Overheard: Human Giant’s 24-Hour Gig at MTV

From noon on Friday to noon on Saturday, our intrepid intern and ASSScat groupie Jocelyn Guest stayed up all night running around backstage with the comedy troupe Human Giant as they took charge of MTV for a solid 24 hours, mugging for the camera, accosting tourists, chatting with friends like Will Arnett and Albert Hammond Jr., and sneaking beer into their dressing rooms. It was like being in a daylong cage match with a bunch of pasty dudes. Highlights included getting in the photo booth with Rob Riggle, Human Giant’s attempts to get people over the age of 50 on MTV, and the stories they told us (below).

“You know, I’m a method actor. When they asked me to do this they were like, ‘Well, you’re going to be here for the whole 24 hours, maybe you can be a security guard.’ So I immediately went and got a job as a security guard down at the Empire State building. I told them I wanted [the name Cliff Carver] because it sounds like kind of a douche. I would love to have it embroidered in cursive right on my shirt.” —Rob Riggle, on his character, security guard Cliff Carver.

“I always wear a thong, so it works out well. I actually have to go home for my father’s birthday in Westchester. My parents are so, so proud. The best gift I could give my father would be to dress like the stereotype of a gay Puerto Rican on MTV.” —Nick Kroll, who wore a thong on the air

“Any time I’ve ever done cocaine. I just don’t like watching the sun come up. It’s depressing.” —Michael Showalter, on the worst all-nighter he’s ever pulled

“At one point we took a call from someone who wanted to read us a poem they wrote for us, and it ended up being a poem about a guy wanted to get a black girlfriend. It started out kind of racist but we weren’t sure, but then it got really racist and we were like ‘Uhhhh … okay!’ It’s live, what can you do?” —Rob Huebel

“I play a killer on the show. I was at the bar once, and this one guy came up to me and said how much he dug how cold my character was and all the killing. He went from there to how much he wanted to be like me and how it might feel when he kills someone and how he would hide the bodies and the thrill he wanted to get from it. He was completely serious. I stood there like, uh, ‘Thanks for watching the show!’ I didn’t want to piss him off!” —Gbenga Akinnagbe