'Difficult People's' Julie Klausner: Meatballs in your socks have consequences

Video: ‘Difficult People’s’ Julie Klausner: Meatballs in your socks have consequences

What happens when you have a meatball in your sock and your co-stars are dogs? Julie Klausner of Hulu’s “Difficult People” survived to tell the tale.

By Yvonne VillarrealStaff Writer

April 9, 2016 9 AM PT

It’s all fun and games headlining your own TV show until a co-star bites you.

Julie Klausner, who created and stars in Hulu’s “Difficult People,” experienced as much first-hand while shooting the first season of the comedy. And, no, it wasn’t co-star Billy Eichner with the poor people skills. It was Otis, half of the ear-licious basset hound pair that serve as her character’s pets on the show.

“We were like, ‘Oh, let’s just give him another try,’” Klausner recounted when she stopped by the Los Angeles Times to discuss the series. “We basically rewarded him for biting me. I mean, Mel Gibson has done worse things to co-stars.”

Of course, there’s a twist of comedy gold in the story.

LISTEN: Our interview with Julie Klausner on SoundCloud

“I did have a meatball in my sock at the time,” Klausner admitted. “It was very tempting to the dog and he decided to bite me. Everything is fine. He is going to win an Emmy before I will, probably, so good for him. Congratulations, Otis!”

Until the launch of “Difficult People,” in which Klausner plays a version of herself alongside Eichner as two struggling stand-ups trying to make it in New York City, Klausner spent years applying her comedic wit to recapping TV (most notably, “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” for Vulture) and as a podcaster with “How Was Your Week?”

After years obsessing over celebrity culture, she’s now a participant.

“It’s the best,” Klausner said of playing an exaggerated version of herself. “You get to do things that you are too afraid to do in real life. And you get to be way more obnoxious ... the feminist agenda of it all is that it’s fun to be funny and act like an idiot ... sometimes women get that chance and sometimes we don’t. In the creation of this show, I really gave myself that opportunity to act out and be a jerk or be stupid. Those are all opportunities I’ve wanted to have forever.

“Difficult People,” executive produced by Amy Poehler, will launch its second season July 12 on Hulu. Klausner was proud to name-drop the list of guest stars who will shuffle through this season, including Nathan Lane, Tina Fey, Debbie Harry, Amy Sedaris, Method Man and Joel McHale.

Watch the video below to hear more about Klausner’s approach to season 2, having Hulu as a home for the show, and incorporating some “Real Housewives” talent into the show.