TV with MeeVee: MeeVee Exclusive! Interview with Veronica Mars Star Ken Marino and Paul Rudd

"Rob Thomas is awesome. He keeps bringing me back and giving me fun stuff. I'm just very thankful and happy to be on that show." -- Ken Marino

On tonight's episode of Veronica Mars, Paul Rudd plays a washed-up musician caught up in a caper only Ms. Mars could solve. Paul's appearance on the show is not completely random. Both he and Ken Marino (aka Vinnie Van Lowe) are starring together in not one, but two independent comedies written by Marino, Diggers and The Ten.

In this "awesome" interview with the dynamic duo, Ken and Paul discuss their mutual love of Veronica Mars and predict the winner of American Idol. I caught up them at the South by Southwest Film Festival, where they were promoting The Ten.

Your here promoting The Ten. Tell me about it.
Ken: The Ten is a movie that David Wayne and I wrote, loosely based on and inspired by the Ten Commandments. It's funny, hopefully, and people will, hopefully, enjoy it.

It's been several years since your debut on The State. Do you still keep in touch with those guys?
Ken: We're all friends. You know, it's been amazing. We've all stayed friends and we all kind of work together in smaller groups -- we have been for the last 10 years, you know. I've written a pilot with Mike Black a couple of years ago, and Joe Lo Truglio and I have written a couple of scripts. David and I have written a couple of scripts, now. I feel very blessed that we're all still friends, because I love every member of that group. And so, it's special to me.

Did you have the chance to see Reno 911! (the movie)?
Ken: Yeah, I went to the premiere. It was awesome. It was fun. The key word today is "awesome."

Our readers are huge fans of Veronica Mars.
Ken: Awesome.

I think we all want to know what's going on with Vinnie. We haven't seen him lately. Will he be back?
Ken: All I can say is that I'm around for a little while, and then we'll see what happens. But, you know, Rob Thomas is awesome. He keeps bringing me back and giving me fun stuff. I'm just very thankful and happy to be on that show. I think it's really well written, and they give me a fun part.

Now that Keith's sheriff, is the competition on?
Ken: Well, you'll have to tune in to see.

C'mon, you've got to give me a nugget.
Ken: No, I can't. All I can say is that Keith and I... there'll still be some tension between us. That's what I can tell you.

Any hijinks on the set?
Ken: Not really, no, there's no hi-jinks on the set. But we have a good time. It's a very loose set; it's a really great group of people. There's a family feel there, and it's an awesome show to work on. They're great people over there.

Who is your favorite character on Veronica Mars?
Ken: I like Veronica and I like Rico... you know, Keith. I love Keith, he is such a kind of gentle soul.

Yeah, with a deadly edge.
Ken: I dig him. I dig him.

(Paul joins the conversation) What TV shows do both of you watch?
Paul: Veronica Mars.
Ken: I do like Veronica Mars. You know, Paul is going to be on Veronica Mars.

No! Really?
Paul: Yeah, we are going to do an episode. You just got a brand new exclusive.
Ken: Oh shit, is that supposed to be a secret?
Paul: [laughs] It is all right.
Ken: Paul is a big movie actor.

Back to your favorite TV shows...
Ken: I watch The Office. I am forgetting my favorite one for some reason. Oh, I think 30 Rock is awesome.
Paul: I like Flip This House and Flip That House.
Ken: I do watch Flip This House.
Paul: Yeah, I love that one.
Ken: Sometimes I fast forward.
Paul: I love Antiques Roadshow.
Ken: I am not going to lie to you. I watch American Idol.

Who are you rooting for?
Ken: I think Melinda Doolittle is awesome.
Paul: She is awesome, awesome, awesome.