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Hear Ed Helms & Randall Park Tease Their Wild New Peacock Series True Story With Ed and Randall

The Office's Ed Helms & Fresh Off the Boat's Randall Park told E! News all about the new Peacock show, which recounts the wildest of stories before their celebrity friends reenact them.

By Allison Crist Jan 19, 2022 8:00 PMTags
Watch: Ed Helms & Randall Park Dish on "True Story with Ed and Randall"

Too good to not be true. 

It's safe to assume that actors like Ed Helms and Randall Park, who have both starred in several iconic films and television shows, have their fair share of on and off-set stories to tell—however, while their new Peacock series True Story With Ed and Randall does indeed recount the most extraordinary tales with surprising twists along the way, they're not the actors' own.

As Helms exclusively told E! News, "Randall and I are sitting down with real people, every day average folks."

"We hear incredible stories—true stories!—from their lives, and we've never heard the stories before, which is part of the fun," he continued.

Then, according to Park, "we reach out to our celebrity friends and have them play these characters in these stories and we basically create these reenactments—a biopic, if you will—of these incredible storytellers' tales."

The stories range from hilarious to heartwarming, and among the many guest stars set to take part in the recreations are Terry Crews, Lauren Ash, Rob RiggleMaz Jobrani and so many more.

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And while it's difficult for Helms and Park to choose a favorite story, one of the most memorable for both of them is a "crazy" tale about a guy named Rick sneaking into a Super Bowl.

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"It's so mind-blowingly insane that you're like, 'This can't be real,'" Helms explained. "For me, it's so outside of my experience but it's, like, an aspirational story because I kind of wish I were as crazy as him because he just seems just such a free spirit. And I think every story has that thing that allows anyone to connect to [them]. It's just people being vulnerable about themselves."

Had the True Story With Ed and Randall hosts chosen one of their famous friends to tell a story of their own rather than recreate someone else's, Helms revealed he'd immediately know who to pick: Creed Bratton from The Office.

"That guy has stories for days," Helms said. "And he used to be in a very popular rock band in, like, the '60s and '70s and he's just had the most colorful life...he's so fun to hang out with."

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Park's pick? Ray Wise.

"He's been in a ton of stuff," Park explained of the Twin Peaks alum. "He joined the cast of the Fresh Off the Boat kind of a few seasons in, and this guy...he's just one of those actors who have been around for a long time and have just collected so many stories and worked with so many people. And it was always fun sitting with him and hearing his stories."

Ultimately, that's what Park and Helms hope to accomplish with their new series. 

"In every episode is just real human connection," Helms said.

Watch: Would Ed Helms Do a Reunion Special for "The Office"?

Added Park, "Some of these people telling these stories, you know, you wouldn't expect to hear such a crazy story out of them. They might be more unassuming. They might be the kind of person that a lot of folks may overlook in the office, just kind of walk by them. But then to be able to sit with them and hear something so personal and to give them this treatment they deserve, I mean, I think that in that way, it's very special."

"In a way, we're saying that we all deserve to be heard, you know?" he continued. "And we all have something to say."

According to Helms, the show is also "a reminder that you just never know what somebody is carrying around with themselves."

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Every TV Show on Peacock

Check out True Story With Ed and Randall for yourself when all six episodes of the new series hit Peacock tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 20. 

(E! and Peacock are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

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