Interview: James Wolk on the process of singing live for ‘Ordinary Joe’ and the legacy of “Not great, Bob!” [VIDEO]

For James Wolk, Ordinary Joe is no ordinary job.

The television veteran, best known for roles on shows like Watchmen, Mad Men and Happy Endings, is pulling triple duty on Joe, playing three versions of the same character at once. 

The show follows the titular Joe following a trio of different life paths based on one decision made in college. The Joes – one a nurse, one a police officer, one a rock star – give Wolk a chance to flex his acting chops and, in one case, his singing chops. 

Daniel Trainor spoke to Wolk about how he keeps all three characters straight, the process of crafting music for the show, being involved in the iconic ‘Not great, Bob!’ meme from Mad Men and the Michigan vs. Michigan State rivalry. 

Ordinary Joe airs Monday at 10/9 Central on NBC.

• Author
• Recent Posts

Daniel Trainor

Daniel Trainor is writer, podcaster, son and friend from Los Angeles, California. Originally from Michigan, his love for all things pop culture started early, once using pancakes to bribe his way onto the Oscars red carpet bleachers with his mother. In addition to writing for AwardsWatch, he is an huge sports fan and hosts the LGBTQ sports podcast “Same Team.” One day, he hopes Jane Krakowski will win an Emmy.

Latest posts by Daniel Trainor (see all)

• Interview: Chigs Parmar, the breakout star of ‘The Great British Baking Show,’ on becoming an overnight sex symbol and what’s next [VIDEO] - December 13, 2021
• Ana Gasteyer and Rachel Dratch on the power of parody and bringing humor to the holiday season with ‘A Clüsterfünke Christmas’ - December 3, 2021
• Interview: James Wolk on the process of singing live for ‘Ordinary Joe’ and the legacy of “Not great, Bob!” [VIDEO] - October 28, 2021