Talk about charming! I chatted
with the charming and funny Ms. Jodi Long this past week. Ms. Long is
currently playing “Claire” on the hit NBC series Miss Match every
Friday @ 9pm.
You
might recognize this Asian-American beauty from one of her many roles on TV.
She played the Margaret Cho's mother in All American Girl, Joann on The
Cosby Show, and she is most recognized as the power lesbian Patty Austin
in Sex in the City.
Long started her career on the
stage in New York City. She recently graced The Mark Taper stage with her one
woman show Surfing DNA.
Mike: How is
it working with Ryan O'Neill and Silverstone?
Jodi: Alicia is just terrific! I don't know how old she is,
24 -25. She's so great and so professional. I know you want to hear the dirt;
right?
Mike: Yes,
yes, yes...
Jodi - (laughs)
Dirt? There is no dirt! She's professional, she's prepared, she's so nice, and
she's great to work with. There is no "diva" fit. I've worked with
A-Z and you never know what you are going to get into. It's such a great
pleasure to work with her.
Ryan is a hoot! (laughs) He
really is. He's very very funny. I think he's funny on screen, but he's also
so funny off screen. It's not something that he works at. He has this real
genuine charm and a funny take on life. He also has great stories, because he
has been doing this for a while and has worked with great people. It's always
fun to be with him on set.
Mike: Now with
your character "Claire" will she be set up on some dates?
Jodi: I'm hoping!
They keep telling me that. You know, I think I should be test driving all the
guys before anyone else!
Mike: Exactly!
I think that should be interlaced into your character!
Jodi: I think so
to! I think they have other fish to fry besides my character at this moment.
Hopefully we will see. Keep those cards and letters coming! I think Ryan was
vying for us having a little tryst n the backroom. We'll see what happens.
Mike: You
heard it here first -- everyone! "Claire" comes from a long line of
secretaries or assistants, whom would be one of your favorite TV
secretaries/assistant?
Jodi: Oh god,
that's a good question. You always think of the assistant Carol (Marcia
Wallace) on Bob Newhart . She was the quintessential secretary. Things have
changed. You have Murphy Brown's secretary who was always changing. I'm trying
to find my own brand of it. I know I come from a long line of them, I can't
let them down.
Mike:
Did you base your character "Claire" on anyone?
Jodi: Actually,
many many years ago when I first started out I lived in NY and I was having
some landlord legal problems. I had to actually hire a lawyer and get a job
there, being this downtown theater actress. So, I got a job at this
dentist’s office and I was his receptionist.
Mike: Wow!
talk about a heavy job.
Jodi: Oh yeah. I
went in part time. He was an old family friend. I guess I was okay at it. I
answered the phone (laughs) and spoke English.
Mike: Any sneak
peek on Miss Match?
Jodi: Well, I
think people should just watch to see what unfolds between “Kate &
Michael. That is all I can say. You will have to tune in
Mike: I read
online about your one woman show Surfing DNA. Will you be performing the show
again?
Jodi: I opened at
the New Works Festival at The Taper Theater here last month. It went really
well and I think we’ll be doing it again soon.
Mike: You were
the mother of Margaret Cho on All American Girl. How was it working with
Margaret?
Jodi: It was a
quite a stretch playing her mother. (laughs) It was something. I thought, I
know this woman. I grew up with these women. Unbelievably, I got the job. I
padded myself and put reading glasses on for the audition and they gave me the
part.
Working with Margaret... I
really like her and actually for all of her outward show persona, she is
really very sweet. She can be outrageous and in your face and yet there’s a
real sweetness underneath.
Mike:
I've seen her one woman show and I would love to see one of the episodes of
you playing her mother.
Jodi: (laughs)
Well if you know her show, she has a very antagonistic relationship with her
mother. That part of the mother/daughter thing never carried over into the
show. She was very respectable.
One day, her mom actually came
to the show. It was one of the first episodes we were taping and she
(Margaret) was very nervous and I did not realize what was going on. I
thought, "What is happening? She's going up on her lines. She never does
that." Then I realized, "Oh my god, the Cho's are in the
audience." I look over and there is this very stern looking disapproving
mother. I thought "Oh No!" The lady has finally arrived and what are
we going to do about it? So I walked over to Margaret and said "You know
Margaret, I’ve got to say one thing. It's all nice that your mom has come to
see us, but you’re the one with the TV show and fuck her."
Mike: Exactly!
Jodi: She just
looked at me and started to laugh and we went on and we were fine.
Mike: I
watched your episode of "Sex in the City" last night.
Jodi: You did?!?
Oh My God! (laughs)
Mike: Yes,
Patty Austin, the "power
lesbian elite"
I was watching, and
all of the sudden there you are with the.. the...
Jodi: Killer
punch line.
Mike: How was
it working on "Sex"?
Jodi: You know, I
went in and did it. It was real fast and dirty, no pun intended. (laughs)
What’s funny about it is I was really happy that my mother didn't get HBO.
Mike (laughs)
Jodi: I thought
she'd have a heart attack; then my relatives! My dad is from Austria. They get
the show about a year or so later. They are just a bit behind the curve with
the season. My stepmother started getting all these emails from my cousins
saying, "Is that the reason Jodi is not married?" (laughs) I had to
email them all back and say, "Excuse me, that's ACTING!"
Mike: I guess
your’e doing it very well for your relatives.
Jodi: (laughs)
I’ve got to tell you, more people came up to me because of that episode.
They love that line. People go, "Oh my god, you’re that person." I
was at a Gay Alliance function with a friend of mine who is pretty well known.
I was just standing in the corner by myself and these women were coming over.
I thought they were coming over to talk to her and they came up to me and
asked "Excuse me were you on that episode of "Sex in the City?"
I realized there were a lot of lesbians standing in front of me -- in hopes!
Like I was like my character and I though "Oh, my dear!"
You can
catch Jodi Long on Miss Match every Friday on NBC @ 9pm