Amy Poehler & Paul Rudd Dish on Wild ‘Wet Hot American Summer’ Parties: One Actor Wasn’t Having It!

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Wet Hot American Summer, a beloved and zany cult comedy classic, was filled with then-rising stars. Reminiscing about their time on set, actors Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler shared stories of the countless hours spent socializing, often fueled by alcohol, off camera. From morning till night (and even after), most members of Camp Firewood’s crew enjoyed parties when they weren’t working, with one notable exception. The peculiar outlier among the group in question is amusingly fitting.

Amy Poehler recently welcomed her friend Paul Rudd as a guest on her podcast, “Good One.” They discussed a wide range of topics, including Rudd’s upcoming film, “Friendship,” which is slated for release in 2025 by A24, along with many of his classic roles. They also reminisced about their shared 2001 hit movie. During their time off-screen, they often went on beer runs and didn’t spend much time preparing for future scenes. After each day’s work, they would usually gather to drink beer and party into the night until there was a late arrival. Through the podcast’s YouTube channel, Poehler posted:

Do you remember David Hyde Pierce coming out to tell us to–‘Can you be a little quieter?’

It’s quite appropriate that David Hyde Pierce, known for his fastidious character Niles Crane on Frasier, was the one to raise eyebrows about the late-night activities. I can envision these personalities – including Ken Marino, Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Banks, and others who socialized with them – all showing a humorous surprise themselves.

Michael Douglas, playing Ant-Man, added his thoughts, pointing out that it was Pierce’s first night on set. He suggested that Pierce was probably preparing for his first scene the following morning, but was interrupted by the lively crowd. Upon their meeting, neither party had formally met before, and another cast member alleviated the awkwardness with a witty pop culture reference connected to Douglas. The former Clueless star quipped:

As a movie enthusiast, I recall an unforgettable moment: it was late one night, a stranger among us, and he was capturing the dawn. He’d been holed up in his room all evening, a true professional. Then he emerged, pausing at the threshold, silence descended like a needle on a record. Ken Marino broke it with a chuckle, “Oh great, it’s Frasier.

1) This interaction has made me appreciate the movie and my Netflix subscription for this show even more! It’s incredibly reminiscent of the intense drama in Camp Firewood. Plus, Ken Marino’s remark was like the perfect finishing touch to a hilarious story.

During the gathering, the podcast host interjected to share that the actor from “Frasier” seemed more intrigued than upset by the event. However, this encounter had everyone laughing heartily, reminiscent of teenagers after a school event.

He undoubtedly asked, ‘What’s the deal here? What’s going on?’ To which we responded, ‘Ah, it turns out that none of us are working. There’s nothing to film tomorrow.’

Poehler and Rudd found him a delightful and entertaining colleague during their work together, yet he stood out as a serious actor compared to others from the early 2000s. I can’t get enough of this amusing sneak peek into the making of one of the best summer camp-themed movies. It’s tough not to be captivated by these two and other cast members who have made their mark in Hollywood since then, for my part.

This year, the 56-year-old actor has several films set for release. Besides his upcoming movie with A24, he’s previously premiered “Death of a Unicorn” at SXSW and has a horror film, titled “Anaconda,” scheduled for release on December 25th. This new version of “Anaconda” is marketed as a meta tribute to the original film. Lastly, “Avengers: Doomsday” is slated for release the following year.

The upcoming A24 film starring Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson appears incredibly outrageous, and I can hardly wait to feel uneasy in the cinema!

Is it possible that Paul Rudd enjoys working with these new casts and crews just as much as he did with Poehler and the group from Wet Hot American Summer? And was there ever someone like David Hyde Pierce who didn’t sync well with the party-goers? Here’s hoping we find out more in about twenty years.

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2025-05-09 00:00