Hulu's seven-episode series “The Hotwives of Orlando” lampoons Bravo's “Real Housewives” franchises in exactly the right ways: The catchphrases, the melodrama, the sham marriages, and the frightening fights are all parodied with very close attention to detail. Creators Dannah Phirman and Danielle Schneider have a cast of game ladies in their Florida-set series, including Schneider herself (who plays Shauna Maducci, the “bankrupt overspender”), “Happy Endings”/”SNL” vet Casey Wilson as trophy wife Tawny St. John, Tymberlee Hill as Phenomenon “Phe Phe” Reed, Andrea Savage as cougar Veronica Von Vandervon, Angela Kinsey of “The Office” as religious zealot Crystal Simmons, and “30 Rock” vet Kristen Schaal as drug-addled former child star Amanda Simmons.
HitFix caught a few minutes to interview Wilson, Hill, Savage, Schneider, and Phirman. Instead of asking them to name their favorite “Housewives” franchise or terrifying dream about Andy Cohen, we asked them to pick their favorite ladies from famous pop culture groups. What's Casey Wilson's favorite Madonna phase? Danielle Schneider's favorite Meryl Steep role? Let the ladies tell you themselves. Kristen Schaal joins us for a very brief cameo at the end for just the right question.
Favorite “Sex and the City” character who is not one of the main four stars
Andrea Savage: Well, it's got to be Charlotte's gay. Mario Cantone.
Casey Wilson: I love when Kristen Johnston fell out the window. And I also I love Kyle MacLachlan on that show.
HitFix: I was hoping someone would pick his mom.
Casey Wilson: Bunny.
Danielle Schneider: Bunny! Remember that friend who was married to that really angry guy? She was always like, “Ugh! He hates me.” Loved that.
Tymberlee Hill: I've seen two episodes of 'Sex and the City.' Sorry! There were no brown people.
Casey Wilson: They were probably not having sex in the city. They were in the city, but not having sex.
TLC member
Andrea Savage: I mean, all right.
Danielle Schneider: How can you not pick Left-Eye?
Tymberlee Hill: See, I'm T-Boz
Andrea Savage: Chilli was the only one who could really sing.
Tymberlee Hill: Yes. Chilli was the singer.
Danielle Schneider: I miss Lisa “Left Eye” every day. Watched her VH1 special many times. A tragedy. But I didn't see the movie based on her.
HitFix: With Lil Mama? She's great as Left Eye.
Tymberlee Hill: Lil Mama played Left Eye? I'm glad she's working. I thought she disappeared after “Lip Gloss.” And that time she embarrassed herself at those awards with Jay-Z and Alicia Keys.
HitFix: That was a pretty good embarrassment, though. If you're going to embarrass yourself, go that hard.
Tymberlee Hill: I laughed so hard, but it was so uncomfortable. Lil Mama just walked up onstage and, like, hung out with them.
Casey Wilson: When things like that happen, it's like, “What is going on?”
Dannah Phirman: Is no one in charge?
Casey Wilson: Like, is it alcohol?
Madonna phase
Tymberlee Hill: “Lucky Star,” “Borderline.”
Casey Wilson: I'm not a huge Madonna fan. I'll say it.
Danielle Schneider: Are you crazy?
Dannah Phirman: I like when she had the baby and was kind of in Earth mother mode. She had the long tendrils at that time.
Danielle Schneider: I like the Jesus one. “Like a Prayer.”
Casey Wilson: See, I liked when she sang that “Playground” song. That was my favorite. Or “Evita.”
Andrea Savage: But what about when she became a British children's author? “The English Roses.” She had her hair all done up. She was such a proper English lady.
Female cartoon character
Danielle Schneider: Betty and Veronica. Love them. Or Daria.
Tymberlee Hill: I think Storm? Yes, Storm.
Dannah Phirman: I actually like more current ones. Word Girl?
Casey Wilson: I have watched “Word Girl,” I have no kids, and I have enjoyed several episodes. Jessica Rabbit?
Andrea Savage: There's a really strong Sex Ed teacher on “American Dad,” guys.
Meryl Streep role
Danielle Schneider: Now that's a real Sophie's Choice. [Stands to give high-fives to everyone; no one responds.]
Casey Wilson: I want everyone to pick a single answer for this one.
Tymberlee Hill: “The Deer Hunter.” Beautiful. Gorgeous. Or what's that one where Jack Nicholson keeps cheating on her? “Heartburn”? Love that one.
Casey Wilson: I have to go with “Death Becomes Her.” Or, ooh — I love her in “Postcards From the Edge” though.
Dannah Phirman: I will say — I mean, Oscar-wise? It really was “Sophie's Choice.” It was the one. The accent. Or “Kramer Vs. Kramer.”
Danielle Schneider: “Devil Wears Prada”!
Andrea Savage: Guys! I know it's a bit modern, but “It's Complicated.” I mean, such beautiful kitchen shots.
Casey Wilson: Nancy Meyers hates me! After “It's Complicated” came out, I did a video for Funny Or Die in which I was a housewife masturbating to all of the kitchens in Nancy Meyers' movies. And she called Funny Or Die screaming her head off and she was like, “This bitch!” And “You better take this video down!” So I won't be acting in Nancy Meyers movies any time soon. Once I was like, “Why am I not getting any auditions with Nancy Meyers?” It was like, “She's not seeing you for shit.”
Danielle Schneider: It's not your fault! You were just doing your part.
Casey Wilson: And we took the video down too.
Female “SNL” cast member, and you can't pick Casey Wilson.
Andrea Savage: (Smugly) I would not have picked Casey.
Casey Wilson: No one would've picked me!
Andrea Savage: There's always Gilda.
Casey Wilson: I think Molly Shannon. The best.
Tymberlee Hill: Cheri Oteri. She always, always made me laugh. Insanely.
Danielle Schneider: I love Jan Hooks. Jan Hooks is the reason I do what I do! I saw her in “SNL” and “Peewee's Big Adventure” and I was like, “That's what I want to do.”
Andrea Savage: Oh, really? [Turning to Danielle.] It's Jennifer Coolidge for me.
Danielle Schneider: And Jan on “Designing Women”? R.I.P. Meschach Taylor, by the way.
Kristen Schaal (arriving at the table): I would have to say Tina Fey.
HitFix: Never heard of her.
Dannah Phirman: She was in the early '80s.