I am Josh McDermitt, actor and comedian. You might know me as Eugene on THE WALKING DEAD. I've done LAST COMIC STANDING and a host of other shows. AMA.

Dude you're like super fit for a middle aged guy. I'm a straight dude but seeing you nearly naked in AHS made me wanna creme myself. What's your secret?

Edit: Haha... I woke up and really thought this was Dylan McDermott. Half way into this comment I realized he was never in The Walking Dead... but I was already committed. Also thanks to /u/obscure_renegade for gold!

What the fuck are you talking about? I've never been in American Horror Story. And i have the worst body of any actor on television right now.

Someone asked how I came up with the voice for Eugene: Oh! That... I actually based Eugene's voice on my brother Zach... and he gets mad every time I tell people that! But he speaks with such a flat, even affect, that he was like the perfect model for what Eugene sounds like. Eugene's emotional spectrum is so tiny - I couldn't not steal my brother's persona, to make Eugene...

chuckles

I would absolutely love to do more stand-up. The problem is I have to find the time. If anyone wants to write a brand-new act for me, I'd be willing to let them.

Can we get a sample of your brothers voice?

Um... I don't know... looks through phone I might have something on instagram... I'll be pissed if I don't...

Someone asked my favorite cereal, then deleted their question:

ponders

Uhhh....Cinnamon Toast Crunch FTW!

What do you think a day in the life of pre-apocalyptic Eugene was like? I kind of get the feeling he lived with his parents...

P.S. You're fun!

I kinda get the feeling he lived with his parents, too.

I think Eugene didn't really have many friends, in the physical sense. I'd say most of his friends were online, in the virtual world.

Eugene probably spent a lot of time reading. Being somewhat of a recluse. And eating Cheetos and drinking Code Red, hahaha!

Today I learned Eugene would have been a redditor..

Oh absolutely.

Eugene is way cooler than we think.

What made you audition for the role of Eugene?

The fact that I was broke... and needed a job. What kind of question is that?

Would you fight 100 Eugene sized mullets or 1 Mullet sized Eugene?

I'm just trying to wrap my head around the visual.

I'd definitely take one mullet-sized Eugene. I have enough strength to battle one, not one hundred.

I'm pretty lazy. I feel like halfway through the battle with the 100, I'd succumb to my laziness and just let them kill me.

If you could have been any character, aside from Eugene, who would you have wanted to be?

(Comics or tv show)

Baby Judith. I like wearing diapers.

Hi Josh big TWD fan and you were great on Talking Dead! I was wondering: Who is the funniest person on the set?

If you could write your own death for Eugene how would it go?

I would love it... it would have to be one of two things. If Eugene's going to go out strong, I would want him to go out a hero, saving the life of SO many people... but if he couldn't go out that way, I'd love if it he just choked on a burrito, and the whole episode was devoted to them trying to Heimlich maneuver on Eugene, and in the end, he just...dies.

Hi Josh! First I’ll get the “fan girling” out of the way… I am a huge fan of yours. This past week’s episode just solidified what an awesome actor you are. You play terrified so well! I have a friend that comes over every Sunday to watch TWD and we look forward to your screen time because it always lends some humor to the show. Kudos to you! Now that the fan girling is out of the way, here is my question. When the cast of TWD are asked what their favorite thing about working on the show is, they typically always say working with the cast and crew. What’s your favorite thing about being a part of this incredible show, besides the cast becoming so close? Thanks Josh! Looking forward to seeing you install said sh!t

Hehehehe!

Nice reference.

Aside from the cast and crew, I love the fact that I'm working on a drama, and not a comedy. Given my background in comedy, I never thought I'd be working on a drama, let alone one of the biggest shows in television... so the fact that I have that sort of validation throughout my acting career, that i can do drama AND comedy, is pretty incredible and exciting, and I'd say for me personally that's the best part of working on the show (other than the cast & crew, of course)!

Hi Josh, Will you please promise to TRY to do the "Big Mac Attack" at some point in the future (re: Nerdist podcast) and post it online for the world to see?

smiles

Is this Matt Mira?

I have audio from it. I need to track it down. We can at least start there.

Which of the other actors on The Walking Dead have you become friends with? Also, obligatory "how do you care for your mullet?"

I love your work, keep it up!

Oh, thank you so much!

I've become friends with all the actors on the show, except Andrew Lincoln, because I don't like Brits.

Just kidding!

We're a huge, happy family. We have dinner together all the time, we hang out, we go see movies, we spend pretty much 24 hours a day together, and I absolutely love these people.

In terms of my mullet, whatever hotel shampoo is on hand I use, although the on-set hairdressers get pissed off at me for using that, and they want me to use Bumble & Bumble gentle shampoo to preserve my lovely locks.

But I say screw that, y'all!

I've been saying that more and more since I've lived in Georgia.

How was your potty?

Refreshing.

Hey Josh! I know you've gotten a huge fan base since you joined TWD. Any interesting/funny/weird fan experiences you'd want to share with us? Love having you on TWD and hope you are around for a long time! :)

Oh, thank you so much!

People are getting tattoos of Eugene on their body.

And that's a bit trippy.

This one lady named Katherine in Austin actually got a line of dialogue that I said in season 4 tatted on her arm. The dialogue said Trust me, I'm smarter than you.

And apparently, she's a member of MENSA.

So she... obviously is. Smarter than everyone.

Whats something unique about you that many people don't know?

I suffer from pancreatitis.

If I have too much pork, too much alcohol, I have an episode, and it literally cripples me with abdominal pain.

That's it.

What's the best advice you've ever received growing up? :)

One thing my dad kept hammering into me while growing up was Your action affects other people.

And I always hated him saying that.

But it's, now that I'm in my mid-30's, it completely makes sense.

When people do things that affect you, and they show no remorse for their actions, and how they can negatively affect you, drives me NUTS. And I can continually hear my father saying that over and over - your actions affect other people.

what's your biggest pet peeve!?

Questions like this. :)

So how do we make Carol and Eugene happen? PS Never lose the mullet

HAHAHAHAHA!

I think the fans need to start... sending things to... the AMC corporate office to make this happen. I think Darryl's obviously going to pass on Carol. And maybe it's time for Eugene to step up. He likes cookies.

Hi Josh! Glad you're doing this...thank you! Just wanted to say how much I enjoy the videos you post on Facebook, and thanks for the Mullet Chats you do!

I suppose I should ask you a question. ;-) What's the best part about working on The Walking Dead? And who's the biggest prankster on set?

I'd say the biggest prankster....depends. Week to week, it changes. Everyone kinda becomes a prankster. Norman is constantly goofing on people, and Alanna's very funny, and is constantly cracking us up... I hesitate to say I'm the biggest prankster, just because I feel that's a little arrogant, but that's also probably true. I think anytime we can make fun of each other onset, we take that opportunity and definitely do that.

I have a huge crush on Eugene, even with the mullet :P

I found a video of some of your standup on youtube, which I enjoyed, but unfortunately, that’s all I could find. Is there any more that you know of out there?

Who are some of your favourite comedians?

What are some of your favourite movies?

Any good book recommendations?

Um, I had to take a lot of the links down... for legal issues. You know, I'm hoping to do a tour at some point in the near future, I'm sure I'll roll through your town. Unless, of course, you're overseas. That might be a little bit more challenging.

Oh, my all-time favorite is Richard Jeni. I really love Louis CK, Maria Bamford, Amy Schumer, and a young unknown comic who's absolutely hilarious named Ron Babcock.

Pfffbbbt. ROYAL TENENBAUMS is my all time favorite. I absolutely love anything Wes Anderson does. I love Coen Brothers movies, all of 'em... somebody asked me what my favorite Coen brothers movie was, and it was... BIG LEBOWSKI. Good grief!

Reading's for nerds, y'all.

How is Micheal Cudlitz in person? He looks he's be a big softy off screen.

He absolutely is.

He's just the most aggressive (and cuddly) teddy bear.

I love the guy to death. And his nickname is "Cuddles" by the way.

Thanks for the AMA. My friend u/bbhb and I are huge fans and came down to GA last year and were in Griffin for your epic firetruck hose-down moment... watched you and other cast throw around a football... we fangirled all over the place... and I'm not saying how, but this mysteriously ended up on my office wall.

On to my question: You are the master at playing a coward ( completely relevant gif ) and even when you are not the focus of the camera, you have the trembling hands, a constant worried look, and unsure stance that really, I believe, makes Eugene an important and realistic character in a post-apocolyptic world.. I am wondering what you do to tap into that? What do you think about and what (or who) have you used as an inspiration to channel your inner scaredy cat for your character? TIA for your answer and being mullet-tastic!

First and foremost, I'm going to have to report you to the authorities for stealing the DO NOT MOW sign.

Thank you for the link.

Make sure you're wearing clothes when the cops come.

A lot of what i use is music to set the mood... for whatever scene we're shooting. I don't really want to give away what music Eugene listens to, only because I need to keep SOME secrets, but it's definitely music that I (Josh) don't listen to, so it actually helps me snap into character more quickly. And then when it's time to film, and I need to be a "scaredy-cat" as you put it, I really try to use my imagination as much as possible to tap into the reality of the situation of what's going on.

THE WALKING DEAD world is so realistic that it makes things easy for us (the actors) to get into the moment.

What kind of gamer are you? RPGs, shump, sim racing?

Hehehe! I like RPGs. I like 'em all, actually. I'm not like a huge Madden guy, although I used to be. If I can get some COD in, at some point throughout the day, then I feel like I've accomplished something.

Josh, the most recent episode had gave Eugene a chance to act with courage in the face of danger and he triumphed over his fears. My question is, with his recent standing up and taking responsibility, how do you see him moving forward, both on a personal level and in his role in the Alexandria community?

Follow up question: Have we not seen Eugene the past couple episodes cause he's slaying so much pussy?

Well, I would hope he's able to continue this newfound courage, and hopefully be a stronger contributor to the group. Because right now, he feels like he's deadweight, but after finding some minor success with his newfound courage, I'd think that he could continue down that road.

mmmmph.

Obvi!

Has anyone ever told you that you resemble Danny McBride?

Yes. Especially when I had the mullet. And a lot of people say I should play his brother. I would absolutely love to. I think Danny McBride is hilarious.

But it's interesting. I never really got that comparison when my hair was blond. When it was blond, I would get compared to Phillip Seymour Hoffman (RIP).

Do you get recognized often and what do people usually say?

I do recognized often. And it definitely blows me away, because I don't feel like I would recognize me. In fact, right before the AMA, at Dunkin Donuts, people went nuts and were asking me for a bunch of pictures. I absolutely love meeting the fans, and watching them geek out. Because I'm right there with them.

Who is one actor you would love to work with and why?

Tom Hanks.

I feel like... from everything I've heard, he's the most generous scene-partner. And just doing something with him, I feel like I would learn SO much, and it would elevate my game, and I would definitely be doing the best work of my career if I could do that.

Sorry for the serious answer.

If you had to choose a hairstyle other than a mullet, which would you sport?

Yeah, if... if... for a TV show... for an acting role, I want to look as RIDICULOUS as possible. So any hairstyle that makes me stand-out- we're talking mohawks, we're talking Fabio locks, anything that will make me stand out.

In my every day life, I love this guy's hair: https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3740/12080199285_8b4cbbcdd9.jpg

His name is Sebastian Fritze, and he's in my favorite band, the band Grizfolk.

Josh, thanks for doing this AMA. What is the most hilarious situation you could think of that would result in Eugene losing his mullet? Thanks again!

This... question literally hurts my heart.

The fact that you would want to see Eugene lose his mullet in a "hilarious" fashion?

I don't know... if he got it caught in the gates to Alexandria, and it just ripped out - it didn't just chop up the mullet, but left a giant bare patch on the back of his head... that might be... is that hilarious enough for you?!?!

Who was the first cast member you ever met on The Walking Dead?

Andrew Lincoln. Drove down from Atlanta to meet me, Michael Cudlitz, and Christian Serratos when we first got to the set. He was so kind, and welcoming, and really set the tone for our time here on the show. We try to extend that warmth to each new cast member now as they come and be a part of our big happy family.

What is your favorite breakfast food?

French toast. But it has to be done in a way that... makes it a little more gourmet than just standard white bread dipped in egg yolk.

Like, I need a nice Challah bread... or perhaps Texas Toast-sized bread... and it's all about the syrup.

You gotta have a great maple syrup.

Otherwise, you're wasting my time.

Hey Josh, what is it like working on a show where the lore has already been established by the comics but the show itself is still so shrouded in secrecy from season to season? Thanks!

It's pretty... intense. I have a lot of secrets. And it's really hard to keep them, sometimes. Also, the show likes to deviate from the comics. So that makes things easy, when people think they know what's coming up, I can just smile and know that they're wrong.

Hello Josh, my mother and I are both huge Walking Dead fans, but unfortunaly she was amitted to the hospital earlier this morning with a colon infection. Hopefully you can answer her question for us: What do people think when they see you walking around with a mullet in public(obvisouly people who don't know your charcter). And my question is: Do you like to stay in character off the set or do you only do your character while on the set/filming?

Well, number one, I wanna say send my best to your mom, I hope she gets well soon. When I walk around with a mullet - they ARE extensions, but I do have enough hair in the back that it looks like I have a baby mullet, and the fact that we shoot in Georgia, people tend to not bat an eye at me when I'm walking down the street.

Now when I'm in Los Angeles, or somewhere out west, then I start to get crazy eyes shooting my way.

I'd definitely rather be in Georgia.

I only do the character when I'm on set and filming. I'm not a weirdo like Andrew Lincoln.

Who would win in a fight, you or Eugene?

I feel like Eugene has some untapped rage that hopefully we get to see at some point on the show. He would definitely kick my ass. I'm a pussy.

Hi Josh! Love u. Is there an article of Eugene's clothing you'd like to steal?

Gross. No. It's so sweaty and filthy, it's just disgusting. And they give me a shirt that's 3 sizes too big for me. Why would I want to wear that?!

What's the worst food you've eaten, and on a scale of 1-10, how gross was it?

OH MY GOSH.

Um... I had a ghost pepper hamburger once.

And it wasn't that it was worst. But it gave me the worst FEELING.

If you don't know anything about the ghost pepper, it's one of the hottest peppers in the WORLD.

I... thought I was going to die. It was so hot. I can't do spice, at all.

I was filming this for a Food Network show. That no one will ever see. And then it was, on a scale of 1-10, I would definitely give it a 10 on the gross scale, because let's just say, when I made a trip to the bathroom.... everything was black.

Yeah.

If you weren't in the entertainment industry, what do you think you'd be doing instead? Thanks for being here today!

I'd love to be a police detective. I was actually going to school and studying criminal justice, when I decided that wasn't the route I wanted to take. And I decided to pursue the entertainments... the entertainment arts... how should we put this? Pursue a career in the entertainment industry.

Do you have a favorite song used in the show?

I'll just say that the opening theme song still gives me chills. And there are moments when I think about it while we're on set, thinking about the music coming in, and it just brings a smile on my face.

Love the walking dead and loved seeing you on JRE!

How long have you and Rogan been friends?

I met Rogan in 2005...when he asked me to perform with him at the Tempe Improv... he's done so much for my standup career, and actually helped pave the way into my acting career. I owe that guy a lot, he's definitely one of the greatest dudes.

Danny Bonaduce or Danny Tanner?

Tanner FTW.

If the apocalypse really happened, what item or food would you miss most?

Mexican food.

I grew up in Arizona. I already miss Mexican food. Nobody in the rest of the country makes Mexican food as good as they do in Arizona.

Howdy Josh! It's great to see cast members from ongoing television shows here on reddit communicating with their fan base!

Based on Eugene's character, I would expect him to be a Lynyrd Skynyrd fan. What sort of music do you listen to?

Also, do you ever sit around and shoot the breeze with any of the other cast members?

I like to listen to... indie alternative music. I'll give you some of my favorite Pandora stations.

• Cyril Hahn
• Zhu Radio
• Alternative Endurance Training - haha, it's like upbeat Alternative music!
• Miike Snow
• Mariah Carey (Holiday) Radio

All the time. There's a lot of waiting around when we're on set, as we prepare for the next scene. So we've literally run out of things to talk about, so now all we do is try and punch each other in the nuts, haha!

What is your favorite day of the week?

pauses

Sunday.

That's when THE WALKING DEAD's on. What kind of question is that?

So, if Tara pulls through... Is there a possibility of a budding romance for her & Eugene? Also, do you have a favorite character (besides Eugene) and favorite episode from TWD?

I don't know how close you pay attention to the show, but Tara likes girls...

I gotta go with... Darryl. As my favorite character. Like a lot of fans, I didn't like him at first, but he changed SO much, and has truly become an integral part of this group.

As for my favorite episode, I mean, I'll pick on that I'm not in - season 3, episode 13, titled "Clear."

Yeah.

Hi Josh! What went through your mind when Kirkman said that TOTALLY FAKE SPOILER on @midnight?

That's classified. :)

Since you said you do play video games, would you ever voice a COD character, or any other video game character?

I would absolutely love to! If somebody wants to facilitate that, or make that happen, I'd be down to lend my voice. I know that Cudlitz has done some COD voiceovers, and I gotta get in on that game.

That would be really trippy, though, to be playing a game and hearing your voice. Hopefully it wouldn't be an annoying character.

Why is the mullet the best haircut ever invented? and How much do you love the mullet? Thanks!

The mullet... I mean, look. You got business up front, party in the back, what more do you need?

I gotta be honest: I didn't LOVE it so much at first. But then, I... started to embrace it. And now it's so much a part of me, it's changed my life.

Viva La Mullet!

What other film/TV show would you like to be a part of in aside from the walking dead?

I don't know. Apparently I should go do AMERICAN HORROR STORY. Cuz some guy thinks i'm on that, and I have a great body. So maybe that's what i need to do.

How good are carols cookies?

smiles

Uh... sweet, and savory. All together.

Hi Josh, I took my son to Walker Stalker in Dallas last weekend. After we met you Saturday (I had the pics of little Eugene in Hawaii.), I had to come back to your table to get my own autograph and photo. You are incredibly charming and have beautiful eyes. Gina Ann, Chandler's mom is a friend of mine, and has nothing but good things to say about you. Any chance if you do a comedy tour it will come to Austin?

Thank you so much, that's very kind of you. I saw you made an Instagram page with little Eugene's Adventures. I absolutely loved that.

I would love to do a comedy tour and come through Austin. I know there's some great comedy clubs there, including Cap City. And I've a lot of comedian friends who live in Austin, including my buddy Brian Gaar. I highly recommend checking him out, if you need your comedy fix as you wait for me to come through town.

What would you do if Walkers became real? Could you survive? Would you survive?

I feel like I'm very close to Eugene on the survival spectrum.

If Walkers came alive, I would... "Otis" anyone who's near me.

And probably end up dying by the end of the day anyway. I'm a hot mess.

What is your favorite alcoholic beverage?

Whiskeyyyyyy.

Meeting you this weekend at a convention. What is your favorite thing about the convention scene?

Getting to interact with the fans, and to share in their excitement, that I also share for the show. That's definitely one of the highlights of having this job. Can't wait to see you!