An interview with Joel McHale & Alison Brie from NBC's 'Community' + Tonight's Listings

Alison Brie and Joel McHale star in NBC's "Community" (Thursdays @ 8pm)

Alison Brie and Joel McHale star in NBC's "Community" (Thursdays @ 8pm)
Joel McHale and Alison Brie star in NBC's "Community" (Thursdays @ 8pm) as Jeff Winger and Annie Edison respectively. We had the chance to have a quick phone conversation with this dynamic duo via phone last week.LAist: You've mentioned ["Community" series creator] Dan Harmon(see our vid interview with him) a few times in past interviews and I'm just wondering what it's like to work with him and you've also mentioned some of the writers coming and bringing things by to you. Do you have any kind of input what happens with Jeff and Annie? Maybe you could illuminate this a little bit.

Joel McHale: I - as far as like us putting input into the story or something, I - no, not at all. I trust Dan implicitly. I mean, he's - I would follow him into any battle because his - the things they come up with every week are so fantastic.

And so I don't know where it's going and I'm always excited to be - what we read the next week at the table read.

Alison Brie: I think it - as opposed to it being like us coming to the writers and going, "I have an idea for an episode," or anything like that, it - what more often happens is that the writers will come to us and say, I don't know. Like last year I know they came to me and they were like, "So and so said you had a really funny story about this gay guy."

And then I told them the story and then it was in the next episode. And this year, you know, I got an email from Dan like, "Hey, let me know some stuff about how you feel about the holidays." And, you know, that stuff might go out.

So I do think that the writers pay attention to who we are and our sense of person and also what we're capable of and just things that we mention offhandedly that are funny or interesting. And they try to incorporate those things as much as possible just to keep things coming from a real place.

Joel McHale: Yes.

Alison Brie: And as far as Joel I'm always trying to bribe the writers for what's coming up in the next episodes. But it changes so often that even when they'll tell you stuff it might change. It's tough to get, you know, it might never happen.

LAist: Yes, the realism is we definitely are picking up on that and I was thinking also since Jeff is, you know, he's a - essentially a defrocked lawyer at this point but he should have had enough cash there that I would think I'd spot a bottle of the Macallan 18 in the background somewhere in one of his scenes. Is that a possibility?

Joel McHale: Definitely I hope so, because a lot of the time those are gifts and you can hold on to those bottles for a long time. And you just - you don't want to drink a ton of it. You just want a little dram of it so yes, I'm hoping the Macallan 30 even shows up.

Alison Brie: We're all big fans of the Macallan.

Joel McHale: Yes, we love the scotch. We love the - we love Scotland really.

Alison Brie: I'm Scottish!

Joel McHale: See? And the Cire Perdue [Macallan] is also very good.

LAist: Excellent. Well thank you so much guys. Can't wait for the rest of the season.

Joel McHale: Thanks man.

Alison Brie: Thank you.

Joel McHale: Thanks for the interview.

"Community" airs on NBC tonight at 8pm.
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The TV Junkie Plan: "Community" (no duh), "30 Rock", "The Office", "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia", "The League", Letterman (Stephen Colbert; actor Johnny Knoxville; Gorillaz), Fallon (Jane Lynch)

8:00pm Community NBC - The study group comforts Pierce after the death of his mother; Professor Duncan tries to take over the anthropology class.

8:00pm The Big Bang Theory CBS - When Sheldon searches for an alternative to human companionship, the guys become concerned.

8:30pm 30 Rock NBC - Jack must appear before Congress to discuss the network's merger with KableTown; when one congresswoman (Queen Latifah) demands more diversity in programming, Jack enlists Tracy to come up with new show ideas.

9:00pm Nikita The CW - The Guardian Division's secrets are at risk of being revealed when an operative (Devon Sawa) becomes a fugitive after escaping from a bank robbery

9:00pm Fringe Fox - The team races to investigate a series of anomalous events; Secretary Bishop shares his plan with Col. Broyles; Olivia struggles with a heart-stopping vision.

9:00pm The Office NBC - Andy invites the office to a play he is in, hoping that Erin will attend; Jim and Pam struggle with their incompetent baby sitter.

10:00pm It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia FX - Mac finally gets his big break after correctly answering a trivia question on the radio; Frank, Dennis, and Dee take their bar-banter to the internet with their own podcast.

10:30pm The League FX - Jenny and the guys reconnect with their old friend Russell; Andre buys an expensive painting; everyone tries to get Rafi out of the League.

11:35pm Late Show With David Letterman CBS - TV host Stephen Colbert; actor Johnny Knoxville; Gorillaz perform.

11:35pm The Tonight Show With Jay Leno NBC - Actress Katherine Heigl; actor Ben Rappaport; Meat Loaf performs.

12:35am The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson CBS - Toby Keith performs; comic Louie Anderson.

12:35am Late Night With Jimmy Fallon NBC - Actress Jane Lynch; actress Emma Roberts; Pete Yorn performs.