In the forthcoming ABC sitcom "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23," James Van Der Beek ("Dawson's Creek") plays James Van Der Beek. Well, a fictional version of James Van Der Beek.

"I auditioned against six other James Van Der Beeks for this role," he said. "I was lucky that four of them were not actors, and two of them didn't speak English. So by default, it was me."

The fictional James Van Der Beek is platonic best friends with Chloe (Krysten Ritter), who plays the "B" in the sitcom's title. And he's kind of a self-absorbed jerk.

"This has been the most fun I think I've ever had doing anything," said Van Der Beek. When he signed on, he told the producers, "Don't ever be afraid of offending me. Let's just always go for what's funniest, and we'll see where it takes us."

"He was fully committed to being James," joked executive producer Jeff Morton.

"Yes, I fully commit to being myself," agreed Van Der Beek.

The fictional JVDB is not just self-absorbed, he's a has-been who uses his fading "Dawson's Creek" fame to score with women.

"I think once the residual money ran out is really when it became OK to make fun of it," he said. "They've kept me around Hollywood long enough to kind of have a second coming. And it's a lot more fun not to take myself so seriously. So this is a great opportunity just to have a lot of laughs and just and be part of something that I'm really, really proud of."

Proud of in sort of an embarrassing way.

"Every once in a while I come back home to my daughter and I say, 'Sorry what I'm doing to the family name, kiddo,'" he said.

CALENDAR BOY: Dreama Walker - who plays June, the other roommate in "Apartment 23" - was a James Van Der Beek fan when she was a kid. But not really a "Dawson's Creek" fan.

"We were nerd children, and we weren't allowed to watch it," she said. "It's really embarrassing."

"Dreama was too young," Van Der Beek insisted.

"I was not too young, said Walker, who was 12 when "Dawson's Creek" premiered. "We weren't allowed. It was awful.

"But I do remember seeing his face on a calendar many times and thinking that that's what all boys are supposed to look like. And none of them looked like that in sixth grade. It was very upsetting."

MRS. TOM CRUISE: Van Der Beek was asked if he's still friends with his former "Dawson's Creek" co-stars.

"I run into a number of them from time to time," he said. "You know, it's like somebody you went to high school with. I think as the years go on, the spans of time [between] when you see each other kind of get longer and longer, but you always have that experience."

Which was followed by the question of the day:

"Are you allowed to see Katie Holmes?"

Van Der Beek just laughed.