The Magnificent Seven's
Michael Biehn & Eric Close

TVGEN: Welcome! Tonight's chat is with The Magnificent Seven's Michael Biehn and Eric Close. Welcome Michael and Eric.

Eric Close: It's great to be online with everybody. And we're really excited about this new season. We've got 13 really fantastic shows. And we're really fired up with all the fan enthusiasm.
Michael Biehn:Ditto!

PureCountry_Cowgirl_4u: Are you a real cowboy? And how old are you?
Biehn: I am not a cowboy and I am 42. I grew up in Arizona and have a lot of buddies that are cowpokes. Right before Mag Seven I did a movie called The Bull Rider. They flew me into the city and sent me to a rodeo. They gave me the chaps and hat and everything. I looked like a real cowboy. I walked around the rodeo and thought, I am a real cowboy and thought everyone thought I was a real cowboy. I was feeling real good and real manly. Until a real cowboy walked by and told me I had my hat on backwards. So much for my career as a cowboy.
Close: In response to that question, I've never really lived the cowboy life. However, every year I spent time in Colorado and have traveled around quite a bit in Montana, etc. I always had a fantasy of wanting to be a cowboy, so I picked up the hat and boots. And everytime I'm out there, it's a fantasy. A couple of years ago I was just getting down to doing another series, and a TV interviewer asked me, If you could do anything now, what role would you want to play? And I said, I have always wanted to be a cowboy. And they said, be careful what you wish for. And this is one time I was glad that I spoke those words. Just a matter of a month or two later, I was doing The Magnificent Seven, playing Vin Tanner.

Aquila_KLM: What historical research have the two of you done in order to explore aspects of your characters' lives (such as bounty hunting, ranching in the 1800s, Native Americans, frontier prostitution, etc)?
Biehn: Well I researched the prostitution but that is all the research that I did. It wasn't the 1880s though.
Close: All the actors and writers were real conscious about trying to keep dialogue and scenarios authentic. Michael was really good about that. There were certain times a character would say something, and Michael would be real careful to make sure that any facts were true. That we were authentic, quoting certain types of laws that existed back then. As far as dialogue went, we all picked up a book on cowboy slang. We would, instead of saying not, or isn't, we would say ain't or reckon. Little things like that. Michael's character said one time to Vin, "You better be careful or you'll be deader than a beaver-skin hat," or something like that. I guess what I'm trying to say is -
Biehn: NO, we haven't done any research.
Close: I think we all try to look into different things. My character, Vin Tanner, we find out that he likes poetry, and I looked into that. A couple of actors wrote some poems for the character. Dale Midkiff, who plays Buck, wrote a poem for the character Vin. There was some research, yeah.

jadzz: Are "bloopers" being saved ? Do you have any favorites ?
Biehn: I think they do have some bloopers that CBS is going to put on the show. I kind of wanted them to have us on the air for a while before running bloopers. I think my favorite bloopers have to do with horse's bodily functions in the middle of the take and the reactions of the guest stars who aren't used to it. They keep going as if nothing is happening while the horse is unloading.
Close: Michael's horse, out of the seven horses, is the most gaseous horse I've ever see in my life!

befuddled1: Michael, As Johnny Ringo, you showed yourself to be skilled at fancy gun twirling. How did you learn that, and is Chris as adept at gun handling as Johnny was?
Biehn: Well, uh, I practiced when I did Tombstone, and a man named Thel Reed taught me some of those moves and it is kind of a thing like rodeo. If you have it in your hand you are always playing it. And Chris IS as adept. Same actor, right?

ChiraMc: Who taught you all to handle guns, knives, horses, and the occaisional chicken?
Close: The occasional chicken! What does that mean? Are they talking about the girls?

PosseMomJo: Vin was very sympathetic to Native Americans in Manhunt. Have you received any positive feedback or response from the Native American community as a result?
Close: To be honest, if there has been any, I'm unaware of it. But yeah, you're right, Vin is sympathetic to the Indians, but the answer is, no I haven't.
Biehn: You know a lot of the Indians didn't see it because the show was on Saturday night and that is a big casino night.

ChiraMc: How much of your own stunts do you do?
Biehn: None. We do running, jumping, fighting, riding. But anything that is real stunt - windows falling, etc., none of us do.
Close: But we do get to do pretty much ninety percent of our riding, unless it's something pretty hairy, like with explosions nearby, or down a hill.
Biehn: Actually, Andy, who plays J.D., does almost all of his own horse stunts.

OutlawTweetie: How do you guys feel about the CBS ads exploiting the fact that you send women's hormones raging with just a smile (Michael) and a lean (Eric)
Close: I say, bring it on! Whatever brings up the ratings! We want to do this show for a while!

VinsJewel: What drew you to the Magnificent Seven script?
Biehn: What I like about working on this show is that we get to help craft the scripts. All the actors have input as far as story editing and writing. We don't just show up and say the lines. We are involved in writing the show. All of us.
Close: The one thing I would add to that is that we've had a chance to see a few shows before they air. And the shows have a real feature film-like quality. The lighting, costumes, performances, locations, etc. The direction, everything involved. And it's also a Western that we all wanted it to be - not like Bonanza, real fluffy. Even though there is an element of that, there is an element of dark side to these shows. A Josey Wales quality. Or The Unforgiven.
Biehn: Or Little House...
Close: Or Pee Wee Goes To Camp.

Mag7fanWin: Dear Michael, do you prefer making movies or being a part of a TV series like Mag Seven? Which is more challenging, more rewarding?
Biehn: Doing Mag. 7. I am much more involved in the filmmaking experience on Mag Seven. I'm much more involved in story elements, casting decisions, the writing of the show, the blocking of the scenes. And controlling the egos of my costars.
Close: Except mine, of course. It's too big to control!
Biehn: I am like a mini-producer, they can't keep me down. I am not, but I think I am. No one listens to me. These are just opinions I have. They can't stop me from doing it.
Close: I was going to echo what Michael said, in that Michael is not only the leader of the Seven, but right from the get-go, Michael has taken that leadership position and been the voice for the seven of us. And Michael is one of the more selfless actors that I've met when it comes to the show, because he doesn't go to the writers or producers with only concerns about his character. He goes and he approaches the producers with concerns regarding every one of us, and the show itself, guest stars, across the boards. From my understanding, that's a rarity coming from someone with Michael's status. I'll stop kissing his ass now and let you guys continue.

OutlawTweetie: Do we get to see Michael tied to any beds this year?
Biehn: No, but if they stop by my house later on tonight they may catch some action.
Close: LOL!
Biehn: I mean, catch some of that!

Aquila_KLM: Eric, I'm from San Diego too (Santee and Chula Vista). What part are you from? Where did you go to high school?
Close: I'm from El Cojon, and I went to Valhalla High School. What's up with the Chargers this year?

ErinAnn20: Michael, if the opportunity arose again, would you consider making another movie with James Cameron?
Biehn: NO!! NO!! Absolutely not. Such an untalented guy... Yes, of course I would. James is my buddy. James and I go way back.
Close: I love James too, and I'm looking forward to working with him!

Threndolyn: I realize this is going to be a hard question to answer considering the medium but, Mr. Biehn, I have heard your name pronounced many different ways over the years. What is the proper way?
Biehn: How can you do that on the Internet? When I was a kid everyone used to call me pork 'n. That should give you a hint.
Close: You got to stay out of the pigsty man!

Lanette_VV: There are many websites and a lot of fan fiction devoted to Mag Seven on the Internet. Have either of you visited the sites and/or read the fanfic?
Biehn: I don't have a computer. I don't know anything about that. I don't even know what a website is.
Close: I have a comment about that.
Biehn: We are anxiously waiting.
Close: What's the question again? Yes, I have chatted online a little bit, or just sent a message from John Watson's computer last year, I believe. And actually, the other thing was, someone downloaded, if I'm correct, the fan fiction, where they make up stories for our characters. And I have to say that a lot of young people are into the show and get on the Internet and it's hard to sort of police what's on there, and I happened to see some pornographic storylines.
Biehn: Yeah, baby!
Close: And me personally I was a bit disappointed in how graphic the stuff was. If it's a place where it is restricted in terms of who can see it, that's one thing. But I would just encourage our fans to try and encourage the people that write this stuff to clean it up a little bit because a lot of our fans are young viewers. And young surfers.
Biehn: Very nice!

KalikinaT: Who is the biggest joker of the cast?
Biehn: I would say everyone has a good sense of humor. But I personally find Tony Starke and Ron Perlman to be the funniest.
Close: I agree with Michael on that.

OutlawTweetie: Do you have stunt guys for the kissing scenes too?
Biehn: We are laughing here. That was very, very funny.

GREENEbiehn: Does Chris get to be "darker" this season like you wanted, Mr. Biehn?
Biehn: Yes.

Calamity_27: Did you ever expect such an outpouring of fan emotion in order to get The Magnificent Seven back on the air?
Close: No.
Biehn: We are extremely excited about it though.
Close: Umm, hmm.

dlt0423: Eric, are we going to find out about Vin's dad in the new season?
Biehn: Maybe.
Close: I hope so. That's a storyline that I would like to see. But I don't know yet.
Biehn: We want to know from people online who'd make a good father for Vin, re casting choices. Someone who would work in TV, not a movie star.

myscribe: Which episode do you think is the best so far?
Close: I am going to say an episode called "Penance." Look-wise it was very cool. I haven't seen them all. And I'm also going to take a chance and say an episode called "Obsession" that I've seen a little bit of and I think is going to be really good too.
Biehn: My favorite episode is "Vendetta." I would say that one of the things that we are proud of is that we are attracting very interesting guest stars. One is Tyne Daly, who has done a wonderful job. She was in "Vendetta." Brad Douriff was great. He is a great actor. And Peter Firth, who did Equus. Anthony Hopkins, Kay Lenz and Robert Vaughn.

EEIMP: Was your answer about the Indians sarcastic, or do you really feel as if the majority of American Indians spend time gambling?
Biehn: No, they run the casinos. It was meant to be funny.

GSusanM: How do you feel about the change in nights to Friday?
Close: I'm thrilled about it.
Biehn: Yeah, me too.

LadyChris77: Do you two think that you would work on a project together outside of The Magnificent Seven?
Biehn: We would like to. Why, do you have a script? Of course, we would love to.
Close: I would absolutely jump at the chance. To spit on Michael. We were doing the pilot in Arizona. And there is a scene where we are all handcuffed. And Michael is trying to pull his hand out of the handcuff. And Vin was chewing tobacco and Michael said to me, lean over and spit tobacco juice on my hand when the camera is on me so it looks like my hand is lubricated, to pull my hand out of the handcuff. And I thought that was really cool, that Michael was willing to do that, because it kind of gave a rawness and a reality to the show. Plus, I just like spitting on Michael.

Heartart2: Would you like to see more women in the shows?
Biehn: I would.
Close: Yes. But they'd need to be good!

gracie_02: What's the weirdest experience you've ever had with a fan?
Biehn: I had a weird situation were someone used my name to extort money from a woman. He took her for 60 or 80 thousand dollars. He is in prison now. It was on Sally. She thought she was going to marry me and sent money to pay debt I didn't have.
Close: I have used Michael's name to extort money, too.
Biehn: It was really weird.

Julyred: Michael, what is the reason for wearing black all the time?
Biehn: It matches my personality.
Close: Because I took brown.
Biehn: Matches my mood when I show up on the set in the morning.

Tina_SaulsGA: Vin, can you really play the harmonica?
Biehn: You should hear him play. Boy you should hear him play!!
Close:Let me clear something up with that. Vin does not play the harmonica. Never did, never will.
Biehn: (Laughs)
Close: The reason he carries a harmonica is that he likes to blow air through it, it's a form of meditation for him. That's it.
Biehn: Chris is thinking of picking up the electric guitar next season.
Close: However, I can understand why someone might assume he could play the harmonica, because some brilliant person in the sound department dubbed in some harmonica music that I wasn't playing.
Biehn: You gotta admit, Eric, that when you have the harmonica in your hand an you are blowing into it, it looks like you're playing it.

bill_t_cat: Ever consider doing a TV series?
Close: No! I thought about doing a series called Bill T Cat.
Biehn: No, but I am thinking about doing your mom!

CajinSweetHeart: What are your future projects?
Biehn: I've got a movie coming out than John Landis directed. It is a comedy with Dan Aykroyd, Billy Zane, Nastasha Kinski. And it is called Susan's Plan. It should be out this spring. It is a comedy and everyone can see how hysterical I am.
Close: I did an independent film called The Sky Is Falling. A dark comedy. And I don't know when it'll be out. I think they are making the rounds in the festival scene. That's about it for me.

TVGEN: Michael, Eric, thanks for joining us this evening. We had a lot of fun. Please come back and chat with us again.

Close: Encourage everybody to tell at least one person to watch the show tomorrow night!
Biehn: Adios!

TVGEN: And thanks for all of you in the audience for joining us and posting your questions. We wish we had the opportunity to answer more of them. Good night.