Why Charlie Puth Has 'No Problem Making Fun' of Himself on New Roku Show: 'It's Just Not That Serious' (Exclusive)

10/03/2024 10:50 AM

The singer-songwriter stars as himself in a new mockumentary series premiering Oct. 4

• Charlie Puth stars in a new Roku series called The Charlie Puth Show
• The mockumentary-style show features Puth attempting to elevate his profile within the cultural zeitgeist
• The star tells PEOPLE he "has no problem making fun of" himself

Charlie Puth is lighting… something. The object the star has in his hands is thick, cylindrical and known for its potent aroma. But it's not what you think.

"This isn't a giant doobie," he clarifies over Zoom. "This is a piece of sandalwood. I guess it's for the vibe."

Puth may be best known as a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter (with perfect pitch!) but right now, the vibe is all about something else entirely: The Charlie Puth Show, his new mockumentary launching Friday, Oct. 4 on The Roku Channel.

The six-episode series follows a fictionalized version of Puth, 32, as he attempts to elevate his profile within the cultural zeitgeist and expand his brand by becoming something of a multi-hyphenate. Whether it's attempting to reunite One Direction or desperately trying to get "Weird Al" Yankovic to spoof the Puth, the show is zany, low-stakes fun, with dialogue the star estimates is "95% improvisation."

Related: Watch the Unhinged Trailer for The Charlie Puth Show with Star-Studded Appearances (Exclusive)

"I wanted the show to be like that because I'm not really an actor, and if I read lines, it's going to sound rigid, so we just have to flow," he tells PEOPLE. "It was just a really fun experience for everybody… I like doing things that I don't normally do."

Stars like Will Ferrell, John Legend, John Mayer, Rosie O'Donnell and more make up an impressive roster of guest stars, and each episode features some sort of song.

Puth says the idea for the show was born in 2020 amid the pandemic, when live music was off the table for artists. He started writing down ideas with some help from friends at Scout Productions, and before long, he had a show with a simple enough premise: be himself. Much of the wardrobe on the show is from Puth's own closet, and his real-life best friend also appears.

"I'd say it's 99% me," he says of the character. "I don't know if I'm that audibly loud and quirky every day. Some days I'm just like a boring stick figure. But it really is my personality in a TV show."

Most of the jokes featured in the show are quippy pop culture references, and no one is safe from a good ribbing — not even Puth himself.

Part of the show's charm lies in the fact that Puth leans all the way in to self-deprecation, allowing himself to be the butt of many a joke. He even calls it an "honor" to have been "roasted" by guest star Ferrell in the show's first episode.

"The thing is, I wrote those lines on the spot. I was like, 'She should say that Shawn Mendes is the better version of me. That's funny,'" he says. "I have no problem making fun of myself because it's just not that serious. There's so many more serious things in the world right now to worry about. It's nice to just have some comic relief and not take yourself so seriously."

He continues: "Nobody wants to see a successful artist make a self-righteous, grandiose, 'Look at me…' Maybe people want to see that, but I don't know if people want to see that from me. There's too much to worry about in the world right now for me to get on my high horse and be like, 'I was going through this when I wrote this important piece of music.' Like, no. I'd rather be… It's funny for me to be made fun of."

Related: All the Details from Charlie Puth and Brooke Sansone's 'Dream' Wedding: 'Best Night Ever'

Luckily for the star, his family thinks so too. The newlywed — who married Brooke Sansone in Montecito, Calif. on Sept. 7 — says his new wife's family "just dies of laughter" watching the show, which makes him "feel really, really good."

"I like entertaining people, and it's really why I made the show, because I love entertaining people. Musically, of course, but also in this new way," he says. "I want everybody to order Chinese food, anything, at 8:00, and just put it on and just have a laugh and just take your mind off all the seriousness in the world for a bit."

The Charlie Puth Show premieres on Friday, Oct. 4 on The Roku Channel, with all six episodes streaming for free.

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