It's popular sport these days to ridicule the Minnesota Vikings, but let's give them credit when it's due: They've got a great sense of humor.
The team's owners are huge fans of FX's "The League," the sharp sitcom about a group of frenemies obsessed with both fantasy football and making each other look foolish, which is not hard to do to considering they're a pack of George Costanzas.
Last weekend the show's cast was invited to perform in the Metrodome before Sunday's game. The night before, four of them -- Stephen Rannazzisi, Paul Scheer, Mark Duplass and Katie Aselton -- joined us for late-night cocktails at the Inn, a new pub in downtown Minneapolis. Outtakes from the free-flowing conversation:
Q I liked the show last year, but this season seems considerably better. What do you think?
Scheer: It's head and shoulders above the first season. The cool thing is that FX allowed us to exist under the radar, giving the creators time to find out who we all are and write distinctly for each of us. Every comedy show, except maybe "Arrested Development," takes a while to grow. I mean, the first couple episodes of "30 Rock" is not what "30 Rock" became.
Duplass: It was like "16" or "17 Rock," tops.
Q You've also got the challenge of attracting viewers who think the show is only about football.
Scheer: Now I feel like a lot of comedy fans are getting into the show, and they may have been tentative early on because they weren't into sports.
