(Credit: Turner Broadcasting)
After a scene-stealing performance as Dewey Cox’s druggie drummer in last year’s “Walk Hard,” returns to TV for a new season of TBS’s family sitcom “The Bill Engvall Show” where he offers sage advice to Engvall and company.
Turns out he's saved some words of wisdom for us too.
When you were offered the role of Paul DuFrayne, could you identify with him?
Yes. I had just gotten divorced was going through the awkward single life again, so it was easier for me to relate to the character.
What do you think of the dating scene?
It's awkward. I feel weird at times, if I'm meeting someone for the first time whether it's something I initiate or something somebody else initiates. You have to get to know people and learning their histories.
People should bring resumes on dates.
I wish it were that easy. I don't do the online dating thing, so I have to do it the old fashioned way.
The show is called “The Bill Engvall Show” but the main character is Bill Pearson. Um…why?
If it were called “The Bill Pearson Show,” people would always be saying, "Who is Bill Pearson?!" People already know Bill Engvall. Do you think the character should be named Bill Engvall on the show?
Well, yes!
That would confuse people; they’d think it would be about a comedian's life if his character was named Bill Engvall. Jerry Seinfeld was Jerry Seinfeld and he was a comedian on the show, but Mary Tyler Moore’s show was called “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” and her [character] name was Mary Richards. We're going to go with that! [Laughs]
Fair enough. You were a long-running cast member on “SNL.” If you were asked to play someone this Saturday, who would you choose?
Barack Obama. That would be fun! Comedically, I see a lot of things in him I could do, and I could probably do a decent impression of him if I really worked on it…
During your SNL or Second City days, did you have any "Oh shit!" moments?
One time we were doing this scene during dress rehearsal and I was supposed to throw beer in Adam Sandler's face. It wasn't supposed to be real beer in the prop bottle, but somebody put something in there to make it look like brown ale. It was either vinegar and water or brown vinegar. It went right in Adam's eye and he had to do the scene and talk and he couldn't see the cue cards. I just remember going "Oh shit! There's nothing I can do to help him." I didn't put the liquid in the bottle so it's not my fault, I'm just doing my job, but I felt horrible. His eyes were red and stinging but when we did it on air it worked out fine!
What kind of humor works on you?
As a batting average, you can almost depend on a “Simpsons” episode to be funny, and I've always been a fan of Mel Brooks and Monty Python. I'll also watch movies or shows my friends have produced – I like watching people that I know because we have a similar sense of humor.
In closing, do you have any advice to pass on from the Ladies’ Man?
Cleanliness is next to godliness, so always keep it clean, people.
A new season of “The Bill Engvall Show” premieres Thursday, June 12 at 9pm ET/PT on TBS.
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