'Life' Star Adam Arkin Hits the
C-Spot by Chandra
When you think of actor Adam Arkin,
it’s hard to think of just one thing, simply because
he’s been involved in so many television, film, and theater
projects throughout his lengthy career.
He
currently stars on the engaging NBC crime procedural Life
, which will return for a
deserved second season this fall. And, that’s not to mention
his past roles on popular TV series like Chicago Hope (of
course), Northern Exposure, 8 Simple Rules… for
Dating My Teenage Daughter, and The West Wing. Few
people may realize that Arkin has also appeared on many, many
other seminal shows etched in television history, such as Barney
Miller, China Beach, Frasier, Happy Days,
Hawaii Five-O, L.A. Law, Law & Order, The
Love Boat, Monk, Picket Fences, and even the
nighttime soap Knots Landing.
The
range of productions is truly impressive and diverse, which is
why it makes perfect sense to the informed that Arkin also
recently paid a visit to C Spot’s online comedy series Gorgeous
Tiny Chicken Machine Show. C-Spot, an original scripted
comedy channel available at Crackle and other
video-sharing websites like YouTube, is brought to the Web-savvy
by Sony Pictures Television. Gorgeous Tiny Chicken
Machine Show’s host, creator, writer, and executive
producer Kim Evey, who plays the fictional character Kiko,
has fashioned the viral series in the style of a zany Japanese
talk show where anything often goes.
Evey’s
latest guest is Adam Arkin, and you can catch his appearance at
Crackle and other C-Spot destinations around the Internet
starting today. But first, take a minute or three to check out
the really fun interview I had the pleasure of conducting with
Arkin just this week.
He
discusses his legendary (at least to fans) role as Adrian
Monk’s nemesis Dale “The Whale” Biederbeck,
what’s in store on his current TV series Life, and,
of course, what it was like hitting the C-Spot on Gorgeous
Tiny Chicken Machine Show as mycologist Brad Small, a fungi
specialist.
People
who aren’t familiar with Kim Evey’s Gorgeous
Tiny Chicken Machine Show at C-Spot might be quite
surprised when they see your appearance on it. Did you have a
similar “Whoa!” reaction when you arrived on the set?
What was the experience like?
Adam
Arkin: The set is actually in Kim Evey and her husband Greg
Benson’s garage. [Kim created the series and her husband
Greg directs.] Because they are friends of mine, I’ve spent
time at their home, so it was not like showing up cold and having
to take it all in. I’ve worked with Greg and Kim before, and
I know I have to be ready for anything when I step into their
environment. Nothing caught me off guard — I was
meticulously prepared.
Was
performing on a show for an online audience any different than
acting on a traditional television show like Chicago
Hope? Did anything crazy happen on the set?
Adam
Arkin: Yea, I wasn’t paid. (kidding) I can say there was
never a time during Chicago Hope when anyone opened a
giant container of balls on my head.
You
played Adrian Monk’s now notorious archenemy Dale “The
Whale” Biederbeck during the show’s very first season.
In fact, you pioneered the character because you were the first
of three actors thus far to portray him, which means you’re
forever linked to the history of one of USA Network’s and
cable TV’s most successful series. How in the world does an
actor prepare to portray such a vile, mean-spirited, mentally
warped criminal?
Adam
Arkin: I just make sure to schedule about 2 or 3 hours every
day at the local DMV, so by the time I come out of there,
I’m ready.
Excellent
answer. You’ve performed in stage productions numerous
times, as well, and you also have a new theatrical film called Graduation
opening in limited release on May 2. This diverse background begs
the question of which medium you prefer: television, movies, or
theater?
Adam
Arkin: I really don’t have a medium I prefer. I’ve
had great experiences in all three and ultimately it’s about
having things going well and working with people that I respect.
And I’ve been lucky to do that in all three mediums.
I
happen to love your current NBC series Life,
on which you play Ted Early, the ex-con confidant and housemate
of Damian Lewis’ central character Charlie Crews. Is acting
on the show as much fun as watching the show is for fans? May we
devotees please have an example?
Adam
Arkin: Acting on the show has been a lot of fun, primarily
because most of the acting I get to do is with Damian, who I have
felt a great deal of camaraderie with and I like to think we have
similar approaches to the work. We are serious about the work but
we don’t take it seriously, which translates to being able
to relax, have a good time, and get the work done.
Any
time you get a chance to work with live animals and have horses
on sound stages and swim with coyotes, how can you not be having
a good time? And I also have to give a shout-out to Sarah
Shahi, who has been doing fantastic work on the show.
She’s both a terrific person and professional.
I
have to squeeze in a second question about Life
because I was also more than a little ticked when, after so much
finger-crossing and vocalizing by fans to persuade NBC to give
the series a second season, the network obliged but then
announced earlier this month that Life will
air on Friday nights — the desert island of broadcast
television — when it returns.
Can
fans expect anything different from/on the series as a result of
this unfortunate time-slot change? For instance, how are the cast
and crew coping with the news? Will there be belly dancers,
weekly giveaways, devious subliminal messages, and such to lure
viewers in?
Adam
Arkin: I think they’re planning on giving belly dancers
to the cast members to cheer us up after the schedule change.
(kidding)
First
of all, we haven’t been working together as a company since
we got the news. We’ve been on hiatus since the
writer’s strike began, and we don’t start working until
June. But that being said, there are pluses and minuses to the
schedule change. The minus side is that it’s not considered
a hot night, and it’s a night that’s traditionally
considered for a lower number of viewers.
But
there are two additional pieces of information in response to
that. Number one, because of the preponderance now of people
using their TiVos, and the amount of people watching shows online
or recording and streaming video, the scheduled night is not as
important as it once was.
And
the other issue is that being on Friday night also means that the
network doesn’t have as much vehement competition on that
night. It’s a night on which we may have a very long life
(no pun intended), so I don’t think anyone’s overly
upset about it. The fact that we were picked up by NBC is a much
bigger deal than what night we air on.
The
first TV show most writers mention after mentioning your name is Chicago
Hope, the acclaimed medical drama you starred on as
Dr. Aaron Shutt from 1994–2000. Considering that you are the
esteemed predecessor and he’s the current fan fave, who
would win in a boxing match, you or Hugh Laurie of House,
M.D.?
Adam
Arkin: Well, to even be considered the predecessor to someone
as talented as Hugh would be an honor. I’d have to say that
because he has the cane, he’d probably beat the crap out of
me.
I’ll
close with an “easy” question. If you could resurrect
or rejoin any one of the previous TV series you’ve been
involved with — whether as a regular, recurring cast member,
or guest star — and resume your role on it, which show would
you choose and why?
Adam
Arkin: That’s an interesting question. It would not be Chicago
Hope, and not because I didn’t love it, but simply
because we did it for so long and I was in every episode for an
eight-year span. I’d have to say all things considered,
probably Northern Exposure. I just had a ball with that
character [a moody chef named Adam reminiscent of Laurie’s
House].
But
I’d have to put The West Wing as a close second. With
Northern Exposure there was just a magical overall
environment created on that show. Everything about it, from
shooting in northern Washington, and the writing, and the spirit
of the experience was just really wonderful. It was like they
were doing a small European comedy every week.
And
then the character on The West Wing I got to play
[psychologist Dr. Stanley Keyworth] was something that I felt in
a certain way was closer to me than anything I’ve ever done.
And the writing was extraordinary. Aaron Sorkin’s writing
was pretty near perfection.
And
there we have it! Many thanks to very kind Adam Arkin for
answering all of Comedy Centric’s questions.
Life Page
Chicago Hope Page
8 Simple Rules
Variety of Photos Page
Adam's Work
"Brooklyn Boy"
Interview
Bio, Quotes & Trivia
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