Ever since I got back this week from Vancouver, where I sat down with embattled actor Randy Quaid while on assignment for E! News, most everyone in the newsroom has been asking me if, after going one-on-one with a guy who believes "star whackers" are out to kill him, I think Quaid is crazy.
Now, of course, I am not a doctor, and definitely not a psychiatrist, so I can't diagnose the 67-year-old star of two of my all-time favorite comedies: Vacation and Kingpin. But what I can tell you is this: In our sit-down, I asked Quaid about his mental state. Here is our exchange:
Me: "You've been called crazy, delusional, paranoid. Are you?"
Randy: "I'm not crazy. I play a lot of crazy characters. But I'm an actor."
Indeed, he is an actor—one of the greatest comedic character actors of his generation. After we wrapped our interview, I told Randy I hoped he could put all his legal drama behind him and get back to work again, because he has a lot of fans who want him back. "I'll be back," Quaid replied.
The affable 6-foot-4-inch actor then shook my hand and walked off. To where? I don't know. But I hope it's somewhere he can find whatever help he needs to get back to delivering lines like this one from 1989's Christmas Vacation: "Merry Christmas! Shitter's full!"