Interview: Annie Potts Is a Good Christian B—
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| Annie Potts, photo by Bob D'Amico/ABC |
Celebrity Extra: I got to watch the press screener of "GCB" last summer when the network was promoting its new shows, and this show — along with ABC's "Revenge" — was my favorite of all the new series. Now, at long last, "GCB" is finally premiering. Has the wait been hell on you?
Annie Potts: I know! Well, I think that was as much agony as it was, it was a real compliment to us, because I think they’ve been saving us to put us in at just the right moment in time to ensure our success. I think that they think that we are great. They just have a lot of faith and hope in us.
CE: Plus, it's not like it's standard protocol to premiere new shows only in the fall. We now have summer premieres, spring premieres, etc., which really benefits the viewer with more choices. I love that!
AP: Me too. It's different now, like you said, especially with cable and stuff, with things coming out all the time. I just started watching HBO's "Luck," which is fantastic, and PBS's "Downton Abbey." It's so last century to let everything premier in the same two weeks in September. It's nuts! It’s like the old-style warfare, where it’s like "Charge!" and the first 400 people in line are going to be massacred. There’s a better way to plan this. So, we think it’s a better mousetrap and hopefully will be a big success.
CE: After seeing the show, I cannot picture anyone else in the role of Gigi than you — it seems tailor-made for you and your talents.
AP: Thank you. I appreciate it. I felt the same way when I read it. It was like, “Oh, this is so my role.” Oh come on. Come on. Bobby Harling is an old friend of mine who wrote it — not that he wrote for me. I don’t mean to suggest that. He and I kind of came up around the same people, and he had, I think from the start, enormous confidence that I was going to be able to pull off Gigi in a way that was aligned with his vision of her. It has been really fun.
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| "GCB" stars Miriam Shor as Cricket Caruth-Reilly, Mark Deklin as Blake Reilly, Jennifer Aspen as Sharon Peacham, Leslie Bibb as Amanda Vaughn, Annie Potts as Gigi Stopper, Brad Beyer as Zack Peacham, David James Elliott as Ripp Cockburn, Kristin Chenoweth as Carlene Cockburn and Marisol Nichols as Heather Cruz. (ABC/BOB D'AMICO) |
AP: Well, that’s kind of come out in the doing of her. I’m a mother myself, and sometimes mothers get a bad rap just because they’ve tried to do their job. Some people have more of a knack for it than others do, but almost all of it falls to, “My mother’s suffocating me.” Whatever. Its like: “Buck up. I’m the one who wiped your behind and put your meals on the table so I’m going to have a say about your life. Accept it.”
CE: What do you like about Gigi, and how do you relate to her as a mom?
AP: I love her great zest for life. She’s been alone for 18 years. But she hasn’t felt sorry for herself. Bobby Harling specializes in writing women who have tremendous depth — I mean, he is the "Steel Magnolias" guy! Gigi just has a real knack for life.
I have lovingly borrowed from book of Dixie Carter for this. If she were she still alive, the role would have been hers and should have been, but since she took the early leave I just decided to play it like her. I think that she would approve. Dixie was sensationally beautiful, religious, Republican, conservative and had two daughters whom she worshipped. She always had stockings on, and she was just immaculately groomed all the time. Even if I went over to her house early in the morning, she always looked good — and she was always in the pew on Sunday. I think that’s the way Gigi is.
CE: While "GCB" is hilarious and fun, hour-long escape, I do love that it talks about hypocrisy of certain people, especially those who claim to be Christian but then don't act very Christianly toward their neighbor.
AP: It’s a great format to talk about hypocrisy. It’s tailor-made for that. Just the idea of Texas is an iconic one all over the world. They think Texas is synonymous with America. We’re big, we’re garish; it’s a cock-of-the-walk kind of thing. Texas has always represented America.
Somebody was saying the other day that there was a migrant pygmy tribe in Africa that waited for its annual migration an extra two or three days so they could find out who shot J.R.
Of course, it’s always fun when the rich get made fun of. Most of us think, “If we just had money, everything would be great.” And this proves, well, maybe not. And that makes everybody feel better. And that’s what entertainment is supposed to be — this is just flat-out entertaining.
CE: What is it like working with all those great people you have on the show?
AP: Everybody on the show is so talented and so relatable, and of course Kristin Chenoweth is a national treasure. Kristin has turned me on to "Toddlers and Tiaras." I watch it for acting tips — I like the women’s devotion to their daughters. It’s going to come out later that my character has been someone who trained people for pageants. So I have watched that to just see what happens in that world. And now, I am devoted to "Toddlers and Tiaras."
My hairdresser the other day asked me, “Oh, have you seen 'Revenge'?” and I said, “I haven’t seen that yet.” And she said: “Honey, it’s like peanut butter. It’s delicious.” And I believe that our show will thought to be delicious too. But maybe something more on the lines of peach cobbler.
Q and A: Week of Feb. 27
Q: I really love watching “Chelsea Lately” and “After Lately” on E! The shows’ casts really seem to have fun and get along. Please tell me this is the case! —George T., Altoona, Pa.A: That certainly is the case. I spoke with series star Heather McDonald recently, and she told me: “We really do laugh all the time, and we really do like each other so much. So many times we’ll be laughing about something and I’ll just go, ‘Oh, don’t we have fun?’ I think it all stems from the example that Chelsea (Handler) has set, and I think that’s important. We’re like a little family where she’s the Mom, and she doesn’t allow jealousy, and she doesn’t allow any real kind of unhealthy competition in any way. We truly believe that each of our success only helps the other.”
And following Chelsea’s example of getting into the publishing industry, Heather has written her own NYT best-selling humorous memoir called “You’ll Never Blue Ball in This Town Again,” and I have to say, the book is deliciously funny. And check back later this week to read my entire interview with Heather. You don't want to miss it!
Q: Like most of the world, I was shocked and devastated to hear of Whitney Houston’s death. I really thought she was on the right path, and about to make a music and movie comeback. Did drugs play a part in her death? — Deena R., via e-mail
A: While there has been no official word as of this writing, TMZ is reporting that according to family sources, Whitney, 48, was killed by a combination of Xanax and other prescription drugs mixed with alcohol. Although she did die in the bathtub, the family was told by the coroner’s office that there didn’t appear to be enough water in her lungs for drowning to have been the cause of death. The L.A. Police Department has determined that there were no signs of foul play.
Whitney will star posthumously in the feature film “Sparkle,” which is slated for an Aug. 12 release. She also recorded two songs for the movie, which will, of course, be on the soundtrack.
Q: Is it true that two of my favorite comedians, Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, are making a movie together? — Samuel D., via e-mail
A: It is indeed true, and I couldn’t be happier to see these two onscreen together. Will and Zach star in “Dogfight,” a comedy about two battling politicians from South Carolina who each have presidential aspirations. The movie is set to premiere Aug. 10, and also co-stars Jason Sudeikis, Dylan McDermott, Dan Aykroyd and John Lithgow.
Q: “Harry’s Law” seems to have vanished. What’s up? — Echo H., via e-mail
A: There has been a little shuffling over at NBC. At the end of January, “Harry’s Law” took about six weeks off. But don’t worry, Kathy Bates and company will return with new episodes March 11 on its new night and timeslot, Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.
Interview (Army Wives): Brigid Brannagh: "I'm a Little Geeky"
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| From left: Wendy Davis, Brigid Brannagh, Kim Delaney, Sally Pressman, Catherine Bell |
Celebrity Extra: I can’t believe it’s almost time for the sixth season of “Army Wives” to premiere. I can remember the day I received the press screener for pilot, and I knew right away that you had something special there.
Brigid Brannagh: I know, it’s crazy to me. Time flies! It feels like yesterday to me, and it also feels like a million years ago.
CE: Last season was especially heart wrenching, with Frank and Denise losing their son Jeremy. The scenes dealing with that — especially the funeral — must have been torture to film.
BB: Oh my God, we were all like, “Make this episode stop.” It was bad. I’ve been to enough funerals where “Taps” was played and the song is, just hearing it, it just evokes so many things. It’s impossible not to feel completely consumed with melancholy when “Taps” comes on, let alone that it’s playing over and over [for filming the scenes]. We’ve been surrounded by this world, by this military army life, for all of these years that you just think about a soldier that you love being gone, and you know he’s done his best for his country, and he’s gone, and he’s just a boy. It tore all of us up. Watching Terry Serpico (who plays Frank) walk in and trying not to cry.
It was so exhausting that I didn’t watch that episode for a few weeks, because I didn’t feel like crying again. I was like, “Enough.” And we certainly didn’t go light on it. It was kind of relentless to shoot it, but we all really appreciated what it was. It was just a long day of shooting.
CE: Tell me about working with Jeremy Davidson, who plays your husband, Chase.
BB: We work really hard on trying to get things right, working with the writers and trying to really dig into some of the things that have gone on for Pamela and Chase, and the arc of what our characters have done. We’re very much alike; we’re both a little geeky. Everybody has a different way of rehearsing. Some people think that if they work on something too much it takes away spontaneity. I disagree. For me, I think if you work on something so much, it becomes second nature. So, he and I do that together. There are so many things in our story lines that I’m proud of. Right now I’m just thinking of the divorce, which also killed me. That was heart wrenching. But when you’re working with somebody who you work well with, it’s like a dance. It just flies and it’s amazing.
CE: What’s it like on the “Army Wives” set?
BB: Everybody’s a decent person — there’s no drama about trailers or anything like that. Nobody cares about that sort of stuff, which is nice, because I hear horror stories about other shows. Everybody’s a decent person. Just starting with that is a pretty big deal. I spend a lot of time with Sally Pressman (Roxy) on screen, and she and I have a really easy working relationship. And I always feel humor working with Sally. Everything she does has a wink in it. And then Kim (Delaney, who plays Claudia) is really an emoter. Like when you’re doing an emotional scene and you’re watching Kim do her thing first, you’ll start crying just because she’s so good. She just always has that emotion right there at the ready.
Catherine (Bell, who plays Denise), we’re always cracking up, because Catherine has her phone in one hand and a sandwich in the other, and is totally doing her job. It’s very funny. I’m like, “Are you doing a love scene and you’ve got a turkey sandwich in your right hand?” It’s hilarious. And then Sterling (Brown, who plays Roland) is just standing back, kind of looking at everything. He’s such a good and decent person — although he likes to cause a little trouble. We have a good time.
Q and A: Week of Feb. 20
Q: I’m hooked on Fox’s “Alcatraz” — thanks for recommending it! It’s what I’ve been missing since “Lost” concluded its run. Do you see the similarities? -? Donovan B., via e-mailA: I certainly do, and I’m not the only one. But the prison drama/fantasy series also is drawing comparisons to another “mythology” series. When I spoke with “Alcatraz” star Jeffrey Pierce, who plays anti-hero Jack Sylvane, he told me: “‘Alcatraz’ is sort of a hybrid between the procedural and the mythology of something like ‘Lost.’ Even the guys who die in 2012 while they are being captured, they’re still alive between 1960 and 1962, when the prisoners start to disappear. If the writers keep this sort of storytelling, where they can travel to the past and also focus on getting prisoners out, caught and on to the next, the story expands out like a cone.
“My wife and I have been watching ‘The X-Files’ on Netflix, and the mythology was the backbone of that show. It was explored maybe one out of every five episodes, but they were able to create this incredible mosaic with the Smoking Man, the Alien Bounty Hunter, and Scully’s cancer and pregnancy, but that takes place over many seasons. The key to ‘Alcatraz’ is having patience and letting the story reveal itself. Just enjoy the ride as it unfolds.”
Check back later this week to read my entire interview with Jeffrey.
Q: Over the summer, I saw clips and a promo for a forthcoming new “Dallas.” I watched for it in the fall line-up, and nothing. Then again for the midseason line-up, and nothing. Will this new “Dallas” be a series? — Henry S., Venice, Fla.
A: You and I are both excited for this new series, which will debut this summer on TNT. The 10-episode series stars “Dallas” originals Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Steve Kanaly and Charlene Tilton, and will introduce Josh Henderson (as John Ross), Jesse Metcalfe (as Christopher), Brenda Strong (as Bobby’s new wife, Ann) and Jordana Brewster.
Q: Do the contestants who appear on shows like “Dancing with the Stars,” “Survivor” and “Amazing Race” get paid? I say they all do, but my friend says only the winners get money. Who is right? — B.G. in Punta Gorda
A: You are correct. Contestants on these reality/competition shows do get paid for their time, of course, and the further they make it on the show (for the most part), the more they get paid. Hope you won a nice dinner for being correct!
Q: Are there any plans to release Frank Caliendo’s sketch-comedy show, “Frank TV” on DVD? — Steven K., The Villages, Fla.
A: “Frank TV,” which aired for two seasons on TBS from 2007-08, is not on DVD yet, and there is no official word as to when/if it will be. In the meantime, you can get your fill of Frank and his hilarious impersonations with his stand-up comedy DVD, “All Over the Place.”
Q and A: Week of Feb. 13
Q: I read in an interview with James Van Der Beek that he was going to be in a new comedy this year, but I haven’t seen anything about it. I know he’s in “Franklin and Bash,” but I don’t think that’s what he’s talking about. Can you help? — Violet F., Harrisburg, Pa.A: James was referring to his midseason comedy called “Don’t Trust the B—— in Apartment 23,” in which he plays a “sort of” version of himself. The series debuts after comedy powerhouse “Modern Family” on April 11 on ABC. The show is about a female odd couple who live together in New York City, with James portraying the best friend of Chloe, the mean-girl roommate. I’ve seen the pilot and it is very funny, and I love that James is able to parody himself in a non-self-conscious way, and that he isn’t afraid to bring up “Dawson’s Creek.”
Q: When does the new Snow White movie come out in theaters? — Brandon D., Omaha, Neb.
A: That would depend on which Snow White movie you mean. “Mirror Mirror” — which stars Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen, Lily Collins as Snow White and Armie Hammer as Prince Andrew Alcott — hits theaters on March 30. This film is being billed as family fare, in contrast to the darker “Snow White and the Huntsman.”
The latter film stars Charlize Theron as Queen Ravenna, with Kristen Stewart as Snow White and Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman, and will fill the big screens on June 1. “Snow White” is a twist on the fairy tale, in which the Huntsman schools Snow White in the art of war and together they start a rebellion to bring down the Queen.
Q: I watched a full version of the movie “Dressed to Kill” on TV recently, and I’m positive that Sylvester Stallone played the part of Angie Dickinson’s son but was not listed on the credits. Did he use another name? — Lin L., via e-mail
A: The part of Angie Dickinson’s son, Peter Miller, was played by Keith Gordon, 51, whom I remember best as Jason Melon in “Back to School,” the bullied college nerd whose father (played by Rodney Dangerfield) enrolls in college with his son to help him assimilate. In the late ’80s, Keith made the move to directing, helming such series as “Wild Palms,” “Homicide: Life on the Street,” “Dexter” and “House.”
Q: Could you please tell me if “Against the Wall” will be returning? — Kathleen E., via e-mail
A: Despite positive reviews by “New York Daily News,” “Los Angeles Times” and “The Hollywood Reporter,” Lifetime’s cop-drama “Against the Wall” wasn’t able to hold enough of its lead-in audience from “Drop Dead Diva” each week, and its ratings slipped from a meager 1.78 million viewers at its premiere to 1.47 million by its season finale. Lifetime opted not to renew the show for a second season.
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