With an HBO film role and an upcoming comedy album,
SNL's wonderboy takes aim at the big time
You just did a WWII Miniseries for HBO called Band of Brothers. What's a funny guy like you doing in a drama?
Jimmy-I always wanted to die in a war movie. I think because of the quickness of it: "Hey, isn't that the guy--? Oh never mind." I have, like, 10 lines.
So you get to die?
Jimmy-Uh, no. I had to be the tough guy. I'm honking the horn of a jeep going, "I got the ammo!"
Did Tom Hanks, who directed it, give you any words of wisdom?
Jimmy-He once said to me, "Don't joke around. This is serious stuff." Then he started directing like he's Forrest Gump. [laughs] He's nuts.
You have quite the mop of hair. Did they make you cut it?
Jimmy-yeah, I kind of shaved it-- a little millitary cut.
You're known for your stylishly messy hair; what's your all-time worst haircut?
Jimmy-This cool kid in school had his hair parted in the middle and feathered on the sides. So I tried to do it, but I looked like a bartender. That's the first time I actually bought hair spray.
Were you popular in school?
Jimmy-I was never the coolest. I was a burnout for a while-- one of the kids who smoked and had long hair. But I never smoked. My parents did, [and] my mom used to pull a hair out of her head and burn it with cigarettes and say, "See what happens? A cigarette can burn your hair." For some reason that stuck in my head.
O-kay, is it true that you'd have to compete with your parents for your friends' attention?
Jimmy-[nods] My parents were like, "We got invited to Sean's house for a barbecue." And I was like, "My friend, Sean?" My parents are good people to have at a party: They'll sing. They'll dance. Put them in front of me and I'll watch them for hours.
Celebrities get tons of free stuff. What did you get for hosting the MTV Movie Awards?
Jimmy-They have me a Vespa scooter. But I was afraid I'd die, and I wouldn't know where to park it, so I had it shipped to my mom and dad's in upstate New York. I'll cruise around there like a big star.
You can really be a rock star after your first album is released in January.
Jimmy-I'm not trying to cross over. The whole thing is comedy. There are five songs. and then the second half is stand-up. [The audience] I'm looking for is weddings across the world or someone's bedroom.
Do fans send you love notes?
Jimmy-Yeah, it's pretty cool. The first time I got one, it was like, "I'm on some girl's wall!"
Who were your crushes?
Jimmy-When I was really little, I had a crush on Gladys Knight... Jo from The Facts of Life...and Winona Ryder. She's the most beautiful girl I've ever met.
Speaking of Winona, are you dating her or what?
Jimmy-Nah. I'm not really dating anyone. I work too hard to date. I just hang around with people.
Actually, the gossip columns say you're dating, like, everyone.
Jimmy-I know!... [But] I'm not a gigalo or anything; I don't want to have a reputation.... Eventually, I'll settle down, probably after SNL.
Do you ever mess up on SNL?
Jimmy-Oh, my God, all the time.
Do you get in trouble?
Jimmy-I think they got made a couple of times because I started laughing in a scene, I don't know why. I'm an egomaniac. I love myself.
