[Shocking] welcome to Sweden

First time arriving and you're treated to a crayfish party, helan gar and sauna..what could possibly go wrong? 

  • A fish-out-of-water tale, American Greg Poehler’s real life experiences of moving to Sweden can be laughed at in his TV series ”Welcome to Sweden.” Photo courtesy of TV4 Sweden AB. For more information: http://www.tv4.se/welcome-to-sweden

  • The same day as American Greg Poehler (yes, he’s the brother of Saturday Night Live’s funny lady Amy Poehler) arrived to Sweden, he was treated to a crayfish party, made to sing ”Helan går” and forced to sit with naked Swedish men in a sauna.
    Now, Poehler has turned his initial shock into a star-studded series for Swedish TV titled "Welcome to Sweden.” "I stepped off the plane and went straight to my girlfriend’s summer place. It was … an interesting experience and I immediately thought it could be a good movie,” Poehler says with a laugh. However, it took him five years to do something about it. Encouraged by friends and family, he sat down and wrote the script to the first episode, which premieres on Swedish TV on March 21. Then he contacted his famous sister, Amy.

  • ”I sent the script to her, because I wanted to know if it even looked like a script. She read it, and suggested she herself be part of it and produce the series, which is amazing,” he says. Amy Poehler is not the only famous actor to show up, though. Other stars in ”Welcome to Sweden” include Comedian Will Ferrell (who is married to a Swede in real life), Gene Simmons (of Kiss), Patrick Duffy (who played Bobby Ewing in "Dallas”). Greg himself plays the part of Bruce, and his girlfriend Emma, loosely based on Greg Poehler’s now wife Lotta, is played by Josephine Bornebusch, his future in-laws are played by Lena Olin and Claes Månsson. Says Bornebusch: "When the American stars came we suddenly got a trailer for clothing changes, when otherwise we just change in a bus kiosk. It’s sort of cute how Swedish production companies go out of their way when Americans visit.”

  • It premieres on March 21 but TV4 is offering a sneak peek, here: http://www.tv4.se/welcome-to-sweden. If we're lucky, it will show streamed on the channel's Play version: www.tv4.se

  • If you're curious about the Swedish crayfish party, check our 'True Swedish' section with Guy Clark: www.nordstjernan.com/trueswedish/