Paul W. Downs is responding after Andy Cohen confronted him on live television over a joke referenced in Hacks, according to E! News.
During an interview at the Television Academy Hall of Fame ceremony on Aug. 13, Downs said he could not believe Cohen brought it up and joked that his lawyers did not want him to say more because they were “taking action.”
The joke came from a past episode of the HBO Max comedy, where Jean Smart’s character Deborah Vance said she had turned down Andy Cohen “more than every twink on Fire Island.” Downs said the line was written by him, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky.
Downs said Cohen handled the exchange well when he appeared with Meg Stalter on Watch What Happens Live on Aug. 11. He added that the Hacks team names people in jokes because they assume those people will appreciate the humor, and said the show often starts with scripted material before the cast adds improvisation during a fun run.
Statsky also praised Downs and Stalter’s improv skills, saying some of the show’s funniest moments come from the pair reacting to each other in the moment. The exchange comes as Hacks has collected a dozen Emmy wins and Smart could make more history at the next awards ceremony.
