Jason LaVeris/FilmMagicAll right E! peeps, Kris Polaha back with another entry for the blogosphere. This week in the spotlight is our very own Mr. Austin Basis, who plays Math, the lovable English teacher, fan favorite and my roommate/best friend on Life Unexpected.
Now before we get to Austin I'd like to meander through the events of the week. Fall has settled in and the northwest has become chilly, yet the sun still shines. We are catching up to LUX time in real time, meaning that the show takes place in LUX time, and soon the fall season and season two will align, like two passing planets in our night sky, which is kinda fun to think about. (I will let you in on a little secret, LUX time goes much slower than real time.)
Speaking of Austin, he and his girlfriend invited us apple picking this weekend. We fired off a corn cannon, picked pumpkins and apples with my kids, watched the little ones ride horses, in short, we welcomed in autumn East Coast-style, and it was awesome. So, happy fall everyone! Now let's get on with the interview!
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Kris Polaha: Austin, first question, do I have your permission to use your answers for my E! Online blog?
Austin Basis: No, but you're probably gonna do it anyway, so go ahead.
KP: If they only knew..tell me specifically, what was it like working on episode 204? The people have just watched it, the verdict is in, and it's already regarded as one of the best episodes of any television series to be aired on TV, ever, in the history of TV, do you feel you have a stake in that? Is it a coincidence that your storyline was tied up with my story line, that together we make for powerful television?
AB: I like to think of it as our "Hoosiers" episode—where Baze is the poor man's Gene Hackman and Math is a wilder, more disheveled version of Dennis Hopper. (Actors Studio shoutout—what?!) But seriously, do you smell something? 'Cause I smell something...Do you know what I smell? That's right: Emmy, for sound-effects editing!
KP: I think you're refering to the sound of Rose's skin slidding across the basketball court floor. Give me some dirt, tell the people what they really want to know, what's it like acting...with me?
AB: When you speak above a whisper (he's a "low-talker" people), I liken it to a master class with Constantin Stanislavski, Montgomery Clift and JFK Jr.
KP: All those people have passed away.
AB: I know.
KP: It's no secret that you studied in the world famous Actors Studio in New York City where Marlon Brando, James Dean, Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, Robert Duvall, Dustin Hoffman, Sidney Lumet and Carrot Top studied. Of those actors who am I most like?
AB: You combine the Native American activism of Brando with DeNiro's energy level and Pacino's hair to create a sex appeal that almost trumps the machismo of Carrot Top... Next question.
KP: All right, moving on, most people might know the show Inside the Actors Studio, you've been a televised guest on that show. (I actually saw you in one episode.) So which actors did you see there?
AB: I was a featured extra on both Mike Myers and Billy Joel, but my first line (as Student No. 1) was actually on the Mary Tyler Moore interview. Also, my recent guest star on the Betty White episode was met with much critical acclaim.
KP: You won an award for that, no?
AB: Yes, an AFTRA award.
KP: That's pretty cool.
AB: It's all right.
KP: You were also on Curb Your Enthusiasm, in arguably and in all seriousness, one of the best seasons of television for any show. You shared the screen with George Costanza and Larry David, what was that like?
AB: It was humbling and as thrilling an experience as I've had. The irony is that I've been compared to as a young Jason Alexander, but not as handsome. Once my hair finishes falling out, I should be able to replace him as No. 978 on People's "Sexiest Man Alive" list.
KP: OK, here's the Kris 10-in-one: I ask you 10 questions, you answer them in one word, capiche?
AB: No problem...Is that the first question?
KP: No.
AB: Good, because that was two words!
KP: Favorite color?
AB:Green.
KP: First pet's name? He had more than one name, so I'm not sure what to do...?
KP: Best grade in school? Fourth
KP: Brooklyn restaurant? Fiorentino's
KP: Mets or Yankees? Mets
KP: Brando or Clift? Brando
KP: DeNiro or Pacino? Pacino
KP: Adler or Strasberg? Strasberg
KP: Favorite Vancouver hotspot? Rodney's
KP: Ryan or Baze? BAZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
KP: Attaboy, thanks for the Team Baze nod, I'll give you the $100 at work tomorrow. You're a good man, Mr. Basis, tell your father I say hello, your whole family for that matter, and C too. Also, that damned cat of yours, you may as well give it a pet from me. I'll see you at work, buddy.
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There you have it folks, Mr. Austin "Math" Basis of LUX, Ghostfacers and Curb fame, amoung other things, if you don't believe me you can IMDB him yourself.
Now, to leave you with a little behind the curtain/tell-all. The ball that Tasha got hit in the face with was a painted beach ball. Painted to look like a basketball, but light as a feather. The ball our team mascot got hit in the face with was a real basketballthanks —mascot for taking one for the team!
Episode 204 was written by Adele Lim, one of our super writers, and directed by Liz Allen who recently directed Ramona and Beezus, which, and I am putting this in writing, made me weep like a baby in parts. Saw it with the kiddies. Made me cry like a baby. My sons were ashamed of me. I was sobbing, like a heartbroken teenager. Seriously.
Thanks for dropping in and reading my blog. I ask you this, how is the collective coming along? Have you told one person to watch the show? Have they told one person? This is a grassroots movement, people. I am dead serious about this, call up your mom, tell her how much you love her, then ask her to watch our show. Seriously. Watch what happens when the word of mouth takes hold, it's an awesome thing to behold.
Signing out till next week and thanking all the folks at E!, this is Kristoffer Polaha. Bye!