Justin Talks The Phone, SNL, And Twitter

JT recently held a phone interview with journalists from USA Today regarding his packed schedule. They discussed everything from where he came up with the idea for his new MTV reality series The Phone, as well as his skit process with the cast of SNL, and understanding Twitter.

LOS ANGELES — When The Phone rang, Justin Timberlake answered.

The musician, actor and fashion designer adds another item to his résumé as executive producer of MTV’s newest reality series, The Phone (premiering tonight, 10 ET/PT).

“I just thought it was a unique idea for a show,” Timberlake says, fittingly, in a phone interview Monday. “It comes from a show in Holland, and we wanted to figure out how to make it more interesting … and make these contestants feel like action movie stars.”

The show drops pairs of unsuspecting people into what feels like an action movie. The contestants take phone calls from the show’s host (to them a mystery person) asking them to complete various stunts to track down a “suspect.” Contestants can earn up to $50,000. Six one-hour episodes have been shot.

Next up for Timberlake: hosting NBC’s Saturday Night Live May 9. “I would go as far to say if I didn’t have a career that I felt so extremely lucky to have, I would see if I could get cast on the show,” he says. Timberlake has starred in some of SNL’s most viral video skits, including a naughty Emmy Award-winning skit and a parody of Beyoncé’s Single Ladies video.

Timberlake doesn’t know yet what’s in store for the upcoming show. “The great thing with SNL is that something strange happens every week in this world. I almost feel like it’s too early to come up with anything on the show. Really, we just hang out for five days, and we come up with some sketches in the meantime.”

Timberlake says his schedule is so full these days, he has yet to join the Twitter universe that has consumed Ashton Kutcher and even Oprah Winfrey. “If I can find a way to do that and do everything I am doing, I’ll be happy to make a contribution to cyberspace. Though I would have to have someone walk me through it.”

Life is all about having fun right now, Timberlake says. He’s working on musical collaborations with other artists, including Leona Lewis, and he recently helped Kate Hudson ring in her 30th birthday at a private party.

Timberlake’s contribution to the festivities? He organized the dancing.

“Sometimes, everybody needs a little Electric Slide,” he says, laughing. “The DJ went into the Electric Slide, and it seemed like fate.”