The cat's out of the bag by now: Reality shows aren't based on a whole lot of reality, which is exactly what makes them so easy to make fun of. But, what do you do when you want to take the joke one step further, and you happen to be an actress-and-comedy-writer duo with a roster of celeb pals? If you're Sara and Erin Foster, you create Barely Famous, an "anti-reality show"/fake documentary/comedy series mashup that pokes fun at all things Hollywood and reality TV.
We caught up with the stars of VH1's new series, which premieres tomorrow night, to get the inside scoop on the show and its slew of guest stars (including Kate Hudson and Courtney Cox). Oh, and to talk Tinder and dating in L.A., of course. Read on to get to know the sisters, and if you simply can't wait, peek the first episode here.
How did you come up with the idea for the show?
Sara Foster: "We’re sort of obsessed with the time we’re living in, where we’re surrounded by this culture of reality TV and people who are famous for doing nothing. Erin and her managers thought, What’s the anti-reality show? What if we did a show about two sisters who say they are completely above doing a reality show? Because, that’s the joke: All these reality people are like, ‘I’m just doing it, it’s fun,' and they auditioned 50 times to be on the show. We wanted to pull the curtain back — just a little — to see how a reality show is made." Erin Foster: “People in middle America get a taste of the funny things that happen in L.A., and people in L.A. watch stuff they relate to: People setting up paparazzi shoots for themselves, or having a publicist when there’s no work to be done, or having an assistant when they don’t need an assistant. Just the idiots we all know.” SF: “But, we’re not making fun of anyone specifically. We’re making fun of a culture; we’re making fun of a genre. When we were developing the show, we had on a big board the word ‘hypocrisy.’ That’s the general theme.” How did you make sure it wasn't mean-spirited?
EF: “We kept that in mind the whole time. There’s never a setup in the show that’s clearly ripping off The Real Housewives or any specific show...[and] we are always the butt of the joke.” SF: “We didn’t want to make the show if we couldn’t be outrageous and we couldn’t be over-the-top. All of our guest stars knew we were going to go for it. They had to be game and ready to do it, and everybody that came on the show was.”
Sara Foster: "We’re sort of obsessed with the time we’re living in, where we’re surrounded by this culture of reality TV and people who are famous for doing nothing. Erin and her managers thought, What’s the anti-reality show? What if we did a show about two sisters who say they are completely above doing a reality show? Because, that’s the joke: All these reality people are like, ‘I’m just doing it, it’s fun,' and they auditioned 50 times to be on the show. We wanted to pull the curtain back — just a little — to see how a reality show is made." Erin Foster: “People in middle America get a taste of the funny things that happen in L.A., and people in L.A. watch stuff they relate to: People setting up paparazzi shoots for themselves, or having a publicist when there’s no work to be done, or having an assistant when they don’t need an assistant. Just the idiots we all know.” SF: “But, we’re not making fun of anyone specifically. We’re making fun of a culture; we’re making fun of a genre. When we were developing the show, we had on a big board the word ‘hypocrisy.’ That’s the general theme.” How did you make sure it wasn't mean-spirited?
EF: “We kept that in mind the whole time. There’s never a setup in the show that’s clearly ripping off The Real Housewives or any specific show...[and] we are always the butt of the joke.” SF: “We didn’t want to make the show if we couldn’t be outrageous and we couldn’t be over-the-top. All of our guest stars knew we were going to go for it. They had to be game and ready to do it, and everybody that came on the show was.”
What’s one of your most over-the-top scenes with a guest star?
SF: "With Kate Hudson, who’s one of my best friends, we said, ‘We have an idea for you; are you game? Are you okay if I make fun of you, and in turn, you can make fun of me?’.... She was so easy and so cool, and when you see the episode, you’ll know what I’m talking about.” EF: “I have a scene with Courtney Cox where I aggressively accuse her of stealing socks in a business meeting. I essentially lose the job over obsessing over this pair of socks and trying to rip her shoes off her feet. But, she was so open. We say to someone, ‘What’s something you see in Hollywood that makes you crazy that you would love to poke fun at?’ And, then, people do what they want to do. We don’t impose a storyline on them." The show tackles the L.A. dating world. Have you ever had a hilariously bad real-life date?
EF: "I could fill a book — and I will one day — with my horrible dating stories. I went on a blind date with a guy who told me that he rates women on a scale of 1 to 10, and he gave me a rating on the date. He gave me a 9. Which meant: I think you’re really hot, but there’s room for improvement. People ask me why I'm single — I’m like, look around. "But, I’ll tell you what I’m not down with: Tinder. I don’t want someone to swipe left or right on me. That’s not romantic. I don’t want to be judged on an image and one line. The whole concept of rushed app dating to me takes out all the chemistry, and I don’t know how to operate unless it’s with chemistry. It’s like the Price Is Right with dudes." What do you think is the difference between male and female comedy writers?
EF: "I think the difference is similar to any other field; as a woman, you’re expected to be a little more soft and feminine, and do things that make people feel comfortable. If you have a harsher sense of humor, then you’re expected to be a harsher kind of woman, and that’s not in line with what men want you to be. But, I don’t think you have to be part of the boys' club to do comedy. What I’ve learned in the writer’s room is, don't try to do what guys do and do it better — do what you do and do it better."
SF: "With Kate Hudson, who’s one of my best friends, we said, ‘We have an idea for you; are you game? Are you okay if I make fun of you, and in turn, you can make fun of me?’.... She was so easy and so cool, and when you see the episode, you’ll know what I’m talking about.” EF: “I have a scene with Courtney Cox where I aggressively accuse her of stealing socks in a business meeting. I essentially lose the job over obsessing over this pair of socks and trying to rip her shoes off her feet. But, she was so open. We say to someone, ‘What’s something you see in Hollywood that makes you crazy that you would love to poke fun at?’ And, then, people do what they want to do. We don’t impose a storyline on them." The show tackles the L.A. dating world. Have you ever had a hilariously bad real-life date?
EF: "I could fill a book — and I will one day — with my horrible dating stories. I went on a blind date with a guy who told me that he rates women on a scale of 1 to 10, and he gave me a rating on the date. He gave me a 9. Which meant: I think you’re really hot, but there’s room for improvement. People ask me why I'm single — I’m like, look around. "But, I’ll tell you what I’m not down with: Tinder. I don’t want someone to swipe left or right on me. That’s not romantic. I don’t want to be judged on an image and one line. The whole concept of rushed app dating to me takes out all the chemistry, and I don’t know how to operate unless it’s with chemistry. It’s like the Price Is Right with dudes." What do you think is the difference between male and female comedy writers?
EF: "I think the difference is similar to any other field; as a woman, you’re expected to be a little more soft and feminine, and do things that make people feel comfortable. If you have a harsher sense of humor, then you’re expected to be a harsher kind of woman, and that’s not in line with what men want you to be. But, I don’t think you have to be part of the boys' club to do comedy. What I’ve learned in the writer’s room is, don't try to do what guys do and do it better — do what you do and do it better."