MONDO EXTRAS

[We talk about the various local viewing parties, and I mention how thankful I was that nobody in the cast kicked my ass. We talk a little about the press Natasha has been getting, and wonder whether the show will have an impact on her acting career.]

Who knows? It could be an opportunity. I know for me, I had to put those thoughts out of my mind before going into [the show], because it could hurt my career a lot more than it could help it. I mean, if I'm trying to be doing serious acting…like, chances are, the director over at Chicago Shakespeare is NOT going to be watching the show and be like, "There's my Hamlet!" Yeah. But if it helps me get the word out about my band and helps me sell a couple more CDs, then why not? And I got free beer and free food out of it.

Um, I'm not paying for your food.

[kidding] Okay, this interview is over.

Was there anything that didn't make it on the show that you think should have?

Oh, there was a ton of stuff. There was one night when Jeff did impersonations of everyone and it was so fucking funny. There were a couple big group moments where everyone was together and having a great time, and that was one of them. Another night Ben and I were sitting by the pool and I started playing the harmonica, and I had my eyes closed, and the next thing I know everyone was there and they all cheered…that was probably the most personally significant moment for me the whole time I was there. There were probably a million moments that they didn't show.

See, on the show it looked a lot more like, well -- people would go on dates, and everyone else would just be stuck at the house.

They always made the house look like everyone was just sitting around and drinking. But, like, one of the places were the best conversations consistently took place was in the little exercise room. I think they showed it only once. But we'd be in there all the time, like Maya and I would do Pilates there, and talk about whatever. And Dave Goodman would always go in there before he knew something big was coming up, and he'd be all, "Gotta get my swell up!" And then on the other side of the house would be the smoking deck, and Ben and Jeff and a lot of people would be out there smoking and stuff.