John Goodman on why religion will never be butt of the jokes on The Righteous Gemstones

In a new interview with news.com.au, comedy legend John Goodman explains how his latest show never oversteps the line.

A TV comedy about faith and religion typically raises concerns and criticism. However, the divine HBO series The Righteous Gemstones appears to be the exception to the rule.

The series starring John Goodman returns bigger and better with Season three premiering locally on Foxtel on June 19. Despite the show exploring the world of religion as it follows the wealthy Gemstone family of televangelists preach Christianity, Goodman say Christianity has never been the butt of the jokes.

“Everybody I’ve talked to just likes it because it’s pretty outrageous, and the bottom line is we’re making them laugh,” Goodman tells news.com.au of the series. “I think the religious issue is almost the least of it.”

“As far as I’m concerned, the relevance is if it’s funny or not. If it’s not funny, it means nothing. I don’t think there’s any preaching here. There’s just a story about a highly dysfunctional family at the reins of power and money.”

John Goodman plays pastor and patriarch Eli Gemstone on the show. Picture: Foxtel

In the series, Goodman plays megachurch pastor Eli Gemstone, the head of a powerful televangelist family whose children – Jesse (played by series creator Danny McBride), Judy (Edi Patterson) and Kelvin (Adam DeVine) – are hellbent on becoming the sole heirs to his ministry. But they must battle it out with their late mother’s brother, a white-haired pastor named William “Baby Billy” Freeman, played by Walton Goggins.

“I’ve never gotten any negative kind of comments. Maybe it says something about Christianity in America – you know, they’re able to kind of laugh at themselves,” Goggins tells us, echoing Goodman’s thoughts.

“[Director] David Gordon Green and [creator] Danny McBride love these people, these characters. They aren’t stereotypes, they’re not one-sided or two-sided – they’re four dimensional. They care about all of them deeply. We’re not showing up every day making fun of these people.”

The Righteous Gemstones also stars Danny McBride, Edi Patterson and Adam Devine.

Goggins adds that he was born and bred in the south - born in Alabama, raised in Georgia - and therefore has a strong connection to the series.

“There have been times in my life where I am one of these people – I come from that part of America,” he reveals. “I think maybe it’s the love that kind of permeates from the writing down to the saying of these words, to the directing and all the rest of it that makes it not only palatable, but really enjoyable so people aren’t offended by.”

The Righteous Gemstones Season 3 premieres on Foxtel on June 19.

If anything, Goggins says that it’s the characters on the show and their shady motives that are offensive, not the spotlight on religion.

“In this show, while there may be something wrong with the messengers, there isn’t anything wrong with the message and what they’re trying to say, especially when it comes down to grace and forgiveness and humility and acceptance,” he says.

Season 3 has a host of guest stars including Stephen Dorff, Kristen Johnston and Steve Zahn (left). Picture: Foxtel

“It is unapologetic, really, and it’s a depiction of these people. It’s not so far off from the truth with the people that I know that are in this world that have reached out to me personally. I also think that it, you know, whenever there’s a chance to tell a story about the south or the people in the south, like on any level, our community greatly benefits from that. Our society greatly benefits from that.”

With the third season of The Righteous Gemstones upon us, both Goodman and Goggins say that they feel blessed to be part of a strong ensemble and are happy to keep going for as long as McBride keeps creating.

“For me, it’s looking at the page and the page making me laugh,” Goodman says of why he loves being part of the series. “It’s always something surprising. It’s fun to play. It’s a great group of people to be with, to spend six months of the year with and 14-hour days with. We’re very funny and very caring. And I think we all love each other.

From left to right: John Goodman, Danny McBride, Cassidy Freeman, Edi Patterson and Adam Devine attend the Los Angeles premiere of Season 1 of The Righteous Gemstones in 2019. Picture: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

Walton Goggins says he finds it hard keeping a straight face next to John Goodman.

Goggins says he loves working with McBride, Goodman and the entire cast and crew because they consistently bring the laughs – both on screen and off. And he’s still surprised they crack up at his jokes, too.

“More often than not in our world, there’s sh*t that John or Danny does and you just can’t hold it together,” he laughs. “A lot of these guys are comedians – some of the funniest people I’ve ever met in my life. And they’re pros at holding it together. And whenever you crack them or you see that smile when they’re off camera or on camera, there’s just nothing like it.”

“It’s six months of hard work, but six months together kind of watching each other and cheering each other on in a beautiful town in America. It’s just a rad gig, man.”

The Righteous Gemstones Season 3 premieres on Foxtel on June 19.