Smashing Watermelons: Tim Meadows Prepares For Come And Take It

Tim Meadows. Photo: Courtesy of Artist/Uncredited

In the world of comedy, there aren’t too many echelons more prestigious than gaining a slot with the cast of Saturday Night Live, and Michigan’s Tim Meadows held a spot on the cast for nine years.  Aside from Meadows’ time portraying people like Tiger Woods, OJ Simpson, and his famous character “The Ladies Man” Leon Phelps, Meadows has one of the most diverse comedy backgrounds you’ve ever seen.  Years as a member of Chicago’s famed The Second City cast, Meadows has been all over film and television, and when he isn’t shooting for his new show Son Of Zorn, he’s performing stand up across the country.  Free Press Houston was more than thrilled to sit down with the comic and talk about what he has planned for his set at this weekend’s Come And Take It Comedy Festival at The Secret Group.

Free Press Houston:  You’ve had a long career that includes a nine year stint at SNL, various roles in films and television shows, and performing improv at places like Upright Citizens Brigade.  Of all that you’ve done, which do you like better, live improv, television, or film?

Tim Meadows:  I like them all. There is a freedom to doing improv with UCB or IO that I love. When I was in NYC at SNL, Steve Turre the jazz trombonist in SNL‘s band, was playing a gig at a club in NYC. I went to see him play. Afterwards we were talking and he said that for him, SNL was the job and he played the small club for himself. That’s how I feel about Improv. I do it because I love it.

FPH:  You’re originally from Michigan, and you now live in Chicago; do you find yourself at all connected with the Chicago improv scene with Steppenwolf and The Second City?

Meadows:  No. I don’t improvise in Chicago much. My kids live here, so when I’m here I’m just on daddy duty. Which is basically driving and cooking.

FPH:  You have a hilarious new show on FOX with Son Of Zorn, did you have any reluctance to the role after finding out you’d be playing opposite of an animated character, or were you into it from the start?

Meadows:  No. I was excited about it. I knew it would be something different. Once we started shooting the episodes it became obvious to all involved that this was going to be a different type of show.

FPH:  The diversity of the roles you’ve portrayed in films and television is pretty immense, do people ever walk up to you and ask you to talk like Leon Phelps or act like Cornelius from Semi Pro when they meet you?

Meadows:  No.

FPH:  You’ve been performing stand up for a good while now, but you haven’t released an album.  Do you have any plans to release a comedy album in the future and what should people expect from your set when you’re here at Come And Take It?

Meadows:  I’m not releasing a stand up album. People should expect to be covered in watermelon when they come to my show. I close by smashing watermelons with a giant hammer! It’s a totally original idea that I just thought of.

While Meadows gets his hammer ready for his “original” ending, you can catch him this Saturday at the Come And Take It Comedy Festival.  The three day fest at The Secret Group includes sets from Joey “Coco” Diaz, Maria Bamford, Rhea Butcher, Todd Barry and more, plus a closing show from Har Mar Superstar.  The three day festival has single day tickets for $35 or three day passes between $79 and $129, and the all ages shows have doors at 6 pm daily. 

by David Garrick