WEBVTT - Doug Savant 0:00:05.760 --> 0:00:09.400 Still the Place with Laura Layton, Courtney Thorn Smith. 0:00:09.440 --> 0:00:12.440 And Daphne's Aniga and iHeartRadio podcast. 0:00:14.360 --> 0:00:18.680 Hi guys, Hi, it's very exciting. We're very excited here today. 0:00:18.600 --> 0:00:22.000 We're gathering the three of us with a special guest. 0:00:22.520 --> 0:00:29.760 Very special guest because it is here. I'm so excited 0:00:29.800 --> 0:00:32.160 about this. During this morning, I've been giddy. 0:00:32.479 --> 0:00:34.040 I have been waiting for this moment. 0:00:35.360 --> 0:00:37.080 I pointed out when you walked and I go, this 0:00:37.120 --> 0:00:39.640 is the room in which you called in twice. That's 0:00:39.680 --> 0:00:42.120 probably trying to get on our show. 0:00:42.200 --> 0:00:44.440 I've been pestering everyone. 0:00:45.360 --> 0:00:47.360 You think you have an end because you're married to Laura, 0:00:47.400 --> 0:00:50.360 and yet you've been off working. 0:00:50.200 --> 0:00:51.440 And he's been busy. 0:00:51.560 --> 0:00:55.240 Yeah, it's so unpretening to you walked in. Like when 0:00:55.280 --> 0:00:57.240 I watch the show and I'm in scenes with you, 0:00:57.240 --> 0:00:58.920 you can see how happy I am to be in 0:00:58.960 --> 0:01:00.760 scenes with you, and I feel that way today. I'm 0:01:00.800 --> 0:01:01.360 so excited. 0:01:01.360 --> 0:01:05.880 Oh that's also. I do remember laughing like uncontrollably in 0:01:06.240 --> 0:01:08.640 what is your Apartment? I mean, and we were supposed 0:01:08.640 --> 0:01:10.760 to be like it was part of the scene, but 0:01:10.800 --> 0:01:14.880 then it just went to the next level, like just giggling. 0:01:14.680 --> 0:01:17.560 Like you know what I remember Doug about you, but 0:01:17.600 --> 0:01:18.080 that I. 0:01:18.040 --> 0:01:20.920 Came on, you know, as we know, episode fifteen, like 0:01:21.760 --> 0:01:26.720 two episodes away, and Doug Savant came up to me 0:01:26.760 --> 0:01:30.360 and gave me a huge hug and was like welcome, welcome, 0:01:30.480 --> 0:01:33.400 and that you just wanted to just make me feel 0:01:33.400 --> 0:01:34.720 so welcome, and it really worked. 0:01:35.240 --> 0:01:37.280 I really that was my memory of you. 0:01:37.600 --> 0:01:39.759 I was so tired of all the other women, so 0:01:39.880 --> 0:01:43.840 I gretful, like you just showed up and I was, 0:01:44.560 --> 0:01:47.400 you know, I was transparent and you have. 0:01:47.480 --> 0:01:50.480 Been that like so great to all of us and 0:01:50.960 --> 0:01:53.080 just to have on the I just remember that vibe 0:01:53.080 --> 0:01:55.080 on the set, like you were just always so warming. 0:01:55.400 --> 0:01:56.600 You have a real heart energy. 0:01:56.720 --> 0:01:59.880 Oh thank you so much. And I will say that, 0:02:00.120 --> 0:02:03.520 and then Courtney doesn't know I'm going to say this. I, 0:02:03.640 --> 0:02:08.359 in my very big important career, later did an episode 0:02:08.360 --> 0:02:12.640 of According to Jim Oh Yes, and I came on 0:02:13.000 --> 0:02:15.679 and if anyone who knows me, who knows me well, 0:02:15.840 --> 0:02:20.560 knows four cameras probably not my thing. I'm not really 0:02:20.560 --> 0:02:23.400 good with the joke. I was nervous, and Courtney was 0:02:23.440 --> 0:02:27.400 as gracious and lovely and open and welcoming and made 0:02:27.400 --> 0:02:31.160 me immediately part of that family, and which was a 0:02:31.200 --> 0:02:31.959 big deal. 0:02:31.800 --> 0:02:33.920 Because you're surprised because I was such a bitch on. 0:02:36.480 --> 0:02:38.880 Did you even act? Did you act like you knew? 0:02:39.200 --> 0:02:39.760 Yeah? 0:02:40.200 --> 0:02:41.400 I did, but. 0:02:41.480 --> 0:02:45.480 There was no eye contact. But beyond eye contact, no, 0:02:45.560 --> 0:02:45.880 it was. 0:02:45.960 --> 0:02:47.519 Just the ones. I mean, she didn't talk to me 0:02:47.560 --> 0:02:48.120 the rest of the. 0:02:48.000 --> 0:02:50.800 Week, just the one hello. That's very friendly. 0:02:51.440 --> 0:02:52.280 What did you play on? 0:02:52.400 --> 0:02:56.080 According to Jim Oh, we did a very You have 0:02:56.120 --> 0:02:58.800 to go back to the Stone Age. Just when The 0:02:58.880 --> 0:03:01.919 Bachelor was a new show on ABC. So they were 0:03:02.000 --> 0:03:06.880 doing their Bachelor episode and I was the Bachelor and 0:03:07.040 --> 0:03:10.519 Kimberly Williams was going on this show. My god, you 0:03:10.600 --> 0:03:11.840 have any recollection of that? 0:03:12.240 --> 0:03:14.800 I remember being in a limousine scene with you. 0:03:15.800 --> 0:03:18.239 Yeah, I think was that a dream? I had no. 0:03:20.800 --> 0:03:22.440 Wed a prom together? What's happening? 0:03:22.480 --> 0:03:23.880 I don't give you a rose. 0:03:26.000 --> 0:03:29.200 That's amazing, but yeah, that was. 0:03:30.120 --> 0:03:31.880 I don't know if you were in I thought Kimberly 0:03:31.919 --> 0:03:32.720 was in the limo with me. 0:03:32.919 --> 0:03:35.200 I must have been there too for some unexplained Maybe 0:03:35.200 --> 0:03:35.800 I was there for more. 0:03:36.000 --> 0:03:37.040 You were just sitting a ride. 0:03:37.040 --> 0:03:38.640 I can't You're gonna be okay, Doug? 0:03:40.040 --> 0:03:42.080 Do you my help? Feeling comfortable? 0:03:42.600 --> 0:03:45.360 I'll be in the limo with you. That's so funny. 0:03:46.400 --> 0:03:49.280 But that tends to happen when you're in this business 0:03:49.280 --> 0:03:53.200 long enough, you will work with other people like you 0:03:53.280 --> 0:03:56.920 did and Desperate Housewives with another Melrose with Marcia. 0:03:57.040 --> 0:04:00.880 Yes, of course, yes, so that was just you were 0:04:00.880 --> 0:04:03.760 on that shocking and amazing yeah eight eight. 0:04:04.160 --> 0:04:05.760 And I didn't really watched the show. Did you guys 0:04:05.800 --> 0:04:08.160 have a lot together? You both your character? 0:04:08.320 --> 0:04:10.480 There was no, well, we weren't a married couple. I 0:04:10.520 --> 0:04:13.600 was married to FeliCa Huffman on the show. But and 0:04:13.640 --> 0:04:15.560 Marcia went through a few husbands on that show. 0:04:16.360 --> 0:04:18.960 She just want to do apparently went for a long 0:04:18.960 --> 0:04:19.760 time in her defense. 0:04:19.920 --> 0:04:23.360 Yeah, and but we were with each other all the time, 0:04:23.400 --> 0:04:25.440 and mean we would be at dinner parties and what 0:04:25.520 --> 0:04:26.479 have you seens like that. 0:04:26.600 --> 0:04:29.760 But I remember seeing you on the upfronts because I 0:04:29.800 --> 0:04:33.040 was doing then and we were on the same network. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, 0:04:33.080 --> 0:04:35.440 and they cared a lot more about you guys than us. 0:04:35.480 --> 0:04:37.359 And I remember being there for Moros and Alley and 0:04:37.360 --> 0:04:38.760 I was like, we're the queen of the ball. Then 0:04:38.800 --> 0:04:40.560 I was there you were Desperate Housewives. I was a 0:04:40.560 --> 0:04:40.960 growing year. 0:04:41.000 --> 0:04:41.360 I was like. 0:04:41.800 --> 0:04:44.200 Oh, this is what it's like to be the other show. 0:04:45.880 --> 0:04:50.120 But it happens very fast and went back when the 0:04:50.200 --> 0:04:54.560 year that I we started on Desperate Housewives, Gray's Anatomy 0:04:54.880 --> 0:04:59.480 was then a mid season replacement. They were mid season, 0:04:59.600 --> 0:05:02.360 so we were at the same upfront and then oh, 0:05:02.480 --> 0:05:05.440 I don't know, twenty two years later, they're still on 0:05:05.560 --> 0:05:09.240 the air. It's like what, yeah, So it turns very quickly. 0:05:09.360 --> 0:05:12.280 It does. It does as it does. It's not really 0:05:12.320 --> 0:05:14.800 about me. It's this show I happen to be on 0:05:14.880 --> 0:05:15.800 at any given time. 0:05:15.960 --> 0:05:19.640 It's weird. It's never been about me, so it's. 0:05:19.560 --> 0:05:20.719 Just before we go on. 0:05:20.760 --> 0:05:23.400 I think that's a real lesson for our listeners who 0:05:23.400 --> 0:05:24.440 may not be in the business. 0:05:24.960 --> 0:05:26.920 That is a truth and a. 0:05:26.839 --> 0:05:30.720 Hard pill that's hard to swallow because it often isn't 0:05:30.720 --> 0:05:32.840 about you, and yet they make you feel like it is. 0:05:32.880 --> 0:05:35.560 When you're on top, they make you feel like it is. 0:05:35.560 --> 0:05:36.480 You get this and. 0:05:36.320 --> 0:05:38.640 That, and you know limos in real life and dinner 0:05:38.640 --> 0:05:41.440 parties in real life. There and then you know, if 0:05:41.480 --> 0:05:45.200 the ratings drop or if you're like oh or whatever, 0:05:45.279 --> 0:05:48.120 another show comes up, like Here's Anatomy like that, it 0:05:48.240 --> 0:05:51.599 changes there. You have to hang in there and you 0:05:51.680 --> 0:05:54.520 realize like you were a big deal in the context 0:05:54.720 --> 0:05:55.320 of this. 0:05:56.200 --> 0:05:57.440 You know, it's hard for. 0:05:57.640 --> 0:06:02.000 Human being to really really it's not really about you 0:06:02.040 --> 0:06:03.919 on your own. 0:06:04.400 --> 0:06:05.920 I took my son to New York. So I did 0:06:05.920 --> 0:06:07.479 the upfront for years and years and years, and I 0:06:07.480 --> 0:06:09.080 took my son to New York and I was like, Oh, 0:06:09.120 --> 0:06:14.359 this is expensive. We will not be staying where we 0:06:14.440 --> 0:06:17.320 used to say, we know two bedroom sweets in our future. 0:06:17.000 --> 0:06:20.080 In New York. They stopped inviting us to upfronts after, 0:06:20.360 --> 0:06:22.560 like there were other shows that they were just to sell. 0:06:23.400 --> 0:06:26.160 Yeah, they'll invite limited cast, like just a couple of 0:06:26.200 --> 0:06:27.119 people or something. 0:06:27.360 --> 0:06:29.440 I remember one year, and I'm not going to name names, 0:06:29.440 --> 0:06:32.440 but one of your Desperate Housewives castmates, we were talking 0:06:32.480 --> 0:06:34.719 after the party and he was really drunk and looked 0:06:34.800 --> 0:06:39.960 very upset and he had already knew that was getting 0:06:40.040 --> 0:06:42.719 killed off. And I was like, Wow, he really seems upset. 0:06:42.760 --> 0:06:44.520 And then I saw the show and I was like, Oh, 0:06:46.480 --> 0:06:49.320 made him go to upfronts even now he knew he. 0:06:49.279 --> 0:06:52.719 Was going to get killed He knew knew that, Yeah, 0:06:52.760 --> 0:06:55.919 he knew that he was they choose him, but he 0:06:56.000 --> 0:06:58.520 had to show up to the upfronts because so that 0:06:58.600 --> 0:07:01.839 it appeared that we were all still. 0:07:01.640 --> 0:07:05.120 A yes, drunk and crying there. 0:07:06.520 --> 0:07:07.880 Found a way to find the bar. 0:07:09.160 --> 0:07:13.960 Yeah right, you remember, this is just a quick one 0:07:14.080 --> 0:07:17.800 about the upfronts when the cast of the practice, so 0:07:17.840 --> 0:07:20.520 the show had gotten picked up but with a much 0:07:20.600 --> 0:07:22.600 reduced cast, and they didn't know. So they flew the 0:07:22.600 --> 0:07:25.000 whole cast out to the upfronts and then there was 0:07:25.080 --> 0:07:27.640 just a blood bath and they didn't know, like, yeah, 0:07:27.680 --> 0:07:29.200 we got picked up, Yeah, we got picked up. They 0:07:29.240 --> 0:07:31.440 come home from the upfront and like, hey, listen, one 0:07:31.440 --> 0:07:34.160 more thing, and like half of the cast. 0:07:33.880 --> 0:07:36.520 That is so and by the way, so that means 0:07:36.560 --> 0:07:39.800 again for our listeners, they used these cast members. 0:07:39.560 --> 0:07:41.360 These you know, public figures. 0:07:41.440 --> 0:07:44.080 They're actors that are bringing in all the numbers to 0:07:44.280 --> 0:07:47.640 sell the show. You know, it's like a couple of 0:07:47.760 --> 0:07:50.320 nights at a very fancy hotel and then they can them. 0:07:50.800 --> 0:07:52.880 Yeah, like it's so. 0:07:52.920 --> 0:07:54.880 We used to point. 0:07:55.000 --> 0:07:56.640 Yeah, no, no, I never recommended it. 0:07:56.800 --> 0:07:58.200 We used to think you were safe, Like I'm at 0:07:58.200 --> 0:08:01.320 the upfronts, I'm safe. I enjoyed the party. 0:08:01.400 --> 0:08:02.520 Do I take home the ship? 0:08:02.760 --> 0:08:04.720 This was my last time getting free shampoo? 0:08:05.280 --> 0:08:07.400 Or did you bring all the shampoo home. 0:08:08.200 --> 0:08:10.119 One hundred percent of people who go to upfronts with 0:08:10.120 --> 0:08:14.760 with their pilot and then uh, there's editing and recasting afterwards. 0:08:14.760 --> 0:08:17.960 I mean, I think there's a show where the cast 0:08:18.040 --> 0:08:19.800 was flown out and then they were told get back 0:08:19.800 --> 0:08:23.880 on the plane. In the meantime the show's not happening. 0:08:23.920 --> 0:08:25.800 But they did get the mileage, get back on the plane. 0:08:25.880 --> 0:08:27.680 They did get there once. 0:08:27.760 --> 0:08:30.000 You're not knowing they flew us out. We were on 0:08:30.040 --> 0:08:37.480 the bubble, all right, at the top of the world. 0:08:37.840 --> 0:08:40.160 You may know this, Laura, but we ask everybody your 0:08:40.240 --> 0:08:42.520 audition story from Melro's place. Do you remember? 0:08:42.880 --> 0:08:46.240 I thought you might ask me, Yes, I do, I 0:08:46.280 --> 0:08:52.360 actually remember, and h here's what I remember. The next day, 0:08:52.480 --> 0:08:54.520 I at that time in my life, I would work 0:08:54.520 --> 0:08:57.240 out in the morning with my what was my the 0:08:57.320 --> 0:09:00.400 person who was my stunt double Denny Pierce, fantastic guy 0:09:00.760 --> 0:09:03.160 just made an appearance in that episode that you guys 0:09:03.600 --> 0:09:05.840 did the rundown before. When I, yeah, it's my stunt 0:09:05.840 --> 0:09:09.280 double Denny. Yes, I had we met he was I mean, I. 0:09:09.240 --> 0:09:15.920 Was one star that I didn't know. I did not 0:09:16.240 --> 0:09:16.600 know this. 0:09:16.880 --> 0:09:20.440 I what do you mean. 0:09:20.559 --> 0:09:24.079 I've had the same stunt double for my career when 0:09:24.080 --> 0:09:26.240 I've been, when I've been in a position to be 0:09:26.240 --> 0:09:29.440 able to say yes, use my stunt double. That's and 0:09:29.480 --> 0:09:34.120 it's this fantastic stunt man named Denny Pearce. And so 0:09:34.600 --> 0:09:36.240 I went to the gym the next morning after the 0:09:36.280 --> 0:09:38.760 audition from Melroe's place, and he said, how was it? 0:09:38.800 --> 0:09:41.760 And I said to him, and he recalls this, I said, 0:09:41.840 --> 0:09:46.760 it was everything that I hate about Hollywood. It was, well, 0:09:46.840 --> 0:09:50.800 we auditioned at mister Spelling's office and there it was 0:09:51.200 --> 0:09:54.360 like out of a bad B movie. There were girls 0:09:54.360 --> 0:09:56.360 and skirts up to here and heels up to there 0:09:56.720 --> 0:09:59.200 and you know, crossing, and it was every sort of 0:09:59.280 --> 0:10:04.000 superfish thing about the business that I was fighting against. 0:10:04.679 --> 0:10:10.280 And so that's really I thought, this is awful. You know, 0:10:10.360 --> 0:10:11.840 I was in a position in my life where I 0:10:11.840 --> 0:10:14.719 really I needed I needed to work. So but as 0:10:14.760 --> 0:10:16.280 you as we all know, it did work out. 0:10:16.440 --> 0:10:17.320 It did work out. 0:10:17.520 --> 0:10:21.640 Yeah, But that was what my initial take was. I don't, 0:10:21.720 --> 0:10:22.960 I don't, I don't care for this. 0:10:23.480 --> 0:10:26.079 Was that your only audition, did you go straight to spelling? 0:10:26.400 --> 0:10:29.480 I went. I went straight to spelling with obviously Darren 0:10:29.480 --> 0:10:30.960 in the room, and then but then I had a 0:10:31.000 --> 0:10:33.560 network test. Yes, I did have a network test after 0:10:33.559 --> 0:10:36.120 that where we went to Fox and and Doug. 0:10:36.160 --> 0:10:37.199 Were you on shows? 0:10:37.520 --> 0:10:39.280 Obviously you were because you had a stunt double. Were 0:10:39.280 --> 0:10:42.200 you on shows beforehand? Were you kind of going from 0:10:42.960 --> 0:10:44.120 did you have a show or job? 0:10:44.200 --> 0:10:46.040 Thank you? Yeah? Yeah? No, No, I had done I 0:10:46.040 --> 0:10:50.520 had done about six or eight movies. I had had 0:10:50.679 --> 0:10:54.960 been through a three picture deal at MGM with Yeah No, 0:10:55.040 --> 0:11:01.000 I started a movie called Stumped three talking about here. 0:11:01.080 --> 0:11:03.480 I had started a movie called Masquerade with Rob Low, 0:11:03.559 --> 0:11:08.440 Meg Tilly, Dana Delaney John and they had that's where 0:11:08.480 --> 0:11:10.679 the deal was. I had done The Hanoi Hilton, a 0:11:10.800 --> 0:11:13.240 film about the American powis in Vietnam. I had done 0:11:13.280 --> 0:11:15.640 this movie where I met Danny Was. I'd done Sir 0:11:15.840 --> 0:11:19.480 Teen Wolf, blah blah, A bunch of a bunch of movies. 0:11:20.120 --> 0:11:22.760 Not as big as Space Boss, but these were. 0:11:22.880 --> 0:11:25.040 But you know, I had primarily say I had a 0:11:25.080 --> 0:11:25.640 stunt double. 0:11:25.800 --> 0:11:27.360 There you he a lovely guy with a cigar. 0:11:30.160 --> 0:11:31.160 He's a perfect Matt. 0:11:32.840 --> 0:11:37.000 Mustache. Hilarious anyway, But no, but my recollection is just that. 0:11:37.160 --> 0:11:39.240 And I didn't think I when I went to network, 0:11:39.320 --> 0:11:41.360 I did not think I was getting the job, but 0:11:41.440 --> 0:11:43.000 I actually got the job. 0:11:43.320 --> 0:11:45.120 And did you want when you read the script? Did 0:11:45.160 --> 0:11:46.480 you resonate most with Matt? 0:11:46.920 --> 0:11:50.600 No, everybody, every guy on that I know from our show. 0:11:50.720 --> 0:11:53.840 Everybody wanted to play Billy. Did you read for Milly 0:11:54.120 --> 0:11:56.240 or never read for Billy? I read from Matt, and 0:11:56.360 --> 0:12:00.520 I loved the character because he was exceptional, right, He's exceptional. 0:12:00.559 --> 0:12:03.959 He was the gay character, and I knew that that 0:12:04.040 --> 0:12:07.480 would be exceptional. So I was interested in being a 0:12:07.679 --> 0:12:09.599 character actor, and this is what I wanted to do 0:12:09.720 --> 0:12:12.320 with my life, and so I went and I did 0:12:12.400 --> 0:12:13.000 that well. 0:12:13.200 --> 0:12:16.320 And it's hard to imagine now, like people aren't our generation, 0:12:16.520 --> 0:12:19.440 how rare that was because we most of our listeners 0:12:19.480 --> 0:12:21.120 grew up with Will and Grace, Like they thought, well, 0:12:21.440 --> 0:12:23.760 the gay people are the stars of the show, but 0:12:23.880 --> 0:12:26.679 that wasn't true at that time. Yeah, and we're reading 0:12:26.720 --> 0:12:31.800 in that did people tell you not to take it? Like? 0:12:31.960 --> 0:12:34.120 Was your agent worried about you taking it? We're friends 0:12:34.160 --> 0:12:35.679 and family worried about you taking the job. 0:12:37.080 --> 0:12:41.680 I think the most shocking revelation was it came from 0:12:42.280 --> 0:12:44.680 when the when the calls coming from inside the house 0:12:45.520 --> 0:12:47.760 we were doing the show, and I wonder if you 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:50.760 guys remember we had a publicist on our show by 0:12:50.760 --> 0:12:53.280 the name of Sam. We were represented by P m K, 0:12:54.000 --> 0:12:56.760 which was Pat Kingsley. Was I did get right right? 0:12:56.960 --> 0:12:59.439 She was an icon for our listeners and icon in 0:12:59.480 --> 0:13:02.960 the business. She was a very powerful woman who had 0:13:03.000 --> 0:13:06.280 this huge publicity agent and she represented mister Spelling. And 0:13:06.600 --> 0:13:11.280 when we were doing those promos on Meloe's on Melroe's Avenue, 0:13:11.280 --> 0:13:14.680 when we were shooting all those things and the trailers 0:13:14.720 --> 0:13:17.520 for our shows, I had said to Sam, our publicist, 0:13:17.640 --> 0:13:20.920 do you care to talk about how to handle how 0:13:20.920 --> 0:13:24.640 we're going to handle this going forward? That with this character, 0:13:24.720 --> 0:13:26.160 that there was a gay character. I knew it was 0:13:26.200 --> 0:13:28.599 exceptional and I thought people would be interested. She goes, well, no, 0:13:28.760 --> 0:13:30.680 it's not a big deal. You know, you're an actor. 0:13:30.720 --> 0:13:33.600 You're just playing. And I said, oh, clearly she doesn't 0:13:33.600 --> 0:13:37.839 get it, because I then went out and the point 0:13:38.160 --> 0:13:42.839 was that in publicity I never would acknowledge whether I 0:13:43.000 --> 0:13:47.120 was straight or gay or in real life with publicity 0:13:47.440 --> 0:13:50.640 and they asked and that was my choice. Well, when 0:13:50.720 --> 0:13:54.120 that became apparent to Spelling in the network, that was 0:13:54.240 --> 0:13:57.040 not okay with them, and so they called a meeting 0:13:57.679 --> 0:14:01.760 and I was being called in to Pat Kingsley's office 0:14:01.960 --> 0:14:07.319 with Darren and these people to sit with me and say, well, 0:14:07.360 --> 0:14:10.000 we don't see why, it's just not a big deal. 0:14:10.240 --> 0:14:12.319 Why you just want to say, well, yeah, it shouldn't matter, 0:14:12.400 --> 0:14:15.959 but I'm heterosexual, And I said no, I was not 0:14:16.360 --> 0:14:19.520 going to make my living playing a gay man. But 0:14:19.600 --> 0:14:21.840 then say, oh, but I'm but I would never be 0:14:21.880 --> 0:14:24.280 associated with that. This isn't me. And you have to 0:14:24.360 --> 0:14:27.880 remember at this time in life. Well, first of all, 0:14:28.080 --> 0:14:30.680 he was the only gay character at that time in television. 0:14:30.760 --> 0:14:32.720 We had had Billy Crystall and so, we had had 0:14:32.760 --> 0:14:37.440 the movie Loving, We were about to have Mitchell Anderson 0:14:37.480 --> 0:14:41.120 on Party of Five and Billy Brocktrump and a friend 0:14:41.160 --> 0:14:45.440 of mine from on NYPD Blewe but at the time 0:14:45.520 --> 0:14:48.360 that was the only one. So there was an enormous 0:14:48.400 --> 0:14:54.000 amount of interest. And they asked me to come out 0:14:54.040 --> 0:14:58.360 as straight, and I said no, including Darren, including because 0:14:58.400 --> 0:15:00.000 he was Darren because. 0:14:59.720 --> 0:15:03.960 He gay, as everybody knows, but he was a in 0:15:04.040 --> 0:15:07.520 the producer role and there with Aaron Spelling, and so 0:15:07.680 --> 0:15:10.320 they're thinking protect the show somehow. 0:15:10.360 --> 0:15:12.400 They are thinking protect the show, and they thought that 0:15:12.520 --> 0:15:15.400 that would be somehow more palatable to the American public 0:15:15.720 --> 0:15:20.280 if they could avail themselves of the reality that I 0:15:20.560 --> 0:15:23.720 was actually a straight man. And I thought that was 0:15:24.440 --> 0:15:27.800 morally reprehensible. And I said, you may not prostitute my 0:15:28.080 --> 0:15:32.440 personal life for the benefit of our show because you 0:15:32.600 --> 0:15:36.920 think it's somehow more politically correct. And so I went 0:15:36.960 --> 0:15:39.400 out and I was asked in every conceivable way whether 0:15:39.440 --> 0:15:42.200 I was straight or gay. And I would then say, well, 0:15:42.320 --> 0:15:46.080 it's interesting just that that's the assumption, because are we 0:15:46.200 --> 0:15:49.800 to assume does that mean no? One asked Andrew, well, 0:15:49.840 --> 0:15:53.080 you're playing Billy, does that mean you're straight? You know? 0:15:53.440 --> 0:15:56.400 And there were many of these things, and so I 0:15:56.400 --> 0:15:58.680 would literally say they would ask, well, what do you 0:15:58.760 --> 0:16:01.080 have in common with the character? Said, well, we're the 0:16:01.160 --> 0:16:02.840 same height, and we both have a sense of humor, 0:16:04.120 --> 0:16:08.000 you know. So it was an unusual time, and it's 0:16:08.160 --> 0:16:11.240 really hard for most of our listeners, I imagine today 0:16:11.720 --> 0:16:14.080 to imagine what it was. But I like to say 0:16:14.120 --> 0:16:17.240 that we were in the Lucy and Ricky times of 0:16:17.640 --> 0:16:18.440 Lucy Oball and. 0:16:18.640 --> 0:16:21.520 Yeahs bring up a more current reference. 0:16:21.680 --> 0:16:26.640 Well, well, because I love Lucy show. They had they 0:16:26.680 --> 0:16:29.080 were married a couple who had separate bats. Yes, but 0:16:29.160 --> 0:16:31.440 that's where we were in terms of Uh, this was 0:16:31.480 --> 0:16:34.840 a nineteen ninety two of gay culture, so we were 0:16:35.000 --> 0:16:37.440 entering in time of don't ask, don't tell, of that 0:16:37.640 --> 0:16:42.400 era in politics. You couldn't see me hold a man's 0:16:42.480 --> 0:16:45.560 hand on our show. And of course we ultimately had 0:16:45.600 --> 0:16:47.560 a kiss, and that was shot on the show, and 0:16:47.680 --> 0:16:52.640 that too was prostituted. I mean, because they knew very 0:16:52.800 --> 0:16:55.240 well when we shot that episode that they were not 0:16:55.520 --> 0:16:56.440 going to air the kiss. 0:16:56.520 --> 0:16:57.240 Do you think they knew? 0:16:57.320 --> 0:17:01.080 Oh, I know full well, Darren knew, but they had 0:17:01.120 --> 0:17:03.800 told them. The network had told them we're not doing 0:17:03.880 --> 0:17:06.119 don't shoot it, and he shot it anyway, and they 0:17:06.200 --> 0:17:13.200 shot it for the very fodder of publicity to be 0:17:13.280 --> 0:17:15.159 able to put in the Elks hand the La Times. Oh, 0:17:15.240 --> 0:17:17.720 they wouldn't show the kiss, and they shot the kiss 0:17:17.760 --> 0:17:20.440 and they wouldn't show it, and it ended up getting played. 0:17:20.880 --> 0:17:21.919 Yeah. But but. 0:17:23.480 --> 0:17:26.480 Yeah, so they cut the actual kiss out of the show. 0:17:26.960 --> 0:17:28.600 You don't see it, but they imply it. 0:17:29.320 --> 0:17:29.520 Doug. 0:17:29.880 --> 0:17:33.600 I am blown away by what you're saying and. 0:17:33.680 --> 0:17:34.600 Who you stood up for. 0:17:34.920 --> 0:17:38.199 But who you stood up to at that young age 0:17:38.720 --> 0:17:40.680 and in a time when you were an actor who 0:17:40.760 --> 0:17:41.360 needed a job. 0:17:41.480 --> 0:17:44.159 I can't see myself doing that. I can't I can 0:17:44.240 --> 0:17:47.400 see I mean, were you where did that come from? 0:17:47.480 --> 0:17:49.800 First of all, well, I just felt I don't know, 0:17:49.920 --> 0:17:52.800 I felt the responsibility to it at the time. Also, 0:17:53.200 --> 0:17:57.440 Will Smith was about to appear come out in the 0:17:57.640 --> 0:18:01.280 John quere six Degrees of Separation. The character's gay, and 0:18:01.359 --> 0:18:02.800 he came out the time and said, well, I would 0:18:02.840 --> 0:18:04.440 never I would never kiss a guy on screen, and 0:18:04.440 --> 0:18:06.000 I would never do this, you know. And it's like 0:18:06.320 --> 0:18:10.720 he distanced himself every actor that had done this, and 0:18:11.520 --> 0:18:14.440 I just thought it was I just couldn't morally bring 0:18:14.560 --> 0:18:17.159 myself to say, oh, I'm gonna every week, I'm going 0:18:17.200 --> 0:18:20.240 to come to work and I'm going to play this character, 0:18:20.640 --> 0:18:24.119 but that you know, I should distance myself from it. 0:18:24.600 --> 0:18:28.240 My intention with Matt was to say, he is your son, 0:18:28.400 --> 0:18:30.960 he is your brother, he is your friend, he is 0:18:31.200 --> 0:18:34.840 every man, he's your neighbor. He's a regular guy who 0:18:35.000 --> 0:18:37.240 happens to be gay. And I will say this was 0:18:37.400 --> 0:18:40.320 one of the other really compelling, eye opening things about 0:18:40.320 --> 0:18:43.800 playing the role. Here's Matt. And I would get mainly 0:18:43.960 --> 0:18:47.920 positive feedback from the community about playing the role, but 0:18:48.200 --> 0:18:50.520 there were many gay men who were like, oh, Matt's 0:18:50.560 --> 0:18:53.040 not gay enough, and blah blah blah, people who would 0:18:53.119 --> 0:18:57.520 snipe at me as well. And what became painfully evident 0:18:57.720 --> 0:19:01.679 was not any one character is going to represent an 0:19:01.880 --> 0:19:04.720 entire the diversity of an entire community. So to think 0:19:04.800 --> 0:19:09.399 that Matt Fielding, as a lone gay character, could you know, 0:19:09.640 --> 0:19:15.600 shoulder the entire community's representation. It was an impossible, you 0:19:15.680 --> 0:19:19.760 know task. And so and we've now we see a 0:19:19.880 --> 0:19:22.639 much greater diversity of gay characters, and aren't we all 0:19:22.720 --> 0:19:23.400 glad that we're here? 0:19:23.600 --> 0:19:23.760 Yeah? 0:19:23.840 --> 0:19:26.240 I was thinking of happy endings? Have you seen happy endings? 0:19:26.480 --> 0:19:26.920 I haven't. 0:19:26.960 --> 0:19:30.520 This very very funny show. It's very it was it 0:19:30.960 --> 0:19:32.800 got canceled, which is such a bummer, but the gay 0:19:32.920 --> 0:19:36.200 characters like the schlubby sports loving guy, and it allowed it, 0:19:36.280 --> 0:19:38.080 like we had Will and Grace first and these very 0:19:38.200 --> 0:19:40.879 sort of some somewhat stereotypical with these amazing guys who 0:19:41.000 --> 0:19:44.520 also get to be you know, as you said, brothers 0:19:44.560 --> 0:19:47.800 and sons and friends and lovers and all this great stuff. 0:19:48.359 --> 0:19:51.000 And then you were in the beginning when but that's 0:19:51.000 --> 0:19:53.400 an important step, right, You need the character out there 0:19:53.600 --> 0:19:57.399 that's sort of almost closeted on screen like you the 0:19:57.520 --> 0:20:00.000 character wasn't, but the network wanted you to sort of 0:20:00.200 --> 0:20:02.520 keep it quiet and like, I will not like this 0:20:02.640 --> 0:20:05.440 person gets to be fully this character right and by. 0:20:05.359 --> 0:20:07.560 The way, I'd like to say, just to play the 0:20:07.600 --> 0:20:11.240 other side as well. I was on board. I understand 0:20:11.440 --> 0:20:14.960 logically at that time in our history of presenting a 0:20:15.080 --> 0:20:17.720 character that let the public fall in love with the guy. 0:20:17.800 --> 0:20:20.240 Let it. You know, I understood not wanting to do 0:20:20.680 --> 0:20:24.640 storylines that were too divisive in gay forward at that time, 0:20:24.760 --> 0:20:27.679 you know, let's make him so yeah. I understood when 0:20:27.680 --> 0:20:30.000 I was everyone's best friend and that it was okay 0:20:30.240 --> 0:20:33.240 just knowing, but just seeing that the character was accepted. 0:20:33.280 --> 0:20:37.840 And the greatest privilege of ever playing this role has 0:20:38.000 --> 0:20:42.080 been the nearly forty years since where to this day, 0:20:42.680 --> 0:20:44.600 when Laura was just at the con. It's happened to 0:20:44.640 --> 0:20:47.639 me in the theater in Connecticut. It happens to me 0:20:47.760 --> 0:20:51.160 on baseball fields in Oregon at our son's game, where 0:20:51.240 --> 0:20:54.439 I have men come up to me or send letters 0:20:54.640 --> 0:20:58.400 who say thank you that at that time you're all 0:20:58.440 --> 0:21:03.200 I had is your most ye or just got a letter. 0:21:03.280 --> 0:21:06.600 It was handed a letter in at the cont I 0:21:06.760 --> 0:21:09.680 got letters at the theater and at the time when 0:21:09.720 --> 0:21:12.520 I was in the nineties, I got letters from kids 0:21:12.560 --> 0:21:15.560 who were coming out to me, and only me. I 0:21:15.640 --> 0:21:19.439 would write them. It was a really emotional and touchy 0:21:19.720 --> 0:21:21.680 thing because I would write these kids back and say, 0:21:22.119 --> 0:21:25.320 you're okay, hang in there, but you know, coming out 0:21:25.440 --> 0:21:28.720 is a very very personal thing and they needed their 0:21:28.880 --> 0:21:29.879 privacy in their space. 0:21:30.280 --> 0:21:33.159 Isn't it amazing? Like they didn't know what they were 0:21:33.240 --> 0:21:35.600 choosing when they chose you. In fact, they wanted someone 0:21:35.600 --> 0:21:38.680 who would play the company game, yeah, the company. Isn't 0:21:38.720 --> 0:21:42.640 that amazing? How you snut through with your strong sense 0:21:42.720 --> 0:21:45.480 of morals and ethics and values and you get to 0:21:45.600 --> 0:21:47.520 be that person. Isn't that amazing? 0:21:47.920 --> 0:21:49.959 Thank you? I will say I will say this. One 0:21:49.960 --> 0:21:52.520 of the other elements was so I mentioned Mitchell Anderson, 0:21:52.520 --> 0:21:55.760 who was on Party of five, Billy brockchup on NYPD 0:21:55.920 --> 0:21:57.400 Blue there later. 0:21:57.400 --> 0:22:00.200 In our show he was this, he was a guest this, 0:22:00.359 --> 0:22:04.080 he was the guy who was naked. Mitchell Anderson Mitchell 0:22:05.320 --> 0:22:06.520 show I forgot. 0:22:06.680 --> 0:22:08.680 Yeah and I used to see each other all the 0:22:08.720 --> 0:22:10.879 time when we were young guys going out, as was 0:22:10.960 --> 0:22:11.920 Billy Moses. 0:22:11.640 --> 0:22:14.880 Who you just you and I were great friends before 0:22:15.000 --> 0:22:15.960 Merrow's place enduring. 0:22:16.359 --> 0:22:18.879 Yeah, awesome, Yes, And I was going to say you 0:22:19.280 --> 0:22:21.439 Billy Moses as someone I would see all the time too, 0:22:21.520 --> 0:22:23.080 who you just made out with all the time, And. 0:22:23.080 --> 0:22:27.919 That was just like we barely talk. You don't want 0:22:27.920 --> 0:22:28.680 to learn our lines. 0:22:28.800 --> 0:22:32.640 What was happening, but we there was. They were doing 0:22:32.880 --> 0:22:36.520 a piece in Out magazine on these these gay characters 0:22:36.640 --> 0:22:38.640 in network television after we had been on the air 0:22:38.720 --> 0:22:44.280 for a while, and they interviewed me first, and I said, 0:22:44.400 --> 0:22:46.600 you know, I'm not. I don't, I have never and 0:22:46.680 --> 0:22:48.399 I will not tell you whether I am straight or 0:22:48.440 --> 0:22:50.880 gay or not. And I won't. But what that did 0:22:51.240 --> 0:22:54.159 was allow and I got calls from Billy and I 0:22:54.240 --> 0:22:56.760 heard from Mitchell later that these were two guys who 0:22:56.880 --> 0:22:59.560 are who happened to be gay who have since come out. 0:22:59.600 --> 0:23:03.200 I I'm not outing there, they're out there. They're out there, 0:23:04.119 --> 0:23:06.119 out in real life. They're out in real life and 0:23:06.760 --> 0:23:09.960 who at the time, but they weren't yet comfortable coming out. 0:23:09.960 --> 0:23:13.000 They're playing gay characters and they and so they didn't 0:23:13.080 --> 0:23:17.440 have to answer the question. And I'm I'm proud of that, 0:23:17.600 --> 0:23:19.600 and that's great. 0:23:19.840 --> 0:23:20.320 I get it. 0:23:20.440 --> 0:23:24.000 So they don't have to if you don't, because I 0:23:24.200 --> 0:23:28.119 read Rupert Everett's book and when basically he was like 0:23:28.240 --> 0:23:30.640 on top of the world, his career was going uphill, 0:23:30.920 --> 0:23:34.360 and he came out or he was outed, I'm not sure, 0:23:36.160 --> 0:23:37.720 and that was that. 0:23:39.200 --> 0:23:41.200 You had a hard time ever since he wasn't cast 0:23:41.280 --> 0:23:44.080 for years and you're not questioned about it, and you're 0:23:44.119 --> 0:23:47.280 not in that space. You don't think about it. 0:23:47.920 --> 0:23:51.960 No, no, no, no, you don't. But ironically, now more 0:23:52.000 --> 0:23:55.840 than thirty years later, the tide has turned one hundred 0:23:55.880 --> 0:23:59.879 and eighty degrees because we've got fantastic, wonderful actors like 0:24:00.040 --> 0:24:03.560 Matt Boehmer who can do magic, Mike and does you know, 0:24:03.760 --> 0:24:06.120 huge gay roles, the boys in the band, the guys 0:24:06.440 --> 0:24:07.520 recently redid. 0:24:08.920 --> 0:24:09.080 You know? 0:24:09.200 --> 0:24:13.520 So there's all these but I cannot, I cannot and 0:24:13.720 --> 0:24:16.600 play a gay character anymore because we're in a new 0:24:16.760 --> 0:24:19.840 world and casting where if you are not the thing 0:24:20.160 --> 0:24:21.920 that it is, you're not allowed to do it. 0:24:22.119 --> 0:24:24.280 Well that there's a balance out. I think it's it's, 0:24:24.520 --> 0:24:26.360 you know, the pendulum swings. But I was thinking about 0:24:26.400 --> 0:24:29.440 Matt Boehmer because when he sort of he was already 0:24:29.480 --> 0:24:30.920 out in his life when he came out to the world. 0:24:30.960 --> 0:24:33.840 He just thanked his husband at an acceptance speech, and 0:24:33.880 --> 0:24:36.600 I had this wave of isn't it amazing that we're 0:24:36.640 --> 0:24:41.639 in a world where that's what he does? And everyone went, oh, interesting, okay, 0:24:41.960 --> 0:24:44.280 and it's just like went on with our day because 0:24:44.400 --> 0:24:47.719 so different from just different. Ninety one feels like yesterday, right, 0:24:47.840 --> 0:24:51.119 Like you feel like that was a couple of years ago, right, No, 0:24:51.400 --> 0:24:54.440 it was over thirty years ago. Things were so different, right, 0:24:54.720 --> 0:24:57.080 and you kill, Wow, we really have come a long 0:24:57.160 --> 0:24:59.040 way in this area. And I loved what you said too. 0:24:59.160 --> 0:25:00.879 You said you wanted to play a character. And what 0:25:01.040 --> 0:25:03.359 was good about it was it showed that nobody in 0:25:03.400 --> 0:25:06.720 the apartment building had an opinion, like we just all 0:25:07.040 --> 0:25:09.320 loved you, which was very and we didn't think about it, 0:25:09.359 --> 0:25:12.680 and that was very California and Los Angeles. But I 0:25:12.720 --> 0:25:14.560 think it was a great example to put out for 0:25:14.600 --> 0:25:17.399 the world, which is we are all friends who happened 0:25:17.440 --> 0:25:18.600 to have different things about it. 0:25:19.520 --> 0:25:22.840 Your character before? Did the other characters know? Were you. 0:25:24.600 --> 0:25:24.760 Well? 0:25:26.119 --> 0:25:29.960 And I know you just I think you've recently recapped 0:25:30.080 --> 0:25:33.480 the episode where Matt gets Gabe Ashton, and there's that 0:25:33.680 --> 0:25:36.440 and it's it's it's the Jake character who takes me 0:25:36.640 --> 0:25:39.680 to the hospital and we're there and someone says to him, 0:25:39.880 --> 0:25:42.600 you know, you take your boyfriend home? And I thought, oh, 0:25:42.800 --> 0:25:43.840 what did that have been? Great? 0:25:48.680 --> 0:25:51.800 I wish I think though, I was curious because when 0:25:52.040 --> 0:25:54.400 when Jake says at the moment, say take your boyfriendame 0:25:54.480 --> 0:25:56.959 Jaco's he's not my boyfriend. And I was like, oh, 0:25:57.040 --> 0:25:59.480 that's an interesting line. What did you think of that line, 0:25:59.560 --> 0:26:00.960 like at the time, and what did you think of 0:26:01.040 --> 0:26:01.920 when you watched it again. 0:26:02.080 --> 0:26:05.320 Well, I don't recall what I thought of at the 0:26:05.640 --> 0:26:10.080 at the moment, but I just loved that the assumption, 0:26:10.560 --> 0:26:14.760 the assumption from the interrogation. If two guys are here 0:26:14.800 --> 0:26:18.159 and he's saying he's gay, you're good. You're gay by association, 0:26:18.320 --> 0:26:18.560 it is. 0:26:19.000 --> 0:26:21.240 You didn't feel like because I wondered if the character 0:26:21.400 --> 0:26:24.960 was distancing himself. Oh, Jake, yeah, watching it this time, 0:26:25.000 --> 0:26:26.680 I thought, is that what that line? I like? 0:26:26.800 --> 0:26:28.240 How grand it though? 0:26:30.560 --> 0:26:34.120 Like he didn't move away, he just said, that's an assumption. 0:26:34.560 --> 0:26:37.320 You're wrong and I'm not so how my friend and I. 0:26:37.320 --> 0:26:39.960 Didn't judge it, And I think I think Matt was 0:26:40.280 --> 0:26:44.480 is and that we all should be like not easily offended, 0:26:44.680 --> 0:26:46.840 like he wasn't looking for Jake. Jake had done them 0:26:46.920 --> 0:26:49.320 the solid the fact he goes, we're not that's I'm 0:26:49.359 --> 0:26:52.159 not his boyfriend. That was like, you, no, he's not. 0:26:52.359 --> 0:26:53.919 That's the truth, And I'm not going to be offended. 0:26:54.000 --> 0:26:55.320 That's what you're going to say. I thought we all 0:26:55.359 --> 0:26:56.720 should be have a crush. 0:26:56.480 --> 0:26:59.080 On Jake's That's what I said. 0:26:59.240 --> 0:27:01.960 We all did, that's what we. 0:27:06.600 --> 0:27:06.719 Did. 0:27:06.840 --> 0:27:09.520 Just finish this recap for episode thirteen, and we started 0:27:09.560 --> 0:27:13.520 to talk about it. And when we were doing the recap, 0:27:13.760 --> 0:27:17.040 and in my defense, I was like suffering from the flu. 0:27:17.119 --> 0:27:22.200 I was completely twitterious last week. But we mentioned an article. 0:27:22.280 --> 0:27:25.720 There was an LA Times article that was written about 0:27:25.800 --> 0:27:28.960 this moment because episode thirteen was very important episode for 0:27:29.000 --> 0:27:33.880 our show Sweeps week, and an LA Times writer named 0:27:34.040 --> 0:27:40.000 Daniel Sarone wrote this article and here's what you don't know. 0:27:40.080 --> 0:27:42.400 And I failed to mention my delirium last week. He's 0:27:42.480 --> 0:27:45.040 a good friend of ours. We weren't friends back then, 0:27:45.200 --> 0:27:47.359 but like it's this weird full circle. 0:27:47.480 --> 0:27:48.640 Oh you weren't friends back then? 0:27:48.760 --> 0:27:53.359 No, it goes back back and we were having this 0:27:53.400 --> 0:27:55.320 conversation a few months back. I think I even mentioned 0:27:55.320 --> 0:27:56.639 it to you guys, like, oh my god, I have 0:27:56.720 --> 0:27:58.879 this great article from the nineties that I need to 0:27:59.520 --> 0:28:01.639 bring up when we get to that episode. And then 0:28:01.760 --> 0:28:03.359 here it was, and then I've forgotten that episode. 0:28:03.400 --> 0:28:06.520 But Laura's defense literally as she was going farther and 0:28:06.560 --> 0:28:09.159 farther down by the end of it, lying on the couch. 0:28:10.680 --> 0:28:13.320 You may not have seen it or heard it on 0:28:13.400 --> 0:28:13.880 the podcast. 0:28:14.040 --> 0:28:18.840 I was I realized what a fainting couch was, as 0:28:19.000 --> 0:28:20.800 go on, you're such a pro, I will do this 0:28:21.200 --> 0:28:21.960 from ning up. 0:28:22.600 --> 0:28:26.320 And yeah, but this he was talking about like they 0:28:26.400 --> 0:28:29.199 had not been writing for the character of Matt yet. 0:28:29.280 --> 0:28:33.280 And then when it was time for this episode that 0:28:33.400 --> 0:28:36.639 the that the most comfortable storyline the network could find 0:28:36.840 --> 0:28:39.920 that everybody could sign off on was this gay bashing. 0:28:40.000 --> 0:28:43.920 There were very limited storylines that that the network would 0:28:43.920 --> 0:28:47.480 be comfortable with because the advertisers were only comfortable sort 0:28:47.480 --> 0:28:49.400 of touching on certain things. And one of them was 0:28:49.920 --> 0:28:52.360 the gay bashing, and the other was, you know, a 0:28:52.440 --> 0:28:55.760 kid coming out to his parents and that awkward conversation whatever. 0:28:55.840 --> 0:28:58.680 And and Daniel at the time it was just, you know, 0:28:58.800 --> 0:29:03.320 he noticed it that this was, you know, something that 0:29:03.640 --> 0:29:07.440 wasn't being addressed and then here Melrose was doing it 0:29:07.480 --> 0:29:09.760 in this episode. Yeah, and were you Were you conscious 0:29:09.760 --> 0:29:12.040 of that, like when you started into that storyline where 0:29:12.040 --> 0:29:15.800 you're like, oh, this is like where you get interviews after? 0:29:16.240 --> 0:29:17.240 Did you get a questions? 0:29:17.720 --> 0:29:20.960 Yeah? We were. I was called doing press around around 0:29:21.080 --> 0:29:26.400 the around the episode, and and I kind of I knew. 0:29:26.520 --> 0:29:28.360 I just felt that that was going to be a 0:29:28.400 --> 0:29:30.440 storyline that was coming at some point. It was sort 0:29:30.440 --> 0:29:33.080 of an inevitability because it was a very real thing 0:29:33.120 --> 0:29:34.800 as well, and I think Daniel mentions that in the 0:29:34.880 --> 0:29:37.720 article as well. It's not that it wasn't real, it's 0:29:37.920 --> 0:29:40.960 just that that is what the networks felt safe dealing 0:29:41.040 --> 0:29:44.280 with that and coming out and parents and that. But 0:29:44.480 --> 0:29:47.800 we did some great things we did. You know, I 0:29:47.920 --> 0:29:50.840 ended up on the show. I think it's ironic that 0:29:51.000 --> 0:29:53.800 my my boyfriend on the show is Jason Bigey. But 0:29:53.960 --> 0:29:58.800 now it was like he's on Chicago, Jason like this 0:29:58.960 --> 0:30:02.280 the whole time. But so that's my shout out to Jason. 0:30:02.840 --> 0:30:04.760 Didn't show any affection on the show. 0:30:05.360 --> 0:30:07.520 No, no, no, no, never with him? 0:30:07.600 --> 0:30:08.200 Could you know? 0:30:08.360 --> 0:30:13.200 We we I think we surreptitiously we surreptitiously held hands 0:30:13.320 --> 0:30:14.720 underneath the table. I think there might have been a 0:30:14.760 --> 0:30:17.320 shot of us actually holding hands, but that had to 0:30:17.400 --> 0:30:19.680 be away from public consumption because by the way, he 0:30:19.800 --> 0:30:21.680 was in the military, and that was our storyline, right, 0:30:21.720 --> 0:30:28.480 it was don't ask, don't tell clever. Actually there were yeah, there, yeah, 0:30:28.560 --> 0:30:31.560 it was. It was always tricky. I will say there 0:30:31.640 --> 0:30:35.200 was an actor I was working with who wasn't as 0:30:35.240 --> 0:30:40.400 comfortable that he was playing someone who is uh gay, 0:30:41.200 --> 0:30:45.800 and I wanted in an effort to show that Matt 0:30:46.120 --> 0:30:50.960 was behaving with this with this character in a way 0:30:51.000 --> 0:30:54.640 that he wasn't like, against his better judgment. I wanted 0:30:54.720 --> 0:30:57.240 him to steal a kiss at work, like look around, 0:30:57.320 --> 0:30:59.760 make sure no one was looking, but kiss this guy 0:30:59.760 --> 0:31:01.640 in the cheek, just just a peck on the cheek. 0:31:02.200 --> 0:31:05.760 And this other actor was so uncomfortable with like that's 0:31:05.800 --> 0:31:08.360 not in the script, that we're not doing that, and 0:31:08.520 --> 0:31:11.800 he was so uncomfortable with it. I sort of found 0:31:11.880 --> 0:31:16.400 that that that that shocking. So it was a different 0:31:16.480 --> 0:31:20.320 It was a different time, and not everyone was as comfortable. 0:31:20.120 --> 0:31:27.480 With I mean famously, actors, especially like kind of macho actors, 0:31:27.920 --> 0:31:33.000 uh had to stay in the public syde macho and 0:31:33.200 --> 0:31:36.000 straight and even like womanizers, do you know what I mean? Like, 0:31:36.120 --> 0:31:39.320 there's no way they could be absolutely because is it 0:31:39.400 --> 0:31:44.200 because Aaron thought that the audience wouldn't buy it? Like 0:31:44.360 --> 0:31:47.640 I'm well now I remember it was it was different. 0:31:47.720 --> 0:31:50.320 It was no, it was to make It was about palatability. 0:31:50.480 --> 0:31:53.840 They wanted the character to be palatable, and so if 0:31:53.880 --> 0:31:56.960 they could say that, well, the actor is really straight, 0:31:57.040 --> 0:32:01.040 he's just acting, then it became less real to them. 0:32:01.840 --> 0:32:03.800 But in the defense of like the actor that I 0:32:03.960 --> 0:32:06.560 just said, and anyone that had any objection to me 0:32:06.880 --> 0:32:09.800 playing the role to begin with, it was a very 0:32:09.920 --> 0:32:12.520 real thing. The business didn't cut into it, and it 0:32:12.640 --> 0:32:14.920 was an issue for me going forward, and so much 0:32:15.000 --> 0:32:20.360 so that I had an executive who who told me, yeah, 0:32:20.680 --> 0:32:24.560 we need to let the gay thing go, you know, 0:32:24.680 --> 0:32:26.760 but we need a more time to let that gay thing, 0:32:26.920 --> 0:32:27.080 you know. 0:32:27.280 --> 0:32:29.640 Oh, like they wouldn't see you for a part, they wouldn't. 0:32:29.400 --> 0:32:35.200 Hire you to He was the FX Network and that 0:32:35.360 --> 0:32:37.440 was his His advice to me was that I should 0:32:37.480 --> 0:32:40.280 go get one of those Sun Dance movies, like I 0:32:40.320 --> 0:32:41.760 could snap my fingers and do that. 0:32:45.040 --> 0:32:47.040 Ironically to pick up Jack till three. 0:32:49.560 --> 0:32:53.520 One of those independent movies. But ironically after the show, 0:32:53.880 --> 0:32:57.040 and it still took time because I immediately upon leaving 0:32:57.160 --> 0:33:00.920 the show, I went and did the movie Godzilla with 0:33:01.120 --> 0:33:03.680 Matthew Broderick and those and so it was a big 0:33:04.480 --> 0:33:09.080 feature film and I was a straight character, but coming 0:33:09.440 --> 0:33:12.520 into houses for five years every day saying Hi, I'm 0:33:12.560 --> 0:33:15.800 mad and I'm gay. Hi. I mean, that's what the 0:33:16.320 --> 0:33:18.520 you know, That's what I was left with. But as 0:33:18.600 --> 0:33:21.760 I said earlier and I will say again still thirty 0:33:21.800 --> 0:33:25.600 years later, it's a huge blessing in my life that 0:33:25.720 --> 0:33:28.200 I people still come up to me and reference it. 0:33:28.520 --> 0:33:30.840 Yeah, and because of how you did it, Because you 0:33:30.920 --> 0:33:33.520 did it integrity of your heart. That's why that's amazing, 0:33:34.920 --> 0:33:37.000 And it's crazy to think about now, Like that's one 0:33:37.000 --> 0:33:38.640 of the things we keep as we look at issues 0:33:38.680 --> 0:33:40.800 that we dealt with and how we dealt with them, like, wow, 0:33:40.880 --> 0:33:43.760 that feels like yesterday, but things are so different. And 0:33:43.880 --> 0:33:46.600 that's an area where progress has been in the right directions, 0:33:46.640 --> 0:33:49.680 the two steps forward, one step back. But really we've 0:33:49.760 --> 0:33:51.160 come a long way, and we have. 0:33:51.360 --> 0:33:54.520 But I think you ladies dealt with it much more 0:33:54.560 --> 0:33:57.040 frequently than guys ever did because you know you were 0:33:57.040 --> 0:33:59.480 always either being victimized. You know, I'm sure as you 0:33:59.600 --> 0:34:01.840 go through the the episode, you remember how many people 0:34:01.840 --> 0:34:02.520 you know what you are. 0:34:02.520 --> 0:34:05.479 Thinkingting, Well, I say it because I've looked at all 0:34:05.560 --> 0:34:08.680 of them and over the last four years or whatever, 0:34:09.360 --> 0:34:11.360 I say it as this and maybe you guys have 0:34:11.400 --> 0:34:15.280 another take on it. The go to the default drama 0:34:15.640 --> 0:34:19.879 storyline is to hurt the woman, like threaten the woman, 0:34:20.160 --> 0:34:25.120 hurt the woman, overpower her and somehow or other, because 0:34:25.239 --> 0:34:29.800 all of our female characters were victimized somehow, right, So, 0:34:30.000 --> 0:34:32.239 whether it was physical, emotional. 0:34:31.960 --> 0:34:35.840 Threatened all of us women in jeopardy and women in Jeopardy. 0:34:35.920 --> 0:34:37.720 So I think that's changed. 0:34:37.760 --> 0:34:40.200 But like, aren't there any other storylines that can be 0:34:40.360 --> 0:34:41.680 dramatic and interesting? 0:34:42.040 --> 0:34:43.480 It was so common back then. 0:34:43.800 --> 0:34:46.759 Yeah, you know, I think that was emblematic at the time. 0:34:46.880 --> 0:34:48.520 I think you were absolutely Yeah, And it was also 0:34:48.640 --> 0:34:50.000 I mean you sort of touched on it, but like 0:34:50.160 --> 0:34:52.640 it was, it was also a matter of the advertisers 0:34:53.320 --> 0:34:56.960 being comfortable with it because they had withdrawn from other shows. 0:34:57.120 --> 0:34:59.839 Oh, you make Law makes that one of the most 0:35:00.040 --> 0:35:03.280 salient points. What were what our audience, what the listening 0:35:03.320 --> 0:35:05.879 audience needs to remember is this was a time when 0:35:05.880 --> 0:35:09.560 there was something called the Christian Coalition and the Moral Majority, 0:35:10.040 --> 0:35:13.000 and they if you don't remember those two things, they 0:35:14.560 --> 0:35:17.320 would watch something on television and if they didn't like it, 0:35:17.400 --> 0:35:22.080 if it didn't meet what their moral agenda and standards 0:35:22.120 --> 0:35:25.520 were for the country, they would do letter writing campaigns 0:35:25.560 --> 0:35:29.000 to the advertisers, and all of a sudden, advertisers would 0:35:29.000 --> 0:35:32.360 pull their their ads from those shows. And that was 0:35:32.560 --> 0:35:35.879 the threat of Maloe's place. And that was and thank 0:35:35.920 --> 0:35:41.000 you for referencing this, because Darren mister Spelling. Fox Network 0:35:41.320 --> 0:35:46.239 should be applauded that they, in the face of that 0:35:47.120 --> 0:35:50.399 still went forward with this character in the in those 0:35:50.480 --> 0:35:52.640 times and took it head on. 0:35:52.840 --> 0:35:55.879 You know, we didn't call that cancel culture, but that's 0:35:55.920 --> 0:35:56.480 what that was. 0:35:56.719 --> 0:36:00.480 It really absolutely and wow, it was absolutely so that 0:36:00.800 --> 0:36:04.480 was very real. So all of these dynamics were at 0:36:04.640 --> 0:36:08.120 play and it was, uh, it made it treacherous for 0:36:08.320 --> 0:36:12.359 the network and they really did me in some way. 0:36:12.640 --> 0:36:14.960 But you know, really what happened with me, and you 0:36:15.120 --> 0:36:18.600 remember this is that really they you know, the fallout 0:36:18.680 --> 0:36:21.719 was they just don't use him. I just wasn't around much. 0:36:21.800 --> 0:36:23.759 Do you remember I told this to tell it again. 0:36:23.840 --> 0:36:25.640 One time Doug came to work and you had a 0:36:25.719 --> 0:36:28.759 paper sign around his neck and it said, Hi, I'm Doug. 0:36:28.960 --> 0:36:29.680 I play Matt. 0:36:31.080 --> 0:36:34.279 This was after Christia our Dolly Grip and everyone. They 0:36:34.320 --> 0:36:36.759 had taken tumbleweeds and put them in front of MAT's door. 0:36:38.120 --> 0:36:47.759 I did. I had Mara Wilson who played my Yeah, 0:36:49.440 --> 0:36:52.719 she was the nineties. Really was she. I adored her. 0:36:52.800 --> 0:36:56.960 I adored her mom who passed and uh, but she's uh. 0:36:57.280 --> 0:37:02.719 She's a lovely woman. Was an author, I believe, a 0:37:02.840 --> 0:37:04.040 successful author. 0:37:03.840 --> 0:37:04.640 And she was. 0:37:04.960 --> 0:37:05.879 She was a great kid. 0:37:06.280 --> 0:37:10.520 She's the child in Misdoubt Fires and many other and 0:37:10.760 --> 0:37:13.160 she's a child in an episode coming up in your storyline. 0:37:13.239 --> 0:37:17.440 I love that you counted her as a roommate. Well, 0:37:18.160 --> 0:37:19.760 I think you were her like guardian. 0:37:20.680 --> 0:37:21.480 She was her roommate. 0:37:21.560 --> 0:37:23.680 Yeah, I mean I became her. 0:37:24.040 --> 0:37:25.799 If I thought of my son as a roommate, I've 0:37:25.840 --> 0:37:30.080 have much higher expectations for him doing dishes, boundaries, very uneaven, 0:37:30.200 --> 0:37:32.200 I do waigh too much of the cooking and by 0:37:32.239 --> 0:37:33.879 the way, all the laundry. How did that happen? 0:37:38.200 --> 0:37:39.760 You also sort of touched on it for a second 0:37:39.880 --> 0:37:44.000 that that the idea that it hasn't you haven't been 0:37:44.040 --> 0:37:47.160 able to shake it, like in your career and you 0:37:47.320 --> 0:37:51.480 personally like still to this day, people just make assumptions like, oh, 0:37:52.400 --> 0:37:56.919 Matt and Sydney or how does that what like Laura 0:37:57.000 --> 0:37:59.360 and Dougara May what I thought Matt was like that 0:37:59.760 --> 0:38:04.160 some is just still this many years later people, Well, people. 0:38:03.960 --> 0:38:06.799 Made that assumption about Laura too. Let me. I like, well, yeah, 0:38:07.080 --> 0:38:10.640 the story, well, yes, and. 0:38:11.000 --> 0:38:13.799 So I was having to do married the gay guy. 0:38:14.880 --> 0:38:22.359 Yeah, so I was having an ankle surgery. It's having 0:38:22.400 --> 0:38:27.279 an ankle fusion, and we weren't yet married, and I don't, 0:38:27.520 --> 0:38:31.000 I don't, we might we were probably engaged. And uh 0:38:31.320 --> 0:38:34.279 so Laura was at the hospital waiting for me after 0:38:34.360 --> 0:38:37.399 surgery and in the room afterwards, and when I came 0:38:37.480 --> 0:38:40.880 to there was a nurse at my bench. I said, well, 0:38:40.920 --> 0:38:43.279 I wasn't going to leave you because I was going 0:38:43.320 --> 0:38:46.000 to leave you with her because she's going to do 0:38:46.080 --> 0:38:46.720 something evil. 0:38:50.960 --> 0:38:52.880 And I'm I'm right here, I'm in. 0:38:55.200 --> 0:39:01.000 That I'm doing in my pink with the matching pill box. 0:39:01.120 --> 0:39:04.759 Yeah, you think that's weird? What is weird about that? 0:39:04.960 --> 0:39:06.040 You were very convincing. 0:39:06.160 --> 0:39:10.239 I have to say, that's amazing that's like something from 0:39:10.239 --> 0:39:12.880 the movie Misery, Like that's brilliant. 0:39:13.120 --> 0:39:15.000 Yeah, she was really concerned I was going to do 0:39:15.080 --> 0:39:19.759 something bad boy. Yeah, but even more harmless assumptions like that, 0:39:19.920 --> 0:39:22.680 they're like, what like just seeing us at dinner, They're like, wow, 0:39:23.480 --> 0:39:27.040 you know, it's just something that for this many years, 0:39:27.920 --> 0:39:30.680 people are still associating assault with these characters. 0:39:30.719 --> 0:39:32.279 I mean people when they see you, if they don't 0:39:32.320 --> 0:39:34.359 know you, they think of the character that they think 0:39:34.400 --> 0:39:36.160 of you used to have. So that's kind of like 0:39:37.320 --> 0:39:39.040 you have done a lot of different things that I know, well, 0:39:39.080 --> 0:39:40.520 they still think of you as Melo's Place. 0:39:40.600 --> 0:39:40.919 You said. 0:39:41.040 --> 0:39:43.560 It's like if anybody says I know you from somewhere, 0:39:43.560 --> 0:39:45.400 I just say Melrose Place to cut. I used to 0:39:45.520 --> 0:39:47.920 like go the other way and list everything, but it 0:39:47.960 --> 0:39:49.880 was always it was always Melrose Place anyway, So I 0:39:49.960 --> 0:39:53.200 just go Melro's place, Oh all right, and then oh. 0:39:53.239 --> 0:39:56.040 I had a crew member. This has happened more than 0:39:56.080 --> 0:39:58.560 once where people go, oh, yeah, you were on that. 0:39:59.360 --> 0:40:03.759 Yeah you know, I really like that Sydney. I thought 0:40:03.800 --> 0:40:14.680 she was hot me too, that's my wife. And then uh, backstroke. 0:40:17.000 --> 0:40:18.840 I told the story like when I would have boyfriends 0:40:18.880 --> 0:40:20.640 on Zet and Andrew and I were dating in secret. 0:40:20.760 --> 0:40:22.440 They would say to him, I think Courtney has the 0:40:22.480 --> 0:40:29.200 hots for me, and he'd be like, really, say. 0:40:29.080 --> 0:40:29.560 Such a thing. 0:40:29.719 --> 0:40:32.600 You'd be surprised. Probably every guest are they brought on 0:40:32.760 --> 0:40:38.560 for me? Maybe I just sort of put Doug saying 0:40:38.600 --> 0:40:40.279 to Laura, I think Courtney has the hots for me. 0:40:42.560 --> 0:40:45.520 It's so funny, like watching the shows now and the 0:40:45.600 --> 0:40:49.279 episodes and hearing how what was going on behind the 0:40:49.320 --> 0:40:53.840 screen with these two with Andrew and Courtney versus what 0:40:53.960 --> 0:40:56.880 was going on with Billy and Alison, you know, with 0:40:56.960 --> 0:40:58.840 their dating and when they broke up, and. 0:40:59.200 --> 0:41:01.360 Right because she's really she's giving us a timeline. She's like, 0:41:01.480 --> 0:41:02.279 right about now. 0:41:07.680 --> 0:41:08.439 It's really fun. 0:41:09.040 --> 0:41:15.279 I just enjoyed remembering Andrew Shoe, who you know, it's 0:41:15.400 --> 0:41:19.960 always been just the most humble, gentle soul and uh 0:41:21.320 --> 0:41:24.000 coming to work and showing up in a Porsche at 0:41:24.160 --> 0:41:26.960 nine forty four, was it right? He got he got 0:41:27.040 --> 0:41:30.279 a Porsche, a used one, he was used, yeah, but 0:41:31.239 --> 0:41:31.839 yeah yeah. 0:41:32.360 --> 0:41:34.040 And by the way, when he's driving his Porsche, he 0:41:34.120 --> 0:41:36.880 still had he still had four roommates, so he was 0:41:36.960 --> 0:41:39.200 like to Glamour's life and I would go to his 0:41:39.360 --> 0:41:42.520 house with him and his four roommates, and it was 0:41:42.640 --> 0:41:44.719 just I was like, good, I never got to go 0:41:44.760 --> 0:41:45.120 to college. 0:41:45.160 --> 0:41:47.880 This is fun in his college door kind. 0:41:47.719 --> 0:41:50.359 Of like with like furniture they found and they were 0:41:50.400 --> 0:41:52.240 just bringing bad smells. 0:41:53.640 --> 0:41:55.320 They never have to be a car and they have 0:41:55.440 --> 0:41:57.240 beers in the fridge. 0:41:58.920 --> 0:41:59.920 It was fascinating. 0:42:00.080 --> 0:42:07.040 That's amazing. So we had fans ask about Desperate. So 0:42:07.200 --> 0:42:11.840 Desperate Housewives also ran for eight seasons, which is nuts 0:42:11.880 --> 0:42:14.359 because we think of Melrose as like, wow, we were 0:42:14.960 --> 0:42:18.360 so lucky to have a long running series for five seasons, 0:42:18.960 --> 0:42:20.920 and then the show went on for seven, and then 0:42:21.040 --> 0:42:23.320 Desperate went on for eight, and then you've had another. 0:42:23.800 --> 0:42:25.760 The Courtneys had an show for five seasons. 0:42:25.920 --> 0:42:26.800 Courtney's had. 0:42:28.480 --> 0:42:33.160 Too went Melrose went seven years. We just left it 0:42:33.280 --> 0:42:35.759 four right, five? Right, I'm sorry we left. 0:42:35.840 --> 0:42:39.719 And yeah, so Desperate Housewives came on. When did that 0:42:39.800 --> 0:42:40.000 come on? 0:42:40.080 --> 0:42:40.680 What were those years? 0:42:40.760 --> 0:42:41.640 Was it two thousands? 0:42:41.840 --> 0:42:45.000 It was two thousand and four to twenty and twelve, Yeah, 0:42:45.040 --> 0:42:49.560 two thousand and four to twenty twelve, And yeah, I loved. 0:42:50.200 --> 0:42:51.600 Was that as happy as set. 0:42:53.680 --> 0:42:58.080 Come on? I wanted to use I wanted to use it. 0:42:58.600 --> 0:43:03.760 Still the place so you expose all of the dirty 0:43:03.840 --> 0:43:05.200 laundry on Desperate. 0:43:04.880 --> 0:43:08.279 House consider the answer. I can't play. 0:43:08.560 --> 0:43:11.520 You know, I said it before we started. I'm a guy. 0:43:11.560 --> 0:43:14.680 I don't care. No, it wasn't always sometimes a very 0:43:14.719 --> 0:43:19.280 dysfunctional place, but never when I was there with Felicity Huffman, 0:43:19.400 --> 0:43:22.279 she and I we always had a brilliant time. I 0:43:22.360 --> 0:43:24.239 still adore her to this day. I hope she says 0:43:24.239 --> 0:43:29.520 the same about me. But Noah, I loved it. I 0:43:30.040 --> 0:43:32.480 have said I had difficult days. I had challenging days, 0:43:32.520 --> 0:43:34.160 but I never had a bad day on time. 0:43:34.560 --> 0:43:36.759 That's great on Desperate housewise, But we were trying to 0:43:36.800 --> 0:43:39.160 think because people always assume, because of our storylines on 0:43:39.239 --> 0:43:42.400 Maulow's Place, that we had a lot of back stage, 0:43:42.640 --> 0:43:46.120 behind the scenes drama, you know, like in our interviews 0:43:46.160 --> 0:43:48.200 in mine anyway, that's what they would ask, Well, what 0:43:48.840 --> 0:43:53.000 was behind and you know, I mean, we're I can't 0:43:53.040 --> 0:43:54.680 think of it, really, we can't think of it. We 0:43:54.840 --> 0:43:57.480 talk about how and why we wanted to do this podcast. 0:43:57.640 --> 0:44:00.359 Was like we realized, like we all really got long 0:44:00.560 --> 0:44:03.279 and there wasn't a lot of right. 0:44:03.640 --> 0:44:05.800 Maybe we like each other, we like going down that 0:44:05.880 --> 0:44:06.480 memory lane. 0:44:06.840 --> 0:44:10.839 I remember in the makeup uh trailer there, I was like, oh, 0:44:11.360 --> 0:44:12.560 I need to be in the makeup trailer. 0:44:12.560 --> 0:44:14.239 You know, Heather would come in and do hers and 0:44:14.320 --> 0:44:16.360 I'm like, can you use that color? What color is 0:44:16.400 --> 0:44:16.759 she using? 0:44:16.920 --> 0:44:18.319 But you know it's like a little bit like, oh, 0:44:18.440 --> 0:44:20.680 I want to be you know, because there's like five 0:44:20.760 --> 0:44:22.879 of us or six of us or seven of us women, 0:44:23.160 --> 0:44:24.719 and so I wanted to make sure I was getting 0:44:24.840 --> 0:44:27.440 enough of Like I come out in my hair is 0:44:27.480 --> 0:44:27.759 this high? 0:44:27.760 --> 0:44:30.960 I'm like, maybe it's too hot. But there wasn't real 0:44:31.800 --> 0:44:33.480 you know, Yeah, I don't. 0:44:33.560 --> 0:44:36.200 I don't recall John on our set until Jack Wagner, right, 0:44:38.520 --> 0:44:39.319 My favorite. 0:44:39.840 --> 0:44:41.919 Guys about the makeup trailer because a lot of shows, 0:44:41.920 --> 0:44:44.200 when the shows get successful, people get makeup done in 0:44:44.239 --> 0:44:45.960 the room where they separate or like Heather came in. 0:44:46.400 --> 0:44:48.279 She was a very big star, like she could have 0:44:48.320 --> 0:44:51.800 separated herself. She walked right and waited her turn like 0:44:51.880 --> 0:44:53.480 we all hung out and talked. 0:44:53.960 --> 0:44:56.040 She was her favorite place to be for that. 0:44:56.360 --> 0:44:59.520 Yeah, like we had favored nations in our trailers, like 0:44:59.600 --> 0:45:01.880 she didn't coming to the big Winnebago, although we all 0:45:01.960 --> 0:45:03.640 got better trailers than she came. Do you remember that 0:45:04.400 --> 0:45:06.239 she didn't say anything, but all of a sudden we 0:45:06.320 --> 0:45:10.239 all got this huge upgrade into these really nice trailers. 0:45:11.320 --> 0:45:13.839 One of my favorite backstage stories was that it's Jack 0:45:13.920 --> 0:45:16.759 Wagner's story. I'm probably gonna but I thought it was 0:45:16.920 --> 0:45:21.919 just so funny. Jack would tease Priscilla Pressley mercilessly about 0:45:22.360 --> 0:45:25.200 you know, wanting to date, about you know, and he would, 0:45:25.320 --> 0:45:27.319 you know, he was always and I don't know how 0:45:27.400 --> 0:45:29.239 much of it was real or how much of it was, 0:45:29.400 --> 0:45:31.320 you know, just an act, but he put it on. 0:45:31.840 --> 0:45:37.719 But Priscilla came to the set and said, listen, you 0:45:37.840 --> 0:45:40.000 came to work one day in the morning the trailer 0:45:40.040 --> 0:45:42.960 with Lona and said, listen, tell, listen, we have to 0:45:43.000 --> 0:45:45.560 tell everybody set up to Jack that I showed up 0:45:45.719 --> 0:45:50.839 at the bar and he never came. So she laid 0:45:50.880 --> 0:45:54.799 the groundwork for that and then Jack and everyone's like, God, Jack, 0:45:54.840 --> 0:45:57.360 you're such a I love. 0:45:57.239 --> 0:45:59.600 Her now, Yeah, that's amazing. 0:46:00.520 --> 0:46:02.600 I love you know. I read. 0:46:03.960 --> 0:46:06.719 In Elvis and Priscilla book. I read her book. This 0:46:06.880 --> 0:46:08.080 came out last year the year. 0:46:08.000 --> 0:46:13.720 Before, and I just read her granddaughters and daughter's book, 0:46:14.440 --> 0:46:18.399 Riley Keyo's Masa Murray's book. Anyway, I learned from there 0:46:18.440 --> 0:46:21.560 that Elvis was a big prankster, like all he did 0:46:21.800 --> 0:46:24.200 was pull you know. So you just reminded me like 0:46:24.280 --> 0:46:26.560 that sounds very much like something like Elvis would have 0:46:26.600 --> 0:46:28.279 done with his posse, you know what I mean, like, oh, 0:46:28.360 --> 0:46:30.080 tell someone, So he missed the rehearsal. 0:46:30.320 --> 0:46:32.400 Maybe maybe Jack knew that, and that's why he was 0:46:32.520 --> 0:46:33.920 using that card too with Priscilla. 0:46:35.400 --> 0:46:41.359 But he was a big jokes she got back, which 0:46:41.640 --> 0:46:42.520 he loved to teach. 0:46:43.000 --> 0:46:45.920 I just had a memory of one time when you know, 0:46:46.080 --> 0:46:48.520 Heather and Jack tease each other mercilessly, and they're both 0:46:48.680 --> 0:46:52.040 so incredibly funny, and she would always tease him about 0:46:52.040 --> 0:46:53.520 being vain. And one time when he asked for a 0:46:53.600 --> 0:46:55.480 touch up, like to look at the mirrorfore, do you remember, 0:46:55.560 --> 0:46:59.240 they brought out a full length mirror look at himself? 0:46:59.320 --> 0:46:59.760 You remember? 0:47:00.360 --> 0:47:01.160 I don't remember that. 0:47:03.360 --> 0:47:05.920 Jeffers, who was a makeup arty, brought out literally a 0:47:06.080 --> 0:47:06.800 full life. 0:47:08.120 --> 0:47:09.640 Remember, and he was grateful for it. 0:47:09.760 --> 0:47:11.880 He's like thank you, because he was like that's about right. 0:47:11.920 --> 0:47:13.759 A little bigger next, but that's about right. 0:47:13.880 --> 0:47:15.759 And he would always call her for yet her name, 0:47:15.960 --> 0:47:17.720 you know, Wendy Helen Where's Helen? 0:47:17.840 --> 0:47:24.239 Where Helen? He's a funny He's a very funny man. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 0:47:24.920 --> 0:47:27.560 all those those good looks. You know. Didn't let him 0:47:27.640 --> 0:47:29.439 get his two. 0:47:29.440 --> 0:47:32.520 Projects with him after that. Oh yeah, we were. 0:47:32.840 --> 0:47:36.000 Josie's still doing those homework movies with him, Lucky here. Yeah, 0:47:36.080 --> 0:47:36.640 he's funny. 0:47:37.080 --> 0:47:39.280 It's always nice when you work with somebody you've already 0:47:39.320 --> 0:47:41.759 worked with. It just kind of like cuts the just 0:47:41.920 --> 0:47:43.880 like you know, I don't know, it just makes it 0:47:43.960 --> 0:47:47.080 so much more comfortable and just kind of pick up 0:47:47.080 --> 0:47:49.799 where you left off, makes the chemistry better. 0:47:50.520 --> 0:47:53.680 So I don't know if we've I think we forgot 0:47:53.760 --> 0:47:56.040 to mention this. Back when Thomas was on, he had 0:47:56.080 --> 0:47:58.720 mentioned that he'd done an episode of Colombo, a remake 0:47:59.000 --> 0:48:02.320 no way back the original Columba before doing Melrose. 0:48:02.560 --> 0:48:04.040 Because he's older than all of us. 0:48:05.560 --> 0:48:09.480 I did a two hour Colombo together with Doug. 0:48:09.680 --> 0:48:12.920 They were in the same Columbo episode too, before Melroe. 0:48:12.640 --> 0:48:15.040 Seven, so it wasn't the original original. It was when 0:48:15.080 --> 0:48:15.680 he came back and. 0:48:18.080 --> 0:48:23.120 Two hour movies he would do four year Peter. Yes, wow, 0:48:23.239 --> 0:48:26.959 one of my great the highlights of my careers really 0:48:27.120 --> 0:48:30.319 with Peter Falk because I adored my favorite movie, one 0:48:30.360 --> 0:48:32.440 of my favorite movies. I've tortured my kids with this, 0:48:32.600 --> 0:48:38.000 The in Laws, and he's like Serpentine shall Yeah, he 0:48:38.120 --> 0:48:41.440 and Alan Arkin are incredible. 0:48:42.440 --> 0:48:44.000 Did he do one hundred takes? I heard he used 0:48:44.080 --> 0:48:46.040 one hundred takes on Yeah. 0:48:47.040 --> 0:48:49.560 I don't remember him being anything less than a prince, 0:48:49.680 --> 0:48:51.279 A professional, well not. 0:48:51.320 --> 0:48:53.440 I'm professional, but he was trying to perfect it, so 0:48:53.480 --> 0:48:55.399 he would do it against he was always looking for more. 0:48:55.719 --> 0:49:00.960 Probably he was here's what I collect. So Thomas and I, 0:49:01.360 --> 0:49:05.000 Thomas and I played cops. Thomas Thomas was marrying Peter 0:49:05.160 --> 0:49:09.400 Fowx like niece. Okay, that that's and I was in 0:49:09.480 --> 0:49:13.200 the wedding and a crime that the bride gets abducted 0:49:13.400 --> 0:49:15.440 in the mur and so all the cops now have 0:49:15.520 --> 0:49:19.960 to go to work. So our photographs of the wedding 0:49:20.120 --> 0:49:22.520 we're going to be playing as evidence. So we took 0:49:22.719 --> 0:49:26.239 tons of photographs of the groomsman, stuff with Peter and stuff. Well, 0:49:26.440 --> 0:49:30.040 back in those days, we were having a wedding reception 0:49:30.200 --> 0:49:34.120 scene and this no longer happens in television, but like 0:49:34.200 --> 0:49:36.759 Peter's a star. They were giving him white wine, they 0:49:36.800 --> 0:49:39.600 were giving he was drinking. He was drinking. So we're 0:49:39.640 --> 0:49:42.680 having we're having a photo shoot and I'm I'm with 0:49:42.840 --> 0:49:45.720 this guy who I just adore, and so I finally 0:49:45.800 --> 0:49:48.000 we're done with the photos. We've been having shots where 0:49:48.040 --> 0:49:50.680 we're arm in arm and we're walking away from the 0:49:50.719 --> 0:49:53.120 photos and I say, I got it, mister fuck. I 0:49:53.239 --> 0:49:55.400 just got to tell you that The End Laws is 0:49:55.560 --> 0:49:58.200 one of my favorite movies of all time. And he goes, 0:49:58.280 --> 0:50:00.400 oh was it? And I said, oh God, are you 0:50:00.480 --> 0:50:03.080 kidding me? Serpentine shell, serpentine show. And he goes, do 0:50:03.120 --> 0:50:06.080 you think that was funny? Did you think that was funny? 0:50:06.200 --> 0:50:09.160 He said? He said, I didn't think that was funny 0:50:09.160 --> 0:50:12.360 at all. But Arkan he'd have come back tomorrow to 0:50:12.520 --> 0:50:14.760 do that scene again. He thought it was so funny. 0:50:15.239 --> 0:50:19.080 So yeah, there were so many, just so many great 0:50:19.120 --> 0:50:20.000 Peter Falk moments. 0:50:20.920 --> 0:50:22.440 So how many are how many episodes? 0:50:22.520 --> 0:50:24.840 Did you? I just did one two hour movie? But 0:50:25.239 --> 0:50:29.320 but Thomas Colabra was that was the groom he was, 0:50:30.360 --> 0:50:33.880 you know, he had this big park and so we 0:50:33.960 --> 0:50:37.919 had worked together before we both ended up on Melrose Place. 0:50:39.760 --> 0:50:39.960 Yeah. 0:50:40.120 --> 0:50:41.879 See, you're you're around long enough. 0:50:43.040 --> 0:50:46.840 And someone literally a friend of mine just saw, like, 0:50:47.080 --> 0:50:51.439 whose mother watches nothing but these old Columbus and sent 0:50:51.560 --> 0:50:56.680 me like a screenshot of us. Oh you do, I do, Okay, 0:50:56.800 --> 0:50:59.360 I'll post it. We'll put this isn't. 0:50:59.400 --> 0:51:02.759 Yeah, yeah, that's amazing. I read it. You are at 0:51:02.840 --> 0:51:04.080 UCLA and left early. 0:51:04.400 --> 0:51:07.440 I well, I left more than early. Like it is. 0:51:07.719 --> 0:51:09.040 It's it's when did you leave? 0:51:09.040 --> 0:51:09.360 Because I. 0:51:10.840 --> 0:51:15.520 Went to UCLA in the fall of nineteen eighty two 0:51:16.200 --> 0:51:22.560 and I stayed for one ten week semester, long enough 0:51:22.719 --> 0:51:24.160 to become a college dropout. 0:51:24.239 --> 0:51:27.319 That's so, are you two Ucla F I'm a very 0:51:27.480 --> 0:51:30.520 proud la drop You're close. You are not close. 0:51:31.719 --> 0:51:33.560 My father still wants me to go back and get 0:51:33.560 --> 0:51:35.120 an honorary degree or a degree. 0:51:35.160 --> 0:51:38.200 Oh, but you've come from educators is a professor? 0:51:38.280 --> 0:51:41.000 Your dad was literally I was working with Lucie Ball 0:51:41.160 --> 0:51:42.759 and he's like, can't you go back and get an 0:51:42.760 --> 0:51:43.480 honorary degree? 0:51:43.520 --> 0:51:45.880 I go, excuse me, I have to get on set because. 0:51:45.760 --> 0:51:46.960 Loci a bom waiting for me. 0:51:47.080 --> 0:51:48.399 Dad, is that not enough? 0:51:48.440 --> 0:51:51.120 And he's like, and then I was working on with 0:51:51.320 --> 0:51:54.120 also with Melbrooks on baseballs, and like, I had to 0:51:54.200 --> 0:51:57.880 leave because I started working Dad, and he was like, 0:51:58.440 --> 0:52:00.200 do you think you maybe could go back and get, 0:52:00.280 --> 0:52:03.040 you know, finish that last semester and get your degree. 0:52:03.640 --> 0:52:08.240 And I'm like, no for me. So lately I've been thinking, 0:52:08.280 --> 0:52:09.640 I wonder if there's online you know. 0:52:09.719 --> 0:52:10.640 I would need just like. 0:52:12.320 --> 0:52:14.120 I just walk you through it, because I've gone back 0:52:14.120 --> 0:52:15.600 to online school several times. 0:52:15.800 --> 0:52:16.920 You did, I have. 0:52:17.160 --> 0:52:19.080 I still don't have a degree, but I have gone. 0:52:19.200 --> 0:52:21.520 I can walk you through it. I can't walk you 0:52:21.560 --> 0:52:23.200 through the finish links. I haven't gotten there yet, but 0:52:23.200 --> 0:52:24.759 I can show you where to go. I can get 0:52:24.760 --> 0:52:26.720 you to the middle and can get you to degree. 0:52:28.560 --> 0:52:29.759 Okay, totally. 0:52:32.360 --> 0:52:35.520 If you have a college degree, all of us and 0:52:35.600 --> 0:52:40.279 they tell our kids wives a college, my kids a 0:52:40.360 --> 0:52:42.120 junior kids, the kids. 0:52:42.080 --> 0:52:44.040 Kids are neither of you. 0:52:45.960 --> 0:52:47.080 Anywhere. I did not finish. 0:52:47.200 --> 0:52:47.640 No, I did not. 0:52:47.800 --> 0:52:48.800 Did you start somewhere? 0:52:48.880 --> 0:52:51.200 I started at a couple of places, yes, And I 0:52:52.239 --> 0:52:53.880 went to the University of Iowa, and I also went 0:52:53.920 --> 0:52:57.080 to cal State Long Beach before you a semester, uh huh? 0:52:57.480 --> 0:52:58.680 Before I dropped out. 0:52:58.640 --> 0:52:59.480 To do you know? 0:53:00.360 --> 0:53:02.839 I signed up twice and didn't go one day at 0:53:02.880 --> 0:53:06.120 two different places at Allegheny and Pepperdine. All right, does 0:53:06.200 --> 0:53:07.920 that count if I didn't even signing up. 0:53:08.120 --> 0:53:09.239 That's the first stay I did. 0:53:09.440 --> 0:53:11.360 It's got on Campus on Pepperdine just because it's just 0:53:11.480 --> 0:53:13.680 in it's gorgeous. But then I got a movie and 0:53:13.760 --> 0:53:17.560 then yeah, yeah, it's really important to oh a movie. 0:53:17.640 --> 0:53:18.400 Yeah bye. 0:53:20.440 --> 0:53:21.440 Yeah, oh wow. 0:53:22.000 --> 0:53:25.640 Oh well so you so you started working that in 0:53:25.760 --> 0:53:28.640 eighty two if you left the nineteen. 0:53:28.400 --> 0:53:30.759 Eighty three is when I got my sad card. And yes, 0:53:31.719 --> 0:53:34.239 I started working in nineteen eighty three and I've been 0:53:34.280 --> 0:53:36.719 an actor for forty one years. Yeah. 0:53:40.560 --> 0:53:42.680 Are are we ready for Sea fan questions? 0:53:42.880 --> 0:53:43.120 Yes? 0:53:43.640 --> 0:53:46.600 We asked for fans to send in some questions, and 0:53:47.040 --> 0:53:49.759 a lot of them you've already touched on. And it's 0:53:49.840 --> 0:53:52.959 just naturally the things that people are interested in which 0:53:53.000 --> 0:53:53.279 we love. 0:53:53.480 --> 0:53:56.320 I like this one. Would you play Matt differently in 0:53:56.480 --> 0:53:59.279 twenty twenty four and then Parenthesy if he wasn't dead 0:53:59.440 --> 0:54:00.160 and prienthe. 0:54:01.760 --> 0:54:07.320 Because he is. Matt is back and he's pissed. Uh No, 0:54:07.520 --> 0:54:10.920 I thought I thought in watching I have watched a 0:54:11.080 --> 0:54:13.600 number of the episodes, as you guys have gone through this, 0:54:13.760 --> 0:54:15.880 and I've gone back, and you know what, I was 0:54:16.200 --> 0:54:19.880 relieved that I'm not ashamed of anything that I've seen 0:54:19.960 --> 0:54:23.040 myself do yet. But I will say this. We were 0:54:23.080 --> 0:54:29.480 talking about Kathleen earlier, Princess who is our wardrobe She 0:54:29.719 --> 0:54:35.920 was our female wardrobe on set wardrobe person. Because, as 0:54:36.000 --> 0:54:39.880 you also referenced earlier, I kind of didn't care about 0:54:40.840 --> 0:54:44.520 I never watched the show. That's a different story, but 0:54:44.600 --> 0:54:48.680 I never watched the show. So there's an episode coming 0:54:48.880 --> 0:54:50.800 I don't know what season is where Matt is in 0:54:50.960 --> 0:54:54.759 jail and his parents have to come and bail the man. 0:54:54.880 --> 0:54:56.680 There's a scene at a when you know, one of 0:54:56.719 --> 0:54:59.040 those where there's plexiglass and you've got the phone on 0:54:59.120 --> 0:55:04.920 the other end, and and Matt's enraged at his parents 0:55:05.000 --> 0:55:08.399 about something or what the inference is about why he's 0:55:08.440 --> 0:55:11.800 in jail. And so because I didn't really care, and 0:55:11.880 --> 0:55:14.560 because it would make Kathleen laugh, I'd go, oh wait 0:55:14.680 --> 0:55:16.560 until you see what I do on this take. I'm 0:55:16.680 --> 0:55:19.799 just like they they'll never write anger for me again, 0:55:19.920 --> 0:55:23.319 because I am going to just go I'm going to explode. 0:55:23.680 --> 0:55:25.799 So I would you know, I would have this scene 0:55:25.800 --> 0:55:28.320 I take the phone and smacking on the plexiglass and 0:55:28.760 --> 0:55:33.920 like do my best Al Pacino impersonation, and just to 0:55:34.000 --> 0:55:36.840 make Kathleen laugh and Oh my god, I can't believe you. 0:55:37.280 --> 0:55:38.640 I don't care. I'll do it. I want to see 0:55:38.760 --> 0:55:39.759 what should I do this one? 0:55:41.200 --> 0:55:42.680 Like we're gonna take that again. 0:55:43.000 --> 0:55:46.240 The funny thing was, Oh god, it's really into it today. 0:55:47.520 --> 0:55:48.280 Oh that's great. 0:55:49.239 --> 0:55:50.000 Did you lie? I know. 0:55:50.120 --> 0:55:52.680 One of the fan questions was your camaraderie and working 0:55:52.719 --> 0:55:54.920 with Vanessa, who we just had on as a guest. 0:55:55.440 --> 0:55:59.279 I adore. Yeah. We got along so well and she 0:55:59.480 --> 0:56:02.920 is such it's just a funny human being that that. 0:56:03.320 --> 0:56:05.680 It was always a pleasure to be around her and 0:56:05.880 --> 0:56:07.600 I had it was great because I had to be 0:56:07.640 --> 0:56:10.520 around her a lot, so but we got along very well. 0:56:10.880 --> 0:56:12.520 Obviously to this day, still get along. 0:56:12.600 --> 0:56:14.359 So was it obvious to you too? 0:56:14.520 --> 0:56:16.759 And how did you feel about to me watching it 0:56:17.040 --> 0:56:19.960 was just like the Black Girl and the game you 0:56:20.040 --> 0:56:21.920 had that you guys were working off each other all 0:56:21.960 --> 0:56:22.200 the time. 0:56:22.320 --> 0:56:25.920 Well, yeah, and you knew and we were aware that like, okay, uh, 0:56:26.200 --> 0:56:28.399 you know, we'll be over here in the yeah, we'll 0:56:28.440 --> 0:56:32.960 be here in the minority section. But they didn't stop 0:56:33.040 --> 0:56:34.640 us for having a good time. And then and then, 0:56:34.760 --> 0:56:36.200 you know, the only thing I'm ashamed of is that 0:56:36.239 --> 0:56:40.160 I had to dance anywhere near that. 0:56:42.280 --> 0:56:42.960 Size class. 0:56:43.080 --> 0:56:46.040 Yeah. The one clue that I wasn't really gay is 0:56:46.080 --> 0:56:47.400 that I was a terrible dancer. 0:56:49.080 --> 0:56:50.759 When she was on and you called in, were you 0:56:50.800 --> 0:56:55.360 guys facetiming? Yeah, how amazing shahs insane? 0:56:55.480 --> 0:56:56.560 Yeah, wow, amazing. 0:56:56.640 --> 0:56:58.960 Yeah, and she was so happy to see you. 0:56:59.080 --> 0:57:01.440 Yeah, she's getting better, it's getting better. It's really mad. 0:57:01.600 --> 0:57:05.080 She looks amazing. Yeah, yeah, that was your killing fun 0:57:05.160 --> 0:57:07.680 to see her, Yeah, for sure, it was really fun 0:57:07.719 --> 0:57:08.080 to see her. 0:57:08.360 --> 0:57:12.240 All right. So a couple more questions. There are actually 0:57:12.320 --> 0:57:16.240 some questions about Fever Dreams. There were the play that 0:57:16.320 --> 0:57:18.840 you just did in Connecticut. We had some fans right 0:57:18.920 --> 0:57:21.440 in that they saw it and they loved it. So 0:57:21.720 --> 0:57:24.000 there's that well touring. 0:57:24.120 --> 0:57:25.960 They asked, Fever. 0:57:25.880 --> 0:57:30.240 Dreams a great play play, right, Jeffrey Leeber, who's a 0:57:30.280 --> 0:57:34.280 fantastic television writer, that I did with Lanna Young and 0:57:34.400 --> 0:57:35.800 my dearest friend Tim Decay. 0:57:36.400 --> 0:57:36.560 Uh. 0:57:36.880 --> 0:57:40.120 It was a huge success at Theater Works Hartford. I'd 0:57:40.120 --> 0:57:42.800 like to thank everyone there. But I had this amazing 0:57:42.960 --> 0:57:48.320 experience where on one during one of our performances, someone 0:57:48.640 --> 0:57:50.800 who worked at the theater. These two people had come 0:57:50.840 --> 0:57:53.840 to see the show and they said, could we please 0:57:53.880 --> 0:57:57.400 meet him afterwards. And the theater person thought, okay, these 0:57:57.440 --> 0:58:00.760 aren't they're not crazy, so I'll hold them out see 0:58:00.800 --> 0:58:03.640 if Doug will deign to speak to them, and yees. 0:58:03.680 --> 0:58:07.160 I was like, yeah, of course. They had been fans 0:58:07.320 --> 0:58:10.040 of melrose Place, these two, this young couple, they had 0:58:10.080 --> 0:58:13.680 watched melrose Place and then had just binge watched all 0:58:13.720 --> 0:58:16.960 of Desperate Housewives and said we just had to come. 0:58:17.000 --> 0:58:20.760 My wife called and said I got tickets and were going. 0:58:21.120 --> 0:58:23.080 So they came to see me in the theater. And 0:58:23.240 --> 0:58:25.480 I was just thinking, oh, that's so sweet, that's so 0:58:25.600 --> 0:58:28.360 good to you, and and they but the guy went 0:58:28.440 --> 0:58:31.000 on to say, this is the first time we've ever 0:58:31.120 --> 0:58:34.960 been to live theater. And I was like, what this like? 0:58:35.160 --> 0:58:38.080 Not dinner theater? You never saw a production of Fiddler 0:58:38.160 --> 0:58:40.240 on the Roof, You never went to your like high 0:58:40.280 --> 0:58:43.600 school musical or something. No, this was the first piece 0:58:43.640 --> 0:58:46.000 of theater. And I said, well, my goodness, do you 0:58:46.240 --> 0:58:48.560 think you'll be taking news is something you'll now do? 0:58:48.680 --> 0:58:52.320 And he said I don't think so, I don't. I 0:58:52.400 --> 0:58:54.760 don't think I will ever see anything as good as this. 0:58:56.800 --> 0:59:01.480 So there were some sweet, sweet people, and I just 0:59:01.680 --> 0:59:05.040 loved I loved my time at Theater Works Hartford, and yeah, 0:59:05.040 --> 0:59:08.520 it was. It's it's a really really compelling play. 0:59:08.960 --> 0:59:10.680 How long did it take to get your sea legs 0:59:10.720 --> 0:59:11.400 on stage again? 0:59:11.600 --> 0:59:11.800 Yeah? 0:59:12.800 --> 0:59:16.600 Oh boy, it's I'll tell you this that it's a 0:59:16.680 --> 0:59:22.040 lot of work that theater. They literally they literally they 0:59:22.120 --> 0:59:24.000 gave me the schedule on the first day and I 0:59:24.120 --> 0:59:27.080 was like, oh, well, rehearsal and they had like rehearsal 0:59:27.120 --> 0:59:28.920 blocked out on the weekend. I go, I don't. I 0:59:29.000 --> 0:59:32.560 don't work on Sunday. I mean, I knew that when 0:59:32.600 --> 0:59:34.920 we're up and running that we would have to do show. No, no, 0:59:35.040 --> 0:59:37.160 no no. But when you're in rehearsal, you still keep 0:59:37.200 --> 0:59:40.800 those You work Tuesday through Sunday, you go to work 0:59:40.840 --> 0:59:43.680 every day, you get Monday off. Yeah. Yeah, So that 0:59:43.880 --> 0:59:46.880 was that was a little eye opening, but all in 0:59:46.960 --> 0:59:49.960 all a really really deeply rewarding experience. 0:59:50.160 --> 0:59:52.640 Did you do matinee and night on Saturday and Sunday? 0:59:53.120 --> 0:59:58.080 Yes, So we had Laura and I would call double headers. Yeah, 0:59:58.280 --> 1:00:01.760 uh on Sataturday, and then our final weekend they out 1:00:01.800 --> 1:00:04.680 of performance. So we did to Saturday and to Sunday. Yeah, 1:00:04.760 --> 1:00:10.960 And it's a it's a it's a really compelling and difficult, challenging. 1:00:10.720 --> 1:00:12.160 And will you do another one? 1:00:13.120 --> 1:00:17.440 Or you're like, yeah, no, I'll take it. I'll take 1:00:17.480 --> 1:00:19.920 a day to day because you have to be in 1:00:20.000 --> 1:00:21.920 love with it. If you're going to be doing that 1:00:22.080 --> 1:00:25.240 much rehearsal and then performing every day, you've got it. 1:00:25.360 --> 1:00:29.840 Takes a level of commitment that in television and film 1:00:29.880 --> 1:00:32.000 we're not used to. I'll tell you this, I'm ready 1:00:32.040 --> 1:00:34.040 for a trailer. I'm ready for a trailer and. 1:00:34.040 --> 1:00:36.480 A bagel break. 1:00:36.520 --> 1:00:37.520 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. 1:00:40.240 --> 1:00:43.440 About the play was really like it was so far 1:00:43.520 --> 1:00:45.680 out of your comfort zone in the moment, but when 1:00:45.720 --> 1:00:47.680 it was with your friend Tim, with Tim de Kay, 1:00:48.040 --> 1:00:50.680 then that was like such an easier consideration to do 1:00:50.840 --> 1:00:52.520 something that felt really brave and. 1:00:52.760 --> 1:00:54.840 I would be remiss if I didn't Tim Dkay, who 1:00:54.920 --> 1:00:56.760 is a star of White Collar. We mentioned his co 1:00:56.880 --> 1:01:01.160 star Matt Bomer earlier White Collar Carnival. He's in Oppenheimer. 1:01:01.240 --> 1:01:05.560 He's done a million, such great work. He was utterly 1:01:05.640 --> 1:01:08.040 brilliant and he stole the show. I am. I was 1:01:08.280 --> 1:01:09.960 just honored to be on the stage with him. He's 1:01:10.760 --> 1:01:14.920 three characters, three three characters, yeah, three characters for. 1:01:15.720 --> 1:01:17.080 Well I'm so that's amazing. 1:01:17.160 --> 1:01:19.440 I'm in awe of you for hung off to do 1:01:19.560 --> 1:01:21.400 that for three characters, just one thing to go see 1:01:21.440 --> 1:01:22.320 a play at this age and. 1:01:22.440 --> 1:01:27.760 Already, yeah, there you go. That was at our age. 1:01:28.280 --> 1:01:29.040 Can we do that again? 1:01:29.080 --> 1:01:29.360 Please? 1:01:30.280 --> 1:01:34.040 Like yeah, I was. 1:01:34.440 --> 1:01:34.760 I was. 1:01:35.280 --> 1:01:39.160 I was really terrified of the life of the live stuff, 1:01:39.240 --> 1:01:42.000 and as it turns, I lived through it. I never 1:01:42.120 --> 1:01:45.600 had an enormous gaff or something. I think the most 1:01:45.640 --> 1:01:50.040 unprofessional thing I did was, you know, audiences, although they 1:01:50.080 --> 1:01:53.720 were warned forget to turn their cell phones, and one 1:01:54.360 --> 1:01:57.040 just rang the first time, and you just keep going, 1:01:57.200 --> 1:02:00.800 rang a second time, and rang the time, at which 1:02:00.840 --> 1:02:04.479 time I slammed my hand counter. 1:02:04.600 --> 1:02:08.720 It was sort of in character, sort of character, but clearly. 1:02:08.520 --> 1:02:11.720 Not apologizing to everyone, including stage managers. 1:02:12.120 --> 1:02:14.640 You didn't do a what do they do? Patty Lapone 1:02:14.920 --> 1:02:18.400 and what's his name? Hugh, what's his name? They just 1:02:18.440 --> 1:02:21.000 turned to the audience and they turn you yeah. 1:02:20.880 --> 1:02:25.000 Patty Lapone is yeah, I mean for having told they 1:02:25.040 --> 1:02:26.280 have been warned the audience. 1:02:26.440 --> 1:02:29.479 You know, it's not the first no, they've been worn 1:02:29.520 --> 1:02:32.080 by that voice of God. Please turn your phones off 1:02:32.120 --> 1:02:33.400 and unwrap your candies. 1:02:33.480 --> 1:02:37.680 Now, there was also a moment in the play where 1:02:38.480 --> 1:02:41.760 several times that the audience would talk back to us, which. 1:02:41.760 --> 1:02:44.919 Really yeah, very involved audience ary. 1:02:45.240 --> 1:02:50.320 Tim character asked me at some you know, two thirds 1:02:50.360 --> 1:02:52.840 of the way through the because who else would understand? 1:02:53.160 --> 1:02:55.800 And I look at them and I say yeah, And 1:02:55.960 --> 1:02:59.200 before I could get my line out, someone in the yeah. 1:03:02.840 --> 1:03:06.200 What he said, we all say, I do love, didn't you? 1:03:06.240 --> 1:03:09.680 How did you like that audience reaction, that immediate reaction 1:03:09.880 --> 1:03:12.160 in that play that you don't get in film or TV. 1:03:12.400 --> 1:03:14.800 I have to tell you and Courdi well, if you 1:03:15.160 --> 1:03:17.920 remember from my time on acording gym, I'm terrified of 1:03:18.080 --> 1:03:22.120 the audience. I don't ever need them. My my goal, 1:03:22.280 --> 1:03:24.080 I don't need them. My goal in doing this was 1:03:24.160 --> 1:03:26.080 like could it was? It was a personal test. Could 1:03:26.160 --> 1:03:28.000 I do it? Could I answer this? Could I answer it? 1:03:28.040 --> 1:03:32.880 Could I answer the emotional requirements of it? Every single 1:03:33.120 --> 1:03:37.120 night twice on Saturday and Sunday. And we reached a 1:03:37.200 --> 1:03:42.400 point in rehearsals where the director where my friend Tim 1:03:42.560 --> 1:03:44.880 Kay turned to the director and said, you know, I 1:03:45.160 --> 1:03:47.400 understand the note, but I need an audience now, I 1:03:47.480 --> 1:03:50.479 need an audience. And I thought, oh, I would be okay. 1:03:50.600 --> 1:03:52.800 Thing never, that's not. 1:03:52.920 --> 1:03:54.120 Why we keep this private. 1:03:54.240 --> 1:03:57.200 Yeah, what is so? 1:03:57.840 --> 1:03:57.880 No? 1:03:58.280 --> 1:04:00.720 And I had much to learn, And I had to learn. 1:04:00.880 --> 1:04:02.560 I had to learn to hold for last. 1:04:04.040 --> 1:04:06.360 Stuff like that, or to not react when the audience 1:04:06.480 --> 1:04:11.240 is interjecting that's my line. 1:04:13.280 --> 1:04:16.080 Was there a point where you got so comfortable with 1:04:16.160 --> 1:04:19.240 the lines that you just felt yourself in the moment, 1:04:19.360 --> 1:04:21.280 like you weren't thinking about your next line. You got 1:04:21.320 --> 1:04:22.960 to just completely let go of the reins. 1:04:23.200 --> 1:04:26.160 Well, that's obviously the goal every single day is to 1:04:26.400 --> 1:04:28.880 really be in the moment that that audience is the 1:04:28.960 --> 1:04:30.720 first should be the first time that's ever come out 1:04:30.720 --> 1:04:32.400 of your mouth, because the first time they're ever going 1:04:32.480 --> 1:04:35.400 to hear it. But and I did, And the more 1:04:35.560 --> 1:04:39.880 comfortable I didn't get was was not worrying about that 1:04:40.040 --> 1:04:42.000 so much. I'm really being able to be present, to 1:04:42.560 --> 1:04:46.960 to play uh freely with the other actors. Yeah. 1:04:48.040 --> 1:04:51.400 Wow, Well I do have one more I think by 1:04:51.480 --> 1:04:55.880 time for one more question. Fan questions from as much 1:04:55.880 --> 1:05:00.800 as this theater tag, but it's also good and yes, 1:05:01.040 --> 1:05:02.800 this seems this is a very important question. It's from 1:05:02.840 --> 1:05:06.800 a user whose user name begins with Lucy, and she says, 1:05:06.920 --> 1:05:14.080 who's your favorite child? Oh, yes, in case you need 1:05:14.160 --> 1:05:16.440 time to think about it. She sent a second question, 1:05:16.720 --> 1:05:19.000 also from a user whose user name begins with Lucy. 1:05:19.040 --> 1:05:20.760 Who is your favorite child? And why is it Lucy? 1:05:23.760 --> 1:05:28.080 Lucy my favorite child? Person? Ever, I will show you 1:05:28.280 --> 1:05:31.120 is that Lucy. Now, Lucy may have entered that, may 1:05:31.160 --> 1:05:34.000 have entered her own contact information on my phone, and 1:05:34.440 --> 1:05:38.040 she may also be in charge of my screensaver because 1:05:38.080 --> 1:05:42.520 there she is also my favorite child. It changes every day, 1:05:42.800 --> 1:05:44.400 just who's going to be the nicer? 1:05:47.720 --> 1:05:49.440 Who does question? 1:05:49.600 --> 1:05:53.200 We've noticed that Matt wore a lot of T shirts, 1:05:53.280 --> 1:05:54.040 Oh my God, with. 1:05:54.600 --> 1:05:58.240 Graphics on them, political. 1:05:57.920 --> 1:06:01.120 Statements, political statements, different things. Did you have say in that? 1:06:01.320 --> 1:06:03.800 Did you like that? Did you pick out fun ones? 1:06:03.960 --> 1:06:07.600 The only one I did wear was for the the 1:06:07.680 --> 1:06:10.640 California Age Ride, which was the celebrity spokesman for I 1:06:10.880 --> 1:06:13.840 remember that being there. There was God, there was a 1:06:14.000 --> 1:06:16.320 university back east that had. 1:06:16.280 --> 1:06:19.040 Wanted me to wear their stuff that I wren't would stuffin. 1:06:19.520 --> 1:06:19.760 Yeah. 1:06:20.520 --> 1:06:20.720 Yeah. 1:06:21.760 --> 1:06:26.120 But then the rest of that was just all, you know, wardrobe, wardrobe. 1:06:26.160 --> 1:06:28.480 They just decided that that, yeah, that that's the way. Yeah. 1:06:28.600 --> 1:06:30.480 I did a little look in the beginning of the 1:06:30.640 --> 1:06:33.120 backward hats like like that that was I don't know, 1:06:33.160 --> 1:06:35.800 I've watched something where I had enormous clothes, like like 1:06:35.880 --> 1:06:37.960 I had a sure that was just like, you know, 1:06:38.040 --> 1:06:39.320 I could just take another person. 1:06:42.040 --> 1:06:45.400 Yeah yeah, well Andrew too, I mean except for you know, 1:06:45.800 --> 1:06:48.440 Jake had the shirt, but outside of him, all the 1:06:48.480 --> 1:06:50.640 guys had these huge, voluminous teas. 1:06:51.080 --> 1:06:53.600 Yeah, but yours had graphics on them and. 1:06:55.120 --> 1:07:00.320 Character, so we found unbelievable. 1:07:00.160 --> 1:07:04.280 That one's not that's not so bad. Of course, that's. 1:07:04.200 --> 1:07:08.600 Brilliant the very nineties. I like that. She did say 1:07:08.640 --> 1:07:10.080 do you want to word them for the episode? And 1:07:10.120 --> 1:07:16.880 you're like a second, yeah, okay, Hey, why don't I 1:07:16.880 --> 1:07:19.560 ask you another question? What did you think about the 1:07:19.640 --> 1:07:22.000 death of Matt in season seven? And why did they 1:07:22.080 --> 1:07:24.880 have to kill Matt off screen? Apparently this person wanted 1:07:24.920 --> 1:07:25.720 to see you die. 1:07:25.720 --> 1:07:26.160 In real. 1:07:28.040 --> 1:07:33.520 Person's not alone. Yeah, no, yeah, they wanted a story point, 1:07:33.600 --> 1:07:35.520 and I would to that person, I would Probably the 1:07:35.560 --> 1:07:40.280 most honest answer is that writers have a difficult time 1:07:40.400 --> 1:07:43.720 coming up with storylines, and you know, after seven years 1:07:43.760 --> 1:07:47.160 on a show like this, you know they're they're tapped out. 1:07:47.280 --> 1:07:51.560 So using Matt's death to as a device for something 1:07:51.600 --> 1:07:53.760 else in a character that was happening on screen. I 1:07:53.840 --> 1:07:57.480 think that's probably why they did that. I you know 1:07:57.800 --> 1:07:59.840 I would, I don't. I don't care. 1:08:00.240 --> 1:08:01.480 So you did seven seasons? 1:08:01.560 --> 1:08:03.720 No, I did five? I mean I did the five. 1:08:04.200 --> 1:08:07.280 I did episode one of you. I did episode the 1:08:07.360 --> 1:08:12.200 first episode of Year six, and they had written me 1:08:12.280 --> 1:08:16.880 off the story. Here's interestingly enough, as we all know, 1:08:17.040 --> 1:08:22.679 mister Spelling was incredible, you know, but also very controlling, 1:08:23.760 --> 1:08:25.960 and he was also very generous with us about like, 1:08:26.000 --> 1:08:27.800 as long as we've been in the hiatus, I can't 1:08:27.840 --> 1:08:29.920 tell you how many other Spelling shows that I did, 1:08:30.479 --> 1:08:34.840 because Uncle Aaron would would say, hey, come on, can't 1:08:34.920 --> 1:08:39.680 do this show. But he was not so keen on 1:08:39.880 --> 1:08:43.320 us going to do movies or things on our hiatus 1:08:43.400 --> 1:08:48.000 that were outside of our show. So after year five, 1:08:48.160 --> 1:08:51.559 I was coming back for just six episodes of Year six, 1:08:51.680 --> 1:08:54.600 That's what I was coming back to do. And I 1:08:54.720 --> 1:08:57.840 got Godzilla in the meantime, and there was going to 1:08:57.880 --> 1:09:01.720 be a three week overlap, and I needed to work 1:09:01.800 --> 1:09:05.360 that out with with Meloe's place, and I thought, there's 1:09:05.479 --> 1:09:08.040 no way this is happening. It's impossible. They are not 1:09:08.160 --> 1:09:10.240 going to do it. Mister Spelling doesn't do this. At 1:09:10.280 --> 1:09:15.400 that same time, Heather became pregnant and they lost their 1:09:15.560 --> 1:09:18.120 hiatus all together, and they weren't getting even have a 1:09:18.160 --> 1:09:19.880 height as they were just going to shoot right on through. 1:09:20.200 --> 1:09:23.519 So what they said was, oh god, we've got bigger 1:09:23.560 --> 1:09:28.880 fish to problems. Let well, we'll pay Doug for the 1:09:29.000 --> 1:09:31.360 six episodes, but he's got to come back, and he's 1:09:31.360 --> 1:09:32.960 got to do the first one. We'll write him out 1:09:33.000 --> 1:09:37.120 in one. They paid me, mister Spelling. Did that solid 1:09:37.320 --> 1:09:40.160 for me at a time in my life? Yeah, yeah, 1:09:40.320 --> 1:09:44.160 And so I really really appreciated that. 1:09:44.880 --> 1:09:46.760 So they killed you, you weren't a part of the show. 1:09:46.840 --> 1:09:49.679 They do because I'm so curious. We tried to ask Thomas, 1:09:49.720 --> 1:09:51.800 but I'm so curious about that cast because we don't 1:09:51.840 --> 1:09:53.760 know any of them sing a cast picture and like, 1:09:54.120 --> 1:09:56.600 I don't know anybody in that well. 1:09:56.640 --> 1:09:58.400 We all had our exits because there was a turn 1:09:58.520 --> 1:10:00.479 there was a turning point at the end of season five. 1:10:00.600 --> 1:10:03.599 So we all had our various exits and some are 1:10:03.680 --> 1:10:06.920 remarkable than us, some were notable and memorable, but like, 1:10:07.320 --> 1:10:09.800 your character was killed as well. But so the literal answer, 1:10:09.960 --> 1:10:13.160 as far as a fan was asking, is also that 1:10:13.400 --> 1:10:15.600 was the turning point where that contract was up and 1:10:15.720 --> 1:10:17.960 you had the plan, and so that was just the 1:10:18.400 --> 1:10:19.880 that was what they wrote as your exit. 1:10:20.080 --> 1:10:22.000 No, so I didn't I don't even know. I know, 1:10:22.240 --> 1:10:23.599 I know. No, No, I didn't die. 1:10:23.720 --> 1:10:24.320 I didn't die. 1:10:24.439 --> 1:10:25.679 I didn't until you're seven. 1:10:25.800 --> 1:10:26.519 I just wouldn't. 1:10:26.760 --> 1:10:27.720 No, I went off to go. 1:10:28.160 --> 1:10:30.360 I went off to San Francisco to go. 1:10:30.760 --> 1:10:30.960 Yeah. 1:10:31.560 --> 1:10:34.400 Okay, So when Matt met his demise, I was not 1:10:34.640 --> 1:10:36.479 I was no longer on the show. But I really 1:10:36.600 --> 1:10:40.040 just assumed that the writers needed storyline to to fill 1:10:40.120 --> 1:10:42.640 out and so that they used that. But I was 1:10:42.800 --> 1:10:46.439 indeed disappointed that that's the way he went out. But 1:10:47.640 --> 1:10:50.920 but I understood it, and he Matt had gone off 1:10:50.960 --> 1:10:54.719 to San Francisco to pursue either fully becoming a doctor 1:10:55.080 --> 1:10:58.200 or his continued social work. I forgot, or maybe it's. 1:10:58.080 --> 1:10:58.760 Going to work in. 1:11:01.800 --> 1:11:04.160 Does anyone ever really die on Melroe's place? So I 1:11:04.200 --> 1:11:07.240 don't think, well, we're gonna come. 1:11:07.360 --> 1:11:10.960 I say now, I'm just going to say now, I 1:11:11.000 --> 1:11:15.000 don't know. And on that note, we are so glad 1:11:15.040 --> 1:11:18.519 you were finding her, and we're going to ask you 1:11:18.720 --> 1:11:21.000 the last question that we ask everybody else. Will you 1:11:21.200 --> 1:11:23.160 come back again. If we ask you to come back, 1:11:23.200 --> 1:11:31.759 will you come back? So thank you all for your questions, 1:11:31.840 --> 1:11:34.880 all our listeners, and we'll see you next week on 1:11:35.000 --> 1:11:35.639 Still the Place. 1:11:36.760 --> 1:11:39.439 You guys are amazing. Guys are amazing. 1:11:40.040 --> 1:11:40.880 Bye bye