then it was always better.
Allen Covert> They’d always come up with handwritten pages and say, “Hey, we thought of this at lunch.” And, I was like, “But, I was up until four in the morning, memorizing the 3-page speech.”
Steve Zahn> It was completely new scenes, but it was crazy stuff. It was great.
What was your favorite part of making this film?
Steve Zahn> Getting my check.
Allen Covert> Catering. The food. We had great catering.
Pete Dante> We had really good food on set.
Allen Covert> Fred actually had Snook on set, which is a fish you only get in the South. I was like, “How did you get Snook?”
Steve Zahn> It was all pretty fun.
Allen Covert> We had a good time. We got to hang out with a bunch of nice people, out in the woods.
Ashley Scott> Every day was fun. I loved getting up and going to work in the morning. And, I didn’t want to leave. It was great. We had a blast.
Steve Zahn> Me too. And, they’re not all like that. They really aren’t. People say that, but it’s true.
Pete Dante> We all really are friends. It happens.
Allen Covert> Plus, sometimes you’re in a movie and you’re at the studio and you have the trailer and everything’s comfy, and it’s the worst time you’ve ever had.
Steve Zahn> I thought it would be good. I really did, when we were shooting it. But, I didn’t care. I was like, “This could suck, but I don’t care. I had so much fun.”
Allen Covert> But then, it turned out good, so we’re happy.
If you really could have your own animal discovery show, what would you call it?Pete Dante> Strange Fucked Up Wilderness with a lot of Diarreha.
Ashley Scott> Guess what? I’m not going to do a show like that.
Allen Covert> I would call it, The Guy Who Shits His Pants Everyday. That’s what I would call it. “Hi, welcome to Four People Shitting Their Pants in the Wilderness.”
Steve Zahn> I’m traumatized.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever been bitten by?
Pete Dante> I think Covert bit my tongue when we were making out in Big Daddy. It was disgusting.
Allen Covert> I fell asleep on a living room floor, at this house I shared with a bunch of guys, and someone left the screen door open, and apparently a spider came in and bit me while I was sleeping. All I know is that I woke up with a spider bite. A spider bit me and my leg swelled up and turned black. It was probably a brown recluse.
Steve Zahn> They can fuck you up.
Allen Covert> Yeah, I know, trust me. My leg was [all swollen].
If you were stranded in the wilderness, what one item would you be glad you brought with you?
Allen Covert> You know what I would want? Some Purell. Just some hand sanitizer.
Pete Dante> That’s also ‘cause he could wack off with it. Don’t think that’s for a clean reason.
Allen Covert> And, I swear to you, I think if I squirted it in that tiger’s eye, he would leave me alone.
What do you hope moviegoers will be saying to themselves as they walk out of the theatre, after seeing Strange Wilderness?
Pete Dante> “That was fucking awesome!”
Ashley Scott> I hope they say, “My cheeks hurt [from laughing]!”
Allen Covert> I would like them to tell 50 other people to go see Strange Wilderness.
Steve Zahn> It’s just funny. There’s nothing else, it’s just funny.
Pete Dante> Dude, life is way too serious right now. There’s way too much crazy shit going on in the world. Go see Strange Wilderness and you’ll forget about all that crazy shit. I promise.
Steve Zahn> It’s not going to be up for any awards. It’s not cathartic. It’s not going to change your life. But, it’s funny as hell.
Allen Covert> I would like to see someone walk out of the theater and go, “What the fuck was that?,” but laughing. If they say that while they’re laughing, that’s good. If they say that angry, then that’s bad.
