Rob Reiner to guest star on Showtime's 'Happyish'

LOS ANGELES, March 11 (UPI) -- Actor-director Rob Reiner is to guest star on two episodes of the new half-hour comedy series Happyish, Showtime announced.

Reiner, playing a version of himself, will work with Thom Payne [played by the show's star Steve Coogan] on an important ad campaign.

Scheduled to premiere April 26, the series is described in press notes as "a scathing examination of our pursuit of happiness, a pursuit that might just be the very thing causing our unhappiness in the first place."

It focuses on Payne, "a 44-year-old man whose world is thrown into disarray when his 25-year-old 'wunderkind' boss arrives, saying things like 'digital,' 'social' and 'viral.'"

"Is he in need of a 'rebranding,' as his mentor insists, or does he just have a 'low-joy ceiling,' as his corporate headhunter suggests? Maybe pursuing happiness is a fool's errand?"

The show will co-star Kathryn Hahn, Bradley Whitford, Ellen Barkin, Molly Price and Andre Royo. It was created, written and executive produced by critically acclaimed author and regular This American Life contributor Shalom Auslander.

Reiner is known for his performances on the classic TV sitcom All in the Family, as well as in the films This is Spinal Tap, Sleepless in Seattle and The Wolf of Wall Street. Among the films he has helmed are This is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men.