Hey, Modern Family, Stop Stealing All the Funny!

With guest stars and clowns and choral groups and babies, this show just keeps getting better

Time for another ab workout, my friends!

Modern Family airs tonight on ABC in what just might be the best episode yet...Did someone say Ed Norton and Elizabeth Banks? Oh yes they did.

And newsflash: We just got off the horn with Eric Stonestreet, who plays Cameron, and it sounds as if this show is just getting funnier.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the evidence:

Fred Willard Is Coming! In what seems like genius casting, the comedy god will play the father of Phil (Ty Burrell).

They're Sending In the Clown: In next week's episode, Cameron will bring back his clown character for a birthday party. And believe it or not, this whole storyline came out of Eric's real-life experience. "The episode is called 'Fizbo,' " Eric explained, "which is the real name of my clown character. As I was growing up, I wanted to be a clown. I wanted to join the circus. There's an article in the episode that is really about me at age 11. My dream was to run away with the circus and become a one-man show, performing for senior citizens and kids. If you were 30, you were screwed, because I wasn't going to perform for you."

Baby Lily Is Going to Be "Ferberized": For you nonparentals out there, this means "sleep trained," and though it's about as pleasurable as sticking hot coals in your eyes, we can only imagine this will be high-larious after seeing the episode in which baby Lily bumped her head while wearing a 'fro wig.

Christmas Is Gonna Rock: "I'm very excited for the Christmas episode," Eric told us. "I will tease to you that Cameron formed a choral caroling group a few years ago and he was removed from his own caroling group. That's what the episode is about, forgiveness and a merry wish around the holiday season."

The Modern Family Cast Still Doesn't Believe Their Show Is a Hit: "I still feel like we've gotta just get through this season and keep people watching," Stonestreet said. "I think that's sort of the general tone set by Ed O'Neill, who's just such a seasoned veteran. Then we've got Ty and Julie, who've been on their fair share of shows that have been canceled…Sofia's the same way. I think what's great about the cast is we're all very down-to-earth as far as the reality of it, and we're just riding it as much as we can and just so thankful that we have experienced show runners and writers and producers.

Still, They're Not Living Under a Rock: "Sometimes I do say: 'Holy cow, this thing's really taking off!' I'm just getting used to people knowing who I am on the street."

Eric added, "I never wanted to be an actor. I wanted to be a clown." Maybe someday he'll really make it.