The healing power of laughter is no joke, unless you’re watching “Childrens Hospital.”
This ensemble comedy, which made the move from TheWB.com to Adult Swim after season one, was created by and stars Rob Corddry of “The Daily Show” fame.
Following a group of doctors who practice an unconventional type of medicine, “Childrens Hospital” kicks off its third season on Thursday, but students can catch a sneak peak today at 7 p.m. in Ackerman Grand Ballroom, followed by a question-and-answer session with its A-list cast including Megan Mullally (“Will and Grace”) and Rob Huebel (“Human Giant”).
The show’s Erinn Hayes (“Worst Week”) spoke with the Daily Bruin’s Saba Mohtasham about moving the show from online to TV, giving her mom bragging rights and playing Dr. Lola Spratt.
Daily Bruin: Tell me about your character, Dr. Lola Spratt.
Erinn Hayes: The weird thing about this show is we have characters, but at the same time there’s no real consistency in them. You get to do whatever you want. Rob (Corddry) and the writers try their hardest not to make anything consistent, … so for the most part, like every other character on the show, she’s just kind of an asshole who pretty much just cares about herself and looking good.
DB: Being intentionally inconsistent seems to work better for “Childrens Hospital” than it would for most other shows. Is that because it’s supposed to be a parody of doctor dramas?
EH: Yeah, if you take “House,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Private Practice,” “ER” and all of those, … you don’t want too much consistency where you end up following a real relationship from episode to episode. Then I think there’s the danger of actually becoming one of those shows. So that really frees us up, because we get to do whatever we want.
DB: Did you base your character on characters from one of those doctor dramas, like Meredith Grey from “Grey’s Anatomy?”
EH: No one specifically. … When Rob first approached me to do it, it was to play the character that Lake (Bell) plays, which is very narrative, like on Grey’s Anatomy with the voice-overs. But I think at the time I was playing a very supportive girlfriend, and there aren’t a lot of parts out there where the women can be unapologetically dicks and still be funny and be a main character. I saw that in Lola and it called to me more.
DB: What was it that attracted you to do the show with Rob Corddry?
EH: I was like, “I would do a show with you in your garage.” I think (Rob’s) awesome, and he’s funny, and I would do anything he asked me to do … professionally. I think I went in with that attitude in the beginning, like, “We should do this. It should be fun, even if nothing happens with it.” I know Rob was never interested in bringing it to TV, and then he kind of got talked into it. But I’m glad we brought it to TV, because it’s just so much fun to do.
DB: Does it feel different now that it’s on TV?
EH: Only because it’s more legit, and people can actually find it. My mom has bragging rights since it’s actually on TV, and her friends aren’t so Internet-savvy.
DB: What are your ambitions with the show? What would you like to see happen with it?
EH: Only total world domination.