Second City alum Adam McKay runs in pretty impressive comedic circles these days. After he left The Second City in 1996, he went on to the writing staff of “Saturday Night Live” where he eventually became head writer. He has co-written and directed two the biggest hit comedy films in recent memory “Anchorman” and “Talladega Nights.” He’s currently directing another film with Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly called “Step Brothers.”

Adam and I got along pretty well when he was first at Second City. I was a young producer trying to make my mark and he was a young actor/writer trying to do the same. He was taking a break from the set of “Step Brothers” when I got his call. We were about 40 minutes into the conversation when we both realized that we had just been talking and talking and neither of us had any more time left to do the actual interview.

So this month’s Second City interview will be a recap of our conversation as best as we both can remember it. I have also taken the liberty to completely make up parts of the conversation to see if Adam can catch the blatant lies that I attribute to him.

Where are you right now?
I’m on break and getting lunch on the set of the new film I’m directing called “Step Brothers.” And to give you an idea of how ridiculous my job is I’m about to film John C. Reilly dressed as a Centaur making love to Kathryn Hahn. I also am recovering from walking pneumonia and I - like everyone else in LA - have a horrible bronchial condition that is surely caused by smoke inhalation during the crazy wild fires.

I was watching the Celtics play the other night and I thought of you.
Because back in the early nineties we saw Kevin Garnett play high school ball at the city finals in Chicago. He was absolutely amazing - even at that age. But just as amazing was a guy named Ronnie Fields who ran into some trouble and didn’t make it in the NBA. I love basketball.

Shouldn’t you be on strike?
I am a member of the writer’s guild so, technically, I am on strike. For example, I’m just finishing up directing this film right now and normally I would throw out new lines on the set for the actors to use. But since we’re on strike I can’t do that. It’s really screwing up my process.

So the movie won’t be funny?
About 25% less funny at this point. Maybe 32%.

How do you feel about the strike?
It’s absolutely valid. Huge corporate entities control the studios and they have a brand new revenue source and they need to share the profits with the people that are making the content. I’m sure it’s complicated to assess how certain fees would get distributed but it’s amazing to me that they don’t have accountants who can figure this stuff out?

And what we’re talking about effects you even more because of your on-line work?
Sure. My company, Gary Sanchez Productions, runs a website called www.funnyordie.com - and that’s all about new media and new ways to make money. My job is pretty easy - just to make funny videos with my friends and get other funny people to make funny videos with their friends. But the financial guys have a lot wrapped up in this.

Side note: you should know that Adam directed the series of “Pearl” videos that featured Will Ferrell being berated by a toddler - who is in real life Adam’s daughter Pearl.

Is this the part of the interview where we discuss how no artist that works in America today is free from the chains of corporate greed and multi-national companies that traffic in unseemly and unsavory behavior? Is this also the place where I call for George Bush to be put up on charges of Treason?

Sure - that or some story about working with Steve Carell.
I remember that we were casting “Anchorman” and the part of Brick Tamland was between two Second City alums, Steve and Jay Johnston. Jay is great - but I remember working with Steve at Second City and realizing that he has never not been funny in absolutely everything he did. And he just killed in that part.

A lot of our Second City friends are doing pretty well these days.
Seriously. I saw Tina Fey’s American Express ad and I realized that she’s hit a level of fame that is quite rare. It’s also wonderful to see that Stephen Colbert has become a cultural icon. When I first saw “The Colbert Report” I didn’t think he could keep up the comedic conceit. But the show really works and just keeps getting funnier and more surreal. It’s also nice that so many folks from my era - like Dave Koechner and Rachel Dratch - are getting consistent work and performing so incredibly. Sorry - hold on a second - what’s your soup today? Can I get that and a grilled cheese sandwich? Thanks. Okay - I’m on my lunch break.

Apparently…
Oh and they’re asking me to move. Do you know who I am? I’m the director. Right - I make more money on my lunch break then you’ll make in a lifetime. Now beat it you moron.

So you enjoy people and you’re work.
I’m very happy.

Are you still going to live theatre?
Of course. I do the requisite improvisational revues in New York and LA. But I really became far more interested in work that has a highly visual component. I enjoy contemporary movement pieces. Second City and improv-based work in general is not really a visual medium. The actors mime their own props and the show is usually just a lights up lights down affair. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more in interested in ways that you can present your art that are not just a stimulation of the mind, but also have a stimulation for other senses. I might also have developed this interest by working in the visual mediums of television and film. Did that whole last thing sound pretentious?

Not to me. But I don’t imagine that a lot of people would know that you have a strong intellectual streak based on your work at “Saturday Night Live” or the films you’ve directed. I’m not saying they aren’t smart - but they tend to blend the scatological with the sublime.

Cool - well, good - that sounded more pretentious than my comments earlier. But it’s absolutely true for me that I love to blend high art and low brow comedy. I think it’s a gift when you can do something that’s just totally silly but follow it up with a piece of biting satire or something that reveals something true and human. And then get back to the goofy stuff.

I actually have to go and we never got to start the interview.
Just make it up.