Live from Studio I in Hollywood! Entertainment Asylum proudly presents
funny man Thomas Gibson, TV's "Greg" from ABC's wacky new sitcom, "Dharma
and "Greg."
EAMC Host: Good evening everyone! Welcome Thomas Gibson of Dharma and Greg.
EA TGibson: Thanks - its so fabulous to be here.
EAMC Host: Let's get started with some questions from the audience.
Question: Do you like being famous?
EA TGibson: I wish I could be famous, Amos! You know there is a certain
amount of animinity that actors have, but there is a trade off. You know --
you get better tables at restaurants.
Question: As an aspiring actress from NH, I would like to know, how did you
first get started in acting?
EA TGibson: Well I started as a kid - after swim meets I would do a Louis
Armstrong impression. I started in theatre as a kid - you know - Grumpy!!
And kept up acting and then realized that I wasn't cut out to do anything
else - then off to drama school in NY.
Question: How did you get the part of Greg?
EA TGibson: I sent a very big check to get this gig. No, I was actually on
Chicago Hope and was looking for something else to do. It was the end of
pilot season and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do but then this came.
Question: I know that Dharma & Greg is a hit at our Jr. high school. What
kind of audience, are you going for younger or older?
EA TGibson: I'm going for young, old and everything in between. Actually,
I think that one of the great things about the show is that is has
something for everyone.
Question: Who or what influenced you & your acting?
EA TGibson: Well Louis Armstrong! I was a big fan of "Escape from Witch
Mountain" - I had a real major crush on that girl!
Question: What is it like to work with that cute Dharma?
EA TGibson: Everything you would ever hope it would be! She's really
great, a lot of fun and has great spirit.
Question: Tom are you on the Internet often?
EA TGibson: Well actually at the moment we have phone line problems but I'm
on the Internet quite frequently.
Question: How do you get a good agent in Hollywood and can I meet yours?
EA TGibson: Ok Smart man! No you cannot meet my agent I guess [it was]
meeting my very first agent which put things in motion to get things rolling.
EAMC Host: Do you want yourself on TV?
EA TGibson: I actually am watching myself right now! Sometimes I do watch
myself it can be so painful......
Question: Thomas, I know that you are married, but do you have any children?
EA TGibson: No not yet - my wife and I are practicing on our dogs! No we
are practicing our parental skills! But no kids yet.
Question: are you related to Mel?
EA TGibson: No no no no no no,
EAMC Host: Do you ever improvise?
EA TGibson: Occasionally yes - but the writers are really good - but
sometimes they like things we put in a rehearsal and then they include it
and of course take credit for it!
Question: Mr. Gibson, did you star in a stage production of "Manhattan
Class Company" in NYC a few years ago playing a character named "Cookie" ??
If so, you were great! if not, then another actor out there somewhere who
looks just like you and is great !
EA TGibson: Yes, I was. There was actually two plays - called June 8, 1968
and another one.
EAMC Host: Great question about Thomas' past! Lets get another question
from the audience. :)
Question: who is your favorite star you have worked with
EA TGibson: That's a good questions - at the risk of offending anyone - I
could not actually narrow it down to one - but I did have a brush with
greatness - I worked with John Houssman but we weren't in any scenes - and
oh yeah, I met Marcia Brady recently! That was cool.
Question: Do u like being a doctor or being a wacky husband instead?
EA TGibson: I think the wacky husband sounds a little like Darin Stevens -
but which Darin? Dick Seargant or Dick York?
EAMC Host: I think you are more of the Dick York-type myself
EA TGibson: Thanks.
Question: Libra84357 asks: Is it hard to stay serious on the set? If so,
what is the funniest thing that ever happened?
EA TGibson: Well the other night we had to stop a scene because there was a
scene that Susan Sullivan was eating Abbey's home made chutney and it was
caught in her throat and then we just all lost it.
Question: Were u popular in high school and did a lot of girls like u?
EA TGibson: Well you know - I was my freshman class president and I peaked
in November of 65% but certainly wasn't some pariah but I wasn't BMOC
either. And yes, there were a few girls that liked me.
EAMC Host: How did you like playing Satan in a TV movie.
EA TGibson: It was interesting and a very different role. It was actually a
lot of fun and the director I had worked with before. I was the
anti-cruise! It was fun being a bad guy.
Question: I think you are terrific. Which do you enjoy better acting on a
comedy show or movies?
EA TGibson: Well, actors live not by one thing alone -- you just take the
gig... I'm going to quote Emerson - I think - When asked what his favorite
dish was he said the closet one on the table. Its a lot of timing.
Question: Whats your favorite food?
EA TGibson: One of the super foods - sweet potatoes - very good for you -
full of beta carotene.
Question: What kind of music do you like?
EA TGibson: You know, it's impossible to say one genre of music - the CD
collection goes from Bach to Elvis Costello - all types, a little bit of
everything.
Question: I loved "Love & Human Remains" When in your career was that made,
relative to Chicago Hope or other things we've all seen?
EA TGibson: 92 for Human ... and 94 for Chicago Hope.
Question: Hi Thomas! I love Dharma And Greg!! I know it will be on for a
long time! Who comes up with the idea's for the show??
EA TGibson: There is a crack writing staff of about 10 people. They're not
smoking it but .... Its an incredibly varied staff which is why the show
can encompass so many things.
EAMC Host: What was your biggest childhood influence?
EA TGibson: I think as a kid going to the theatre was the biggest influence
on me.
Question: Can you relate in any way to your character "Greg" ?
EA TGibson: God I hope so! Well, I did come from a family of lawyers and
also I grew up in the south so the circumstances in which I grew up are
kind of similar.
Question: How long were you at Julliard?
EA TGibson: 4 very long years
EAMC Host: Thomas, thank you for joining us tonight on the Entertainment
Asylum. It has been a pleasure having you join us tonight!
EA TGibson: Thanks for having me - I love the Internet!
EAMC Host: Everyone come back at 930pm ET/630pm PST for our American
Werewolf in Paris event at Keyword Live. And join us later this week for
our chats with the stars of Titanic and 70s superstar Pam Grier talking
about her new role in Jackie Brown!
For more crazy fun, check out the Entertainment Asylum at Keyword: Asylum.
(C) 1997 Entertainment Asylum & America Online
========================
More about this Event:
12/16 "Dharma And Greg's" Thomas Gibson 7:00pm ET (AOL Live)
Entertainment Asylum says find out how he went from "Chicago Hope's"
serious Dr. Daniel Nyland to Dharma's wacky husband on "Dharma and Greg"
with a live chat on America Online! Thomas Gibson of ABC's "Dharma and
Greg" will chat LIVE on Tuesday, December 16 at 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PST) in
the AOL Live Auditorium.
ABOUT THOMAS GIBSON
Television audiences will see two sides of Thomas Gibson this year. They
will see the light side of his comedic role on ABC's "Dharma and Greg" and
they will see a dark side when Thomas Gibson plays "Satan" on the ABC
movie, "Devil to Pay."
For the past three years, Thomas Gibson has played Dr. Daniel Nyland on the
critically acclaimed medical drama, "Chicago Hope." Recently, he has
starred in the television movies, "The Inheritance," "The Protected Wife"
and "Night Visitor."
Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Thomas has been performing since the
age of 10, when he impersonated Louis Armstrong with a few verses of "Hello
Dolly" at one of his mother's parties.
From 1979 to 1981, Thomas attended the College of Charleston. In the
summer of 1980, he interned at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival and was
encouraged to apply to the Julliard School. After winning a scholarship to
this prestigious institution, Thomas pursued his studies and earned his
degree.
Thomas Gibson made is professional stage debut in David Hare's "A Map of
the World" at the New York Shakespeare Festival Public Theatre in 1985.
Later, he performed in "The Twelfth Night," "The Two Gentlemen of Verona,"
"Macbeth," "Henry IV," a revival of Noel Coward's, "Hay Fever" and
Moliere's, "The Miser."
Making the transition to television through soap operas, Thomas landed
small parts on "As The World Turns" and "Another World." Later, he
appeared in Gore Vidal's, "Lincoln," "The Kennedys of Massachusetts," and
in Armistead Maupin's, "Tales of the City" for PBS.
Thomas began his film career in 1992 in Ron Howard's, "Far and Away" with
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Additional film credits include, "The Age of
Innocence," "Love and Human Remains," "Barcelona," "Sleep with Me" and "Men
of War."
Currently, Thomas Gibson lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Christina.
For more crazy fun, get yourself locked up in the Entertainment Asylum at
Keyword: ASYLUM.
Event Keyword: "Asylum"
Date: December 16
Time: 7:00pm ET
*** To see other highlights and upcoming AOL Live events, check out the AOL
Live Newsletter! Sign up for your FREE subscription at keyword: HotLive. ***
(C) 1997 America Online, Inc.
Transmitted: 02/10/98 07:06
(
geocities.com/televisioncity)