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format ( one for each answer )1.) Richard is always so pessimistic and depressed. What's it like to get into a character like that every day?
Well, I used to think he was so completely differently from me. When we
started the show, I thought, "Oh, it's so great, it's such a stretch for me."
And, you know, of course I have those sides to myself. I do think that I'm, happily, not
nearly so despondent, you know what I mean? I'd like to think that I'm a lot healthier. I
think that you have to be, to get any kind of sense of humor into a part like that. There
has to be a sort of lightness as to how you approach it. In other words, if Malcolm was
really living in the place that Richard is, I don't think it would be any fun to watch. 2.) Right now on the show, two women are killing themselves to get you. Do your castmates tease you about being a stud?
Well, I certainly don't feel like a stud, so... I think it's funny because
you would imagine that a guy that two women would fight over would probably be, you know,
Superman or something, not a little guy with glasses and sort of underfed. But yeah, I
think we all keep a sense of humor about it, absolutely. You have to with a job like this.
3.) Is all this attention going to go to Richard's head?
No, Richard has to stay modest to the end. He just has to, 'cause that's
the reason I love him, you know. As it is, because it's television and because it's
prime-time TV, they're always sort of like, "Oh, here, let's fix your hair." And
I'm always trying to get them to stop because I want to look a little bit.... You know, we
did an episode the other night where I was supposed to have been up for a couple of days,
so I said, "Let's put some razor stubble on, like I've been up for a couple of
days." And they got really nervous. They were like, "OK, but you still have to
look attractive." 4.) You're notorious for pulling pranks on the set — for example, you once whipped off your towel when you were wearing nothing underneath. Have you done anything recently?
Well, I kept my clothes on this season. They've learned not to write
scenes for me where I'm coming.... Actually, we had an episode a few weeks ago where they
wanted me to come out of the bathroom in a towel and they cut it. And I don't think it's
because of that reason, but who knows? Somebody up there may have said, "You know
Malcolm's gonna drop it at the run-through, so...." What kind of pranks have I pulled
this year? Wow, that's a good question. I don't know if I've had as much time for pranks
this year because we worked so much harder this year. 5.) Caroline has had its share of poignant moments. Do you ever think to yourself, "Wait, this is supposed to be a comedy, and we haven't had a laugh in two scenes?"
The episode I remember the most feeling that way was in our first year
when Judd Hirsch played my father. And it was a very serious episode for me in that
Richard had a terrible relationship with his father and they wrote this scene where I
completely went off on him, on Judd, on my father, basically said, "You were a
terrible father and, and why are you now trying to be a part of my life?" And the
first few days we rehearsed it, I had that swimming around in my mind. I thought,
"This is a comedy, why is it so dramatic?" And then on, like, the third day,
Judd, who I just adored, turned to me and he said, "How come you're not giving it to
me?" And I said, "What?" And he goes, "Why aren't you really
committing to this, Malcolm, as an actor?" And I said, "Because I'm worried
— it's a comedy," or whatever. And Judd, who I had faith in because he did some
pretty great shows in his time, Judd said, "You know what, Malcolm?" he said.
"The episodes of Taxi that they always remembered were the ones that were more
poignant." And he said, "You know, there's good acting and there's bad
acting." He said, "You don't worry about the laughs." He said, "Just
play it for all it's worth." So indeed, I ended up — when we filmed it, I just
went for it and I completely went off on him and it was scary. But you know what? That's
where I have to leave it to the writers and the producers. All I can do is fulfill to the
best of my abilities what they've given me. And that was a good lesson for me that week
because Judd was like, "Be a good actor." He was like, "Come on, give it
all of its emotional worth." And then I'll leave to the writers and the producers and
NBC to decide, you know, if it's too heavy, blah, blah, blah. 6.) What did you watch on TV when you were growing up?
I Love Lucy. I really love Lucy. The original shows were just the best, I
think. Really the best — the best actors, the best writing. It was this form in its
infancy, and I think that there was something so fantastically, you know.... It was like
watching a taped play. They didn't try to make it realistic. So the energy between those
actors and the studio audience that was there that day was really what those episodes were
about. And that's what I always wish we could do more of now, instead of film it like a
movie. If you can capture the spontaneous energy between the actors and the live audience,
that's what transcends through the TV. 7.) What kids' shows did you watch?
Sesame Street, Electric Company. Zoom. I was really into Zoom. I used to
do, "Zoom, Box 350, Boston, MA 02134." What else was I into? I was into The
Addams Family and The Munsters. That was, like, my generation. Gilligan's Island. Later I
got into Dark Shadows. I really loved Dark Shadows. 8.) What do you watch on TV now?
I watch the English shows. Is that awful? Do you hate me? My favorite
comedy show is on the BBC. It's called Keeping Up Appearances. Have you seen it? It's this
fantastic comedy about this woman who came from a low-class family in England and she
marries pretty well and it's all about she's completely decided to make herself over. And
her married name is B-U-C-K-E-T and she insists upon being called Bouquet. Every time they
say, "Mrs. Bucket," she says, "Bouquet." Keeping Up Appearances —
that is a fantastic show. 9.) Could you sing us a TV theme?
Well, you know, there's always the great one, which is [sings The Mary
Tyler Moore Show theme]. How's that? 