Hitch (2005)
Der Date Doktor
Interview with Kevin James
Kevin James is a true blue collar guy in real life as well. An appearance on Star Search kicked of his career as a stand up comedian. He played a minor role in Everybody loves Raymond, the sitcom of Ray Romano, a friend of his, before he was cast as the lead for his own sitcom: The King of Queens. The image one has of him because of that show came across quite well for the interview. Kevin likes it cozy. He welcomed OutNow.CH in the five star hotel suite dressed in a tracksuit, sitting all comfortable on the chair. Almost as if there were too many tuxedos for him the night before at the premiere. He was most welcome by his German fans in Berlin. He might even be the next David Hasselhoff...
OutNow.CH (ON): You were asked yesterday at the press conference if you want to become the next David Hasselhoff in Germany. Did you like that question?
The King of Berlin
Kevin James (KJ): Oh that was funny.
ON: Did you know he was so popular in Germany?
KJ: I did know. I read that he's followed like a cult over here.
ON: How was your experience at the premiere yesterday?
KJ: It was amazing. It was incredible. I never experienced that much support and love. It was wild.
ON: It seems you are very popular in the US because of your TV-Show.
KJ: Yeah but never in doses like that. That was just amazing. You feel like the Beatles when you are coming in. It is insane and enyoyable. I had no idea up until a relatively short time ago that we even had fans in Germany. It was really exiting to see.
ON: Andy Tennant was very impressed with the audience yesterday. He said they were better than the American audiences.
KJ: I was blown away.
ON: Were you told they were going to be quite because it's the Germans. They are not as outgoing as the Americans.
KJ: Exactly. Not only that which you expect, but also because the subtitles will take away from some of the subtleties of some jokes. But everything landed perfectly fine. And it's a festival crowd which is usually more thight and little scepticle of us. This is more of a fun time of a film that you don't think they would react to that much.
ON: Were you aproached by Will to be in this project?
KJ: Yeah. Will called.
ON: Did you know each other before?
KJ: We knew each other. We got together a couple of times. We were introduced by a mutal friend of ours who thought we should work together. So we played golf a couple of times.
A true golf master
ON: Who is winning when you play?
KJ: Will is, of course. He is good at everything. Whatever he does: Music, TV, Movies. Whatever he wants to conquer he just does. It's not a question. And he said let's go and work together and I'm thinking: "Yeah sure. Whatever you want, I'll work with you" And then he called. So we jumped.
ON: When you work with Will Smith and the others do you become friends after such a production? Do you see each other off the set as well afterwards?
KJ: Without a doubt we are friends. I feel very close to him now as far as connecting with someone and have a good time. But you know with his schedule and mine we are so busy it's not like we hang out everyday. We don't do that because I don't think he is in one place for more than a couple of days. It's insane how he continues to work. He has got the music going constantly. He always promoting something and working. So I consider myself a friend but it's not that we hang out every day at all.
ON: Was there a lot of improvising at the shooting of this movie?
KJ: Once we got what we needed - like the tentpoles of the scenes - Andy Tennant was wonderful in letting Will and I continue on and improvise and have fun in play of each other. And it was just a great fun playground for me to be involved in. It was a great opportunity to do that.
ON: This was your first big movie after your work in television. Is there more coming in terms of movies?
KJ: Oh sure. I hope so! We love to continue to work in movies. But we also would like to continue with the TV show because we enjoy that aswell.
ON: Is there anything you like better?
Gimme that!
KJ: It's not better. They are slightly different. Movies are exciting to see, with TV you get that immediate reaction right away though. It's every week that I get to see how it plays with an audience and then the next week you get to play a whole brand new play, a whole new story line which is always fun. Movies take so long. But when you get to see it at a theater like we did last night and see the reaction from people that's fun too. Both have their advantages. Hopefully we get to continue with both.
ON: Did your meet your wife on a blind date?
It's not his wife!
KJ: Yes. When I moved to California I was able to buy my first house and I had no idea how to decorate it. I had to hire an interior decorator. This woman came an helped me out and we became friendly. She was decorating my house and saw that I never really went out that much because I haven't really had that much time to date people. So it was very difficult. And she knew this woman of which she thought it would be perfect for me. I was really scared of going on a blind date, but she was beautiful and and we just clicked and we hitted it off. It was great. We laughed so much and had so much fun that first night. We pretty much knew.
ON: Were you nervous?
KJ: I was nervous a little bit but not as nervous that it wouldn't work out. Because I didn't relly think it was going to happen. I though it's going to be a normal day of my life. I thought I'll do this and that and then go back to my life like it never happend. But that worked out differently.
ON: Did you have any bad dating experiences before?
KJ: Not many bad dating experiences but once in while it happens when you are out on a date you just know it's not working out. That was always frustrating to me. More getting turned down on dates was so hard for me. You know, that crushing feeling that you get when there is somebody you like and you make the effort and lay yourself out on the line there for them and ask them out and they just close you off. It builds up a wall for me. It's so frustrating to you. They would make you a little shy about going out and doing it, committing yourself the next time.
Oh, these women!
ON: So you would have needed a date doctor?
KJ: Yeah. I would have loved one because I had no idea what I was doing.
ON: How do you impress your wife nowadays?
KJ: You know, making her laugh still. You still just enjoy each others company. It's not about pressing it. There's more of a comfort feeling where I don't have to impress her. When you first meet somebody you feel that need to impress them and show them what you can do. And you show them all your tricks. Once they know your turns they know who you are and what you are about, the relationship takes on a different feeling. There's different things that you kind of connect with. It comes more in rhythm. It's exiting and new in a different way. It always continues to progress.
ON: Let's talk a little about Doug Heffernan. Where did that idea come from?
KJ: It came from a writer that I met with when I had a developing deal to come up with a character. They wanted to do kind of like a remake of "The Honeymooners", that old classic sitcom with Jackie Gleason, a modern day Honeymooners. And this was the show he came up and he tried to incorporate my stand-up character into it.
ON: How much of Kevin James is in that guy?
KJ: You know a certain amount. I'd like to think he is not as smart as I am. I hope that, although sometimes that is not true. There's elements in every character that the actor that plays him brings in. It's an exaggeration at times. But there's elements of me for sure.
ON: Any chances of a movie based on that character?
KJ: I don't know if they do one based on the show but there are elements of Doug in the character I play in Hitch. We will see.
ON: What kind of aspects in the role of Albert do you relate to?
KJ: I think it's his desire to try to obtain somebody that he thinks is over his head and out of his league. That he feels clumsy and out of place when he is around somebody that he wants to be together with. I connected with that. And I think most men can in one way.
ON: To finish this up we usually have pop-up Questions. I'll tell you a word and you just say what pops into your mind first.
KJ: Ok.
Doug Heffernan
ON: Dough Heffernan.
KJ: Loveable Lug
ON: Leah Remini
KJ: Loveable Lug.
ON: Amber Valetta
KJ: Beautiful tall drink of water.
ON: Food
KJ: Art
ON: Bloopers
KJ: Common.
ON: Mick Foley
KJ: Mankind. Big time professional Wrestler. Sweetheart kind of a guy.
ON: Switzerland
KJ: Chocolate
ON: Excellent.
KJ: (starts laughing) Thank you.
