Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye and Joel Hurwitz talk about their "American dad"! Episode

Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye and Joel Hurwitz talk about their "American dad"! Episode


One of the highlights of the last season of TBS " American father! The series was starring Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, who voiced and co-wrote the May 4 episode "A Starboy Is Born". We were thrilled when Tesfaye and co-writer Joel Hurwitz answered some of our questions about this exciting field trip where Stan kidnaps The Weeknd to teach Roger a lesson!

Questions and answers with Abel Tesfaye

We know you are a huge fan of animation. You can tell us how you ended up collaborating with American father! equipment?

Tesfaye All I did on the tour was watch American father!so everyone around me was forced to do it. When my manager Cash met Joel at random at a party in Las Vegas, he shared, and here we are.

What do you like about entertainment and animation in general?

I love that it's the counterpart of Family man -- like the cult version of Family manOnly the jokes are smarter and the stories are better.

What was the hardest part of writing the "A Starboy Is Born" episode?

I think the hardest part was probably figuring out what my character's dark secret was, and in the end we got to "virgin".

How did you come up with the song "The Weeknd's Dark Secret"?

The script informed the concept and the song was written with the help of the talented Asa Taccone. [Electric Guest].

What was it like making your character's voice?

I hated it. Actually, I hated it, because when I think of cartoons you have characters. With Robot chicken I have to be other characters, so he didn't remind me of it. I prefer to hide my voice.

You grew up loving animation, right? What were some of your favorites?

I am a cartoonist, but I vividly remember that the first comic that surprised me was Duckman. And since I was a super adult, I stayed up late in my room and watched without my parents knowing. Duckman more or less introduced me to adult cartoons.

As you know, the field of animation is ripe for more diverse and black talents, both behind the scenes and in terms of content. What do you think of the matter?

Even though characters like Apu and Cleveland are so loved, I totally agree with the decision of the actors who are withdrawing their voices.

Questions and answers with Joel Hurwitz

Animag: Can you tell us how the idea of ​​"A Starboy Is Born" was born?

Hurwitz Abel and I had talked about his appearance American father! The concept started small, but "Starboy" quickly became a very ambitious project. Celebrity cameos are inherently mundane, and The Weeknd is a huge star. The only way to do this was to become totally absurd. Abel is a fan of American father! so he trusted us. I couldn't pass up an opportunity like this, so we made The Weeknd a virgin.

How did you get The Weeknd's attention?

It's a long and strange story that began in Marshmello's hotel room in Las Vegas. He also loves animation and has invited a few Robot chicken Writers at his concert to discuss some ideas. I met a guy named Cash who was the manager of The Weeknd. I said I write for American father! and said, "Are you serious? Let me have your number. The Weeknd loves American father! He flew to Dubai and watched him throughout the flight. "I honestly didn't expect any of this to come out. Then, a few days later, I got a text from Abel.

What was it like working with him in the episode?

Kind of like working with any other writer American father! … If you ever wanted to give up stardom and write cartoons full time, you'd be a natural.

What did you enjoy working with The Weeknd?

I liked that our sensibilities were so aligned. There wasn't literally a time when we didn't agree on something. Either we both loved a joke or we both thought it could be better.

As you have American father! evolved during your time on the show?

it is hard to believe American father! It will hit 300 episodes this season. I've been there for the last hundred years, but when the show premiered, I was still in school. The writers' room has gone through different periods. It's nice to have real OG guys like Matt Weitzman, Brian Boyle, Parker Deay, and Steve Hely in the room. There's a great balance to keep it fresh, but also to honor the history of the show.

The biggest evolution since my arrival is the Klaus bloom. Sometimes it takes a couple of hundred episodes to find a character. So in my opinion, all new shows should have at least 200 episodes to meet.

What is your biggest challenge in the program in 2020?

Nothing. 2020 is sailing smoothly and the United States is fantastic again. But if I had to choose something, it would probably be the global pandemic that our government could not help but devastate every part of production.

What is your opinion on the general state of animation today?

The animation is so strong now and always will be. I show my four-year-old son the classic Chuck Jones cartoons and he laughs like me. It's great to write on truly timeless medium.

"A Starboy Is Born" is getting the Emmy buzz. Why do you think this episode stands out?
Obviously, the song is unreal. "The Dark Secret of Weeknd" recorded over 5 million views on YouTube in one month. More importantly, people really love it. It's a hit of the week and the comedy isn't energetic. I saw a child on YouTube declare it "virgin anthem". The Weeknd is the king of music in 2020, he's a mega celebrity, a sex symbol and sang the most self-critical song imaginable American father. It is quite surprising.

Catch the full episode "A Starboy Is Born" on TBS.com, or at least watch "The Secretnd's Dark Secret" below.





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