Jerry O'Connell returns to comedy in new Fox sitcom 'Do Not Disturb'

McClatchy Newspapers (MCT) - Jerry O'Connell plays the general manager of one of the hippest hotels in New York in the new Fox comedy "Do Not Disturb."

Jerry O'Connell? On a television comedy? Really?

Until he starred in last year's ABC comedy "Carpoolers," a series that crashed and burned after one season, O'Connell was better known for his work in television dramas like "Crossing Jordan" and "Sliders."

O'Connell jokes about returning to comedy after last year's failed funny attempt.

"I had a wonderful experience with 'Carpoolers.' I know it was not successful. It didn't get picked up but I had a wonderful experience working in comedy," O'Connell says during an interview with TV critics in July at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. "It's funny in life. Shows end. I'm depressed. I don't leave my house. I'm in my underwear for two or three months. I'm joking, of course."

There were times while he was working on "Crossing Jordan," a series where he spent a lot of time in a morgue, where he felt like people in his own neighborhood were being killed. So, comedy is more uplifting.

Actually, "Carpoolers" was not O'Connell's first attempt at situation comedy. There were comedic elements of his "My Secret Identity." And he has a little story about being on another comedy.

"Here's a little bit of TV trivia for all of you folks out there. I did a short-lived sitcom with Hilary Swank. Believe it or not. I'm telling you. It was called 'Camp Wilder.' In 1992. I dropped out of college for a semester and went to go do it," O'Connell says. "I think I had a lot to do with Hilary Swank winning all those Oscars."

O'Connell will have to be on his comedy toes in the new series. His co-star, Niecy Nash, has been starring in the heavily improvised comedy series "Reno 911!"

Nash has had to take a different approach on "Do Not Disturb."

"I have really been fortunate," Nash says. "I've been able to taste a lot of different disciplines in this business. 'Reno 911!' is unscripted. 'Reno' is so raw and over the top.

"Receiving the script, I'm like, 'Oh, Lord. I'm not used to that. I got to memorize all of this?' Where I'm used to making it up on the fly. But I'm having a good time nonetheless."

This means "Do Not Disturb" will try to find an audience, at a time when the situation comedy format is considered by many of those those in TV to be dying, with an actor not known for comedy and an actress better known for improv.

The show's executive producer, Abraham Higginbotham, could not attract viewers last year with his "Back to You." And that series aired Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton.

"I was very surprised that didn't work just because of the pedigree of the people that were associated with it from the cast to the directors to the writing staff," Higginbotham says. "That show was a pretty traditional, straight-up sitcom that we were trying to just embrace what it was.

"And with this, we're trying to have some fun with a younger cast, fresher faces."

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DO NOT DISTURB

9:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday

Fox

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© 2008, The Fresno Bee (Fresno, Calif.).