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The Tonight Show with Jay Leno April 11, 2003 |
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Jay Leno: ...probably one of the best shows on television.
People are always complaining...all the reality shows, nothing good
on TV. They're not watching this cause this is one of the best shows.
It's really terrific - I'm hooked on it. Please welcome Neal McDonough. Neal walks out in a black suit with a light blue shirt. JL: Welcome! You're a fellow Massachusetts guy, huh? NM: I certainly am. I certainly am! (Some members of the studio audience clap and hoot.) NM: Some Massachusetts people! Nice! I like it! (and he applauds them) In fact, I was just home - I was there about two weeks ago. A funny little story...MicroSoft had this hockey celebrity challenge thing and I got to play against the old Bruins' greats - Sam Neely(?) and Ray Borg (?) - all my heroes. And so, afterwards, we went to this local little bar and had a few adult beverages. JL: Adult beverages? (laughing) NM: Adult beverages. So, one thing leads to another and everybody's up dancing. My brother Keir(?) and myself, and having fun and we're about to do some stage diving. And they just didn't like it and they threw us out of the place. Now, I just think that the bouncer probably wasn't a "Boomtown" fan. JL: Probably what it was. NM: Yeah, that's probably what it was. Do we have any "Boomtown" fans here? (he asks the audience, who responds with clapping and cheering) JL: I watch your character on the show and you play a guy from Boston. And it seems so real. It seems like a lot of your real life is in that character. NM: Yeah...the great thing about the show...Graham Yost, who is the writer and creator of the show, Steven Spielberg and Jeff Zucker, who's been fabulous for us, has allowed us to really put in who are in real life into these characters. It was supposed to be this Hispanic character - this womanizing Hispanic character and that's not me... JL: I don't see you as that. NM: No, no, that's not me. (laughing) Too Irish! So, I made it this Irish guy from Boston with an alcohol problem and it worked. So far, so good. (Audience starts laughing) NM: Wait, wait, wait, not that close to me, all right? JL: It seems alcohol so far has played a major role. NM: Yeah...that adult beverages...there it is again... JL: But, your Dad was a fighter and the character you're playing... NM: That's right. JL: My dad was a fighter, too. NM: Yeah, that what we were saying... JL: You know - my dad can beat the crap out of your dad. NM: Really? Let's get them on the phone. Let's do it right now. (He reaches into his jacket for his phone.) My dad's a pretty big guy. (Everyone is laughing) JL: So, where did it all start? I was looking through your bio. I guess, Darkman? Now, I saw Darkman, the movie and I'm trying to remember who were you in Darkman... NM: That would be...it's funny...Darkman was my first film that I did. JL: You can tell the recognition...(gesturing at the silent audience) NM: Yeah, exactly. (Then one person applauds) NM: You saw it. Good. There's one person. (Neal applauds him) NM: And as it was coming out...My brother has a sign company on the Cape and on the side of his van, he put 'Darkman Starring Neal McDonough as Dockworker #2'. JL: Oh...dockworker #2... NM: And we had this huge Hyannis premiere and everyone's there and we go...there's 15 of my buddies...we're at the movie and I die before the credits finish. Before Sam Raimi, director's name came up, I just get riddled with bullets. We left the movie theatre, went to a pub and... JL: Another bar? NM: Another bar! (Acts like he's getting up to leave) Good night, everybody! I got to go to the bar! JL: An Irish guy from Boston, drinking? What are the odds? (Everyone's laughing) NM: It's unbelievable. What can you do? But...yeah, that was a fun night. JL: Yeah, I was reading your thing. It said you got frustrated at one point. You almost quit - quit acting... NM: Yeah, it's...it was tough for a little while. I was doing really well, doing lots of independent films, but you don't make a living doing independent films. I was getting good critical acclaim but there was nothing really going for me. So, I went back to Cape Cod... JL: So, you left town and you went... NM: I left California, went back to Cape Cod and worked in my parent's motel, The Rainbow(?) Motel. And my brothers were, like... JL: That's not the one where the woman got hanged in the shower? NM: No...that's next door. And I was literally thinking of hanging it up. And a buddy of mine, Glen Rigberg, who's now my manager, said there's this thing called "Band of Brothers". They want you to audition for this small little part. So, I flew out and Tom Hanks liked what I did and he said, 'I want you to come back tomorrow and audition for this character named Buck Compton.' And it was the greatest experience of my life. JL: Yeah, that was a terrific mini-series. That was really something. (Lots of applause) JL: There's an incredibly beautiful woman back stage. I'm told that's your fiancee? NM: That's my fiancee. And the best part about doing "Band of Brothers" - the very first night I got into town...oh, gosh, this story's going in the same direction again... JL: Let me guess...you went drinking, possibly? NM: It was St. Paddy's Day! What do you want? JL: Well, legally you have to drink... NM: Do we have Irish people here today? (Audience claps and cheers) NM: Thank you. Thank you! (He applauds the audience) JL: ...My God, you could be arrested if... NM: Oh, my God, my dad's watching. He's like 'oh, son, don't say that!' We went out that night and I met her - the very first night I got into town and I walked up to her...She's here somewhere. There she is. She's 6' 3" and I said, 'Gee, you're tall'. Isn't that the lamest pick-up? I was good. I'm a smooth guy. Those Irish guys...And my buddies just started laughing at me and we walked away. And she says, 'Well, you're American.' And I just turned and looked at her and now we're getting married in a few months. And I'm having a really good time. JL: Oh, good, that's wonderful. That's wonderful. Now, we have a clip. Your character - tell people about your character. You play this kind of conflicted attorney... NM: Yeah. My character's name is David McNorris. He's a Deputy District Attorney and yeah, he's got some problems! This week's episode is called "Blackout", where my character has...a...drinking...thing... JL: What are the odds?! (Lots of laughter) NM: This isn't going well...And he has a blackout and he thinks he killed someone. And he has to pay for this heinous crime that he did and I think we have a clip of something where... JL: Yeah, let's take a look. (They show the clip from "Blackout" where McNorris is in the garage acting as both prosecutor and defendant.) JL: Terrific! Well, great job! The show is on Sunday nights. Maybe later we'll go out for a drink after the show... NM: Exactly. Yeah, I can do that! JL: It was good meeting you. I enjoy your work very much. NM: Thank you. JL: Neal McDonough! THE END |