Ken Marino Will Do Anything for Comedy

The latest in pop-culture news, recaps, and reviews, plus close reads, profiles, interviews, and more from Vulture.com. [Brand Logo]( profile [Ken Marino Will Do Anything for Comedy]( Dead rats, discouragement, the shame of farting in front of his colleagues: Nothing can stop this man. Photo: Damien Maloney On the lawn of an opulent Mediterranean estate in Beverly Hills, Ken Marino rolls the legs of his dark blue jeans all the way up to his knees so he can wade into a long, shallow pool. The dip is his idea: He’s mid–photo shoot and appreciates the incongruity of the actor best known for playing Ron Donald — his character on the cater-waiter comedy [Party Down]( and a man whose boundless optimism is surpassed only by his capacity to do the stupidest shit imaginable — unwinding at a venue like the Palazzo di Amore. Guys who look out of place are Ken Marino’s specialty, and Ron, a destined-to-fail food-service boss with a bad flattop haircut and propensity to descend into a mad panic, is his masterpiece. But before Marino can even get his feet wet, the photographer’s assistant, Chad, notices something unpleasant: a dead rat at the bottom of the pool. After a dustbin and trash can are procured, Chad scoops out the drowned rodent, and Marino, undeterred, climbs into the water to stand for picture after picture. “It’s not like any plagues have been started by rats,” he deadpans, a quieter attempt at humor than the big, broad swings he takes onscreen. In roughly eight hours, he will return to the estate for the post-premiere celebration of Party Down’s third season, a [revival set 13 years after the original Starz series]( was canceled, so he excuses himself to wash off his “rat legs.” Even a performer who has spent decades making uninhibited comedic choices knows when to play it safe. [read more]( Devour pop culture with us. [Subscribe now]( for unlimited access to Vulture and everything New York. The Latest TV Recaps • The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: [Massaging the Truth]( • Ghosts: [Cod-blocked]( • Yellowjackets: [Bite Me]( • Love Is Blind: [Speed Dating]( • Grey’s Anatomy: [Sweeping Up the Glass]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Stories We Think You’ll Like [An Attempt to Define the ‘Good for Her’ Cinematic Universe “Good for her” is misaimed fandom, willfully disregarding authorial intent as you stan. “Good for her” is Walter White for girls.]( [One Take. Three Days. A Painstaking Dance. Here’s how the explosive John Wick: Chapter 4 Dragon’s Breath shoot-out came together.]( By Roxana Hadadi [How Dungeons & Dragons Went From Punch Line to Blockbuster in 17 Turns The ways D&D has been depicted in movies and on TV illustrates how the game’s reputation has leveled up.]( By Rory Doherty [Bachelor Creator Mike Fleiss Out After Racial-Discrimination Investigation He announced what was thought to be an amicable departure earlier this week.]( By Zoe Guy [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Today’s Crossword]( 17-Down, Five Letters: Deck with “the Moon” and “the Sun” cards. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Getty Images, Paramount Pictures Vulture Recommends We consume it all so you don’t have to. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: The Hollywood Recorder, Conner O’Malley, Jesus Nalgas, Ed Jones, Porches Check out some of the funniest comedy shorts of the month, [as chosen by Vulture!]( [Read more from Vulture]( A weekly newsletter of TV and movie recommendations. [Sign up]( to get it every week. [Get the Newsletter]( [logo]( [facebook logo]( [instagram logo]( [twitter logo]( [unsubscribe](link.nymag.com/manage/588/optout-vulture?email={EMAIL}&hash=39357a76f6d08b16239fd2ffa65e9c6f¶m=vulture-daily) | [privacy notice]( | [update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up now]( to get this newsletter in your inbox. [View this email in your browser.]( You received this email because you have a subscription to New York. Reach the right online audience with us For advertising information on email newsletters, please contact AdOps@nymag.com Vox Media, LLC 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, 12th Floor Washington, DC 20036 Copyright © 2023, All rights reserved