Sunday, April 26, 2009

Will Forte Q&A

From Scripps News :

Q: You voice the assistant principal in this new animated series for maybe an assistant principal you once knew?
A: It was strictly based on the writing. When I was growing up, we tried to stay as far away from the principals as we could.
Q: "SNL" cast members have set the bar high. Do you feel pressure to be a big success after you leave "SNL"?
A: Oh no, not at all. To be honest, you are so busy from week to week that you don't have time to think about anything except for the Saturday that is in front of you. So it's pretty all-consuming
Q: Does criticism affect you? Do you pay attention?
A: Sure. The positive side of having such a busy schedule is that you always have another show right around the corner, so hopefully you can redeem yourself. You learn to develop your own system in your head for what works and what doesn't. You just have to trust yourself.
Q: So were you always confident in your talent growing up? Did you even know you had it?
A: I knew I was kind of a weird guy, I guess (laughing), and I was really loud. I don't know if I would say I was confident in my talent. I knew I really wanted to do it. The weirdest thing for me, after college I worked at a brokerage firm and I decided, "OK, I'm going to go for it." The biggest step was telling your friends and family that you were going to go for it because to me it felt like that means you're telling everybody, "I am going to make it in this business." To me it almost sounded like you're bragging or something.
Q: Did your family and friends find you funny, and did they say you should be a comedy writer?
A: Umm, no, they didn't, but it wasn't like the craziest stretch for them. I suppose it would have been different if I said I was going into regular dramatic acting. I don't think my face would support that kind of job. But, yeah, they could buy you are a funny-looking guy getting into comedy.
Q: What about the idea that all comics have a dark side?
A: I don't buy that so much. I know a lot of awesome, very well-adjusted people. Maybe that's a standup thing, but sketchwise I know so many great people who have wonderful lives and great upbringings.
Q: Comic tastes change from Roseanne Roseannadanna to David Spade's Hollywood Reporter. Do you worry about being current?
A: No, not really. Really the only thing you can do is do something you find funny and, hopefully, that's something people find funny. A lot of times it isn't and sometimes you are lucky. Sometimes you'll do a table read, and there will be something that just kills at the table read and you are so excited to do it that week, and then it crickets at the dress rehearsal and you don't get to do it. So you have no idea until you put it up before an audience.
Q: Did the dynamic change between you and your friends or family once you became a regular on "SNL"?
A: Not at all. I was living in L.A. at the time, so my parents are up north, and they felt they got to see me a lot more because they got to see me on TV. In a weird way it brought us closer. It didn't change things that much in my relationships with the people I was closest to. It is a crazy schedule. It's tough. You lose touch with those people you only talk to every couple of months because you are going so nuts with this work schedule. A lot of times what I end up doing is nothing, just sitting on the couch and watching TV the whole time.
Q: Do you ever watch "Mad TV"?
A: Sure I have, not often, though. I didn't watch "Saturday Night Live" that often before I got there.
Q: How about dating? Is it easier being famous or more difficult?
A: Hmmm. Well, it's easier. (Laughing) It depends on the type of person you are ... as long as you are good at reading people.

http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/42542

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