Today’s TV Addict Top 5: Questions with GLORY DAZE Star Tim Meadows

In a continued attempt to live up to their network slogan of “very funny,” TBS premieres a new hour long series tonight called GLORY DAZE. Set in the 1980’s, GLORY DAZE chronicles the fun – and awkward – misadventures of four freshmen as they navigate college life, trying to figure out who they are and who they want to be. And here to talk about the show, his post-SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE career, and his new network compatriot Conan O’Brien is none other than star Tim Meadows.

The last time fans saw you stepping into the shoes of an educator was in a small but memorable role in Mean Girls. How does Professor Haines differ?
Tim Meadows: Professor Haines [Meadows GLORY DAZE character] is going through a divorce, much more liberal, and much angrier. He’s quite different from the principal character from Mean Girls in the sense that, I remember that character as being sort of done with the whole job, not really feeling it anymore and just wanting the year to end. Professor Haines actually needs to get advice from the kids at the school, as you’ll see in the second episode, when we find out that he’s no longer living at home.

Why do you think people will want to tune in the watch Glory Daze?
We sort of capture a near bygone era. I think if you’ve gone to a college you’ve experienced some of this, these emotional relationships, trying to fit in, growing up, and becoming an adult. So there’s a lot of things I think people will enjoy. Plus, it’s funny and there are a lot of great cameos and other actors appearing on the show.

You received an Emmy nomination for writing during your SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE days. Is that something you’d like to continue doing, sort of along the lines of what Tina Fey is doing with 30 ROCK?
Not what Tina Fey is doing because she’s not successful at all! Yes I would love to do something like that. And what sort of happens, at least from my side of the story is that in the beginning of the year around pilot season I will formulate ideas, go out and pitch to do a show. And then invariably I’ll get a job or I’ll be offered a job and then it sort of takes the steam out of me going out and pitching the show that I want to do. So that has been what has happened to me over the past I don’t know like five or six years. But yes I’d love to be able to do that, I’d love to be able to direct a movie and write.

The show seems perfectly timed with the launch of Conan O’Brien’s new show. Was the genesis of GLORY DAYS to serve as a lead-in to CONAN, or was it simply a happy coincidence?
Well, if my memory serves correct we shot the show before Conan went to TBS. I think he was still doing THE TONIGHT SHOW actually when we shot it. That said, my business savvy would say yes that probably had a big something to do with it. The idea that Conan would bring in a college demographic or that age and the show would be suited for that audience.

Has there been any talk of Conan guesting on the show?
Not that I know of, but we did have Andy Richter. He did an episode on the show where he plays a priest, an advisor to one of the students. And it’s a really, really funny scene. And we have a lot of other guest appearances by other comedic actors I think people will be, are going to be very happy about.

GLORY DAZE Premieres on Tuesday November 16 at 10PM on TBS