TORONTO (CUP) — Jon Dore has the kindest eyes, but he can also be a real jerk. I sat down with Dore on the set of his hit TV series, “The Jon Dore Television Show.” He was wrapping up the second season, which has now begun to air.

As such, he was still in costume and full of the comic energy that fuels his zany and vulgar shtick. Dressed in bleached denim with his feet up on his fake coffee table, his kind eyes allowed me to relax.

I was expecting him to be somewhat of an asshole, the way he portrays himself on television. My expectations were backed up by memories of watching him do stand-up. It's the kind of act you watch while praying he doesn't single you out. Most comedians are sadists.

The interview started with him executing some one-liners and asking my photographer and I some questions. We, in turn, asked some funny questions: “Do you consider yourself a sad clown?'”

This back-and-forth started to evolve and the friendly Dore slowly began to change into the TV Dore.

At the end of the interview, the publicist, who had been observing from the other end of the apartment set, came up to us apprehensively. “You realized he was joking, right?” she asked.

I hoped she realized that I was joking when I told his director that Dore was a dick. This type of interview isn't exactly one that yields good notes or even a definite direction.

Instead, some would call it goofing off with someone who has to talk to you, which is the equivalent of going on a date with the prom queen's sister, and only because her mother made her.

I like to think of it as more of an impressionistic interview. Dore put it thus: “You're leave student journalists; [it] doesn't really matter.”

During the interview, I got to understand the sense of humour that propels the show — a show that somehow makes dick jokes funny again.

Each episode centres on Dore trying to better himself around some sort of theme. In doing so, he consults real people in interviews and takes their suggestions.

The kicker lies in his wacky, sociopathic interpretation of their advice. There are also short sketches, montages, and video gags.

Dore talks to the camera a lot. I'm still not sure how to categorize the show, outside of calling it an asshole comedy — so dry that it doesn't automatically give the audience permission to laugh.

You just have to assume he's joking.

So, when Dore told me to fuck off, threw hissy fits, and stopped talking to me, I laughed.

When he told me blatant lies and contradicting statements, I laughed.

Even when his eyes hardened into a condescending sneer, I laughed.

Then again, if he wasn't joking, that guy really is a dick.