Andrea Savage wants to create a new TV image of a mom. “As a woman, in this industry, once you start becoming of an age where you play a parent, the mom roles are just terrible. They’re just boring,” the writer, producer and comedy darling said. “I’m a mother and wife. I’m not boring. I’m funny. I’m dirty. I’m flawed.” Inspired by true stories from her own life, and with support from industry geniuses like Andy Samberg, Will Ferrell, Jessica Elbaum, Adam McCay and Gloria Sanchez, she created the hilarious I’m Sorry (Wednesdays at 10/9c beginning July 12 on truTV). The series follows comedy writer Andrea (played by Savage) as she navigates the oftentimes self-induced complications of her life alongside her more strait-laced husband Mike (Tom Everett Scott) and their inquisitive daughter Amelia (Olive Petrucci). Here Savage tells us a little bit more about her series and self.
You’ve developed lots of material over the years, what finally pushed you over the edge to make I’m Sorry materialize?
Well, really part of it was finding the people to help me make it materialize. I’ve been developing it for many years. … All the shows were inspired by true stories in my life, and I was like, “I’ve got a lot of really good stories that are very specific and kind of funny and crazy, but they’re very universal at the same time, about what you’re going through in your 30s and 40s.” I really was just like, “I want to be the person who puts that mom character on TV.” We’re doing it.
You have some incredible comedy partners.
I have two incredible partners. I’ve got the whole Gary Sanchez, Gloria Sanchez team, especially Jessica Elbaum, who’s my main exec. We’ve got that whole comedy cred — we got Samberg and the Lonely Island Guys, that comedy cred. Yeah, so I’ve got great people and the thing about it, and also true, too, that I will say, I’ve developed with lots of different networks. I’ve never had the experience of the trust and the wide berth and really, truly, for better or for worse, allowing your vision to get there from the beginning to the end, which just is not the way most TV works for many reasons. I really feel like all my producers are all very much just like, “This is your vision. Go with it.” It’s a pretty pure product at the end of the day.
WATCH A PREVIEW CLIP: Andrea Savage in truTV’s I’m Sorry
Since this is based loosely on your own life experiences, who in your family has gone: “Oh shit, you better not include …?”
Well, I feel like they may not know yet, so I feel like if you talk to me maybe next summer, there might be some situations. I kept saying at Christmas this year, I was like, “Christmas next year might have a little bit more pizzazz.” Honestly, it is not a mean show. My sense of humor is not mean in general, so I feel like even the people that it could come out a little like, “Woowa,” we’re keeping it still pretty funny. My mom is featured very heavily in it, and she’s loving it. Even though I’m putting it all out there, she thinks it’s hilarious. That I’m okay with. I warned one of my brothers. My dad is going to be the interesting. That’s the one where I’m like, “Okay. That might be the dicier one.”
As a real mom how do you rate yourself?
I don’t want to be arrogant. I think I’m a very good mother. I really do. I think I am able to strike a good balance of joking around and levity and that kind of stuff, but also I am very much like: “It is my job to raise this person to be an independent person and be able to take care of themselves and be a good person in the world.” Part of that is to be kind of hard core, like set a lot of limits and really just guide strongly. We’re super close, she’s 7, so I’m sure there’s room for her to hate me. Then I’ll be like, “I’m a disaster.” The biggest stress is the work/mom balance.
What are three TV shows that you would recommend to your friends that totally make you laugh?
I will preface this with, I watch very little TV … Catastrophe, I love. There’s some other stuff I love, too. I love Veep. Not because I’m on [she plays Laura Montez]; I was a huge fan before. By the way — and again, not because I’m on it — Episodes is great. It legitimately makes me laugh.
I’m Sorry airs on truTV Wednesdays at 10/9c
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