I will preface this post by saying that if you know me at all you know that not only do I not follow any sports, but I am the last person that a show like "The League" would have been written for. When I heard about it back in the fall of 2009 I was doubtful that it would have legs of any kind. The cast is assembled of semi-recognizable D list actors and comedians who hadn't "set fire to the rain" quite yet. I gave the show a shot anyway because I watch everything and was pleasantly surprised. I've been a devout fan ever since and have even considered joining a fantasy football league and pretending I have a penis just to be more like the guys on the show.
Stephen Rannazzisi who plays Kevin on "The League" is my favorite character and really scored big with his role. Previously Stephen wasn't known for much of anything except his role in "Paul Blart Mall Cop" and being inside the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attacks. He's now the
anchor on the show and brings a different angle of comedy than the other cast members. His angle is the funny dynamic between him and his wife and daughter. I get a big kick out of Stephen's character Kevin and always anxiously await the interaction he has with his family. His timing and sarcasm are both weapons in "The League's" arsenal of good bits.
Paul Scheer is a comedian known for VH1 rockumentary type programs, "Reno 911", and originally the very funny "Upright Citizens Brigade". He definitely has a comedic television background and a decent body of work but "The League" is his best get yet in the business. Paul plays Andre on the show,
a metro-sexual and easily mocked plastic surgeon who gets a lot of guff from the other members of the league. He's one of my favorite characters because he takes a lot of hits and is always the butt of every joke. Andre as a character is easily likable for a number of reasons due to the sheer fact that he takes a beating and keeps coming back week after week. Whether they're making fun of his clothes, or his latest hobbies (urban foraging), or his demeanor, Paul Scheer is an integral part of "The League".
Nick Kroll is one of my other favorite cast members for a number of reasons. He's a hilarious standup comedian also from "Upright Citizens Brigade". Nick has had bit parts in a number of movies and TV shows over the years and even his own comedy special on Comedy Central (definitely a result of his hilarity on "The League"). Like his fellow cast members "The League" was a big get for Kroll. He plays Rodney Ruxin an attorney/asshole/husband to a smoking hot Hispanic woman, and probably my second favorite cast member. Kroll is a sarcastic, conniving and manipulative member in the fantasy league and will stop at nothing to win. Every scene he is involved in is humorous and one of my favorite episodes this year featured a Jeff Goldblum cameo as Ruxin's father. I don't think they could have cast a better father figure for Kroll and the episode itself was a laugh riot. The link below is to a sketch that's part of a series entitled "Oh Hello" that Kroll created with another comedian John Mulaney. Watch the clip, then watch the other clips, if you don't laugh you're dead inside.
http://vimeo.com/7118220
Mark Duplass plays Pete on the show and his character is probably the least outrageous but very necessary straight man in many scenarios. Pete is a divorced guy whose character is often meeting women and getting himself into interesting situations. Duplass has a pretty decent rap sheet in Hollywood with directing credits on the drama "Cyrus" starring Jonah Hill and John C. Reilly which I dug immensely, he also starred in the movie "Greenberg" with Ben Stiller which I stayed up until almost 2 the other night watching for the 2.5th time. Mark Duplass has less of a comedy background than his costars but he is funny in a different way.
John Lajoie is the most under the Hollywood radar cast member and he is the same way on "The League" playing the role of Kevin's strange brother Taco. John is a recording artist and comedian who began his career in the entertainment world in 2007. On the show he is ridiculous, unemployed, and always up to a new get rich quick scheme. Taco is probably my least favorite character. Throughout season two they ended almost every episode with a song performed by Taco and they were always cringe worthy. I'm pretty happy they got rid of that aspect of the show. Other than that Taco is OK and Lajoie will probably vanish quickly if the show is ever cancelled because he's really not that funny.
Katie Aselton plays the role of Kevin's wife and is "just one of the guys" in every way possible. She even plays in the league with them and is better than most of the men. The dynamic between Stephen and Katie might be the funniest aspect of the show, especially when their daughter is involved. I laugh almost every time they are all on screen together. Katie's life has been pretty interesting, she's younger than the other cast members born in 1978 she was Miss Teen USA in 1995 and has directed a couple movies that got into Sundance. Sounds like a good combo to me. I must admit the football knowledge is a bit of a turnoff for me and I like to think it's character research. Katie is an important part of the show and is always good for a laugh.
ANK
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