TCA TV press tour: Jonathan Ames, eccentric NY writer, gets his TV moment

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Is the TV world ready for Jonathan Ames?

A New York writer with a large cult following, Ames has never produced a series before. But he’s nevertheless assembled a killer cast for his new HBO comedy, ‘Bored to Death.’

Jason Schwartzman plays the hero, also named Jonathan Ames, a down-on-his-luck writer who’s mistaken for a private eye. Zach Galifianakis, who shot to stardom in the feature ‘The Hangover,’ plays Ames’ best friend, while Ted Danson plays his boss.

Even sharing a stage with such practiced hams, the real Ames and his eccentricity stood out at a Thursday media session in Pasadena. He began the session with what he called a ‘harried call,’ a ear-shattering cry he says he and his childhood friends used when menaced by more ‘normal children.’

In the ‘Bored’ cast, Ames appears to have found a trio of kindred spirits -- people with a skewed sense of humor and of life. Galifianakis joked that after his newfound stardom he was tempted to ‘buy 17 Dodge Vipers’ but then realized the vehicles were not made as station wagons. Danson -- whose character was inspired by the late writer and editor George Plimpton, according to Ames -- playfully reminded Galifianakis and Schwartzman that he ‘was on a show called ‘Cheers.’ ‘ Schwartzman, appearing via satellite from a film set in Toronto, shrugged in mock confusion.

Ames conceded that the show’s title was asking for abuse from reviewers, but then noted that he had once written a book entitled ‘What’s Not to Love?’

Later, he thought: ‘Oh, God, why wasn’t I like Dave Eggers and put ‘genius’ in the title?’’

-- Scott Collins