‘Dave’ takes a laser-like look at touring in new season, says star Dave Burd

“The more time you have to think about anything in life, the more you are going to be thoughtful and have good thoughts,” the rapper says. “It allowed me to have perspective.”

In the series, Burd plays a heightened version of himself – a rapper who went from a job in advertising to a YouTube sensation. The life that followed included personal highs and lows and, as viewers saw in the second season, a separation from his friends.

Now, in the third season, the gang is back and they’re living on a tour bus. “We’re all in this thing together,” Burd says. “In season 2, there was a lot of interpersonal strife and conflict – which makes great dramatic television. But this season, it’s us against the world.”

The tour – which takes Burd’s Little Dicky from Texas to Mississippi to Nevada, Pennsylvania and Georgia – helps show how culturally diverse the country is. “Every episode kind of becomes its own short film with its own intention,” Burd says. “It’s really exciting as a filmmaker to be able to have a fresh start and a fresh approach every episode based on where you are.”

Executive Producer Vanessa McGee says the tour bus “encapsulates the scrappiness” of the journey.

“I wanted to show what it’s really like, not a glamorized version,” Burd says.

“Tours are really gritty, man,” says GaTa, who plays Burd’s friend and fellow artist. “It’s definitely an everyday grind. You get to see us struggling on the bus, trying to keep it clean.”

Christine Ko, who plays Emma, says the “Dave” bus became a nightmare. “There was Coke spilled everywhere. It was sticky in every place possible. So, I loved it.”

Touring, GaTa says, teaches plenty of lessons. “It really puts you in different perspectives and you get to see how people live in different places. It’s a very educating experience.”

To give audiences a sense of the world, “Dave” will feature guest appearances from Demi Lovato, Machine Gun Kelly, Megan Fox, Travis Barker and others. “The other fraction that I haven’t named will blow you away,” Burd says. “It felt like, ‘Lifelong dreams have come true.’”

While most are playing themselves, some like offering “funhouse” versions of themselves, Executive Producer Jeff Schaffer says. “They like being able to play with their public perceptions. People want to come and have fun.” Lin-Manuel Miranda, “who’s one of the nicest people on the planet,” gets to play a passive-aggressive jerk.

Burd, meanwhile, gets to hew pretty closely to reality.

“It’s very freeing,” he explains. “I literally had surgery on my penis as a kid and I lived my whole life fearful of that. It was constantly top of mind whenever I entered any romantic experience and it’s stressful. To be able to convey that through a funny medium is something I really take pride in. There’s nothing more valuable in storytelling than truth. I’ve been fortunate enough to have everybody (in the cast) help me tell my truth.”

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Because he’s so involved in so many aspects of “Dave,” Burd says it takes time to produce. In addition to writing the music, running the show, performing and editing, he’s trying to get a new album out.

“We shoot our show within four months, which is really fast for a TV show,” Ko says, but Burd is working on all those behind-the-scenes aspects while his co-stars are away working on other projects. “It’s kind of like he’s doing five full-time jobs.”

That album? “It’s been eight years since we’ve had an album,” Burd says. “I’m not giving up on that. It’s a balancing act because I really care. I have a lot prove as a musician and artist and I look forward to doing that in tandem with my film career.”

“Dave” returns April 5th on FXX and streams the next day on Hulu.

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