Celebrity

Joel McHale Talks Juggling Acting and Hosting Ahead of ‘Stargirl’ Season 2: ‘I Like It All’ (Exclusive)

Between hosting and producing numerous projects over the years while balancing a career in film […]

Between hosting and producing numerous projects over the years while balancing a career in film and television, Joel McHale has proven to be more than just multitalented — he’s a triple threat. Getting his start as host of The Soup in 2004, followed by newfound fame and admiration in Community, McHale has gone on to profound heights with his career and continues the upward trek with the classic game show, Card Sharks and as a superhero on The CW’s Stargirl. But does the 48-year-old funnyman prefer one over the other? In an exclusive with PopCulture.com, McHale admits most humbly that he loves the variety.

“I like it all,” he said in our series PopCulture @ Home. “I mean, there’s a lot of energy required for Card Sharks, but it’s in a very condensed time because you can film multiple episodes a day. That’s great. I mean, you’re tired at the end of the day, but what are we talking about?”

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As for movies and TV, especially with a traveling component, McHale shares his gratitude for being able to do both in the first place. “I enjoy them both a lot, and I hope no one stops me from doing it. I hope the acting police don’t arrest me and take me away,” he said.

While McHale can be seen next as host of Card Sharks premiering Sunday night at 10 p.m. ET on ABC, he will reprise his role as Starman in Season 2 of The CW’s Stargirl, which is set to start shooting soon. Previously telling our sister site, ComicBook.com, that the role of Starman is a “dream come true,” McHale shares his excitement with PopCulture for shooting the show with the cast before joking: “I hate being a superhero.”

“I think I got right in under the wire, so I love it,” he said. “It’s like a dream come true — it’s a kid fantasy. Like, ‘Oh, you get to be a superhero with superpowers and a super staff.’ And so, I jumped at that opportunity,” he said. “I was like, ‘Any day of the week, I’ll be there. Just tell me when to show up!’ I think I spend more time in fittings than I did on set. But it was so much fun, and Amy Smart and Luke Wilson and Brett Bassinger are just great. I’m so glad I’m going to come back, and it’ll be good times.”

In keeping with the good times, McHale is excited about Card Sharks Season 2 premiering this weekend — the classic game show that finds two players facing off in a head-to-head elimination game with one making it to the grand prize-winning deck. The premise is one that leaves McHale very excited, especially when contestants are on their way to win big.

“I begin to get excited when the money is getting big, and you’ll see — they haven’t shown it yet, but there are some huge winners, and there are some just crushing heartbreaks, and I think one guy was so close to big money, he had a king, and he said, ‘Lower than a king.’ It was an ace, and I felt so bad for him. So, I just gave him a million dollars,” McHale joked sharply. “[But] when I see other hosts getting into it, I’m like, ‘Well, that’s kind of…’ And then I’m like, ‘I’m so into it. This is it. Get them to keep going!’ It’s such a simple game, but the stakes couldn’t be higher.”

Card Sharks premieres Sunday, Oct. 18 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC and the first season of Stargirl is available to purchase on Amazon.com and stream on The CW. For more on Joel McHale and all your favorite TV shows, keep it locked to PopCulture.com!