Tutte le interviste TV
a Michael T. Weiss
dal 1990 al 1999
Parte 2
Questa sezione contiene tutte le trascrizioni delle interviste TV originali realizzate a Michael T. Weiss, interprete di Jarod, dal 1990 al 1999, raccolte in vari siti americani grazie ad un lavoro di Danny. A ciascuna intervista sono abbinate le immagini dell'apparizione in TV di Michael.
MICHAEL T. WEISS ON THE ROSIE O’DONNELL SHOW - APRIL 3, 1997
Rosie O'Donnell: Every Saturday night, our next guest
stars as a genius on the run in the new NBC drama, The Pretender. Take a look (a
clip from the Keys episode rolls). Please welcome Michael T. Weiss. How are you?
Good to see you, Michael.
Michael T. Weiss: Good to see you. How's it going? It's going great. I'm a
little upset because I wasn't here for thong back week.
ROD: No. If you like, we can send you some during thong week.
MTW: Please do.
ROD: I'm gonna ask if the guests wanna wear them, too.
MTW: Extra large, please.
ROD: Oh, alrighty. Thanks for sharing. Do you know, one of the thong companies
was so sweet. They sent it to me; they said, "We sent you every size, 'cause we
don't know what size you are. Like, five, six. I'm like, "Oh yeah, that's very
kind of them." Wasn't it?
MTW: Are you supposed to know your size? I mean, if you're a five or a six? I
mean, people know their thong size?
ROD: I think...
MTW: Women...
ROD: Women know their underwear size.
MTW: Oh, good.
ROD: And they lie about it often. Well, good to see you. The show is doing so
well.
MTW: Oh, thanks. It's great.
ROD: Now, for everyone, you've seen it, right? He's like a genius guy, who is
kept underground. And you were taught everything. And then you escaped.
MTW: I escaped. It's been such a whirlwind. It's such an incredible pleasure. Um,
Steve Mitchell and Craig Van Sickle, who are our creators, created, like, this
perfect hybrid TV show of all these different action adventure, and science
fiction, and drama, and romance, and they stuck it altogether. And I'm just
having the best time.
ROD: 'Cause you get to be, like, a different thing every week.
MTW: Every week. You never get bored, you know?
ROD: You're always in uniform, too.
MTW: Yes, I have a different uniform every week. I change my clothes a lot. You
get to do lots of fun things. I was a cop.
ROD: You were a cop.
MTW: Once.
ROD: Did you like that?
MTW: It was really fun, but I had the uniform on, which is fun.
ROD: Did you keep it?
MTW: Well, you know....
ROD: I know. Tell me.
MTW: Well, you know it wasn't as dirty as you think, you know. But after we
wrapped, I was looking and thinking, "Hmmm, I have a police officer's uniform
on. Hmmm." So I went out and we were shooting at Paramount. I went outside, and
I started directing traffic, you know?
ROD: You didn't...
MTW: I started really getting into it, and then it was really fun. Like, you
know, studio executives were pulling up in their big Mercedes. It was like, "I
don't think so, sir."
ROD: Couldn't you get arrested for that?
MTW: You can certainly get arrested for that.
ROD: I think you can, but it was all in good fun.
MTW: Yes, but I... you know, uniforms are great, and I think that Jarod has a
revolving charge account at Barney's, 'cause he's always got... I change clothes,
like, thirty-five times a day.
ROD: Yeah, it's a lot of work doing an hour drama, isn't it?
MTW: Oh.
ROD: It's like fourteen hours a day, is that...
MTW: Fifteen hours a day.
ROD: Fifteen hours a day.
MTW: No time for love. But it's a good one....
ROD: Awww.
MTW: But it's really fun. Now, as you know, or you might not know, Jarod is sort
of uh, never had popular culture.
ROD: No.
MTW: Like you have, obviously.
ROD: I had a lot.
MTW: You've obviously not been exposed to it. So, I wanted to bring you
something. Now, Jarod is sort of the unofficial spokesperson for Pez.
ROD: Pez dispensers. Yes.
MTW: Right, which is, you know, he thinks Pez is just amazing, which is, you
know, it's a very important thing, Pez. And, um, so I had one made especially
for you because, during my formative years, I watched you in Exit to Eden. And
seeing you in your little dominatrix outfit....
ROD: Don't even tell me, Michael T. Weiss.
MTW: Little dominatrix Rosie Pez.
ROD: It actually looks a little bit like me. Where can we get it? What camera?
Look at that. Is there candy in it? There is! When you eat Pez, do you pull the
candy out with your fingers or your teeth?
MTW: I just pull the whole cartridge out and shove the whole thing in my mouth.
ROD: Oh, you do?
MTW: I'm, like, an all or nothing type of guy.
ROD: Where'd you grow up?
MTW: It's got a little whip. Did you notice?
ROD: I did notice, actually. It's gonna go in my collection. Where did you grow
up?
MTW: I grew up in Chicago.
ROD: What was your favorite candy when you were a kid?
MTW: Uh, Pez, Pop Rocks, and those little Pixie Stix. But next season, Jarod's
gonna discover Pixie Stix, I think. That Pez is getting old. It's time to move
on to bigger and better....
ROD: Colored sugar in a straw.
MTW: Yes. It's very healthy.
ROD: Diabetes waiting to happen. That's what it is. Now, do you have any
brothers or sisters?
MTW: Yes, I have two sisters.
ROD: Are they in the acting profession?
MTW: One is a make up artist.
ROD: Oh, really?
MTW: Yes, and the other one works for Sears, doing their advertising. Can you
say that on the air?
ROD: You can say Sears. In fact, we can sing the song (ROD sings the Sears
jingle).
MTW: That's her account.
ROD: There you go.
MTW: Now, I have a good one for you. Do you remember? (MTW sings and RO joins
in) Digger the dog. Digger, he goes with you when you explore.
MTW: Do you guys remember that?
ROD: Yes, and the mother went out the door, and she goes... remember the
beginning, when the mother opens the screen door in the back? What does she say?
"Whatcha doin' Tommy?" "Walkin' Digger, Mom." (MTW and ROD finish singing the
jingle).
ROD: I love that. You know the Slinky one? (They start singing the Slinky
jingle).
ROD: That's the easy part. What about the beginning?
MTW: No, I don't remember the beginning.
ROD: (sings the beginning of the jingle) I'm like the opposite of your character.
MTW: Very talented. Very talented. You are like, yes, you are what Jarod would
love to be. Now, Jarod actually did discover Slinkys in one episode.
ROD: He did? I didn't see that one. You gotta send it to me.
MTW: Yes, and he usually uses them in some way to bring down the bad guy. So,
it's kind of fun.
ROD: He does, which is always good. Like, you know who always did that? MacGyver.
He'd have, like, a paper clip, and he could make a bomb. You know? But he wasn't
even a genius. He was just MacGyver. He always used to be on my soap opera, that
MacGyver guy. He was. He was Jeff, wasn't he, on All My Children. Can't get over
that.
MTW: Now, I think I have this image of you sitting at home with, like, fifteen
different tv screens going on at once, going like this (MTW pretends to watch
multiple screens).
ROD: I am, pretty much, and I'm enjoying it. And I'm on the computer at the same
time.
MTW: Isn't the computer cool?
ROD: Are you on it?
MTW: Internet is so cool.
ROD: You're on the internet or America Online?
MTW: I'm on both, actually.
ROD: Me too.
MTW: It's weird. You can go in, and you can, like, listen to people talk about
you.
ROD: Do you do that?
MTW: It's like being a fly on the wall.
ROD: It is. You give me your account name, and we'll be e-mail buddies.
MTW: Okay.
ROD: Alright.
MTW: Dominatrix.rose.com. Or something like that.
ROD: Michael T. Weiss. Watch The Pretender, 'cause it's a great show.
MICHAEL T. WEISS ON ARIZONA CHANNEL 12 NEWS - MAY 10, 1997
(clip from Ranger Jarod, episode 14)
Kari Lake: Standing up for the little person. That's what Jarod, The Pretender,
does in every episode. Suspenseful storylines and scenes like this one have
gained actor Michael Weiss a lot of fans, including me. You are such a stud.
Michael T. Weiss: (embarrassed laugh as he looks all around) Who, me?!?
Kari Lake: Yes, you!! (voice over while showing clips of Ranger Jarod and Baby
Love, episode 20) This day, he was busy shooting two shows. On one set, an
intimate scene. On another, he plays a father.
MTW: So we don't have to get stuck in who we think we are. We can get stuck
in... you know, we can play with different aspects of our personality, and that's
what Jarod does. Not only does he play a different character every week, but he's
also really innocent on some levels and really dark and twisted on another level.
So it's a lot of fun to play.
MICHAEL T. WEISS ON THE LOGIE AWARDS - MAY 18, 1997
(A clip from Flyer, episode 3)
Master of Ceremonies: Thank goodness he got out the crash to be with us this
evening... Michael T. Weiss.
Michael T. Weiss: G'day Daryll. How're you goin'?
MC: It's caught on already, has it? The old Australian lingo. Didn't take you
long.
MTW: Sure is, mate. No worries.
MC: Have you learned any really good Australian expressions while you're here?
MTW: Well, I've been watching a lot of your telly, and I'm doing a little
research. I think I'm going to pretend to be one of your Australian newscasters
(intones in deep Australian accent) Peter Harvey. Canberra. Pretty good, huh?
MC: Yeah, and he's in Sydney now. But it doesn't really matter now. He used to
be in Canberra. You must have come out here on another trip. Now you're looking
pretty good, but somebody told me you woke up at 5 o'clock in the morning or
something and you went gambling today.
MTW: I had a little jet lag, so I figured if I can't sleep, I might as well
gamble.
MC: Did you?
MTW: I lost.
MC: It would have been nice to say you won.
MTW: I won!
MC: We're in the Palladium. Now let me tell you something. Don't push the casino
aspect of this place. Although I must admit, there are a lot of shops and
everything. It's a big complex. I went to the pharmacy, you know, the all-night
pharmacy. I went in because I had a headache and I said "Could I have some
aspirin?" The guy said "I'll toss you, double or nothing." He's a chemist.
Anyway, I ended up with two headaches. I just wanted to ask you about your
character, because your character on The Pretender is somewhat... it allows you
a lot of scope in the role, doesn't it? Because you do a lot of things.
MTW: Yes, he was a childhood prodigy. He's a super-genius. He can be anything he
wants to be.
MC: Sort of like a television programmer. Yeah, I know what you mean. Listen, we
have an award that we'd like you to read out the nominees. This is very... this
is a really close one. I really couldn't pick it. It's up to you.
MTW: I can't pick it? The nominations for the most popular series are Blue
Heelers (7 Network), Halifax F.P. (9 Network), Home and Away (7 Network) and
Water Rats (9 Network). And the winner is... Blue Heelers (7 Network).
MC: Michael, we just wanna say, enjoy the rest of your time in Australia. I know
this is a short trip. You have a bit of a break before you have to go back and
do The Pretender?
MTW: A little bit of a break. Not too much. They don't give us too much of a
break. But thanks for giving us such a good lead-in.
MC: Oh, hey, our pleasure. Thanks for being with us.
MTW: My pleasure.
MICHAEL T. WEISS ON THE KENAN IVORY WAYANS SHOW - DECEMBER 9, 1997
Keenan Ivory Wayans: We're back. My next guest plays a
one-man force of justice on the NBC series The Pretender. Let's take a look (a
clip from from Past Sim rolls) Let's welcome Michael T. Weiss (Michael enters,
mimicing the hand-pumping gestures of the applaudingand cheering audience).
MTW: Wow. You know, you feel kind of powerful when you do this.
KIW: Nice shot.
MTW: Thank you. And your makeup artist gave me this great lip stuff. My lips
taste so good right now.
KIW: Now, I heard you almost didn't make it here tonight.
MTW: You know, there's this El Nino thing going on in Los Angeles, you know.
KIW: Yes. Yes, we've heard about that one.
MTW: Los Angeles freaks out. You know, I grew up in Chicago. It rained every
day. It was not a big deal. Here, it rains like, for five minutes, and all the
producers freak out. So they cancelled filming last week, and so we had to film
today. I was supposed to have the day off so I could chill out and do your show.
So they bring me to work at 5:45. I get off of work in just enough time to drive
here, because I'm such a humble guy...
KIW: Ah, you drive yourself!
MTW: You guys offered to take me in a limousine, and I offered to drive myself.
But I get to my car, and the anti-theft system decided to keep the owner out. So
I'm standing there with the beeper, going like, "Open!" and then it's beeping,
and there's no way for me to get in my car, and there's nobody around. So
finally, I kidnap one of the transport guys, and I say, "Give me a car! I need a
car!" And the only car that's available is... Miss Parker's limousine from the
show. So... I... this is the God's truth... I have Miss Parker's limousine here.
I drive myself here in a limousine.
KIW: I appreciate that. You see? You just pretended to be a limo driver.
MTW: Oh, I am a stylin' guy.
KIW: So, how's this show going? Real good?
MTW: Oh, I'm having such a great... and congratulations to you. This is so much
fun.
KIW: Thank you. This is fun. See, I like your show. It's sort of like the modern
day, kinda, The Fugitive. You get to play like all these different roles every
week, right?
MTW: It's a wonderful hybrid of many different types of television shows, and
it's a wonderful character. I'm truly, just genuinely blessed to be able to
play.
KIW: Now, you learn...you have to learn a lot about so many different...
MTW: ...kinds of things.
KIW: Occupations, right?
MTW: Right. I play a... he's sort of a heroic sociopath. He has the ability to
become anybody he wants to be. He's raised by this nefarious organization called
The Centre, and he escapes, and now he's in the real world. He's sort of this
innocent who becomes different people. So, you know, for twelve or fifteen hours
a day, I'm a hero, which is really strange for me. So, you know, at the end of
the day, you wanna go, and like, kick the dog, you know, and be randomly really
mean to people. People come up to you, "You're such a nice guy." "I am not!" You
know?
KIW: You ever get caught up in any of your occupations?
MTW: You know, it's funny. I was sitting in the back yard with the girlfriend,
and we were just relaxing, having a cocktail. It was the end of a long day, and
I looked across the street... this is the truth... and the house across the
street just burst into flames. And I just kicked into this Jarod mode, you know.
I'm like, "I'm a hero!" And I leaped the fence, and I ran over there and I
grabbed the hose, and I'm putting out the fire, you know, and the real firemen
pull up. And I'm like, "Dudes, I got it under control here." You know? And they're
like, "Uh, can you let us do our job, sir?" And I'm like, "Well, you know, I'm
The Pretender."
KIW: Did they kick you off?
MTW: They kicked me out.
KIW: Pretend to take your ass on over there and shut up. So, tell me, what was
things like before you started working on the show. You started in Chicago.
Right? And...
MTW: Yes, I started in Chicago, you know. I mean we've all had our lean times...
KIW: Yes, we all do.
MTW: ...which hopefully makes you appreciate your life when it's going well,
which I hope to do. But, I mean, I've done every kind of job imaginable just to
make, you know, ends meet.
KIW: What's the worst job you ever had?
MTW: The worst and most embarrassing is that I used to have to sing telegrams to
make a living. And I couldn't sing very well, mind you. And I... one night in
Chicago, it was pouring down rain, and I was in my car, and I was dressed as a
pregnant nun. 'Cause they knew you were out of work as an actor, so they really
wanted to humiliate you.
KIW: Who requested the pregnant nun? I mean, what was that?
MTW: Some twisted person.
KIW: My friend's birthday, man. I want a pregnant nun.
MTW: And I'm sitting here with the thing and my hairy legs and the nun habit,
and the car breaks down. I have a lot of luck with cars, obviously. And I'm
sitting in the car, going, "There's just gotta be a better way. One day...one
day, something's gotta come along and take me away from all this."
KIW: Man, you're lucky the cops didn't show up: "You gonna explain that outfit?"
That is too funny. So now you got a film you're working on?
MTW: Well, right now, we're in the middle of the season, working on that. And
then hiatus comes up in April and there's... I mean, I've worked a lot in
independent films, which is my true love. So, we're entertaining notions for
some great project to do in hiatus.
KIW: Well, cool. We'll be looking at the series until then. Thank you for coming
by. A pleasure meeting you. Michael T. Weiss. Check out The Pretender, Saturday
nights on NBC.
MICHAEL T. WEISS ON THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO - JANUARY 7, 1998
Jay Leno: Please welcome Michael T. Weiss. Good to see you
again.
Michael T. Weiss: Good to see you again, Sir.
JL: Can you put your leg over your head?
MTW: (to fellow guest, Kelly Lynch) No, I am so excited to be sitting next to
someone who can put their leg over their head.
JL: See, guys will keep that rollin' around, right?
MTW: It's a great life in Hollywood.
JL: Yeah, that's what's great about this town. Well, you're an action guy. You
do these action things. You should sort of... that seems up your alley.
MTW: Yes, I've been very, very fortunate during this wonderful show to do a lot
of different action-adventure sort of things.
JL: Were you scuba diving in one? Did I see this?
MTW: I've scuba dived. I've sky dived. I've driven race cars. But the scuba
diving thing was a trip for me because a... well, a psychic sort of ruined that
experience for me.
JL: A psychic?
MTW: Yes, sir.
JL: How do you mean? So you go to a psychic....
MTW: Well, you know, whenever I do something, I do it with great zeal and
enthusiasm, so I went and I took this extensive scuba diving course. Not just
one of those, like, weekend scuba diving courses. I went for, like, five nights
a week, with homework and schoolwork, and I... you know I...
JL: ...take the written test....
MTW: The written test. You know, like the squid test and, you know, sharks and
eels and things... and you know, I was very excited about taking this test. And
I do these extensive dives... and I go to this psychic. And the psychic goes...
I finally get my degree in scuba diving... and I go to the psychic, and the
psychic says, (in psychic's accent) "Do you scuba dive?" And I said, "Yeah, I
do. I'm kind of a studly guy. I just got my certification. It took me about six
weeks." And he goes: "You will die scuba diving." So I can't even get in the
bathtub anymore, and I'm freaking out a little bit.
JL: First of all, it sounds like....was Bela Lugosi the guy you went to?
MTW: "You will die!" I mean that's supposed to be the unwritten law, that you
don't tell someone how they're gonna die.
JL: Oh, is that the unwritten psychic law? Again, psychic law I'm not familiar
with. Do you do this... do you call the telephone psychic lines? Did you do that?
I mean, what brought you to the psychic?
MTW: Now I'm doing it though. (pretends to dial a phone) "Am I really gonna die
scuba diving?"
JL: (Laughs) Alright, take off your clothes. Now what is the, ah... I mean, how'd
you get to the psychic? I mean, do you go to psychics?
MTW: No, I didn't. Someone recommended a psychic. I was very excited to have
this other experience in my life, and it ruined scuba diving for me.
JL: So now you... but you still go, or you get frightened when you go?
MTW: I still go, but I still get a little freaked out.
JL: You just go put your head under water.
MTW: I was recently in Tahiti, and a Morey eel came right in my face. I said, "Hey,
you. I don't wanna die yet."
JL: Oh, so again, always with the psychic.
MTW: Yes.
JL: Now you just worked with our president, Don Ohlmeyer.
MTW: Yes, Mr. Don Ohlmeyer.
JL: Well, he's, as we say in my home country, the boss of bosses. Is he a fan of
your show?
MTW: He's the big chesse at the network. He's the big kahuna, and he was very
nice to guest on our show. And he pulled me aside, and he goes, (switches to
Chicago accent) "Michael - 'cause he's from Chicago - Michael, my mom is a big
Laker fan. I had front row, center seats to the Laker game, and I want you to
know that she said to me, "I can't go because I gotta watch my favorite show on
television."
JL: Ooh....
MTW: The Pretender.
JL: So his mom is... that's good. And good demos.
MTW: Good demo, you know, when the president of the network, when your mom wants
to watch your....
JL: Was he a good actor? Be on... turn the camera off. Was he any good?
MTW: He was brilliant, Jay.
JL: Really? (gestures towards the camera) This isn't on. Wait a minute. Can he
act?
MTW: I thought he was up there with De Niro.
JL: And he wanted to be in it because his mom would see him? Is that what it is?
MTW: Yeah, I think that must have been it.
JL: Do you have a clip? Do you have a clip of our president?
MTW: We have a clip. It's a bit of a rough-cut clip of the president of NBC.
JL: Folks, I want you to look at it. You tell me whether you think Don Ohlmeyer,
our president, can act. Take a look (clip rolls).
JL: (gestures at audience) Wow, you know, I can see people were visibly moved.
MTW: Jay, I read in the paper today that you were picked up until the next
millenium. So you don't really have to kiss his butt anymore.
JL: No, I'm all set. I'm all set. So where else you have been? You going around
the world in this show?
MTW: I'm going all over, all over around the world. It's been a great gift in my
life, this show. I mean, we get to do... I get to play a different character
every week. I get to experience different people every week.
JL: Were you driving race cars? Did I see that one?
MTW: Yes, I got to drive a race car.
JL: Now, do you like that? Is that fun?
MTW: That was a whole new world for me, and a very exciting one. Now, you think
you probably get lucky being a talk show host, you know. I'm sure that's a chick
magnet for you, Jay.
JL: Yeah, it's a chick magnet. That's the kind of talk my wife loves. I have one
chick, and then my magnet been... well, it's only got one polarity, if you know
what I'm saying. I had the other magnet... well, go ahead. But for you, you're a
single guy. You can be a chick magnet.
MTW: I got to... we were at the California Speedway, and I got to put on a race
car driving suit and hang out with Mario Andretti and Al Unser, Jr., and I got
to go around the pacecar at 150 miles per hour on the track, which is really
cool. But if, you know, you wanna get lucky, you just wear a race car driving
suit.
JL: Really? Women are attracted to that?
MTW: Unbelievable. I mean, people...
JL: Now, did you wear it... Did you come into Hollywood, and you walk around
town in your race car outfit? Hi, girls. You get the big shoes, too, if you get
the, uh... now, you were in Australia, too?
MTW: I was in Australia recently for the Logie Awards.
JL: Now what is that?
MTW: It's the Australian version of Emmys.
JL: Oh, I see.
MTW: And you walk around, and they're like (in Australian accent): "Eh, you're
The Pretinda! You're The Pretinda!"
JL: It's two words in Australia.
MTW: ...Pretinda!
JL: So what... I mean, did you had fun there? Is it nice? See, I've never been
there. It seems like a lovely place.
MTW: Australia's a very lovely place. People are really, really sweet people.
JL: Well, Michael, thank you very much. The Pretender. Every Saturday night.
Michael T. Weiss.
MICHAEL T. WEISS ON ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION - JANUARY 17, 1998
(on site footage of the filming of episode #30, F/X)
MTW:Well, y'know, I try to tell the network executives not to play with fire,
but they just won't listen to me.
Host: The cast and crew of The Pretender are taking extreme precautions while
executing an explosion on the set.
MTW: Well, this explosion happens because... you have to watch the show to see
this one. It's one of those deep, dark Pretender secrets - one of our explosive
secrets - if you don't watch the show... you'll be in the dark.
Host: Well, we'll give you a little insider information. On Saturday's episode
of The Pretender, Jarod pretends to be a special effects coordinator on a
Hollywood set, to investigate an earlier explosion which sent a man to the
hospital (clip of scene from F/X).
MTW: I'm exposing all the evil that could happen in Hollywood... with "E" being
the operative vowel - all of the Evil wrong doings that could go on, on a
Hollywood set. That's what I'm doing today.
Host: In addition to blowing up a building, on Saturday's episode, Michael's
stunt double is set on fire.
MTW: (next to his 'double') What do you think? Looks like him?
Host: Now, while pretending to be a stunt coordinator was exciting for Michael,
his biggest challenge is yet to come.
MTW: Well, I'm kind of pushing for the correspondent reporter for "Entertainment
Television", because I think that that's probably the most nefarious job in the
business and I think if I can do that, I can do just about anything.
Host: This explosive episode of The Pretender airs on Saturday on NBC.
MICHAEL T. WEISS ON THE ROSIE O’DONNELL SHOW - JANUARY 26, 1998
Rosie O'Donnell: Our next guest helps make Saturday nights
just a little more exciting. He's in his second season, starring as The
Pretender. Please welcome back to the show Michael T. Weiss. Don't you look
handsome, Mr. Michael T. Weiss.
MTW: Thank you very much.
ROD: All decked out in your Armani, or something similar.
MTW: Yes, very nice, and may I say, you look like a hottie today, too.
Rosie: I do?
MTW: Yeah, I was backstage, watching you on my little monitor, and I said, "Whew,
she looks hot today."
ROD: Well, thank you, Michael T. Weiss. Well, it's enjoyable to see you again.
MTW: It's wonderful to be back. And I have to tell you, you know I have, maybe,
ten minutes of free time in my life these days, in my trailer. And I always
watch your show, and congratulations. You are doing such a rockin' job.
ROD: Thank you so much. I'm having a fun time, I tell ya.
MTW: You're so great at it.
ROD: When you were here the first time, we kinda got into a commercial jingle...
old show singing.
MTW: Yes, we did.
ROD: I always enjoy a guest who likes to sing songs with me.
MTW: Yeah, I know that.
ROD: What did we sing? We sang a little... what? What did we do?
MTW: Digger the dog.
ROD: Digger the dog. That's right. Whatcha doin', Tommy? Walkin' Digger, Ma." I
remember that. Favorite commercial ever? Commercial jingle? Just give me one off
the top of your head.
MTW: Well, you know, I think it was probably because I watched your show one
day, and you know that Band-Aid song?
ROD: Yes, Barry Manilow wrote that.
MTW: Did he really?
ROD: Yes, he did.
MTW: That's a little interesting tidbit. But I couldn't get the song out of my
head for two weeks, you know. I am stuck on Band-Aid brand, and Band-Aid's stuck
on me. And I almost went to a therapist, 'cause it was just flying around in my
head.
ROD: Right. Did you get the last verse, too?
MTW: Oh, there's a last verse? Don't... please don't do that to me.
ROD: (sings) 'Cause they hold on tight in the bath tub, and they cling in soapy
suds'. You don't rember that? It's alright. We've got about seven more minutes.
We'll get to all of 'em. Now, my producer told me a story that I found kind of
hard to believe.
MTW: What's that?
ROD: You were in Australia...
MTW: Yes.
ROD: ...and you brought back sort of an interesting piece of... well, luggage.
MTW: (in an Australian accent) I was in Australia doing the Logie Awards, which
is the Australian version of the Emmy Awards...
ROD: Uh huh.
MTW: ...and I work with an environmental organization called ECO. Earth
Communications Office, and I work as a spokesperson to remind people that the
environmental crisis is, indeed, not over. It's still quite active, and we all
have to do our part. And because of that, I am a recycling freak. (again in an
Australian accent) But when I was in Australia, I didn't know where the
recycling bins were, and I couldn't figure it out. So, I kept, like, hoarding my
recycling, thinking I'll bring it back. All the cans and bottles I would use, I
would put in my coat. And I came back with a suitcase full of recycling to bring
back to America... 3,000 miles, so I could put it in my recycling bin.
ROD: Can you even believe that story? Is that true?
MTW: It's a true story, but you know, I mean, I believe you sort of have to
practice what you preach, and if you're preaching environmental concepts, you
have to....
ROD: Ok, could you wait one second? I think you knocked your mic off. Let me
find it for you (reaches in Michael's jacket to find his mic).
MTW: Oh, no.
ROD: Just wait a minute. It's alright. It's alright, come here. Ladies, control
yourself. It's a professional show. I'm doing my job.
MTW: I've heard that line. I've heard that line before, Rosie.
ROD: Come here, sweetheart. Let me fix this for you. There you go. There you go.
He's alright. I handled it. He's alright.
MTW: Oh, baby... Oh, baby...
ROD:You're the first guest I've ever had to do that to, and let me say, it was
enjoyable.
MTW: I was fondled by Rosie O'Donnell in front of millions of people.
ROD: Now, the second season of the show...you're having fun still?
MTW: The show is... it's been such an incredible blessing. It's doing really
terrific. It's like, you know, it was like this little engine that could, and
now it's bafoo, doing great in the ratings, and people are really enjoying it,
and it's just great.
ROD: We have a... you all know the premise, that you were sort of locked away as
kind of a government experiment.
MTW: Mhm...
ROD: You broke out. You can pretty much do anything.
MTW: Anything.
ROD: And here's a scene of you pretty much doing something extraordinary.
MTW: Being a race car driver.
ROD: Michael T. Weiss, being a race car driver. The Pretender. Take a look (a
clip from the Indy Show episode rolls). There you are, Mr. Pretender. You get a
lot of wild stunts on that show. Do you do them all yourself?
MTW: It's very funny. I mean, you know, I obviously can't do everything, and
Jarod does everything really well. I did one show where I was sky skating, you
know, where you jump out of an airplane, and you're on a surf board, and you sky
skate, and they cut to footage of a wonderful guy doing that stuff. My
grandmother calls me the next day and goes, "Honey, I didn't know you could do
that."
ROD: Right. It's confusing. You ever do anything like that? Skydiving?
MTW: I did skydive. Yes.
ROD: Oh, you did?
MTW: Yes, I did. I went with a bunch of friends. We were at a party once, and
someone said, "We should go skydiving." We're all like, "Yeah, right." We were
laughing. And then someone booked it, and five of us went. And we drove down
there in a covertible El Dorado, playing Frank Sinatra. We were laughing. We get
there, and we sign up, and we're laughing. And we take the course, and we're
laughing. And we sign our life away, you know, on the waiver, and we're laughing.
And we put the suit on, and we pack our suits, and we're laughing. We get on,
and we take off, and we're 12,000 feet in the air, and everyone's like this
(Michael makes a what the hell am I doing here kind of face).
ROD: No one's laughing.
MTW: And I made the mistake, on the ground, of telling my stunt coordinator guy
that I wanted to do the scariest dive that he could possibly do.
ROD: Which would be....
MTW: It's a tandem dive. Your instructor's on your back. And he gets to the door,
and he starts...."You said you wanted the scariest dive you could get." And I'm
like, "No, I was kidding! Really, I was kidding you!" And he flips out, and we
flipped out backwards like this.
ROD: No way.
MTW: Now, your body has no... no knowledge of how to deal with that kind of
speed, and you're just... aughh! aughh! aughh! It was an amazing... and then we
were just....
ROD: Can I ask a personal question?
MTW: Uh oh. Is it gonna be dirty?
ROD: I want to know if you went pee-pee in your pants. 'Cause the first thing I
thought is, I would probably have diarrhea like no one's business. You know,
somebody wrote a review of the show and said, "She keeps talking about diarrhea."
And I thought, "I do not." And then I started really listening... I talk about
it a lot, Michael. It's like I gotta go to a therapist. Between your Band-Aid
commercial and my diarrhea fixation... I think it's having two kids. You think
about it a lot, because you're changing every five seconds.
MTW: Well, I'm sure, Kaopectate would be very pleased to know that this is a
fixation...
ROD: They would, actually. That works, you know. During my Barbra Streisand week,
I tried that. That was very delicious. Now, are you the kind of guy that would
actually go to Mt. Everest and climb, and do all those kind of outdoorsy stuff?
MTW: If I had a... yeah, I would love... yeah, I mean, I've been adventurous. I'd
like to... you know, while we have a certain time on this planet, I'd love to
experience as much as possible.
ROD: Yeah, not me. No, I saw that movie about those people who went up there,
and a lot of them died. I thought, "Why did they ever go?"
MTW: And they ate each other, too, you know... oh, that was the other one, where
they crashed in the Andes.
ROD: No, that was that movie, Alive.
MTW: Yes.
ROD: Yeah, they ate each other in that movie.
MTW: They did.
ROD: That movie, though, I didn't mind as much, because it wasn't their fault
the plane crashed.
MTW: No, it wasn't.
ROD: But the people who walked up the mountain, you think, "What were you
thinking, to begin with".
MTW: And then if your plane crashes, you wanna make sure that you had, like,
that you didn't give your meal back. That you had kept the snack, you know, so
you wouldn't have to eat your buddy.
ROD: Exactly. You should always keep the snacks, ladies and gentleman. It could
save your life. I hear you have a special and unique talent. Is this true?
MTW: I beg your pardon.
ROD: Now, I've heard... I don't wanna spread any rumors, but you can recite all
of the states in alphabetical order?
MTW: Yes, I have this unique talent. You know, I spend all this time learning
lines, so I made a bet with myself that I could learn all the states in
alphabetical order in a certain period of time, so...
ROD: This you did as an adult?
MTW: As an adult. Would you like to hear it?
ROD: I'd love to hear it.
MTW: (recites states in alphabetical order - missing PA).
ROD: Wow!
MTW: What a talent.
ROD: Watch this. You think that's good? Watch this, Michael: Marsha, Jan, Cindy,
Greg, Peter, Bobby. That's all The Brady Bunches, right in a row. Keith, Laurie,
Danny, Tracy, Chris. There you go! All The Partridges.
MTW: That is a skill that most of Americans does not have.
ROD: That's true.
MTW: Well, I grew up with those people too, you know. They were on our... yes.
ROD: Favorite show. C'mon, kid. Favorite show.
MTW: My favorite show as a kid... you know, the truth is, and I still... I could
watch every Bewitched re-rerun over and over and over and over...
ROD: Favorite Darren? First or second?
MTW: I like both of the Darrens, but you know, I liked Bewitched when she got a
little older. A little savvier.
ROD: So that would be Darren number two.
MTW: I like both Darrens. You know, they were both cool.
ROD: That's so diplomatic, Michael.
MTW: I just cannot...
ROD: You have to have a favorite Darren if you love Bewitched.
MTW: ...differentiate with my Darrens.
ROD: Do you know that I went to a restaurant out in LA about a year ago, and I
walk in, and I like, was like, agog because it was Mrs. Kravitz. The next door
neighbor...
MTW: Gladys.
ROD: ...Gladys Kravitz.
MTW: Gladys number one or Gladys number two?
ROD: Number two. From Bewitched. And I could not... the little skinny one. The
little sort of cute and round one... and I was like, agog. And I went over to
her table, and like, "I can't believe... Gladys Kravitz!"
MTW: Gladys Kravitz.
ROD: She was so sweet, and she's like, "I can't believe you recognized me." I
said, "Every person in this restaurant between the ages of 30 and 45 recognizes
you, but they're just too embarrassed to come over."
MTW: I have a neighbor that's like Gladys Kravitz.
ROD: You do?
MTW: Yeah, it's a lot of fun.
ROD: She's always studyin' ya?
MTW: Checking you out.
ROD: I almost bought this house once on Laurel Canyon... and I don't know why I'm
sharing with everyone... but I almost bought this house once, and I didn't buy
it. And then I was at this restaurant right in Ventura, you know. And this woman
came over, and she said,"I bought the house next to the one you were gonna buy."
And I said, "Oh, great." And she goes, "Yeah, and right when you were moving in,
I used to check your garbage all the time to see if you were there yet." Thank
God I didn't move in there. Can you imagine?
MTW: Sixteen bottles of Kaopectate.
ROD: That's a good one, Michael T. Weiss. And a lot of unrecycled recyclables in
there that we could take over to your house. But that's a whole 'nother story.
Michael T. Weiss. The Pretender.
MTW: Thank you. It was great to be back.
MICHAEL T. WEISS ON ACCESS HOLLYWOOD
Nancy Glass: Actor Michael T. Weiss has pretended to be
everything from a doctor to a skydiver, for his show, The Pretender, but in this
latest episode, Weiss finally gets to fulfill a burning desire (clip from pilot
episode). Each week on The Pretender, Michael T. Weiss plays a super genius who
can be any profession, and can pose as a pilot, a painter, and even a physician
(clip from pilot episode). Now, he's dressing up for his hottest role of all...
Michael T. Weiss: (holding up prop - a glove) Firefighter. In the latest episode,
The Pretender is playing with fire. Fortunately, stunt coordinator Greg Barnett
made it all look painless. Best stunt coordinator in the 'biz'.
NG: Director Anson Williams made it all look real. That's right, Anson Williams,
of Happy Days fame, is a busy TV director, with shows like Melrose Place and
Star Trek Voyager under his belt. His countdown to shooting this fire scene -
checking and rechecking - all things big and small. And when the cameras finally
rolled, the scene was a sizzler (behind scenes footage of filming the above
mentioned scene). Through it all The Pretender acted like a fireman, but Weiss
himself, was more like a kid in a candy store.
MTW:That was fun, man. Your whole life you wanted to be a fireman, and then to
get paid for it!! It's a good deal.
NG: But the best deal of all - the one role this Pretender really wants to take
on, is one that took us by surprise.
MTW: Someone who does interviews for Access Hollywood, because you guys, I hear,
live an exciting life. You're always naked and having pool parties.
NG: I dunno about the pool parties, I know I'm not being invited to any, but
Michael, I'm sure we could get you a gig, as a reporter here.
MICHAEL T. WEISS ON ACCESS HOLLYWOOD - JANUARY 30, 1998
Host: On Saturday night, NBC's The Pretender, watch for a
real life pretender (clip of MTW on the set on Indy Show episode with Don
Ohlmyer). He's the boss, NBC West Coast President, Don Ohlmyer is playing the
director of the Indianapolis 500. But it's something he's actually done, and won
3 Emmys for in the process.
Don Ohlmyer: It's nice to do something like this once in a while to remind you
why you should be on the other side of the camera.
Host: Former Indy winner, Mario Andretti guest stars but the the pressure is on
Pretender star, Michael T. Weiss.
MTW: Well, I said if he stands in my light, or steps on my line, he's outta here!
DO: I know my place. Whatever you say, boss.
Host: Catch The Pretender on Saturday night on NBC.
Jarod il Camaleonte Italia © 2000/02 Antonio Genna