In the mid-‘80s I was an entertainment reporter for the largest newspaper syndicate in the world. It was a great job with terrific perks—if you didn’t mind making little money. Interviewing a cavalcade of TV stars during the days of “Dallas,” “Dynasty,” “Knots Landing,” “Family Ties” and “Cheers” certainly taught me a lot about people and several life lessons.
First off, celebrities do put on their pants just like we do—one leg at a time—it’s just that theirs pants are more likely to be made of silk, Egyptian cotton or leather. But that isn’t the life lesson I’m focusing on here.
I’d just gotten past security and into the elevator at 30 Rock (yes, 30 Rockefeller Plaza) and was headed up to the publicity offices to do a my latest celebrity interview. NBC was about to air a miniseries called “George Washington.” I was there to get the details for a story that would run the week it aired. I was to interview the actor playing the title character. I knew who he was—Barry Bostwick—because he had starred in one of my favorite miniseries of the era, “Scruples.” Quickly, the elevator filled with people and I moved to the very back. I scanned the occupants because you never knew when some “Saturday Night Live” cast member—after all, it was the era of Eddie Murphy and Chevy Chase—might finally be coming to work. (After all, it was almost lunch time.)
Just as the elevator door was about to close, in pushed a hand and the door sprung open again. Two men entered and finally up we went. After a few stops, I was the only one left in the elevator with the two men. From the back I could see they both were tall and had great hair.
“Geez, I hope the next one isn’t as bad as the last one,” the taller men with the better hair said.
“Yeah, I know. But you just gotta hang in there,” the other man said, watching his companion shake his head as he looked down at his feet. Nice shoes too, I thought.
“Why do they all have to be assholes?” the taller man asked in a tone that was more of an assessment than a question.
Just then the door opened and the men got out—on the same floor I was about to enter. I waited gingerly as they then headed down the hall I was going to take. I let them get farther ahead and then they turned into the familiar office where I was going.
I adjusted my tie, took a deep breath and waited for the door to close. Then I opened it briskly and stepped inside.
Yeap, there was Barry Bostwick himself—he must be six-foot-four--and his manager (I guess) shaking hands with the NBC PR guy. I walk up.
“Barry Bostwick,” the PR guy said as he shook my hand, “This is… “
“Your latest asshole,” I said dryly.
“You were in the elevator?” Bostwick said, rubbing his chin. He chuckled.
“Yeah,” I said, smiling.
After that auspicious introduction, we settled down in an empty conference room and had a terrific interview. Bostwick was funny and further self-effacing. We chuckled about the casting of Patty Duke as Martha Washington. [She got the last laugh as she ended up being nominated for an Emmy for the role.] And of course, I had to ask him about “Scruples” with my then-crush, Lindsay Wagner. “I liked her better when she was bionic,” I admitted. “Me too,” he replied quickly as we both laughed.
First off, celebrities do put on their pants just like we do—one leg at a time—it’s just that theirs pants are more likely to be made of silk, Egyptian cotton or leather. But that isn’t the life lesson I’m focusing on here.
I’d just gotten past security and into the elevator at 30 Rock (yes, 30 Rockefeller Plaza) and was headed up to the publicity offices to do a my latest celebrity interview. NBC was about to air a miniseries called “George Washington.” I was there to get the details for a story that would run the week it aired. I was to interview the actor playing the title character. I knew who he was—Barry Bostwick—because he had starred in one of my favorite miniseries of the era, “Scruples.” Quickly, the elevator filled with people and I moved to the very back. I scanned the occupants because you never knew when some “Saturday Night Live” cast member—after all, it was the era of Eddie Murphy and Chevy Chase—might finally be coming to work. (After all, it was almost lunch time.)
Just as the elevator door was about to close, in pushed a hand and the door sprung open again. Two men entered and finally up we went. After a few stops, I was the only one left in the elevator with the two men. From the back I could see they both were tall and had great hair.
“Geez, I hope the next one isn’t as bad as the last one,” the taller men with the better hair said.
“Yeah, I know. But you just gotta hang in there,” the other man said, watching his companion shake his head as he looked down at his feet. Nice shoes too, I thought.
“Why do they all have to be assholes?” the taller man asked in a tone that was more of an assessment than a question.
Just then the door opened and the men got out—on the same floor I was about to enter. I waited gingerly as they then headed down the hall I was going to take. I let them get farther ahead and then they turned into the familiar office where I was going.
I adjusted my tie, took a deep breath and waited for the door to close. Then I opened it briskly and stepped inside.
Yeap, there was Barry Bostwick himself—he must be six-foot-four--and his manager (I guess) shaking hands with the NBC PR guy. I walk up.
“Barry Bostwick,” the PR guy said as he shook my hand, “This is… “
“Your latest asshole,” I said dryly.
“You were in the elevator?” Bostwick said, rubbing his chin. He chuckled.
“Yeah,” I said, smiling.
After that auspicious introduction, we settled down in an empty conference room and had a terrific interview. Bostwick was funny and further self-effacing. We chuckled about the casting of Patty Duke as Martha Washington. [She got the last laugh as she ended up being nominated for an Emmy for the role.] And of course, I had to ask him about “Scruples” with my then-crush, Lindsay Wagner. “I liked her better when she was bionic,” I admitted. “Me too,” he replied quickly as we both laughed.
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