Overview of the Rich Roll conversation with Danny McBride
Rich Roll sits down with Danny McBride to discuss Thrilling Tales of Modern Men, McBride’s first book: a 10-story short story collection about modern masculinity, ego, grievance, disappointment, and self-delusion. The conversation ranges from his childhood in Virginia and North Carolina film school days to the rise of Eastbound & Down, Vice Principals, and The Righteous Gemstones, while also exploring why comedy has shifted from big-screen studio films to TV, how he writes, and why he’s drawn to flawed men who get in their own way.
What the Book Is About
Modern masculinity as comedy and critique
McBride explains that the book continues themes he’s explored for years: men building grand self-images, then crashing into reality.
- The stories center on:
- ego and embarrassment
- grievance and self-pity
- failure, disappointment, and denial
- men trying to perform a version of masculinity that no longer fits the world
He frames the humor as coming from the gap between the mythic male fantasy and ordinary life:
- growing up on Rambo, Chuck Norris, and action-movie alpha fantasies
- realizing adulthood usually means “taking a desk job,” not karate-fighting an army
- finding comedy in the collapse of those expectations
Anthology format instead of a novel
He chose short stories because:
- he had many different ideas and characters in his head
- he wanted each story to feel complete on its own
- he was ready for a creative change after years of writing serial television
- the format let him move freely between different male archetypes
He also notes that the audiobook version expands the experience with a strong cast, including Walton Goggins, John Goodman, Adam Devine, Sam Rockwell, Billy Crudup, Sturgill Simpson, Eric Andre, Shane Gillis, and others.
Danny McBride’s Creative Process
Writing is solitary; film and TV are collaborative
McBride contrasts the loneliness of writing with the collaborative nature of production:
- TV and film involve writers, actors, directors, producers, and budget realities
- books are more direct: “once the story’s done, it’s finished”
- he enjoyed the freedom of moving ideas straight from imagination to page
He writes visually, but not for adaptation
Even though he thinks cinematically, he says he wasn’t writing these stories with adaptation in mind. His goal was to make them work as written stories first.
He starts with fragments
His process is intuitive and accumulative:
- free-write scenes or ideas into a document
- revisit the ideas that keep pulling him back
- build outward only once a scene or concept feels alive
He also uses day-to-day life as material:
- if he’s writing a show, everything he sees becomes possible story fuel
- a random person, outfit, or situation can end up in a script
Themes That Define His Work
Flawed men who are often their own antagonists
McBride says many of his characters are dangerous to themselves first:
- their biggest obstacle is usually their own behavior
- they blame others before recognizing their own role
- they often operate from a feeling of being lied to or cheated by life
Humanizing bad behavior
He emphasizes that he doesn’t write these men just to ridicule them.
- They need depth, empathy, and emotional logic
- He wants audiences to understand them, not simply laugh at them
- The goal is characters who are funny but still feel real
This is why he likes working with actors such as:
- Walton Goggins
- Edie Patterson
- John Goodman
He praises them for bringing humanity and pathos, not just delivering jokes.
How His Career Began
Childhood and early obsession with storytelling
McBride says he knew early on that he wanted to tell stories:
- he wrote stories in elementary school
- made backyard movies
- staged plays in high school
- went to film school to keep chasing that goal
Growing up in Virginia shaped his worldview
He talks about growing up in Spotsylvania/Fredericksburg, Virginia:
- lots of Civil War history nearby
- battlefield trips and historical landmarks shaped his curiosity
- living among visible history gave him a sense that the past was close and real
That historical awareness helped form the worldview behind his work: ordinary people living inside bigger cultural myths.
North Carolina School of the Arts was pivotal
He describes film school as the place where he found his people:
- he met David Gordon Green and Jody Hill on day one
- many longtime collaborators came from that same environment
- the school’s conservatory model treated everyone equally, regardless of background
That shared training and network became the foundation for his later career.
The Rise of McBride’s Comedy
From The Foot Fist Way to a breakout year
He says he and Jody Hill made The Foot Fist Way for almost no money, and while Sundance didn’t immediately launch it, the film eventually found support from Will Ferrell and Adam McKay.
That led to a massive stretch where he suddenly landed:
- Hot Rod
- Drillbit Taylor
- The Heartbreak Kid
- Pineapple Express
- the pilot for Eastbound & Down
- Tropic Thunder
He describes that period as surreal and compressed, going from no industry momentum to being in major projects almost overnight.
Antiheroes and the influence of 1970s cinema
McBride says he and his collaborators were influenced by films with complicated, unlikable characters, including:
- Five Easy Pieces
- Payday
- Taxi Driver
He sees that spirit in his own work: characters who are messy, self-destructive, and far more interesting than “nice” sitcom leads.
Why TV Replaced Big Comedy Movies
McBride and Roll discuss the decline of theatrical comedy and the rise of niche TV comedy.
His view
- TV allows more specific voices to flourish
- broad studio comedies became harder to finance
- comedy is now often more personal, weird, and audience-targeted
- big theatrical comedies became rarer as studios and creators aged out of the space
He points to the rise of singular comedic voices like:
- Nathan Fielder
- Tim Robinson
- Eric Andre
He also argues that comedy needs young people at the center of the industry to keep the form fresh.
Religion, Satire, and The Righteous Gemstones
The show wasn’t mocking faith itself
McBride says he deliberately avoided making religion the joke in The Righteous Gemstones.
Instead, the show targets:
- hypocrisy
- false prophets
- family dysfunction
- the absurdity of power and performance
Because of that, he says religious viewers could still enjoy the show without feeling attacked.
Research into megachurch culture
He explains that he interviewed megachurch pastors and spent time studying how these organizations functioned:
- how churches are planned
- how they’re built and marketed
- how they operate as institutions
That research helped him portray the world more truthfully rather than just cynically.
The State of Media and the Industry
He’s optimistic, but realistic
McBride acknowledges that the industry is in a tough place:
- production has slowed
- Los Angeles feels economically strained
- AI and shifting economics are creating uncertainty
Still, he believes stories will always matter.
Small-budget success still matters
He points to newer examples like Obsession and Backrooms as proof that low-budget projects can still break through and energize young audiences.
His broader point:
- it’s never been easier to find an audience
- artists just need to exploit that opportunity
- a single breakthrough can inspire a generation, just as Pulp Fiction, Clerks, or Reservoir Dogs once did
What’s Next for Danny McBride
New projects and creative momentum
After finishing The Righteous Gemstones, McBride took a needed breather, and the book became the right next step because writing is still his hobby.
He says he’s currently:
- developing a few projects at HBO
- working with John Carcieri and Jeff Fradley
- attached to a G.I. Joe reboot pitch for Paramount
Key Takeaways
- McBride sees comedy as a way to expose the gap between male fantasy and reality.
- His characters are often self-sabotaging, but he writes them with empathy, not contempt.
- He prefers stories that feel timeless rather than tied to a single cultural moment.
- Collaboration built his career, but the book let him work more independently.
- He believes the future of media still depends on fresh voices and young creators.
- Thrilling Tales of Modern Men is both a tonal extension of his screen work and a new creative form for him.
Notable Insight
“There’s something just about disappointment that I just find fertile for comedy.”
That idea captures the whole conversation: McBride’s work turns frustration, ego, and failed masculine ideals into comedy that still has heart.