Jack McBrayer

The 30 Rock comedian talks about working with Judd Apatow and starring in Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body" video.

Interview: Brendan Frederick

In this age of cynicism, it's hard to believe that someone like actor/comedian Jack McBrayer exists. Despite the fact that he's become a seasoned improv comic with an Emmy-winning hit sitcom, he's still the same goofy, fun-loving Southern gentleman who was raised in Macon, Georgia. In fact, his own personality isn't too far removed from Kenneth, the scene-stealing page he plays on NBC's hilarious Tina Fey-helmed sitcom 30 Rock. It's hard not to admire.

One person who definitely does admire him is Mariah Carey, who recruited Jack to be her leading man in the "Touch My Body" video, which was directed by Rush Hour's Brett Ratner. His leading man appearance was definitely a first for the comedian, who got his start doing improv comedy for Chicago's Second City and New York's Upright Citizen's Bridage. Since then, he's made his name with small parts in Judd Apatow hits like Talladega Nights, Walk Hard, and most recently Forgetting Sarah Marshall, where he plays a man on his honeymoon who's afraid of sex. Jack's probably not that innocent in real life, because he definitely seems to be enjoying the ride.

Complex: You aren't exactly known as the leading man. How did the Mariah Carey video come about?

Jack McBrayer: It was the weirdest thing! During the writer’s strike in February, I got a call from my agent on a Thursday night. She was a little bit breathless and she's like, “Jack, you're about to get a phone call in a minute from Brett Ratner. He directed this, this and this." And I’m like, “I know who Brent Ratner is. Why would he want to talk to me?" And she was like, "I've never asked you to do anything, but this time I’m asking you. He's going to tell you about a Mariah Carey video. You have to do it." So I’m sitting there just stunned, like, What the heck is happening with my life?" And sure enough, Brent Ratner called a little bit later like, “Hi, Jack, Mariah Carey's a big fan of 30 Rock. We had this idea, and it's pretty much Beauty and the Geek. We want you to be a geek. Can you get on a plane in the morning?" I was like, "Um, yeah, I guess!" Part of me was thinking, Oh, this is a very elaborate prank.

C: [Laughs] So what was the shoot like?

Jack McBrayer: It was so surreal. We shot on Saturday at this huge mansion in Beverly Hills.  I had to walk around pretend like everything was normal. I did accidentally pop Mariah Carey in the nose with a Frisbee. I don't know how it happened, but we were playing Frisbee, and she’s spinning around and lip-synching. And I'll be damned, right when she turned around, that Frisbee just hit her right in the nose! [laughs]. She actually kept lip-synching, but she kinda did a Marsha Brady like, "Ahh!" Like forty people screamed cut and ran over to take care of her. Meanwhile, I'm shaking in my boots and her bodyguard comes over like, “You got to be careful with that Frisbee.”

C: Before you shot, did Mariah lay down any kind of ground rules when it came to the actual touching of her body?

Jack McBrayer: Well, she had so many people working with her; so many people around her that you kind of just pick up on the vibe. She is a big fan of comedy, so it was very pleasant experience. But I did think I was going to get fired every second because I don’t know how superstars are! I have no idea. She had people all around her all the time, and each one had such a specific job. She had this one lady who I think her only job was to hold her dog. And what’s crazy is, I’m quite sure that lady made three times more than me.