How to Make it in America

Scene from “How to Make It in America.” Even before “How To Make It In America” premiered on HBO last year, comparisons to HBO’s other male-centered show, “Entourage” were inevitable, albeit unfair. Both shows centered on the story of young, children-less men striving to become success stories against the backdrop of big American cities (“Entourage,” Los Angeles; “How To Make It In America,” New York City), But while “Entourage” was a story about having fame and fortune and getting more, “How To Make It In America” is about having neither of those things and trying to get at least a taste. If “Entourage” was a show about the Hollywood dream, “How To Make It in America” is a show about the working reality when the dreamer wakes up.

Perhaps now with “Entourage” off the air, “How To Make It In America” will be able to stand on its own as a show worth watching. Though the first season wasn’t without its problems — for one, it was only eight episodes long, thus making it difficult to get behind characters like Ben (Bryan Greenberg) and Cam (Victor Rasuk) — it was charming enough for the suits at HBO to bring it back for a second season.

“How To Make It In America” creator and executive producer Ian Edelman and actor Victor Rasuk spoke about the changes in store for Season 2.

Ian Edelman: Easier isn’t the word, but it felt looser and more fun. There was a confidence we got from having done eight episodes. Think about the first season of television: A network show gets 22 episodes, most cable shows are 12, so we had a very small sample to look at but we learned a lot from it.

Edelman: Then we were in New York and I had to go in with [producer] Steve Levinson, and we had to pitch season two. Then we heard. So like the show, it was a non-stop hustle, scraping by.

Speakeasy: Well season two picks up with Ben and Cam in Japan, and you all actually flew out there to shoot those scenes. Their fictional clothing-line Crisp is becoming a real thing. Is this season more about success or still trying to get the success?

Edelman: In season one, they were like “What do we do?” In season two they have the plan and they already have the momentum and inertia.

Rasuk: Yeah, as much as Cam was motivated and driven, without Ben he didn’t really know what the bigger idea was, but in season two, when we come back from Japan, he’s more inspired and more focused.

Speakeasy: He also has a love interest this season. I think that makes him feel like less of Ben’s sidekick and more his own person.

Rasuk: Yeah, me and Ian talked about that. We wanted to see Cam have his own love interest and get him out of his comfort zone. So when I was reading season two, I was calling him so happy. Like you said, in season one, he was more of a sidekick but now you see him more involved in the story.

Speakeasy: Well, was that bothersome and knowing it’s off the air and “How To Make It” is, for lack of a better term, the guy’s guy show, is there less pressure?

Edelman: It was really frustrating to read those because I felt like we were getting cut off at the legs. That’s not what the show is, it’s not a spin-off show; it just happens to have similar producers but it’s its own thing. I think this year you’ll get that. Entourage was a great show that had a great run that really, for the first time on television, showed how young dudes relate to each other and speak to each other.

Rasuk: I was a fan of the show, because I know from living in L.A. for the last seven years, it was so real. In terms of comparing it, it’s a double-edged sword. To be as successful as Entourage is putting a lot of pressure on us, unwanted pressure. It’s a compliment to compare us, though I don’t think it’s a compliment yet because we don’t have nearly the type of run that show had.

Speakeasy: Both of you are New York City natives but live in L.A. now, so how do you keep the authenticity of the show when you’re putting it together so far away from where it takes place?

Rasuk: I come back to New York on the regular; even though I live in L.A. our families are here. Thankfully, I can afford to come back and visit for a few days or a few weeks. I’ve been doing that since I moved to L.A. seven years ago.

Edelman: I think it’s safe to say Victor Rasuk isn’t going to lose his New York accent [laugh]. I mean, we’re both born and raised here and I’ve lived in L.A. for ten years but I can still come back. My parents and my brother live here. Victor and I grew up differently but we grew up in a culture of being really city kids. The cast is all real New Yorkers, and Kid Cudi’s character represents the cool kids who come to New York with a dream.

Speakeasy: In the first two episodes of season two, the references and trends feel really up to date especially for television time, how deliberate was it for you all to make sure the show felt like it was in touch with the lifestyle it represents?

Rasuk: We could’ve shot it that winter and it’s funny because me and Bryan, after we got picked up, we were wondering why we were waiting and now it’s validated. [Points to Ian] He wanted to wait closer to the premier date because everything in fashion was going to be relevant, if not beyond its time.

Edelman: Who knows? It’s all unwritten. Personally, I’m very excited, I feel really good about season two because I think it’s going to deliver.

Rasuk: What my hopes were — even before we were coming out — was if we were coming out. Now that we are, it was to hope we came out in a great time slot, you know, just give us a good shot. I think we got that and everything else we executed on.