David Koechner Gets Serious While Discussing Human Trafficking Drama ‘Priceless’

Sandra Miska

Actor-comedian David Koechner, who may be best known for playing wacky, macho sports newscaster Champ Kind in the “Anchorman” films, shows a different side of himself in the human trafficking drama “Priceless.” Koechner recently sat down with Entertainment Voice and opened up about the importance of raising awareness, how his family impacts what jobs he accepts, and his current and upcoming roles on a variety of television series, including the hilarious Comedy Central historical satire “Another Period” and the new CBS sitcom “Superior Donuts.”

“Priceless” is so different from anything else you’ve done before. What attracted you to the role

It was the script. Steve Barnett, one of the producers, is a good buddy of mine, and he said, ‘Hey, man, let me send you the script, to see if you’re interested.’ And I was right away. My wife and I have five children; three of them are daughters, so obviously it’s a subject that speaks to me, just due to the fact that there are young girls being abused. I thought, well, wow, if I can participate in a project that highlights a horror in the world and maybe just gets the message out there, it would be worth doing.

In every major city there are girls that are being trafficked. They are being sold into sex slavery, and it’s happening right now, all over the country and, obviously, all over the globe. I think often times people forget, or they have this misconception that women choose that life, and often times that’s not the case. So, if you can participate in projects that highlight an evil and maybe change something—what if, because of this film, one person got helped? Or it changed a few attitudes about [trafficking]. Maybe there are men that use these services, maybe it changes their attitudes, then it’s worth doing.

A lot of people don’t realize how prevalent trafficking is in the United States.

They really have no idea. It is a huge business, and these women get trapped. And of course they don’t know that they have outside resources. Things are changing. When you look back on things and you wish and wonder why it couldn’t have happened sooner that that was put to an end, all that matters is that there was a start. We’re not the start, but we’re [raising awareness].

Has fatherhood impacted how you select your roles?

Yes and no. Often times I feel like you sometimes take jobs because of the economics. That’s true. I have seven people in my house, right? We got to eat. School, clothes, all that stuff, food. It’s case by case by case. Sometimes you take a job for money, sometimes you take a job for art.

You have an extensive background in improvisational comedy. Did you get to improv while making this film?

Actually, in the scene where [the villain] Garo has captured me, he and I improvised a bit. It’s a tool you can access when you need to. It can certainly help you rehearse. It can help you in your own exploration of the character and the script, whether you use it on set or not. You can talk through, even with yourself, or the other actors, what you think is going on. And if you can start improvising with the point of view of the character, it sometimes helps inform how you are going to play the scene.

What would you say to fans of yours who loved you in your comedic works, but are hesitant about seeing a faith-based film?

Well, I wouldn’t say, number one, it’s faith-based. It’s reality-based. It’s a compelling story; that’s it. And I hope that’s what gets us into the theaters, or watching anything, anyway. Does it seem compelling? I certainly feel it definitely matches that criteria.

It has a strong message about speaking up. Even if you’re not directly involved in something such as sex trafficking, we should not just stand by and let it happen. Do you think that particular message is especially important today?

Awareness is the first step. So if it’s just awareness, people will go, ‘Oh, I didn’t realize it was that prevalent.’ Or, ‘That really happens?’ Once we have awareness, then we can start making decisions about perhaps participating in some way to prevent that thing from happening. So, that’s one. Typically, when you become aware of something, it keeps coming back across your field of vision. It’s kind of like when you decide that you want a certain type of car, and then all of a sudden you keep seeing that car on the road all the time. So, it’s like that, I believe, that it might be that you’re aware of an opportunity, possibly, to participate in a positive way in regards to a subject matter like this. Maybe if it keeps coming across your field of vision, maybe you’ll just go ahead and donate somewhere. Children of the Night is an organization that gets women out of that lifestyle. Legislation have been changing in a lot of municipalities, it certainly has in [Los Angeles]. Friday they did pass that thing called the Blue Campaign.

If you do choose to participate in this behavior, think twice about it. Are you participating in trafficking? Obviously, there’s the notion that if you do drugs, you are participating in murders in faraway lands, so that all feeds into it. If you participate in that lifestyle, then are you helping traffickers? That’s a question you have to ask yourself.

Did you do a lot of research to prepare for this role?

I didn’t have to do much, sadly. You just do an internet search. My god, it will twist your stomach. And it’s here in L.A. These are just the L.A. stories I was reading. It’s a horror. [The victims] are not looked upon as humans. They’re just things to be traded. I don’t have the ability to conceive how humans can treat each other that way, what [the traffickers do]. And that’s real. If [”Priceless”] starts influencing how people think, then I’m quite happy.

Would you like to do more drama, moving forward in your career?

I want to do a range or projects. I’ve done everything. I’ve done comedy; I’ve done camp; I’ve done horror; I’ve done drama, and I would hope to continue doing all of those. I do live; I do stand-up; I do improve; I do TV, film. So, I want to continue to do every platform, and every genre.

This was director Ben Smallbone’s first feature. What was unique about working with a first-time director?

Well, I’ve worked with a lot of them, so, you know, patience. What’s unique? I don’t know if I can say anything is unique. There’s that passion and excitement, and the patience. But, yeah, that was a deeply personal film for that whole family, and that, I guess, was the most unique thing.

Do you have a preference for TV or film or live stand-up?

My preference is something close to my house and I’m fortunate that is what’s happening—CBS Radford, where I’m doing ‘Superior Donuts,’ is literally nine minutes from my house. So, it’s a wonderful job to have. Most days, you can drop your kids at school, and on many days you can pick them up. To have a project that allows you more time with your family is the best kind. So, right now, that’s what I’ve got coming up. It’s going to take up a majority of my time, so I’m very grateful for that.

Can you tell us a little bit about the show?

“Superior Donuts” is based on a Tracey Letts play from the mid-2000s. It was developed in Chicago and then taken to Broadway. CBS bought the property to develop it as a sitcom. It stars Judd Hirsch, Katey Segal and Jermaine Fowler, who’s an amazing, charismatic young actor, and it’s set in uptown Chicago, where a donut shop is not making it. It’s failing as the neighborhood is gentrifying. So, the owner has opportunities to sell, but he stubbornly wants to stay because he’s been there 47 years, and there’s a young man from the community who decides, ‘You know what? I’m with you. I’m down with this place. This Superior Donuts is worth saving.’ He sets out to help this older entrepreneur save his donut shop, and that’s the thrust of the show.

I play a character named Tush who grew up and lived in the neighborhood and worked at a factory that closed, and so now he’s become somewhat of his own entrepreneur, in that he participates in what he calls the ‘gig economy.’ He has different jobs every day. He sets up his office basically inside Superior Donuts.

Is it a multi-camera or single-camera sitcom?

Multi-camera, so it will be taped in front of a live studio audience once a week. I love that. It gives you such great energy. It’s like doing a play. And, look, we got Judd Hirsch. He is such an amazing actor. So, for me, to get to do a play every week with Judd Hirsch, it’s truly a gift.

You’re so funny in “Another Period.” It’s such a unique show because it blends humor and history, and you really don’t see a lot of that.

And it’s a bit satirical.

What’s it like being a part of that show?

It feels like just doing a show with friends, because I know so many people who work on that show. I’ve known them for years from the comedy world, so that’s almost one of the most unique and pleasurable things about it, you get to work with all these wonderful comics that you get to perform with in town and you get to do a TV show together, it’s such a blessing, because they have a big cast and they’ve got great guest stars. To be able to work with so many different comics is the best part.

A lot of people know you from “Anchorman.” It’s such an iconic film and you played such a memorable role. Do you think there will be a third one?

It’s so funny, because everyone always asks that. When we were doing the press junket for the second one, the first question was, ‘Will there be a third one?’ Adam McKay, the writer/director, who just won an Oscar for ‘The Big Short,’ apparently was being asked constantly about it, and he finally relented and said, “Yes, but it’s going to be in eleven more years.” Because it was eleven years between the first and second movie—so, in nine more years.

Where do you see your character Champ in nine years?

Oh my god. An astronaut? Or probably, more likely, blacked out somewhere.

What else do you have coming up in the more immediate future?

“Twin Peaks” will be coming out next year. I had a role in that; that was a lot of fun. I’ve done so much TV this year, I also do a voice on ‘American Dad.’ I do another one on “King Julien,” another one on “Captain Underpants.” Those are always fun, because it’s kind of like you’re doing something for your kids, which is fantastic. More episodes of ‘The Goldbergs’ coming up. It’s been a very busy year.

“Priceless” opens Oct. 14 nationwide.