‘Bupkis’ Guest Stars Ray Romano & Brad Garrett on Being Part of Pete Davidson’s Comedy Vision
Spoiler Alert
[Spoiler Alert: The below contains spoilers from Bupkis Season 1.]
Bupkis has arrived, and while this semi-autobiographical Peacock comedy may revolve around Pete Davidson, the show’s array of guest stars shine on their own, with a little help from Everybody Loves Raymond costars Ray Romano and Brad Garrett.
While they don’t appear onscreen together in the show, they do appear in several episodes throughout the season; Romano plays a version of himself and Garrett portrays a family friend Pete calls “Uncle Roy.” They pop up in different scenarios, with Roy needing some special assistance from Pete and Ray offering up some bad advice at inopportune times as a figment of Pete’s imagination mostly.
Heidi Gutman/Peacock
Perhaps one of the most memorable sequences is in the first episode as Pete seeks the employment of an escort to give his grandfather Joe (Joe Pesci), who was recently diagnosed with cancer, a memorable night. Ultimately, the escort ends up in bed with Garrett’s Roy, who throws out his hip in the middle of their night together. Needless to say, Pete is asked to get involved, helping Roy conclude his evening by moving his body above the escort.
“Disturbing!” Romano yells in our interview with the actors together. He doesn’t find the situation as funny as viewers may, but Garrett was easily game for what his role entailed. “The script and doing something that really scared me,” he says, was what “initially attracted me to it. It was very different. And to work with Pete and Joe and Edie [Falco] was kind of a no-brainer for me.”
(Credit: Heidi Gutman/Peacock)
On a less visually disturbing note, Romano plays a version of himself that gives Pete not-so-great advice in low points for the comedian. “It’s a version of myself that only I’ve seen,” Romano jokes. “That was the fun part. I play a dark Ray Romano who is giving advice to Pete, and it’s the worst advice anybody could probably give.”
One particular sequence sees Romano appear in Pete’s trailer on a mostly-deserted movie set in a snow-drenched Canada. “We got to improv and let it all fly,” he shares. “We took it to limits, and I would tell them, ‘Can you say this? Are you sure?’ And they said ‘yes.’ And Pete loved it. That was the fun part, getting Pete to laugh.”
Improvisation was a must, according to Garrett. “That was encouraged by Pete. He’s just so naturally funny, and we were all encouraged to do that. And Pesci was great with improv. It’s kind of cool we were able to go off the page and try things, especially in that scene in the pilot,” he says, referring to Roy’s moment with the escort.
As the season plays out, Pete sees visions of Romano in the set trailer and also in a comedy club, but it becomes clear that he’s just a figment of Pete’s imagination until the end of the season when the comedian runs into the real Romano at a gas station. [SPOILER ALERT] Romano is the last person Pete sees before getting into a car accident after leaving rehab to attend his sister’s graduation. The moment definitely leaves the show open to a continuation, and we couldn’t help but wonder, would Romano want a redemption scene with Pete?
“Yes, I would. I would like to do anything again. If they’re gonna continue it, we can continue the make-believe Ray or do the real Ray. I’m in for whatever they want,” Romano shares. The actor’s final scene in the finale episode was the real version of himself, but Pete believes it’s the figment again, making for a less pleasant interaction on Ray’s end.
Only time will tell for certain, but one thing is, these former co-stars are shining bright in Bupkis. What did you think of their appearances? Let us know in the comments section, below.
Bupkis, Streaming Now, Peacock
