Hapless is a sitcom about the confusions and complexity of living in the  modern world if you’re inclined to question EVERYTHING! It’s a sitcom with Jews in it – and Muslims and atheists and Christians.

I tend to write an episode every couple of weeks when I’m working. I free associate about things that annoy me or interest me or have happened to me – and to be honest I steal from real life interactions. My friends are very very wary! Then when I have a rough draft I keep adding to it to bring more farce or wit right up to the shoot day.

I lucked out with the cast. The leads are all comic geniuses  – Jeany is especially lovely and a good friend as is Josh. But the thing that I’m most proud of is that every single role – even the smaller cameos are perfectly cast and I did that without a casting director. Some of those actors have literally never been on camera before. The self tape system allowed me to search high and low. Obviously when you get someone like Sally Phillips in  – that is just icing on the cake.

The challenges are almost entirely those faced in dealing with the industry itself. The creative and production side was a joy, dealing with the industry has been difficult. I think it’s possible  that the UK industry doesn’t like the idea of showing traditional Jews in a sitcom. I find that intensely depressing.

I think the moments of most tension that manage to come good are probably the ones I remember. There’s one scene where Paul stupidly takes the lid off a pressure cooker – something I too have done. So recreating that tomato sauce  flying up and hitting our kitchen ceiling ( yes that’s my kitchen) was memorable. Also any scene with my son Daniel is a joy. He’s just so good and I can’t help laughing at the serious way he treats the process. He really gets into it and ends up improvising.

It’s difficult after Oct 7 but we have an episode where my characters solve the Middle East process by ridiculing from the river to the sea and dealing with a porn baron.  That’s very relevant now and was always edgy.

I’m working on a US version of Hapless with an American comedian as well as writing series 3 in the UK. I’ve also written a comedy feature I’ve been trying to make in the US. I don’t know if the US wants laugh out loud comedy any more – its certainly gone the way or wry comedy which is a shame.

I once set fire to my kitchen on the 8th day of Chanukah. burnt the house down. Thanks God. Nice of you.

I watch the news far more than I should and a lot of newsy clips that get sent to me. People shouting at each other mainly for the sake of monetary gain. It’s quite depressing to see how divisive the entertainment world has become and that reflects in society. So many thrillers and horrors. What’s happened to humor? We watch LouderMilk!

Going to have dinner but let me know if you want more detail.