Oscar-winning actor Tim Robbins has told Sky News that “we all need a good laugh” right now, as he discussed his new star-studded satirical podcast Bobbo Supreme.
He revealed that he wanted to make a film but due to the coronavirus pandemic, that was not possible – so he created a “film for the ears” instead.
Robbins says the five-episode podcast pays homage to his 1992 film Bob Roberts, which sees him star as a right-wing politician running for the US Senate.
Tim Robbins plays Bobbo Supreme in the titular podcast
The title character Bobbo Supreme is described as an “infantile, narcissistic lounge singer, game show hosting, narcoleptic, racist billionaire recording artist and leader of the free world, who is in the final push of his re-election campaign”.
Robbins has suggested his character pokes fun at what US President Donald Trump could be like “behind the scenes”, asking: “How do you satirise satire?
“If we had written this script of the Trump presidency, I don’t think anyone would have bought it, they would have said ‘no it’s not plausible’.”
He added: “It starts with a dream and ends with a dream, and during Bobbo Supreme we’re not really sure whether we’re dreaming this or whether it’s his nightmare or our nightmare.”
Bobbo Supreme is packed with fellow A-listers Jack Black, Isla Fisher, and The Sixth Sense star Haley Joel Osment, with music by brother David Robbins – who was also behind the music for Bob Roberts.
Robbins admitted producing something in COVID was “a big challenge”.
He said: “We had 35 actors in different locations all over the country. Some recording in their basements, some recording in their closets.
“Somehow we got together and did it live, and the technology allowed us to do that, so really the challenge was in the editing, to get the pace and the comedy crisp and moving along.”
Jack Black (left) is among a host of Hollywood stars appearing alongside Tim Robbins in the podcast. File pic
He continued: “We all need a good laugh, I’m not sure anyone’s mind is going to be changed about who they’re going to vote for [in November’s presidential election].
“But I certainly believe that in this time of doom-scrolling and negative news, that it’s important to try to gather in some kind of community to share laughter with others.
“That’s been the thing that’s been severely lacking for all of us.
“This idea that we can go out to restaurants and be part of a community or a theatre, or a movie theatre or a concert hall and experience emotion and story with other people.
“To know that we’re not alone, to know that we’re not insane, that there are other people that have similar concerns to us and we can share a collective humour with them, a collective anger, a collective fear and be part of a community.
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“My hope with Bobbo Supreme is that it does that, virtually.”
And asked whether he would like to enter politics in real life after playing a candidate in Bob Roberts, Robbins replied: “No, I really prefer being a satirist.
“I don’t think there’s ever been a politician satirist has there?”
But laughing, he added: “Some satirise themselves, constantly.”