EP 266: Ed Helms on Re-examining Ted Kennedy and Embracing Your Inner-Fool

Actor Ed Helms (THE OFFICE, THE HANGOVER) talks about playing Ted Kennedy's best friend in CHAPPAQUIDDICK, why the Chappaquiddick incident is an often forgotten chapter in America’s modern political history, and how making the film led him to reassess his own ideas about "Camelot." He also reveals how the Kennedy damage control team used the moon landing to distract from the scandal, ponders Chappaquidick’s place in Ted Kennedy’s larger legacy, and wonders how the scandal might have played out differently in the age of 24 hour news and social media. Ed Helms talks about working with fellow comic Jim Gaffigan on the film, mining the Kennedy story for moments of dark comedy, and mastering the notoriously tricky Massachusetts accent. He also discusses his own politics, gleefully recalls exposing hypocrites and bad guys as a correspondent on The Daily Show, remembers his start in entertainment as a cocky sarcastic voiceover guy, and explains why he says it's good to be "a fool at life."

CHAPPAQUIDDICK opens in theatres tomorrow Friday April 6. Follow Ed Helms on Twitter at @edhelms, check out his website for bluegrass lovers at www.thebluegrasssituation.com and visit his own bluegrass band the Lonesome Trio at www.thelonesometrio.com. Today's episode was sponsored by AppRiver, Adiamor Jewelry, and Grasshopper.