Interviewed on Thursday, March 20, 2003, at 12:15pm PST in the den of Bob Dassie and Stephanie Weir’s house in Burbank, California.
Posted on April 14, 2003.
Jon: To all those who are reading this transcript, thank you for logging on and reading it in its entirety. Ah, I am here this evening- or this afternoon with Jack McBrayer. Thank you Jack for doing this interview with me.
Jack: [leaning into the tape recorder grandly] Thank you Jon. [both laugh]
Jon: All right, the first um, theme since we are taping in LA; Los Angeles; the La-la Land.
Bob: Burbank.
Jon: Burbank… ah, to be more specific. And that was Bob Dassie in the background. And who- who is graciously allowing us to do this in his place.
Bob: $30 an hour.
jf3362 Jon: [playing along] What? I didn’t know that. [back to Jack] You are crashing here in Los Angeles for pilot season is that not correct?
Jack: That is correct.
Jon: Um, what’s- what’s your experience with that like since I’m not- familiar with pilot season?
Jack: Well, ah, so far it’s been good. This has been the first one I’ve ever done so I really don’t have ah, another point of reference.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: But it has been fun. Um, I do have the fortune of having a manager here who is able to send me out on auditions. Whereas if somebody came out without any sort of representation, I imagine, it would be a little more difficult…
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: … in terms of ah, getting the audition set up and, and that kind of thing.
Jon: Okay. Um-
Jack: So, so far this has been fun and I think I came out here with the right mindset of treating it like ah, a vacation, sort of. Uh, just coming away from New York for six weeks. I got here February 17th and I leave March 30th.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: And so, you know, between the few auditions a week that you’ll have, you’ve got tons of time to hang out with friends and do yard work and improvise and… So, I’ve just been, been making the- making the time out of it.
Jon: Awesome.
Jack: Yeah.
Jon: What ah, as far as- um, I don’t know, guidelines for anyone who else is gonna, in the future, do pilot season, what are like some tips that you, since now you’ve gone through it-
Jack: Mmm hmm.
Jon: -can- can give people who’re going [to go] through it the first time?
Jack: Ah… I don’t know. Ah, one thing would definitely be the representation. And representation that you don’t mind ah, you know, giving the heads up to. That you have a good line of communication with. For example, if you- if some buddy you- not even some buddies, but if you hear of other auditions that are being done ah, maybe give your, either agent or manager a heads up and say “hey ah, some people I know are doing this audition. Do you think I’d be right for it and can I get a chance, an opportunity to do it?” Not to say, you know, “steal work from your buddies” but just be able to communicate with your representation on what you know so hopefully the- they’ll be scurrying around for you. Yeah, I- I trust mine, which is good. Um, because they don’t get any money unless you get money. Which is always a big thing… you know-
Jon: Right.
Jack: -don’t go to anybody who asked for money up front ‘cause that’s no good.
Jon: It’s a scam.
Jack: Yeah, that’s- that’s not legitimate. Um…
Jon: And on the interviews they have you go on camera and they do a couple of line reading and stuff like that?
Jack: Yes ah- sometimes, out here, it’s not even on camera. Sometimes it’ll be in front of ah, a casting director who’s sitting there reading the other role.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: Ah, and sometimes that’s good and sometimes it’s not good. I did have one bad experience that I was like- not even bad but just like, “what was the point of me even showing up?” The lady, uh, made us sit around for like twenty minutes-
Jon: Uh huh.
Jack: -and then she came in. Uh, it was a tiny, cramped, cluttered little office; there’s a TV on and it had um, some tapes of other people who’d been taped on… and uh, she didn’t even look up at me. She took my headshot and resume and then she stuck her head down in the script and like, read the parts and then I’d say my parts and… uh ah, she did not even give me the time of day. And then when she said, “great, thanks,” and then the… [laughs] icing on the cake is when she’s like, “can you have the next person come in please?” [both laugh] So I had to go out there with my head down in shame [laughs] and say, “ah…ah Scott, she’d like to see you now.” [both laugh] So… but other than that they’ve been really, really good. I’ve had a couple where the people, like really work with you and they want you- they want you to get the part. That’s kinda cool.
Jon: That’s good.
Jack: Yeah.
Jon: And ah, after your time here in LA you go back to New York. Is that correct?
Jack: Yes. March 30th.
Jon: All right. Um, so you’ve been in New York for, I think, over a year then?
Jack: Yes, ah- actually pretty much exactly a year. Ah, I got there February 5th of 2002 and then I came out here February 17th. So, in New York, I mean, you know, over a year. But ah, I mean since I’ve been out here for almost two months then ah… you know, that takes a chunk out of it.
Jon: Right.
Jack: But yeah. Yeah, it’s been great. It has been great.
Jon: What have you been doing in New York?
Jack: Improvising and ah, doing bits on "Late Night with Conan O’Brien."
Jon: I just saw ah, um, a rerun from 2002. And they were doing about they ah, New York being ah, nominee for the, for the 2012 Olympics-
Jack: Oh yeah.
Jon: -and ah, there was this one part where they were asking this one old man on the street-
Jack: Oh!
Jon: -yeah, yeah- he ah, when he replied about foreigners coming-
Jack: Yeah!
Jon: -to New York and then he asked his- I forget what it was cause I just saw- all I saw was, was you-
Jack: Yeah!
Jon: -in this kind of like, hillbilly teeth kind of thing.
Jack: That’s exactly right. You know what? I never got to see that. Yeah, I played ah, um, yeah, like the, the [laughs] backwoods hillbilly… believe it or not. [I laugh] And uh, it’s so funny because, like, you always know that you’re gonna do all right when the crew is laughing. And that was a Brian Stack bit so I always trust, you know, Stack bits. And um, but if you make the crew laugh then you’re like, “oh, okay, this, this might not get cut. There is a very good change this won’t get cut.”
Jon: Right.
Jack: Not to mention it was on the street so people like, stop and look at you. It was freezing cold that day. And here’s one funny thing about it. I was wearing the fake, like “Billy Bob” teeth and stuff…
Jon: Uh huh.
Jack: -but they weren’t mine. The old man had brought them because ah, the costume people said, “we’re gonna dress you up kind of hillbilly like.”
Jon: Uh huh.
Jack: So he had brought these teeth [laughs] that he was gonna wear, which that would have been great. Um, but then um, between the costume people and Brian Stack who produces his own little bit, they’re like, “no, no, no, you’re fine like that. Jack, would you mind wearing the teeth?” [I laugh] So I had to wear this old man’s-
Jon: [laughing] Teeth.
Jack: [laughing] -teeth. It was so nasty ‘cause they didn’t fit and ah, I kind of have like a, a gag reflex when it come to like ah, spit and stuff?
Jon: Uh huh.
Jack: So, I’d like, you know, take a deep breath and put the teeth in and do the bit, but afterwards I was,- I’d take them out and be like, [makes gagging/vomiting sound; twice]. {I laugh] Just so nasty. But it was fun and apparently the bit went over really well so-
Jon: Yeah, it was pretty funny.
Jack: And uh-
Jon: I also remember um, on the ah, the IC Board, right after you, you were on for a brief bit about, I think it was… they were trying out characters that might have- be a chance to come on…
Jack: Oh yeah-
Jon: -and then-
Jack: -new characters.
Jon: Yeah, and then you came on as a very upbeat prisoner… and then you were beaten. And then ah, Conan O’Brien said like, “I like that guy.”
Jack: Oh yeah, yeah.
Jon: We were all talking about, like “Conan O’Brien sincerely said Jack McBrayer was a cool guy.” [Jack laughs]
Jack: He says that to everybody. No, but it has been cool. Honestly that has been such a good experience, working with Conan O’Brien. Ah, and it end up that he is a really nice guy. And, not to be like, you know, weird about it, but I think he kind of digs my work too. And um, you know, the writers always use me in, in great, great ah, sketches. So that’s not ah… you know ah… a problem or anything, but just- It’s kind of cool when… it was so cool going to New York when they’re like, “oh, Jack can do the work. Let’s use Jack.” And um, you know, it’s like work begets work kind of.
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: And Conan- Conan was actually a real nice guy- and we have a bit where, you know, we pretend that he hates me. [I laugh] I have a running- that same running bit with a lot of people. [both laugh] But it is fun. I got to go to the Conan Christmas party, which was fun.
Jon: Very cool.
Jack: Yeah, it was great. It was so cool. Um, so yeah, I’ve really enjoyed- that’s been a really great experience.
Jon: Where in New York do you actually live? What borough?
Jack: Uh, I’m in Manhattan.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: And I’m on the Upper West Side. And I’m subletting from Bina Martin. Do you know Bina Martin?
Jon: Yeah, she ah, came to Chicago- directed ah, this thing called Chairs.
Jack: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Jon: Which I didn’t get to see but was along the same lines of something I did just before hers.
Jack: Hmm.
Jon: And she’s also on um… Baby Wants Candy-
Jack: Yeah.
Jon: -for a bit.
Jack: She plays with Baby Wants Candy. She was on Jane; I think she was one of the original members of Jane. Um, so- great girl, very talented, very nice. Um, but she left Chicago to come to New York to study at the Actors Studio.
Jon: Oh.
Jack: Um, so her and her parents bought this apartment on the Upper West Side for her to stay in while she was going to school. And after she graduated there and stayed in New York for awhile she decided she wanted to go back to Chicago. So she signed a year lease there but the family didn’t want to give up the apartment.
Jon: Right.
Jack: So since I pretty much just arrived, I was like, “allow me.” Which worked out perfectly. Ah, it’s been fantastic apartment. Actually Bob and Steph stayed there when they were there for the Del Marathon, back in July-
Jon: Oh right.
Jack: -of 2002. Um, it’s a great apartment. It’s a one bedroom and uh, gets lots of sunshine so… it’s weird how like in New York real estate is [laughing] such a serious issue. Once you get someone from New York talking about real estate it’s- get ready, I mean, it’s a conversation. [laughs]
Jon: I- I bet.
Jack: It’s nuts, it is so crazy how many people are there and how small a space they can live in. It’s… insane.
Jon: I ah… I think I saw part of it when they were doing the Del Awards um… I think of 2002 and ah, you have a small bit about announcing the nominees-
Jack: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Jon: -for, I think, the best form and a little bit of you saying your own forms which were nominated, like, I think it was like We3 or something like that or…
Jack: Yeah.
Jon: -or not We3 but um…
Jack: Quartet?
Jon: Quartet.
Jack: Yeah.
Jon: Or other things like that.
Jack: I remember that. I remember that was with Jim Carlson and Peter Gwinn. And actually I don’t even think we got to Bina’s apartment. Oh, I tell you where we went. I was house sitting for Bina’s apartment then but I was living on ah, in the East Village, like close to the Lower East Side.
Jon: Right.
Jack: Um, with my friend Hayden and so we had been bouncing back and forth to there. So it was just all over- we found the same ah, store for Happy Cry Funny Gift?
Jon: Happy Cry Funny Gift, right.
Jack: And um, which is on, I think, 14th Street and like 6th Avenue. So that was kinda cool because they had used that in the poster.
Jon: Yes, they had.
Jack: So that was kinda cool.
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: I was real proud that we found that one, I mean, ‘cause that’s, that’s a big deal to find one store in New York-
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: -if you don’t know where exactly you’re going. And then um… so- Oh, and that, I was going to say about that, is that ah, the real estate and for the Del festival… I mean, you know, you look out for your friends. I had so many people staying with me… besides Peter Gwinn, I think, Brian Jack, Carrie Barrett ah, Jake Schneider ah, Brad Steuernagel was staying there but I don’t even- he might have already been living in New York at that point.
Jon: Yeah, I think he’s been living in New York for awhile.
Jack: Um, and then ah… there’s somebody else. But there was just so many of us crammed into that little apartment. Oh, and a couple of girls… um, Stephanie Morse, I think-
Jon: Okay.
Jack: -and Mary Nisi, is that a person?
Jon: Yes it is-
Jack: Um…
Jon: -or she is.
Jack: [laughs] But it was fun. It was, it was so fun. Um, Allison Bills- no, she was staying with Noel Dineen. But it was so good to see everybody at that point ‘cause I’d been away for awhile and…
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: …nice little reunion.
Jon: As it always is.
Jack: Exactly. We’re family.
Jon: Um, just mentioning forms there, um, what forms are your favorites and also which have you been ah, a part of, in the development of?
Jack: Well, um, some of my favorites have been Quartet, which just used four people. Um, and uh, I actually have um, used that form in New York to do a two-person show with my friend Paul Scheer who’s at UCB. Very funny young man. Ah, in terms of having two people create scenes that can have as many as, you know, ten people in them. Ah, and that was one of my favorite parts of doing Quartet. Ah, and one of my lease favorite parts is right there [indicating Bob Dassie getting ready to leave; Jack laughs]
Jon: Didn’t you ah, create Quartet Bob?
Bob: Um, I… co-created it.
Jack: I’ll ah, I’ll be- I’ll be checking my e-mail. [laughs]
Jon: [I laugh] I’m sorry.
Bob: I’ll tell you about Quartet. Quartet basically is the brainchild- [Jack laughs] “I remember sitting in this small room talking about Impro.” [Jack laughs] Make sure the ah, the pomposity reads in the translation.
Jack: Pomposity.
Bob: You heard me. [Jack laughs]
Jack: But that was one of my favorites, definitely. Um, actually I was in the early creation of, like JTS Brown and stuff. But ah, I left that group I think even before they started doing performances. I just rehearsed with them a little.
Bob: They got wise.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: [laughs a little] I did not get kicked out… as Bob gestured. Um, so JTS Brown… oh, Mosaic, which was, you know, ah, ah, mutation of the Armando.
Jon: Right.
Jack: Which they do out here. We do it with a group called Cosmos, which I think ah, Dassie and Craig Cackowski ah, headed up. And that’s out here in LA at the Improv Olympic [West] and that’s on Friday nights. When do you leave? On Friday?
Jon: Yes I do.
Jack: Well, you’ll miss that one.
Jon: Yeah ah, um, there’s another group um, Opening Night that I saw in the um, the very last Big Stinkn’ festival and I was overwhelmed by them. And-
Jack: Oh yeah?
Jon: -they were so amazing.
Jack: Oh, where are they from? LA?
Jon: I think so, yeah. They- I think they perform every Friday night at IO West.
Jack: Oh, okay.
Jon: They’re called Opening Night and they do- every night is an opening and closing night of their musical.
Jack: Oh.
Jon: Um…
Bob: That’s on Friday nights.
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: [To Bob] Oh, is that ah, like Derek Miller and all them?
Bob: Yeah.
Jack: And Shulie [Cowen]? Yeah.
Bob: Yeah, Shulie.
Jack: I haven’t seen that show but I know who the people are.
Jon: Yes. I saw two of their shows in, in Austin… and… it was… fab-
Jack: Yeah.
Jon: -it was amazing.
Jack: That’s very cool.
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: Um, I know that’s the thing, I haven’t been able to see to many shows. But, I mean, in a selfish way, I have been able to play in a few, which I like a lot.
Jon: Right.
Jack: Ah… so, so yeah, I do appreciate the different kinds of forms. Ah, Mosaic, JTS Brown, Quartet, those were really the only ones where I was like in charge of the early, early phases of. Other things have been pretty much established.
Jon: Right.
Jack: Ah, like even Quartet had been kind of… established but when I was in there we started like changing things up a little bit. Um, but yeah. Which is okay with me. I think I’m stronger coming into something where I kind of have an idea what I’m getting into as opposed to inventing… and like creating the-
Jon: Right.
Jack: -form as it were. Um, but I think that’s okay too.
Jon: What are your, um… from self-analysis, what are some of your strengths and weaknesses of improv? Or things that you’d want to work on or things that you think you’re pretty good at?
Bob: I got this. Ah, ah…[gestures with hands as if to name off several points; laughs]
Jack: Oh… [laughs] I’ll handle this one. [laughs] Thank you Bob. Ah, I think a weakness is that I prefer to go into something that is a little more established, a little more… I wouldn’t even say structured ‘cause I like just a straight up like, montage kind of thing. But something where I’m not as responsible in terms of the form, in terms of maintaining the ah… ah, you know, the set-up. It’s pretty much ah… a form already established. Um… and weakness, weakness… [laughs] I guess that’s it. No. [both laugh] Ah, you know, probably I could explore range of characters a little bit more. Um… other than that I’ve been having fun just the time that I’ve- the amount of time I’ve been doing it. Just reaching a comfort level. Of, I’m not panicking in scenes. And-
Jon: Right.
Jack: -even if it’s falling flat or whatever, I’m not worried. I’m- I’m like, “I’ll just ride it out” and stuff. And it’s a real, it’s a real comforting feeling to have. Um, to know that, “okay well, this isn’t getting a laugh every other line, but let’s roll with it and just see if it goes somewhere else.” Ah, so that has been a very liberating feeling. I think [it’s] something that everybody should experience at least at one point ‘cause it feels great-
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: -it loosens you up, it frees you. Um, so that’s been cool. And, um… that’s pretty much it. I always try to have fun especially with improving. I think improv, to me, has been, especially in the last year since leaving Chicago, I have so- it’s like I respect- it’s like I need it. It’s almost like [laughs a little] how I deal with people. [I laugh] um, but it has ah… I really, really and truly look forward to improvising every opportunity I can, which I don’t know was the case in Chicago. I love to improvise, but now it’s like… I’m- I want to. I want to every chase I can get. Which I think is pretty cool.
Jon: Yeah. I also um, know that from other people-
Jack: Hi buddy.
Bob: Later.
Jon: -they highly respect your, um, space object work. Is that something that you ah, worked on… like just at home, figuring out how a jar opens or something like that.
Jack: Oh, no, no. That kind of stuff, more than anything um- and you’ve got to talk to Dassie about his object work too. [as Bob leave the house] um, ah in fact I was just telling him I did, ah Playground workshop. Were you in it?
Jon: No I wasn’t.
Jack: Are you sure? For the Playground workshop right before I left, so that would have been January of 2002.
Jon: Um… ah…
Jack: And it was about physical comedy and stuff.
Jon: I believe I was in… rehearsals for a play that I was in at the time that I didn’t- wasn’t able to get out of.
Jack: Huh, for some reason I thought you were there. Um, but ah, in the little description I was like, “have you ever wanted to do object work that you thought only Dassie could do?” [both laugh] Ah, but it is fun. I don’t like, you know, practice stuff. But it is, just if you imagine that it’s there then you just act like it’s there. Some stuff gets a little more complicated but um… that- that I kind of have fun with too. Plus, I kind of move like a cartoon character. [I laugh a little] So sometimes that [laughs a little] –sometimes just the way I move kind of makes me laugh. Um, but it’s- it’s good. I love object work. I love it. It can save you man. Even if you don’t know what the heck is going on.
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: “Just open that cabinet, get to that glass.” [laughs] “Open the refrigerator, pour that milk.” [both laugh] Phew! You wasted a good thirty seconds right there. [both laugh]
Jon: Um, let’s see here. When was the first time you, you saw improv?
Jack: Ah, would have been at Second City. It would have been 1995, it would have been the summer of ’95. Ah, it was a huge heat wave. Huge heat wave. It was the heat wave- it would have been before your time but it killed like 600 people and stuff.
Jon: Right, in Chicago.
Jack: In Chicago, yeah.
Jon: Yeah, I was living, at the time, I was… um, living in Florida.
Jack: Yeah.
Jon: We heard about it.
Jack: I mean, it was incredible. And the weird thing about it, you know, coming from Georgia, we know heat and stuff.
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: And to have people die, I was like “this is ridiculous.” [laughs] Um, but ah… so, actually the reason we went to the Second City was to get some air conditioning. [both laugh] We would like to sit in some air conditioning for a little while. ‘Cause at that point, I mean, during the heat wave I remember it was 2 o’clock in the morning one night and it was 98 degrees.
Jon: Jesus.
Jack: It was… it was insane. [I sneeze] Bless you.
Jon: Thank you.
Jack: But ah, and that’s the thing, I could handle the heat but nobody in Chicago had air conditioning, um… and so people would go to restaurants and bars and just anywhere that had air conditioning just to cool out-
Jon: Right.
Jack: -for a little while. Um, so we went to Second City. And we caught one of there free improv sets. So, summer of ’95, that would have been Piñata Full of Bees.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: And that was the first time I ever saw improv and I, I loved it. I loved it, I loved it so much. Um, I will never forget, I mean, you know, Jenna was there, Jenna Jolovitz and ah, Rachel Dratch, Scot Adsit, Scott Allman, Jon Glaser, Adam McKay. Um, and I was hip. I was totally hipped.
Jon: What were you in Chicago for?
Jack: I had just moved to Chicago right after college.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: Um… college I wasn’t real, real happy with. Um, I mean had a great time with friends and stuff but, like, not with area of study. Ah, so um, I had a bunch of buddies who had already moved to Chicago and I did want to go to a big city. Didn’t want to go back to Atlanta. And since I had friends there already I just went to Chicago. I was waiting tables, nothing- just the usual out-of-college stuff. [laughs]
Jon: Right.
Jack: Ah, until I figured out what I did want to do. And, since I didn’t know I saw the improv and then I started taking classes and stuff.
Jon: Right. Um, what did you ah, study in college?
Jack: [In] College I studied theater management.
Jon: That’s right, that’s right. You mentioned [it] in the previous interview I did with you, which… is gone.
Jack: Yeah.
Jon: Horribly-
Jack: Destroyed.
Jon: -that ah, you- stuff like stage management and stuff like that.
Jack: Yeah. Stage management and house management. Box- box- office ah, management. And ah, I don’t know, I guess at the time, you know, when I was 18, I was like “ah ha. I- I still enjoy the, the theatrical arts, but I need a business background [both laugh] just to be safe.” And um, it was horrible, it was really, really bad. Ah, I did learn a lot through the business side. I’m very good with managing my money and stuff.
Jon: Right.
Jack: Do I need to hurry up?
Jon: No, no, I was just checking the time to see if- ‘cause there was an interview before with Craig Cackowski where it- it snapped off and I didn’t hear it.
Jack: Oh, okay.
Jon: And so we were talking for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Jack: Oh no.
Jon: So, I was just checking.
Jack: Can you like? [picks up tape recorder to look at] Okay. So, will you be able to see if it does it?
Jon: Yeah, yeah, I know that- what time it will.
Jack: Okay.
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: Okay, good. Um… ah, oh so management. Oh, but I did learn a lot about, you know, like all the business stuff.
Jon: Right.
Jack: Finance, economics. Um, which is great and it has come in handy. But in the same time if I was doing that for a job I would ah- do you know Beth Kligerman over at Second City.
Jon: I’ve heard of her but I don’t think I’ve ever met her.
Jack: She kind of does along the lines of what I was studying to do and I would not want that job. I mean, God bless her, her for doing it but that is not the job I would want to do. Hard… horrible job. [both laugh]
Jon: Ah, after you saw Pina- Piñata Full of Bees, um, was it immediately after that, that you decided you wanted to get into improv or did it take ah, couple of- of times to get into it?
Jack: Um…
Jon: Couple of weeks or so?
Jack: I mean, I did like call and ask around… at the same time ah, I was working with a young lady named Karin Anglin, who ah, um… had been taking classes at the Second City training center. Um, and she had friends who were taking them at Improv Olympic as well. So the question for me then was ah, “do I take one or the other? Do I take both?” That kind of thing. And I had enough money where I was like, “why don’t I just take both?”
Jon: Both.
Jack: And- oh, you know, actually I did take one class at Second City first. And then- Bumper Carrol, you know him?
Jon: Yes.
Jack: He was in that class. And so, when he got wind of Improv Olympic and stuff he came to talk a few others of us into doing it. So we did ‘em at the same time.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: Improv Olympic and Second City. And some people are like “should I do both? Blah, blah, blah.” And it worked out great for me. I enjoyed it very much ‘cause I could use what I learned from what I learned from one in the other and vice versa.
Jon: Right.
Jack: And, um… so I, I’d recommend it if people asked me. It is, you know, twice as expensive.
Jon: Right.
Jack: But, ah, it was fun. I learned a lot and enjoyed it. And plus, there is so much overlap anyway.
Jon: Yeah. Um… [looking at list of questions] Dit, dit, dit, di do… Dit di di da da…. This is the musical portion of the interview.
Jack: Ick. Change the station. “Yes! Good one McBrayer.” [I laugh] Script it. [laughs]
Jon: Um… one of the main stage revues that I loved probably maybe as much as you loved Piñata Full of Bees was Holy War Batman! or The Yellow Cab of Courage.
Jack: That was E.T.C.
Jon: Yes. I am a horrible person, it’s E.T.C, it’s not main stage. That’s what I meant.
Jack: You are a horrible person.
Jon: Yes, I know.
Jack: Just for the record. [laughs]
Jon: But, you were ah, a part of that cast.
Jack: Yes, yes I was.
Jon: Which was, ah, a fucking amazing show. Um, and I know that it- I can imagine that the rehearsal process for that, development process was absolutely… um, stressful. Since it was just after 9/11.
Jack: Right.
Jon: Ah, was that- was that the case?
Jack: That was the case. Um, we did have the luxury of having a couple of months after 9/11-
Jon: Correct.
Jack: -before we opened. Whereas main stage did not have that. They were supposed to open September 12th, as you remember. And, ah, and it was just a very trying tome for both stages. We did have the luxury of having two months left in rehearsal to try out stuff, see what the audience was ready to laugh at, see what they weren’t ready to laugh at. So it was stressful, it was stressful.
Jon: But once the ah, show opened, um, was any of the stress taken out of it or was it still stressful?
Jack: Well, ah… stress was taken off in terms of rehearsal being over. Rehearsal is just a horribly stressful time anyway on either of the Second City stages. But… it, it was still a stressful time for me in particular um, I think because I ah, it was getting at a point- and it’s amazing like what you can see in retrospect, in hindsight- but it was getting time for me to leave Second City. And I think that had just started creeping in.
Jon: Uh huh.
Jack: And I didn’t realize it until, until one day you’re sitting there and you’re like “I can leave. This is not mandatory.” [laughs]
Jon: Right.
Jack: ah, in that term, in that respect I did have a level of stress. I don’t know exactly how related it was to war or Iraq or, you know, Osama Bin Laden. It was- but at the same time when that’s your association it all kind of blends together in to one big gross. [laughs]
Jon: Gross thing.
Jack: Yeah.
Jon: Ah, you mentioned that ah, you were ah, feelings that you- had a hard time to leave and you mentioned before that your leaving didn’t have anything to do with you not getting on the main stage.
Jack: Oh, no, no, no, no. No. Ah, as it ended up, at the time I left, they had just announced the new main stage cast members and stuff, which is great and they’re doing a wonderful job up there. Ah, and so some people do think that I left Second City because I did not get main stage and I sincerely tell you that that was not the case. Ah, it does- you just really feel it inside when it’s time to, to step down.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: Um… and that was the time for me. That was ah, it was perfect. It worked out great. And going to New York could not have been a better choice for me too. It was weird because I think it might have just been time for me to take a little break from Chicago. Nothing against Chicago, I love it-
Jon: Right.
Jack: -like crazy. But I think, like for me, it took going away from it for me to take the next step, to grow a little bit, I know that sounds cheesy but… ah, well, that’s what it took.
Jon: Why ah, New York over LA ah, when you decided to leave Chicago?
Jack: Yes exactly. New York and LA were my two choices, not that I was like dead set on moving. I wanted to, to test out those cities, see if one offered something ah, more than the other or, you know, to keep me there, to attract me there. As it turned out, as soon as I put in my notice at Second City, Jeff Richmond, who directed Second City – he directed me in History Repaints Itself, he directed many main stage revues… ah, he directed me in my touring company-
Jon: Okay.
Jack: -um, he was in New York, married to Tina Fey and stuff, and the show that he had created in Chicago several years earlier with the help of Michael Thomas was called Hamlet: the Musical.
Jon: That’s right.
Jack: They were remounting it in New York right around that time that I was quitting Second City, ah, under the new name Melancholy Baby; they had to change names for like legal reasons or something.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: Ah… and a role’s available that I- that he thought I might work out for. So… I- I was like “I have no reason not to do this.” Are we about to run out of time?
Jon: No.
Jack: Um, “I have no reason not to do this.” Um… and ah, so I did it. And ah, the plan was- it’s so- it was really crazy. Ah, my- I put in my notice I think January 2nd. January 7th I got the call from Jeff Richmond talking about the role.
Jon: Uh huh.
Jack: So I was like, “well this is just… serendipidous? Is that the right word?
Jon: Yes it is.
Jack: um, and then we had planed my last night at Second City to be February 3rd and they needed me in New York February 5th. So I was like, “this is insane.” Um, but it was so fun- so the plan was for me to be there from February 5th through the run of the show. The show only had like a set run of like a couple months.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: And after that- I still had all my stuff in Chicago, I was like, “okay, maybe I’ll come back?” But while I was there I was like, “this is fun. I’m having a good time here and I don’t have any reason I have to go back to [Chicago]-
Jon: Right.
Jack: -for. So ah, so during that time I decided to move to New York.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: And ah, no regrets.
Jon: Very good.
Jack: Yeah. It’s been great. It’s been a lot of fun.
Jon: Um… you also um… also auditioned for Saturdah Na- Sadder Night- ah, can’t speak. "Saturday Night Live"-
Jack: Yep.
Jon: -I believe two times?
Jack: Yes, well, the first official time was April two-thousand and- or, I’m sorry, July 2001.
Jon: Right.
Jack: And they flew me from Chicago to New York and that was crazy. That was a fun, fun experience. Ah, and it was weird. And- of course I didn’t get hired or anything. But it was a great experience, I felt fine about my audition and ah… I was, I was supported. So that felt good.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: The second time it was more like a showcase. To show Lorne Michaels, “okay, here’s some boys we’ve got out there right now.” It was all guys, I think pretty much all white guys. It was right after Will Ferrell had left-
Jon: Right.
Jack: -this past May. May 2002. Um, and uh, so that showcase was in August. That’s when some of the other Chicago boys came out.
Jon: Right.
Jack: and we pretty much did a Harold, more of a montage/Harold. Ah… and so that was the showcase. And from that um, the producers invited people to come do the audition that I had done the previous year, the studio audition.
Jon: The, the normal audition where you-
Jack: Characters
Jon: -characters…
Jack: Impersonations. Yeah, that kind of thing.
Jon: Right on…
Jack: On the stage.
Jon: On the stage.
Jack: Yeah, it was crazy. It was so wild.
Jon: Um, you did the audition um, the- the second time, the Harold audition-
Jack: Mm hmm.
Jon: -at UCB? [Upright Citizens’ Brigade]
Jack: Yes. At UCB.
Jon: That has ah, recently closed ‘cause of um-
Jack: A fire code-
Jon: -a fire code-
Jack: -violation.
Jon: um, so…much- You’re not obviously the core of UCB but you are a part of it, around it-
Jack: Mm hmm.
Jon: -um, how have they fared?
Jack: Well, it has taken a blow a little bit because as you know from Chicago and just the different school we have there between IO and ah, Second City is more of an institution or anything, but ah, like there’s some community there.
Jon: Right.
Jack: and the people that hang out together and come and, you know, work the box office. I mean, you know there’s just a whole lot of community there.
Jon: Right.
Jack: So not having a theater kind of hurt that a little bit. The good thing was there were enough people that wanted to maintain it, wanted to keep it going, wanted to do the shows, wanted to see show, you know, that kind of stuff. That ah, people did pitch in and we found other places to perform. Ah, mainly just at little, you know, different bars, different theaters that we’d rent out.
Jon: Right.
Jack: Ah, there was this one theater just a few doors down from the UCB theater on 22nd Street called the Chelsea Playhouse, which was very kind enough to open its doors to us. So at least we had a place to go. Um, but it was weird. It, it certainly ah, the, the community of it took a blow.
Jon: Right.
Jack: But from what I hear, by the time I get back there is a place that they are looking at. It’s either on 26th or 28th Street. But it’s huge, it seats like twice as many people-
Jon: Awesome.
Jack: Ah, they’ll have- be able to keep their beer and wine license and ah, it sounds like a really great deal. I think they’ll still be renting but it’s going to be like exclusively UCB stuff.
Jon: Awesome.
Jack: Which is great. Yeah. So I’m real excited to get back to that.
Jon: Ah, one of the reasons I’m interviewing you is because you were my teacher in level four for IO in Chicago. Um, what do you like about teaching?
Jack: What do I like about teaching? Well, I like it when students feel good about what they’re doing. And I think that kind of like my style. I think I’m always a good refresher. I’m kind of like “cool babysitter teacher” in terms of like I might not teach you as much as make you feel good about what you are learning from me.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: Um, and that, that makes me feel good. So, if that makes me a bad teacher, that’s fine, I respect that, but at the same time I, I don’t think I would have stuck with improv as long as I have if I didn’t feel good about it when I was in the classes. Ah, so and it is an amazing thing ‘cause it is a made-up art form that people take it so seriously and they get so in their heads about it and they get really passionate about it, which is great.
Jon: Right.
Jack: But when it becomes passionate like, you know, cutting themselves down or bad mouthing other players or teams or anything. Take a step back and realize what we are doing. So as I teacher I like to just make sure that people were respectful to each other. Ugh, I remember one class – I don’t think you were in it, I think I may have been subbing for Paul Grondy’s class – but I had to take a student aside and say, “you are being disrespectful and I will not tolerate that.”
Jon: Wow.
Jack: Wouldn’t mention the name, but that’s inappropriate-
Jon: Right.
Jack: -I’ll tell you afterwards.
Jon: Okay. [both laugh]
Jack: And then ah… so yeah, and I loved level four to because I think at that time, for the curriculum, it was pretty much revisiting the Harold. Um, and- and scene work-
Jon: [speaking during the end of Jack’s last line] Actually, I think it was just scene work, yeah.
Jack: Yeah. So, it was ah- it was stuff that people already learned so I wasn’t like spoon-feeding anybody but at the same time ah, it was still new enough where y’all weren’t jaded.
Jon: Right. Oh, by the way, for people who are reading this, um, at the time level four was scene work is now changed up so its level two. So people who were taking level two were doing scene work… no, take that back. Sorry level three. [laughing a little while saying next line] People in level three now, taking level three, are doing scene work whereas when I was taking it level four.
Jack: Yep.
Jon: Very good.
Jack: And that was- when was that? That was, that was, like spring, summer of 2000?
Jon: 200…1.
Jack: 2001?
Jon: 2001.
Jack: Wow.
Jon: Yeah. So it was the summer before 9/11.
Jack: Yeah.
Jon: Yeah. That was-
Jack: ‘Cause it was right- yeah, I guess you’re right ‘cause it was right when Bob and Steph were getting married that’s why I was taking over the class.
Jon: Correct.
Jack: Um, because they were doing all that. But, yeah it was fun. And plus I think I work good with Bob, we kind of have the same mentality in terms of what to kind of communicate to the students so I think that was a good match too, that we were- were doing the same class.
Jon: Yes. Um… [looking at sheet again] Let’s go to the beginning. Um, you grew up in ah, in Georgia.
Jack: Yes.
Jon: Um, first- I don’t believe you were born in Conyers, Georgia- you were born in…
Jack: Macon, Georgia.
Jon: Macon, Georgia.
Jack: Yes.
Jon: And then you grew up in Conyers, Georgia?
Jack: Yeah, I moved when I was 15.
Jon: Oh, okay.
Jack: My parents still live there and work there so when I go home I go to Conyers.
Jon: Okay, but for the most part you grew up… ?
Jack: In Macon.
Jon: In Macon.
Jack: Yeah.
Jon: Which, is that ah, it’s not on the coast, is it? No?
Jack: No, no, no; smack dab in the middle.
Jon: Smack dab in the middle.
Jack: Yeah.
Jon: Okay. Um, I- I since recently found out that Conyers, Georgia has a big monastery.
Jack: Yeah, that’s right.
Jon: Ah, ‘cause they were doing this whole um, I think it was on Channel 11, ah, PBS- stuff about monasticism and, and modern- modern um, monasteries-
Jack: Yeah.
Jon: -and there’s a big one in Conyers.
Jack: How funny.
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: We’re- we do have some other like notorious stories so I’m glad that that’s how you know Conyers. [laughs]
Jon: What were some of the other notorious stories?
Jack: Ugh, well, you can ask [Joe] Canale, Canale always throws them in my face. But apparently [I laugh] we had ah, a syphilis epidemic… [laughs] back in ’98. [I laugh] And, I mean, it- not even that but it was like of 13, 14, and 15 year-old kids-
Jon: Oooohhhh.
Jack: -and stuff. It was horrible. Um, so yeah, lot of ah, PBS specials on that too I guess. [laughs during end of sentence; I laugh at end] Yeah, ask Canale about that, he loves talking about Conyers and syphilis. And then another one, we had ah, a school shooting a month after Columbine.
Jon: Oh my God.
Jack: So that would have been May of ’99. Um, nobody got killed or anything but it was at my high school. Ah, and there was one other thing. Oh, and there was a lady in my home town who would talk to the Virgin Mary. So- but that was- that was back in… that would’ve- that, that was way back. That would have been like in ’93, ’94 kind of. [laughs a little] Yeah, but they made T-shirts and everything. It was like, “come to Conyers. Eat, drink, and see Mary.”
Jon: Where did you go to college?
Jack: Get it? See Mary.
Jon: See Mary.
Jack: Ghhlck. [both laugh] Where’d I go to college?
Jon: Yes.
Jack: Ah, University of Evansville in Evansville, Indiana.
Jon: Right. Um, so you’re a Southern boy and ah, so… um, [I laugh] Jack just tipped his imaginary hat [Jack laughs] Ah…
Jack: It’s object work. [both laugh]
Jon: Um, I don’t know, it’s weird ‘cause before I, I moved to Florida I had certain preconceived notions of, of the South. And they were either enforced or broken [both laugh a little] when I went down there. Um, so for yourself since you’ve ah- grew up in the South and, and since moved and lived in the Midwest and now Northeast and spent time here in LA, ah, what are some of they ah, truths/un-thruths and- I don’t know, did you have any misconceptions about places outside of the South that have now been… whatnot?
Jack: Well, um, more than anything in Chic- more than anything it was like small town versus big city-
Jon: Okay.
Jack: -conceptions to. Ah, but [the] South certainly colors a little bit. Chicago: big city; the people were always so nice to me. Always so nice, which was a surprise.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: Because I didn’t know what to expect. Everyone was very, very nice. Ah, New York: same thing. And the thing that surprised me about New York was it is manageable. Chicago is very manageable. One thing, I think, between Chicago and New York is Chicago was able to improve upon New York’s – and I’ll say mistakes but I just mean earlier efforts. For example, the subways: in Chicago was able to ah, you know, improve upon that.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: Dumpsters uh, and having alleyways-
Jon: Right.
Jack: -for trash; Chicago improved. Snow removal; Chicago – probably out of necessity – ah, but leaps and bounds above New York. So there are many things that I think I miss about Chicago in terms of “how effective,” “how beautiful,” “how smart,” you know, that kind of stuff.
Jon: Right.
Jack: Um, but between the two cities, just when you realize it, they’re just people. And everyone has been real, real nice to me. Um, because if somebody goes out of their way to be mean to you then that’s just something wrong with them. Um, you know, that’s something they got to work through. So, that has been a surprise. Um, you do see some of the crazies, which kind of solidifies-
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: -Oh, oh, I’ll never forget my first like “New York” experience when I was like, “oh, yeah, I’m in New York.”
Jon: What- what was this?
Jack: Ah, it- I was on the train, I was on the subway. It was a Friday night, it was getting a little bit late so people were like all dressed up in their club clothes or, you know, coming from their Lincoln Center play or whatever it was. And, um, so we’re on the subway and this ah, homeless guy was stretched out across this little bench of seats. And so people were just kind of… ignoring him pretty much but standing near him. So all of the sudden he gets up, he goes and stands in front of the doors like he’s about to get off at the next exit but all of the sudden you hear the unmistakable… tinkling sound [laughs]-
Jon: Uh oh.
Jack: -of [laughs a lot]-
Jon: Urine?
Jack: Yep, urine. And the guy was just peeing right in front of the door. So, of course [laughs], there’s this wave of people-
Jon: Who moved?
Jack: -cramming all against the other end of the train. [laughs] So that was kind of funny because [to] see all these dressed people- but everybody just kind of- it’s a very ah, what’s it called when everybody’s- gets puts on the same? You know, it was [a] very equalizing thing ah, to see everybody like, “ewww.” [I laugh] Turn into like, 12 year-old people. “Ewww!” [laughs] And so not only that but ah, when he realized what he was doing ah, he took off his knit cap, I mean we’re talking like a stocking cap.
Jon: Does he try to collect it?
Jack: And tried to catch his pee. [both laugh] And it was going right through.
Jon: [laughs] Oh, ooooh!
Jack: And so everybody who’s already crammed on the other end is, “Ewww!” So, like round two of “ewwws.” So not only that but ah, but, you know, the train the way they move and stuff with people- sloshing around a little. It was really gross. He sits back down on his ah, bench and stuff… puts the hat on his head [laughs].
Jon: Ewww!
Jack: The whole [laughs]- the whole train [laughs]- “Ewwww!”
Jon: [laughing] Rules of three; it was awesome.
Jack: [laughing] It was. And, of course, I felt so bad but I was… doubled over in [laughs while saying] laughter. [I laugh] Not so much because of, “oh, look at what that guy did” but the reaction of the crowd. It was [laughs] the funniest thing. ‘Cause see, I mean, all of these like well dressed people [both laugh] like screaming [laughs while saying] at this guy. It was the funnies thing ever. [both laugh] “Ewww.” [laughs] Good times.
Jon: Good times.
Jack: [laughs] Oh, man. Oh, so did that answer all your questions about like notions about the South and cities and all that kind of stuff?
Jon: Yeah, I believe so. I mean, I think any intelligent person will really understand that, you know… certain stereotypes have some kernel of truth but it’s mostly about on the fringe-
Jack: Yeah.
Jon: -it’s not he ah… rule at large. It’s not, you know, um, I can’t think of the specific phrase, but it’s not like… the norm.
Jack: Right. I agree. I do have to say this about LA just for the short amount of time I’ve been here- [Indicates the recorder] Is that still on?
Jon: Mm hmm.
Jack: Um… -is that I was like, “oh, everybody talks about LA” and, you know, just it being very LA, very glossy and everything. And I was like, “oh well,” – with my experience with Chicago and with New York – I see that some stereotypes aren’t always the case. Come here it- I find it is the case... for no other reason-
[tape recorder ends; I flip tape over to other side]
-but that [laughs a little at being frozen mid sentance while I flipped the tape over] the city is saturated ah, with the business. And um, so… there’s no escape to it. The cool thing about Chicago and New York was, yeah, I’m doing improv and I immerse myself in improv, but you know, I’ve got college buddies, I’ve got high school buddies, I’ve got people here who kind of don’t care about improv and that’s awesome. [laughs]
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: Um, and then ah, whereas here everybody is in the business.
Jon: Right.
Jack: And sometimes that can get a little tiresome.
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: um, but other than that, I mean, if you’re going to be immersed in the business, hang out with your friends. That’s why it’s been so great staying here with Dassie. And ah, you know, Sue [Gillan] and Craig and just all my improviser friends; it’s just so fun. Um, and having college buddies here who’re in the business but not like improv and not like, you know, auditioning and stuff.
Jon: Right.
Jack: So, that’s been good.
Jon: Um, what are some of your hobbies?
Jack: Hobbies… I like crossword puzzles.
Jon: Okay. The New York Times [crossword puzzle]?
Jack: Ah, yeah. Sometimes those get too hard.
Jon: Yes.
Jack: I just do whatever I can get. People magazine. [both laugh] It’s just like pictures.
Jon: Yeah. [I laugh]
Jack: Um, and here’s one hobby and this might sound so stupid but it makes me feel good and it relaxes me- oh, one thing, I love sitting out in the sunshine. That might not be a hobby but like a pastime. To me that’s like getting a massage. That is… I need that. I need it. I worry I have that seasonal disorder thing.
Jon: Oh.
Jack: But I love sitting out in the sunshine. I could just sit out there and not do anything, not talk to anybody, it’s awesome. Another thing I do is I ah, look for and collect four-leaf clovers.
Jon: Really?
Jack: You must be, “what? What are you talking about?”
Jon: Have you- have you found a number of four-leaf clovers?
Jack: Yeah, yeah, tons of them. Here how ‘bout- I’ll show you. [Jack goes to the room he is staying in and I follow him with the tape recorder] These are the ones I found here in- [sees that I’ve followed him] Oh. These are the ones I’ve found here in California. I like to keep them all separate. [Jack shows me a make-shift album of blank white papers folded on themselves, containing the clovers to perserve them] So, um… here’s one- this might have been the first one I found. This one [a single, small four-leaf clover with a long stem] I found on a Monday before an Armando over in Beverly Hills. These I found [four four-leaf clovers; one a nice emerald green and darker than the rest] in Greystone Manor, which is this like, kind of park area over um, over where the Osbournes live and stuff?
Jon: Uh huh.
Jack: And these I found in Bob and Steph’s backyard. [another set of four four-leaf clovers]
Jon: No way.
Jack: Yeah. So, it’s kind of cool. Good thing- I mean, first of all, they look cool.
Jon: There’s so many. I…
Jack: I know. I know and ah, yeah, it’s weird that just like, eh [indicating the large amount of four-leaf clovers], makes me feel good. [both laugh] I’m like, “phew!” [we walk back to the den] Ah, it is weird because they are out there. And um, all it takes is a little patience and ah, you find them.
Jon: Interesting.
Jack: And it’s cool too because I found enough where I have- I can keep enough where I feel comfortable but then you feel like giving them away as presents. Here, I’ll show you. You can stay there.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: [goes to the living room] But…
Jon: Did you frame one?
Jack: Did I what? I found one [framed]. [laughs; returns to den with a framed four-leaf clover] No, but like framed Bob and Steph one for their wedding present.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: I gave ah, Joe and Susan [Messing] one for ah, their baby. And ah, yeah, it’s just a cool thing, you know. It’s just a little bit… different. [returns the framed clover to living room and returns to den] So… ah, yeah, that’s a hobby. Ah, I don’t watch too much TV. [sighs] But, so I guess that, in terms of Hollywood, I regularly do. So that kind of stuff… crossword puzzles. I’ve started reading a little bit more, usually don’t read a whole lot.
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: Ah, but I have been reading a little bit more. They’ve got some cool books here that I’ve been reading. Hmm, ‘bout it.
Jon: Does your um- when you were growing up, did you go through certain cycles of “I wanted to be this, I wanted to do that?”
Jack: Yeah. Actually, we, we were just talking about this yesterday. Ah, for the longest time, and we’re talking about a big chunk of time, ah, I wanted to be a cartoonist.
Jon: Holy shit! I wanted to be a cartoonist.
Jack: Yeah. I think Bob said the same thing. [laughs]
Jon: Interesting.
Jack: Um, but I’ve really enjoyed it. I love to draw and I wasn’t too bad at it. Ah, and it was fun. And so, there was that. I wanted to make toys at some point too. I thought that would have been cool.
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: I go through these little phases where I think of an invention [cell phone rings] but I don’t write it down. Oh, hold on one sec, that might be Sue. [goes to cell phone, answers it, then comes back] Um, I’ll think of an invention then I’ll write it down before I forget. Ah, but I used to be about- like that with toys too. Ah, you’d think of a toy like, “Oh, I would love that.” [laughs]
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: Plus I like going into toy stores and like seeing what’s new with toys. Like what- what is being made these days.
Jon: Right.
Jack: It’s cool, it’s fun.
Jon: Yeah. When you mean cartoonist, do you mean like um, animation cartoonist or do you mean like a Sunday comic type of cartoonist?
Jack: Started out as Sunday comic but like looking at Cartoon Network and stuff now I’m like, “ah, this really is my kind of stuff.” Dexter’s Laboratory.
Jon: Ooh.
Jack: -and stuff like that stuff. I just- very funny like very stylized and not necessarily like Japanimation or whatever it’s called. Um, but I like- ‘cause that looks like a comic strip.
Jon: Right.
Jack: But it’s a cartoon.
Jon: Right.
Jack: um, and that’s something I could have done… ah, that I would have liked to have done. And… so yeah, I really dug that. I like that a lot.
Jon: One of my first essays on my website was about how I… how I like being young and I mentioned that um, ah, my- my love affair with Sunday comics. With Calvin and Hobbes um, and ah, Far Side-
Jack: Yeah.
Jon: -and all the stuff like, “oh my God.”.
Jack: And that’s the thing like, growing up and getting the books, which were just, you know, collections of those kind of stuff. Loved Calvin and Hobbes and Far Side and my brother loved ah, what’s it called? Garry Trudeau’s… Doonesbury.
Jon: Doonesbury.
Jack: And um, oh my God, the Farside was the funniest thing ever. And- but I love like Calvin and Hobbes and FoxTrot ‘cause they had like panels and- and, you know, a story line-
Jon: Yeah.
Jack: -and all that. Whereas the Far Side was just that one image and sometimes it was so simple and so funny. I totally dug it. Um, -oh I thing drawing, cartooning and like little things like that is what helped me stay sane a little bit through college. It was mainly just doodling and stuff but, like I said, what I was studying I did not enjoy so I think that was [laughs a little] like a form of escapism. That and beer. [both laugh] It really, yeah, I don’t know, it made me feel good. It was probably my only creative outlet at that time so…
Jon: Ah, interesting point about the beer, um…
Jack: [laughs] Ah, good one.
Jon: [laughs] Ah, just the fact that um, I think there’s always a running debate, I don’t think it will ever be quelched as far as a definite answer, when you- you should be drinking beer, when you should not. When sometime performers drink on stage, you know, certain situations it’s, it’s more or less um, advertised. Sort of like um, the Screw Puppies which was like, very late at night, very casual, you know, they drank until the, the beer is gone.
Jack: [simultaneously at the end] The beer is gone.
Jon: Is basically it, you know. Some- sometimes it’s more, more theatrical and so, obviously, you don’t see much drinking on the side. There’s a certain, sometimes when you see performers um, in the in between area, not caring as much about the show and drinking or sometimes it helps them out. Um, it’s just a myriad of, of this huge topic “when should you drink, when should you not drink?” Whether it’s respect to the improv or respect to the audience or, or not. Um, do you have any thoughts on that, that huge topic?
Jack: Well, I mean, I don’t necessarily have a stance, you know, like feel so strongly one way or the other. I will say what I do personally and what I’m comfortable with. Ah, I will have a beer before a show, I mean, not every show but if, if we have plenty of time and if some of the other players are just sitting around having a beer, then I’ll join them for a beer. Ah, I’m not comfortable like taking a beer on stage at all, or even keeping it back stage where it might get tipped over.
Jon: Sure.
Jack: Ah, like in the green room or something, that’s fine. But ah, anywhere where it might be tipped over or even like seen I’m not crazy- comfortable with.
Jon: Uh huh.
Jack: Um, and I- [laughs a little] I can’t say I never, but um, I would never- I would never from this point, drink to the point of inebriation before a show.
Jon: Right.
Jack: Not so say that I haven’t done it in Chicago. But it was like during the day of a Cage Match or some Joe Canale show or something. [both laugh] It’s the only way you can cope. [laugh] Um, so in that sense, I think more than anything, just respectful to your fellow- fellow players to maintain your wits. But at the same time, most of the people I’m playing with now I trust and respect enough that you just have that mutual thing going where I’m not going to get shit faced and, you know, I trust that you’re not going to be shit faced and out of commission for it. So, it kind of is just a, a mutual- very relaxed thing. It’s not a really [a] topic that I dwell on too, too much ‘cause I’m pretty comfortable enough with how it’s been handled in, in my presence. Why, is that like a controversy?
Jon: Um, every- like I consider every six or so the topic is revisited on, you know, message boards-
Jack: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Jon: -or stuff like that. Most- most recently because there was ah, a series show called Pick N Play that we do at the Playground. Um, that Atticus Finch and ah, Mustang Repair co-produce. Um, and our very first show this February two gent- two gentlemen decided to drink to the point of almost inebriation.
Jack: Oh, I got ya,
Jon: Um, where- what would happen was like one team goes up, they perform – either a guest team or team at the Playground – and the next two teams are teams that captains have picked-
Jack: Oh, okay. Dodge ball.
Jon: -kind of like recess. Yeah, dodge ball. Um, one gentleman who I won’t speak of [by name] because I don’t want to-
Jack: Right.
Jon: tarnish his rep- Um, people who were there know who he is.
Jack: [laughs a little] Right.
Jon: Um, [he] was really, really drunk and decided to hump things while he was on stage. [Jack laughs] And then when he was off stage watching the second group who got picked go up- was calling the name of the other person who was drunk on stage… ah, to such a point where myself and ah, Joe Bill had to um, calm this individual down. So-
Jack: Yeah.
Jon: -that people could watch the show. So in that sense, it was just… aggravating.
Jack: Yeah. Well and- I mean, sounds like that’s just ah, something that got out of control and once again to the respect thing, I mean, be respectful, you know, drunk or sober. Some of the behavior would be inappropriate. [laughs]
Jon: Right.
Jack: Um, so… yeah, it’s just a respect thing.
Jon: Okay. Um, yesterday, last night, ah, the war with Iraq has happened. Um, do you have any… I don’t know, huge opinions? I mean, it’s kind of- I was listening to the radio or TV this morning saying before any war or if a war is drawn out there’s popular dissent against it. Um, anti-war protests are okay to happen but once it’s- a war has begun or along the early stages of it that’s it’s very hard for protest to happened because they nation as a whole needs to seem, you know, united behind our boys who are over there. So, in that sense, it’s I think really hard for anyone who’s anti-war to voice their sentiment right now because it’s not- um, with that in mind though um, with that in mind do you have any opinions… on… the war?
Jack: [long pause] I wish it weren’t happening, of course. In terms of- I have not actively participated in any like protests or anything. But I do know what you’re saying about now that it has begun any protests would be seen as…
Jon: Anti-American?
Jack: Yeah, like divisive almost. But at the same time… I mean, sometimes… that’s what needs- that’s what brings about change. I mean, I would hate to say historical examples in case I’m like wrong on like why they happened and stuff. But ah, I don’t know. I hate to admit it but I’m very, for the most part, apolitical, like non-political. Ah, so… I just wish that war weren’t happening. But, I honestly have no opinion on Bush or any of those guys; what’s happening and… As far as I’m concerned that’s okay with me. [laughs] I ah- not to just like live in ignorance but I got to tell you … some stuff when you realize that at this point right now immediately it’s out of my control.
Jon: Right.
Jack: And, I’m- I’m not going to worry too much about it.
Jon: Okay.
Jack: Not saying I don’t worry about America or troops or anything like that but yeah, I’m, I’m pretty… pretty- I’m distancing myself, I think, from that. [laughs]
Jon: Okay. During you ah, your send-off on E.C.T. stage, ah…
Jack: It’s E.T.C.
Jon: I keep saying it the wrong way.
Jack: Yeah, yeah. This interview is over. [both laugh]
Jon: Ah, the E.T.C. stage. [Jack laughs] [I have] Such a bad problem with pronunciation. Oh, there so many times where in- on stage that I’ve- that mispronouncing things-
Jack: Oh yeah.
Jon: -become my character thing.
Jack: [laughs] Oh, oh seriously?
Jon: Because I do it, so since I do it on stage, that- not- yet another character that has that part of them.
Jack: [laughs] “Here we go again.”
Jon: Yes. [Sighs] But, um, they mentioned how- one person mentioned how you would meet complete strangers and you would be very cordial to them and then later on you’d be inviting them to you place for like a BBQ or something like that.
Jack: [laughs] Oh right. Right. Who was that, TJ?
Jon: I think so, yeah.
Jack: Yeah… yeah.
Jon: Is that, you know, in a sense true?
Jack: Oooh, no. I mean, [I laugh] yeah I try to be nice to people but ah, honestly and it has just been like growing up finding the path of least resistance. Why would you be mean to anybody when it’s so much easier to be pleasant? [laughs] Is what I’ve found. Um, and to me people respond to that. And it makes life so much easier. You know, why, why go out of your way to be unkind to somebody? Ah, I mean, it makes things so much easier when… you’re decent, when you’re pleasant to them, when you’re open. And who cares? I mean, it’s not like people go, “oh, he totally said ‘hey’ to me.” You know? [both laugh] They’re not going to bad mouth you for being nice. So ah… so yeah, I mean, you know, I don’t, I don’t necessarily bring them in like Noah’s Ark but I- I do- I do have guests a lot. But it’s true. [laughs]
Jon: Okay.
Jack: Um, but that’s good. I like that. I like, I like having people around.
Jon: That’s good.
Jack: It’s just- just like improv. You’re working with a group. Safety in numbers. [fire engine siren] It’s not just you up there. It’s a team. [mimicking fire engine] Whooo! [both laugh]
Jon: Um…
Jack: So yeah, I like having friends.
Jon: Is there any other topics or things that this ah, conversation has- wanted to talk about or things like that?
Jack: No. I do have to say leaving Chicago was a very empowering thing for me. It was very scary and I loved Chicago but since leaving Chicago I feel that I’ve grown, I feel that I’ve become more confident ah, and it’s been, it’s been a very good feeling to have. I’m not going around recommending people to leave it but realizing that there is life blank, whether it be improv, whether it be Second City, whether it be whatever. It’s amazing the things that you can do and the places you can go after. You get- sometimes you get a little tunnel vision, especially in Chicago and the improv community. You just, you know, you put on your blinders and stuff. But it really is fun. There was one thing with- I was struggling with leaving Chicago was ‘cause ah, especially TJ Jagadowski – so pro-Chicago and I could not respect him more for it – but it’s okay if that’s not your thing. And once I just gave myself permission to say, “okay, I respect him for doing that… I- I need to try something else for me.” Then that’s great, that’s all you need to do. And ah, it has been the best thing ever. This past year in New York I’ve made the least amount of money ah, that I’ve made in all my years of working and… I have never been happier. It has been one of the best years of my life.
Jon: Wow.
Jack: Ah, yeah. It’s just been- it’s been amazing. So, it’s fun.
Jon: Awesome.
Jack: Yeah.
Jon: Well, thank you so much for doing this interview.
Jack: Thank you. Thank you Mr. Forsythe. [both laugh]
The End.
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