‘God Help Us!’ brings legendary actor Ed Asner to NIC

In today’s highly charged political climate, it sometimes seems like we’ll never find common ground.

But in “God Help Us!” legendary actor Ed Asner hopes to bring audiences of any political leaning a little closer to civility.

“God Help Us!” comes to North Idaho College’s Schuler Performing Arts Center on Wednesday.

Asner, a seven-time Emmy award-winner known for roles like Lou Grant in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and its spinoff “Lou Grant,” and Santa Claus in “Elf” stars as the cranky, wise-cracking God.

“The electoral college? Is that one of those online schools?” Asner, as God, quips in a video preview.

Disgusted by the state of the country, God has brought the liberal Lawrence (Brandon Michael) and conservative Leslie (Trigger Weddle), who were once romantically involved but were eventually driven apart by their differing political views and inability to agree to disagree, to purgatory for a debate.

During the debate, God asks about domestic, international and personal issues, all the while commenting on the Bible, the big bang, the origin of mankind and more.

The most persuasive candidate will get God’s “mighty thumb put on the scale” in their favor.

No matter where audiences fall on the political spectrum, “God Help Us!,” which was written by Samuel Warren Joseph and Phil Proctor, and is produced by Asner’s daughter Liza, seeks to remind viewers that listening is key if we want to live, and laugh, together.