October 28, 2025 • 32 mins
Wisteria Lane turns into memory lane when Housewives hunk Richard Burgi reveals secrets from the set. From getting tipsy on Teri’s dime at the tech trailer, to the role he lost out on before landing the ‘Karl' character … Plus, why he’s never watched the show and the real reason he’s putting acting on the back burner after all these years.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hi, Welcome to Desperately Devoted.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
The Ultimate Desperate Housewives rewatch, hosted by me, Terry Hatcher,
my on screen daughter Andrea Bowen, and my real life
daughter Emerson Tenney. Today we are talking to the amazing
Richard Burbie. The heart wants what the heart wants, and
we know your heart wants to hear about Karl Meyer,
(00:24):
as you, of course remember him. We have the honor
of catching up with what he's into these days and
learning which character he almost played on the show and
where his favorite place on Wisteria Lane was to hang out.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
His answer makes me blush just a little. Let's jump in.
Welcome to Desperately Devoted, our little rewatch podcast that we've
got going. We're so glad to have you here. We
really have been having such a great time actually revisiting
the show ourselves and revisiting it with cast members. Have
have you just you haven't seen it recently? Right? Or
(01:01):
have you?
Speaker 4 (01:01):
I don't have a TV and I am rarely am
on my computer.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Oh right, that's amazing. Now, Okay, I'm going to jump
to a question that I was going to ask you later,
because sometimes we do ask people, are you desperately devoted
to anything. But I seem to recall you being desperately
devoted to surfing. Is that what you're still doing, and
why you don't have a TV and why you don't
have a computer.
Speaker 5 (01:26):
Well, you know, I was just up in Nova Scotia.
My son lives up there, my firstborn. He's twenty nine.
We went surfing the other day in Nova Scotia and
I hadn't served since I was dating this gall in Florida,
so it was about a year ago.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
So but I'm back in Jersey.
Speaker 5 (01:40):
So I'm devoted to, you know, my trees and mother
nature and trails and streams. And I got my girlfriend
in the back, this beautiful stream. Well I fall asleep
with every night and have my coffee with in the morning.
And she's lovely and she's connect to a beautiful ecosystem.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
There's like in a little place.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
I took my nephew's fishing there the other day, and
I you know, I jump in and slowly, slowly, so
I'm a fresh one most of the time. But I'll
have to do the hours slept down in the Jersey
shore and it's not like California surfing.
Speaker 6 (02:09):
So oh yeah, the Atlantic's different.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Being devoted to nature is something I can totally relate to.
You know, that's there's just nothing better. But I actually
remember being on the set of Desperate House with you,
and I don't know why, but you were telling I.
Maybe it was when I was training for the triathlons
that I used to do out in Malibu, and I
was probably telling you about how I was afraid of
(02:33):
great white sharks. And I remember you telling me about
all the times that you would be sitting on your
surfboard out in the ocean and that you saw them
swimming around and that I shouldn't be afraid. Is that
still true? I remember that correctly. Did we have?
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (02:49):
I wanted to take you out. We never was able
to do that for some reason. Right, you just kept
dodging me. You had bigger You've had bigger fish on
the line.
Speaker 6 (03:00):
It's never too late. I think you got to get
her out there.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
But you have to come back to the Pacific Ocean.
Speaker 5 (03:05):
Do you know?
Speaker 3 (03:05):
It's funny. A place that I love in the world,
which is just across the pond from Nova Scotia, is Cornwall, England.
And have you ever been there?
Speaker 5 (03:15):
I've seen pictures, but I've been to England. I'm going
to Ireland for Thanksgiving.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Okay, Well, Cornwall, England is probably one of my favorite
places in the world, if not the favorite place. But
I have taken surfing lessons there and they, yeah, I
have a picture of me actually up on a surfboards.
The water's quite cold, as I would imagine it is
in Nova Scotia. But who cares you wear wetsuits?
Speaker 4 (03:39):
Not like Cornwall.
Speaker 5 (03:40):
But oh okay, no, because it's like, you know, it's
still kind of end of summer up there. We were overdressed.
My son gave me a full HOODI and was way
over dressed.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Okay, but surfing is a great is Did you have
a full hoodie? No, I didn't. I don't you know,
I don't think so. I think I just had like
a pretty like a what's a thick one five millimeter?
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Yeah? Five six six?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah, I think I think I had a pretty thick.
They don't even know what we're talking about. I think
this is where you go, get a room. Get a room,
Richard and Terry, just get a room.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
A hoodie wet suit would scare me if I were
someone really afraid of the sharks. I feel like I
would look even more like a seal.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Yes, well that has crossed my mind.
Speaker 5 (04:23):
But a surf maker had actually thought about putting like
some kevlar and embedded, so it would make if you
did get chopped, it would make it harder for the
sharks to eat.
Speaker 6 (04:34):
Well, that's good.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
I think that's a good advancement.
Speaker 7 (04:37):
I think it sounds like the two of you are
prepared to go on your next surfing trip together, and
please send me pictures.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Okay, I will wave.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Wait do you still have your Bookswagon Bus?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
I absolutely do. I still do. In fact, oh see,
you would love this because you appreciate stuff like this.
I put solar panels in the top of it so
that when I the solar panels don't run the engine.
But when I get somewhere I can be completely like
off the grid with my solar panels running, like you know,
my refrigerator and whatever electricity I would need. So it's
(05:10):
it is still as I said to my daughter on
our first camping trip in it when she was six
years old. We went up to like big sur and
I remember just feeling like this is this is all
we need? Like I said that, Yeah you did, No,
you did say that to me. But I mean you
have always told.
Speaker 7 (05:28):
Me the story that Mom, this is all I need.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
No, the bathroom is like a kitty litter box. Basically,
it's like a stool that you open up with like
litter in it. I mean, wow, you said that's all
you need. Wow. Wow.
Speaker 6 (05:44):
Okay, you know what, we have different needs. It might
be mildly less true today, but not far off.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
I think being a minial minimalist is very advantageous. So
I like that about myself. So okay, back to Desperate Housewives.
So you haven't seen it, then it's what discovering. Nor
had we and I'm really I think one of the
things that has popped us off to us in these
first ten twelve episodes is first of all, just what
(06:13):
a magical place with steria Lane was in itself, but secondly,
like just how great everyone was and is, and specifically you, Richard.
I mean, I think we have to start thank you, yes, yes, yes,
wild applause from the audience from all the fans. I
think we have to start with the heart wants. What
(06:36):
the heart wants? You must recall that.
Speaker 5 (06:40):
Oh so well, yeah, you know I had this whole
interesting thing going in because you know, I originally tested
from not tested, but I met Mark and the other
fella who the director to Charles Plumber. Yeah, and Jamie
had a contract with ABC and he's much more handsman talented,
so he got the Plumber. So I had to do
another show and then I came back and I had
(07:01):
this whole different thing going, and so I just had
you know, I don't know, it was just in this
open space and so, yeah, that was such a fun
line to chew you interesting.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
So because we were going to ask about your casting story,
because we're finding it really fun to hear about how
everyone ended up on the show. And one of my
questions for you was, had you auditioned for any of
the other male roles on the show?
Speaker 4 (07:26):
And you I originally I auditioned for the Plumber.
Speaker 5 (07:32):
Then I thought it was disaster because Mark and Charles
were fighting, and I found this idea, like the name.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
And then my manager at.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
The time told me that ABC was was honoring Jamie's
contract and he was the first pick, and he was terrific.
Jamie's a sweetheart and he's good, and so he got
the job. I was offered a showdown in San Diego,
which only lasted. I don't know, like eleven or fifteen
episodes or something, but it was like my favorite show
(08:03):
because I could surf on the way.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
Going to San Diego is really groovy. Have you Terry,
have you surf?
Speaker 5 (08:10):
Sorryle Many like Santa No Frey, have you been down
I have not.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
I mean I have been down there because.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
I told you I was going to take you down there.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Now I know, I know, We're not too late.
Speaker 6 (08:20):
It's not too late.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Well he's in New Jersey now, so it's a little late.
Speaker 6 (08:25):
Plain surf ride.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
I have surfing ocean.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
I have never actually surfed the coast of California. So
the only surfing I've ever done is in Cornwall, which
I enjoyed, I loved. I would like to again, but no,
I haven't.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
I have Like the only time I've served is Wyky Keys.
Speaker 6 (08:46):
I have to jump in.
Speaker 7 (08:46):
So the Mike and Carl rivalry was real from the
very inception of casting.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
I guess so I.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
Love he always had a hair about me, but it's
not on you.
Speaker 5 (09:00):
So I don't know because I was just in this
place like I let it all go and I don't care.
Speaker 7 (09:04):
And well, how did Carl come back? And how did
that role come back into your life because the.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
Show ended in San Diego. And then my manager said, hey,
you know, they got this role coming up. They want
to see if you're interested. And I said, yeah, sure.
I went in an audition with a bunch of guys
and I you know, I think I had a puff
and I was just in this really like, oh I
know who this guy is, and so yeah, I was
(09:31):
just really in my body and really doing all these.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Like wow, yeah, yes, a physical I want to talk
to you about that. But I wanted to where did
that because that physicalization it has stuck with me of
yours for twenty years, and I remember just being so
enthralled with it while you were doing it. I mean
(09:53):
it really do you remember why that was a choice
you made for that character.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
So yeah, I.
Speaker 5 (10:02):
Felt him to be really self absorbed, and so I
then I put the concept to physicality, like what's in
life and somebody's really self absorbed? And it could you know, uh,
because I'm very tactile as well, like touching things and
you know, and then I just thought, Okay, what would
be like to really be self absorbed with myself?
Speaker 3 (10:24):
It's soome and it's so great that you have such
a good body to be self absorbed with, because you
know everyone else was also self absorbed with your body.
Speaker 4 (10:36):
From you know, I come from an area. I'm just
a regular schmuck around here.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
You know, the people I grew up with, like you
know so and I spent a lot of time in
locker room.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
So I'm just a regular Joe.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
Well, the whole physicality thing, I mean, it's just it's
it's kind of amazing and that I remember even like
when you weren't there, we would be shooting other episodes
and it would come up with the camera crew, like
people would say, the heart wants with the heart wants.
You know, It's like, you know, what do you do?
You guys want to heal after work while the heart
(11:06):
wants with the heart wants, you know, Like we didn't
had a part of.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
The lexicon for the remainder of the shot. It really
did iconic you doing that once?
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Yeah, no, it really did. Do you have any you know?
This was another thing that I had forgotten and I think,
I mean, we find as Andrew and I find as
we watch it, we go like I don't remember shooting
that at all, Like I barely remember shooting anything, And
(11:35):
although I am finding very entertaining, I find it crazy
that I remember so little. But what I really didn't
remember was that Carl started sleeping with Brie in later
seasons and became her Andrey right, So Carl was just
a massive horror on Is there anyone he didn't sleep with?
Speaker 4 (11:59):
Maybe the heart on?
Speaker 5 (12:02):
Uh? Well no, I mean, I'll only get going on
somebody I wasn't a lot crazy about.
Speaker 4 (12:07):
However, I'll get to that question.
Speaker 5 (12:10):
Do you remember when you said to me one day
we were like, I just started on. The show is
a second season, I think towards the end of the first,
I don't know, and you said to me, you said,
what are we doing?
Speaker 4 (12:21):
Are we doing shit? The show hadn't really taken it
off yet, You're like, well, do we.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
That's really funny that you that. I don't actually remember that,
but I can imagine, you know, some episodes were better
than other episodes, some writing was better than other writing.
And I can imagine that I would be the kind
of person who would just be not like even mean,
but just sort of like, do you think this is shit?
Or do you think this is good?
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Like?
Speaker 3 (12:48):
How are we going to work this out? Richard, like, what,
how are we going to make this as good as
we can make it?
Speaker 7 (12:52):
Wait?
Speaker 6 (12:52):
And what did you say back? What did you say
to her?
Speaker 4 (12:55):
I really have no idea. I really think I said I.
Speaker 6 (13:00):
Had no idea, right right?
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Maybe?
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Maybe not?
Speaker 5 (13:04):
Well, I don't know why, because I never think you know,
what I do is you know, I got it.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
I never think that like so, which is a nice thing.
You know, keep humble totally, But that's why we have directors.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
But man, we are so enjoying watching you. We really are.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
Yeah, You're so great in it.
Speaker 7 (13:21):
I'm curious what is your I mean, say, for a
character like Carl who you were talking about, how he
feels so sort of self interested and absorbed and then
he goes on to be the kind of horror of
the neighborhood. What is your process as an actor for
getting into a role like that or a character like that?
Speaker 5 (13:38):
You know, sometimes I know people like I just it
pops off the page and I, you know, just like
embody a friend or somebody I've seen, or it's an
amalgam of things, and then the process is sort of
hate to use the word organic, you know, it's it evolves.
I did a play in La and it started one
(13:58):
where and then I like I was that became a
sort of old Jewish guy who took like this, you know,
one character, I played two characters, so it's I don't know,
it's sometimes it gets revealed over time. And then like Carl,
I brought it in and and then I remember Mark,
I forget what season was. I was like, okay, enough
with the you know, like he's is. He didn't create it.
(14:19):
He didn't it wasn't on the page, so he didn't
have the sort.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Of attachment to it.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Like no, I mean I did. I loved, I loved
all that.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
I loved just doing he asked you to pull that back?
Speaker 4 (14:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Wow, okay, and did you.
Speaker 6 (14:40):
Sure we'll watch?
Speaker 2 (14:44):
So yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
I have this idea in my head that I don't
know if this is accurate, but maybe you can help
clue me in if I'm right. I I assume that
maybe when Carl came to be, they didn't know how
much a part of the show you would be yet,
and then when you came and were so amazing, and
you had all these fun ideas and you gave this
character just so much oomph and magic and identity that
(15:07):
maybe they decided to expand on Carl's presence. Am I
right with that assumption?
Speaker 4 (15:12):
Do you know anything?
Speaker 5 (15:14):
I think he was just there to punch around for
a little while and then ended up, you know, being likable,
and yeah, it happened.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
The last job I had to oh, yeah, well, well
you are. You are fun to be around and very
charismatic and likable, and so I can imagine, like why that.
Speaker 5 (15:32):
Expansion back at you? And I you know, look, we're
like it drives me nuts. Two things drive me nuts.
So we have what Ward shows, we already got the award,
it's like, why we go. We're so blessed to be
able to do this and to have like people like Grossman,
who I was able to do another show with him
or two afterwards, and.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
I love that. I just love working in this in
this place where I'm playing all day and I get
to play with amazing people like you guys. It's so yeah, I'm.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
I feel very grateful, very very blessed about the whole thing.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
I agree, it's quite a gift.
Speaker 7 (16:10):
You did you have any like stand out I mean,
I know it was a long time ago, but stand
out scenes or moments or things that really have stayed
with you from the show.
Speaker 5 (16:21):
I know this is going to sound strange, and I
really enjoyed being in bed with your mother.
Speaker 7 (16:28):
I know what clip we're using on social media for
this interview.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Well I enjoyed that, fan, Yeah, I know. Wow, Oh
my gosh.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
Well right, I love working with your mom. I love
working with your mom and people ask me that all
the time. And I had fun with you know, the
other girls down the lane. You're just your mom's pretty
fucking awesome.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
That's you know, that's so sweet. I'm I mean, really,
it's and you know what.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
Honestly, because I'm just tell the truth.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Well, I love that, and when when I also love
that my daughter's here saying listening to it, because sometimes
there are people in my life that I'll come across
that will say things to me like that, and I'll say,
will you just go to my funeral because my daughter's
an only child and there won't be a lot of
family around here, and be really nice if all these
people said these things so that my daughter would know
(17:21):
I was a good person. So Richard, we're putting you
on the funeral list, and you can perfect I love it.
Can I ask you? Is there this is weird, but
I do kind of I'm interested, what because you're such
a process kind of person. Like my recollection of working
with you is also that, I mean the same the
(17:43):
way I like to work is like is it funnier
if I say the line and then sit down, or
is it funnier if I stand up and then say
the line? Like like like really trying to you know,
finesse the puzzle of the whole thing from a lot
of different angles of thought. Is there something that you
remember about working with me that was specific.
Speaker 8 (18:07):
Just how assiduous you were to the application of the craft,
of figuring it out of playing, of trying this, trying that,
being open to like, oh no, let's try it this way, okay, let.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
Me do like just being flexible and curious.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Oh I can't think of anything nice to prepare and prepared.
Well that's it.
Speaker 7 (18:29):
Well you're getting a big love festivals.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
Prepared to say the same things. I feel the same
way about how fortunate I was to work with Terry
for all of those years.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Yeah you too.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
I mean I was really.
Speaker 5 (18:42):
Ready to tour and role model and a consummate pro
and somebody's just fun and like, you know, bringing food
to the set.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
It's such a sweet gesture.
Speaker 5 (18:50):
I don't know if anyone else did that, but that
that it just spoke volumes of your character.
Speaker 6 (18:56):
What food did she bring to this out?
Speaker 4 (18:58):
I don't know the story, A cook's and whatever.
Speaker 5 (19:01):
I mean, it was terrible for the teeth and overall health,
but it was a sweet I did bring.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
I did were you? Did you have a partake in
the big tequila bar? Things I would do every Friday
night on the camera truck.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
I spent a lot of time in the camera truck.
And that's all I'll say.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
Well, that was a lot of that alcohol was supplied
by me, and we had a lot of Friday nights
into Saturday mornings where we would we would finish up
our week.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
I've always managed to find that, you know, the screw
ups that I could go like, hey, I got a
six pack.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
You know, hey, you any guys kind of.
Speaker 5 (19:39):
Do you find that there were nights we were gonna
have like a glass of red white wine?
Speaker 4 (19:44):
Uh uh eva. And you know, we just work and
do our stuff. And I've been on a bunch of
shows like that. But you don't abuse it. You're just
you're creating and having fun, right.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Speaking of shows. We actually we were just saying that
we saw you pop up on this season of The
Morning Show.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
Which I loved, and it was great, how exacting to
see you on there?
Speaker 4 (20:05):
It was it was really fun.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
I my son went to UCLA, so we shot it
at Luskin Center in U c. L A.
Speaker 4 (20:11):
And I've stayed there and had a lot of fun there.
Uh and uh.
Speaker 5 (20:15):
I was able to spy on the UCLA football team
practicing right outside my hotel window. And it was just lovely.
She was lovely, the cast lovely, John's lovely. Those really
the only two actors I worked.
Speaker 4 (20:26):
With on that.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
Did you know John before.
Speaker 4 (20:28):
Or I did not know? We never crossed paths.
Speaker 5 (20:30):
Yeah, well I'm but he's a sweet hat, a sweet
cat who again really likes the craft and it is
not what he appears to be because he's gotten such
a rarefied air like a lot of you know, people
like yourself and that get you know, recognized, and like
Jennifer is.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
It's it's pretty creepy watching people you know, hover there.
Speaker 5 (20:57):
It's almost like parasitic or the like she's some some
prey animal and you know all these hyaenas are It's
it's pretty weird, but it was fun to watch and
the director was super fun and I wish it was
more like Grossman, you know that everybody was like Grossman.
A couple of folks we had on Housewives where they
want to come out and jam and you you bring
(21:21):
your riff and then they're going to like, well how
about this.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
And so, But it was sometimes there isn't space to
do that. Were there other directors that ran through the
seasons that you were on that you liked, particularly on
Desperate Housewives?
Speaker 5 (21:35):
For some reason, I just remember him, but yeah, I
love them all. And if you named him Mary, like yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Yeah, Larry Shaw?
Speaker 4 (21:43):
Do you remember Larry Shaw?
Speaker 5 (21:45):
My god?
Speaker 4 (21:45):
And Larry was great too.
Speaker 5 (21:46):
Larry was a lot of people didn't think he was
as creative as he was because he came up through
the ranks in a different way or I forget Larry's
arc leaders look like a producer like in the Trenches guy,
and a lot of people didn't thought he was had.
He was kind of dry and you know, nuts and bolts,
but he was super funny at times.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (22:06):
I liked him.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
I liked him a lot. We like the thing that
I remember the most, we had a conversation once Larry
and I like on the side, you know, of the
set when they're changing the lighting and you're just kind
of hanging out and waiting, And for some reason we
came up with the conversation of how our favorite thing
was both of us, was when your foot finds the
cool spot in the sheets at night, like you know,
(22:28):
when you go so and so. For years we would
be like, did you find the cool sheets?
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Right?
Speaker 3 (22:34):
Foot found the cool sheet. It's just so funny how
you have these little tiny things that you hook into
your memory about with what one person's relationship with you was.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
Right, right, right right? Yeah, No, he was a sweetheart.
Speaker 5 (22:47):
You know again, I've had I had three concussions before
I was fifteen, and other things have played their role
in making me forget a lot of things. And plus
I'm so accustomed to like absorbing a lot of stuff
and then jet seeing it. So he went out with
the jenison.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
I have that same thing too. I think it's like
as an actor, I think you develop an acute skill
at short term memory because you have to learn so
much so quickly, and then the downside of that is
that it just all goes completely away and you don't
even know what you did yesterday. That's so interesting. I
think you're right, right, Yeah, do you have that?
Speaker 1 (23:22):
I totally have that, but I never knew why or
I never identified.
Speaker 6 (23:26):
It that way, But that's totally true. I'm curious.
Speaker 7 (23:29):
I want to jump back to something that you said
talking about the Morning Show and the kind of like
a parasitic dynamic maybe around how people viewed Jenner Anniston.
Did you feel like any of that kind of same
celebrity culture rubbed off on you at all at the
time during Desperate Housewives, because that was We've had some
conversations about, you know, how paparazzi were camped outside of
(23:50):
my mom's house all the time while I was growing up, and.
Speaker 6 (23:52):
It was just such a phenomenon. Did that affect you
at all?
Speaker 5 (23:56):
Oh god, yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean the lightning in
a bottle of that show was it's pretty rare. And
not only did I have friends that came out of
the woodwork, but people just treat you different. It's very strange,
and that kind of repels me. But yeah, I remember,
you know, walking down the street and Beverly Hills with
an old buddy of mine. He was staying up in
(24:17):
l A and chased down the street by t m
Z and it was it was such a cliche Hollywood
moment and I you know anyway, Yeah, so yes, that's that,
but not to that extent.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
Where you know, your mom, like the girls were the
we were just sort of the.
Speaker 5 (24:34):
Fluff and the film and your mom and the girls
were you know, front and center and that, and like
Jen's she and Reesa the star of the show, but
she's got another another level of insanity to deal with.
There's various levels and and I would I would not
want that.
Speaker 6 (24:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Something we're also sort of recognizing is that the show
seems to be back out there a bit. Whether that's
I think it's probably because of streaming and you know,
younger people are what TikTok and younger people are discovering
it for the first time. Are you feeling that affect?
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Are people?
Speaker 4 (25:21):
Over time?
Speaker 5 (25:22):
All over the world, people are like, you know, young
people come up and talk to me and introduce themselves
or at least like most of the time it's like
I know you from somewhere or whatever. So yes, that
that it's it's crazy the young people that are watching.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
It now, do you and so so you don't have
a favorite scene. It's not the scene where you you
you close the car door in my towel and you
drove away. It's not that scene.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
I didn't look, by the way, what a gentleman in
the rear view. But everything is.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
Reversed, everything was upside down, so it looked better that way,
I'm sure.
Speaker 5 (26:02):
Uh no, I just you know, any scene we were
because we would just goof and that, so like every
day was my favorite. And uh as much as I
could piss off Jamie or like just just get under
people's skin.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
It was really working with Nicola, and it was completely
different than working.
Speaker 5 (26:23):
With you because she's sort of off the coffin, not
very prepared, and that has its its beauty and its challenges.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
But you worked with her. Was she the kind of
second most person you worked with?
Speaker 5 (26:35):
I know, Marsia, Okay, I did the whole that an
arc of one year or two or something.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
I don't know you and then and then Nicolette we
worked on one season.
Speaker 5 (26:47):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Okay, Yeah, it is funny how I've sort of forgotten
about that. And I'm a little bit possessive about you.
So like when I started to realize that, oh wait,
there was a whole season where he was with three Like,
what the hell? Well, I a really think of Karl.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
In the context of.
Speaker 6 (27:04):
Wait, tell us what was I mean?
Speaker 5 (27:05):
Well, look, look my plumber Pinnata is finally run out
of a candy beating it all these years.
Speaker 7 (27:10):
So at you, I would love I mean, if you can,
I know we don't have a ton of time, but
I'd love to hear a little bit about what you
remember from working with Marsha or working with Nicolette, because
we've said a lot. Obviously my mom and Andrew can
only offer, like their perspectives of the scenes that they
were in.
Speaker 6 (27:29):
Do you have any memories from that time that.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
You want to share?
Speaker 6 (27:34):
Yeah, I mean you.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
Don't have you know, Yeah, I love Nichola's tremendous. She's
She's a sweet lady. And I just like your mom,
I come from a world where you get prepared and
then you get ready to play and get ready to
improvise or change things, and and Nicolette.
Speaker 4 (27:54):
Doesn't come from so I don't think.
Speaker 5 (27:56):
Marcia was always pretty well prepared, and we had a
lot of fun and she was a lot of she
was a lot of fun to play with. But yeah,
you know I your mom broke the mold for me
on that show.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Oh thank you.
Speaker 7 (28:09):
Well, I have one last question, let's hear it, please
tell it, because I love not having a TV in
the home. What motivated that? Just to bring it all
the way back to the beginning, Why no TV? And
how is it major life better?
Speaker 5 (28:22):
So I grew up like I grew up in a house.
We had a black and white TV. Then we had
a color TV. It was my parents' bedroom.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
And when I in Jersey, I wouldn't I listened to
music at night.
Speaker 5 (28:36):
And then I moved into the city and I didn't
have a TV, and I had a girlfriend who had
a TV. But and I would go to you know,
I'd go to bars and watch ball games because I
love sports. And then I moved to LA and never
had a TV. I just listened to music and read
and painted and lived by candlelight.
Speaker 4 (28:57):
It was really lovely.
Speaker 5 (28:58):
So I plus, I was going through a lot of
of changes from this relationship that was really difficult for me,
and a wonderful change. And then I had a house
and look at the beach TVs and you know, the
whole thing. And then I had a condo and looking
at the guel, I had five TVs, and and I
just I don't know, I just wanted to desaturate from
(29:19):
that world.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
And I went through something with this last show.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
I was on twenty twenty one, and I started to
see the business and what will have my you know,
cog in the wheel, and just wanted to simplify my
life and not so.
Speaker 4 (29:38):
Inundated and or stimulated.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
I think a lot of people could learn a lot
from that. I think that that's something everybody needs to take.
Speaker 6 (29:50):
A little I'm gonna smash my TV when I get.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Home, just throw it right out the wind.
Speaker 6 (29:57):
I'm done with you ging up with the TV.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
You know, we've really found that I feel like, in hindsight,
the husbands did not get the kudos that they deserved
because there was, as you said, so much hype around
the housewives that we really were pushed out in front
and center. But without all that hype, now watching it
at a time where it's not the thing everybody's talking about,
(30:22):
we are just finding that the show would be nowhere
without all the husbands. And you guys were all so
individual and so spectacular, but like in each of your
individual ways. It really supported the show in an almost
like invisibly effortful way that nobody paid attention to with
(30:49):
enough gratitude at the time, And so I am doing
it now. Richard Bergy, I want to thank you for
helping to make Susan's journey on Desperate Housewives so memorable,
for help make my journey on despert Housewife so wonderful.
And it's just so great to see you, and thank
you for joining us on our little podcast. It's so
good to see you, and I just wish you continued success.
(31:11):
Is there anything that you want to promote that you
are up to next that you want to tell us about.
Speaker 4 (31:16):
No, well, my mother is one hundred and one.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
I can't give through my second divorce, and I was like,
I just got to really get back to some simple
things and so being because.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
I would like to be it's n arrogant.
Speaker 5 (31:32):
And but my mom said she'd like to have me
there with my brother while she when she crosses over.
I wasn't there when my dad crossed forever. So and
I'm connecting with some old friends here. I'm just really
enjoying being a sort of unplugged from the business kind
of dipping my toe in here and there, but really
committed to being around for my mom.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
And do you know what, Richard, I relate to that
more than you might know. I three years ago took
over really the primary caregiving of both of my parents,
who are ninety. My dad has to menia. I bought
them a house up the street from me in where
I live in Los Angeles, and so I'm very, very
involved in their daily care and I've got my dad
taking art classes and I went over there the other
(32:13):
night and put on the new Superman movie for them,
and I'm bringing them food. And it really is something
to kind of be with your parents in the stage
where you're the parent sort of. And so I'm glad
that you're able to do that. And I send your
whole family like lots of love.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
Thanks so much. You guys are terrific. Good luck with this.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Thanks for being here. We know everyone's going to love
here and from you, thank you. Bye bye bye
Hi, Welcome to Desperately Devoted.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
The Ultimate Desperate Housewives rewatch, hosted by me, Terry Hatcher,
my on screen daughter Andrea Bowen, and my real life
daughter Emerson Tenney. Today we are talking to the amazing
Richard Burbie. The heart wants what the heart wants, and
we know your heart wants to hear about Karl Meyer,
(00:24):
as you, of course remember him. We have the honor
of catching up with what he's into these days and
learning which character he almost played on the show and
where his favorite place on Wisteria Lane was to hang out.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
His answer makes me blush just a little. Let's jump in.
Welcome to Desperately Devoted, our little rewatch podcast that we've
got going. We're so glad to have you here. We
really have been having such a great time actually revisiting
the show ourselves and revisiting it with cast members. Have
have you just you haven't seen it recently? Right? Or
(01:01):
have you?
Speaker 4 (01:01):
I don't have a TV and I am rarely am
on my computer.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Oh right, that's amazing. Now, Okay, I'm going to jump
to a question that I was going to ask you later,
because sometimes we do ask people, are you desperately devoted
to anything. But I seem to recall you being desperately
devoted to surfing. Is that what you're still doing, and
why you don't have a TV and why you don't
have a computer.
Speaker 5 (01:26):
Well, you know, I was just up in Nova Scotia.
My son lives up there, my firstborn. He's twenty nine.
We went surfing the other day in Nova Scotia and
I hadn't served since I was dating this gall in Florida,
so it was about a year ago.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
So but I'm back in Jersey.
Speaker 5 (01:40):
So I'm devoted to, you know, my trees and mother
nature and trails and streams. And I got my girlfriend
in the back, this beautiful stream. Well I fall asleep
with every night and have my coffee with in the morning.
And she's lovely and she's connect to a beautiful ecosystem.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
There's like in a little place.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
I took my nephew's fishing there the other day, and
I you know, I jump in and slowly, slowly, so
I'm a fresh one most of the time. But I'll
have to do the hours slept down in the Jersey
shore and it's not like California surfing.
Speaker 6 (02:09):
So oh yeah, the Atlantic's different.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Being devoted to nature is something I can totally relate to.
You know, that's there's just nothing better. But I actually
remember being on the set of Desperate House with you,
and I don't know why, but you were telling I.
Maybe it was when I was training for the triathlons
that I used to do out in Malibu, and I
was probably telling you about how I was afraid of
(02:33):
great white sharks. And I remember you telling me about
all the times that you would be sitting on your
surfboard out in the ocean and that you saw them
swimming around and that I shouldn't be afraid. Is that
still true? I remember that correctly. Did we have?
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (02:49):
I wanted to take you out. We never was able
to do that for some reason. Right, you just kept
dodging me. You had bigger You've had bigger fish on
the line.
Speaker 6 (03:00):
It's never too late. I think you got to get
her out there.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
But you have to come back to the Pacific Ocean.
Speaker 5 (03:05):
Do you know?
Speaker 3 (03:05):
It's funny. A place that I love in the world,
which is just across the pond from Nova Scotia, is Cornwall, England.
And have you ever been there?
Speaker 5 (03:15):
I've seen pictures, but I've been to England. I'm going
to Ireland for Thanksgiving.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Okay, Well, Cornwall, England is probably one of my favorite
places in the world, if not the favorite place. But
I have taken surfing lessons there and they, yeah, I
have a picture of me actually up on a surfboards.
The water's quite cold, as I would imagine it is
in Nova Scotia. But who cares you wear wetsuits?
Speaker 4 (03:39):
Not like Cornwall.
Speaker 5 (03:40):
But oh okay, no, because it's like, you know, it's
still kind of end of summer up there. We were overdressed.
My son gave me a full HOODI and was way
over dressed.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Okay, but surfing is a great is Did you have
a full hoodie? No, I didn't. I don't you know,
I don't think so. I think I just had like
a pretty like a what's a thick one five millimeter?
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Yeah? Five six six?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah, I think I think I had a pretty thick.
They don't even know what we're talking about. I think
this is where you go, get a room. Get a room,
Richard and Terry, just get a room.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
A hoodie wet suit would scare me if I were
someone really afraid of the sharks. I feel like I
would look even more like a seal.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Yes, well that has crossed my mind.
Speaker 5 (04:23):
But a surf maker had actually thought about putting like
some kevlar and embedded, so it would make if you
did get chopped, it would make it harder for the
sharks to eat.
Speaker 6 (04:34):
Well, that's good.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
I think that's a good advancement.
Speaker 7 (04:37):
I think it sounds like the two of you are
prepared to go on your next surfing trip together, and
please send me pictures.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Okay, I will wave.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Wait do you still have your Bookswagon Bus?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
I absolutely do. I still do. In fact, oh see,
you would love this because you appreciate stuff like this.
I put solar panels in the top of it so
that when I the solar panels don't run the engine.
But when I get somewhere I can be completely like
off the grid with my solar panels running, like you know,
my refrigerator and whatever electricity I would need. So it's
(05:10):
it is still as I said to my daughter on
our first camping trip in it when she was six
years old. We went up to like big sur and
I remember just feeling like this is this is all
we need? Like I said that, Yeah you did, No,
you did say that to me. But I mean you
have always told.
Speaker 7 (05:28):
Me the story that Mom, this is all I need.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
No, the bathroom is like a kitty litter box. Basically,
it's like a stool that you open up with like
litter in it. I mean, wow, you said that's all
you need. Wow. Wow.
Speaker 6 (05:44):
Okay, you know what, we have different needs. It might
be mildly less true today, but not far off.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
I think being a minial minimalist is very advantageous. So
I like that about myself. So okay, back to Desperate Housewives.
So you haven't seen it, then it's what discovering. Nor
had we and I'm really I think one of the
things that has popped us off to us in these
first ten twelve episodes is first of all, just what
(06:13):
a magical place with steria Lane was in itself, but secondly,
like just how great everyone was and is, and specifically you, Richard.
I mean, I think we have to start thank you, yes, yes, yes,
wild applause from the audience from all the fans. I
think we have to start with the heart wants. What
(06:36):
the heart wants? You must recall that.
Speaker 5 (06:40):
Oh so well, yeah, you know I had this whole
interesting thing going in because you know, I originally tested
from not tested, but I met Mark and the other
fella who the director to Charles Plumber. Yeah, and Jamie
had a contract with ABC and he's much more handsman talented,
so he got the Plumber. So I had to do
another show and then I came back and I had
(07:01):
this whole different thing going, and so I just had
you know, I don't know, it was just in this
open space and so, yeah, that was such a fun
line to chew you interesting.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
So because we were going to ask about your casting story,
because we're finding it really fun to hear about how
everyone ended up on the show. And one of my
questions for you was, had you auditioned for any of
the other male roles on the show?
Speaker 4 (07:26):
And you I originally I auditioned for the Plumber.
Speaker 5 (07:32):
Then I thought it was disaster because Mark and Charles
were fighting, and I found this idea, like the name.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
And then my manager at.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
The time told me that ABC was was honoring Jamie's
contract and he was the first pick, and he was terrific.
Jamie's a sweetheart and he's good, and so he got
the job. I was offered a showdown in San Diego,
which only lasted. I don't know, like eleven or fifteen
episodes or something, but it was like my favorite show
(08:03):
because I could surf on the way.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
Going to San Diego is really groovy. Have you Terry,
have you surf?
Speaker 5 (08:10):
Sorryle Many like Santa No Frey, have you been down
I have not.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
I mean I have been down there because.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
I told you I was going to take you down there.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Now I know, I know, We're not too late.
Speaker 6 (08:20):
It's not too late.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Well he's in New Jersey now, so it's a little late.
Speaker 6 (08:25):
Plain surf ride.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
I have surfing ocean.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
I have never actually surfed the coast of California. So
the only surfing I've ever done is in Cornwall, which
I enjoyed, I loved. I would like to again, but no,
I haven't.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
I have Like the only time I've served is Wyky Keys.
Speaker 6 (08:46):
I have to jump in.
Speaker 7 (08:46):
So the Mike and Carl rivalry was real from the
very inception of casting.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
I guess so I.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
Love he always had a hair about me, but it's
not on you.
Speaker 5 (09:00):
So I don't know because I was just in this
place like I let it all go and I don't care.
Speaker 7 (09:04):
And well, how did Carl come back? And how did
that role come back into your life because the.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
Show ended in San Diego. And then my manager said, hey,
you know, they got this role coming up. They want
to see if you're interested. And I said, yeah, sure.
I went in an audition with a bunch of guys
and I you know, I think I had a puff
and I was just in this really like, oh I
know who this guy is, and so yeah, I was
(09:31):
just really in my body and really doing all these.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Like wow, yeah, yes, a physical I want to talk
to you about that. But I wanted to where did
that because that physicalization it has stuck with me of
yours for twenty years, and I remember just being so
enthralled with it while you were doing it. I mean
(09:53):
it really do you remember why that was a choice
you made for that character.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
So yeah, I.
Speaker 5 (10:02):
Felt him to be really self absorbed, and so I
then I put the concept to physicality, like what's in
life and somebody's really self absorbed? And it could you know, uh,
because I'm very tactile as well, like touching things and
you know, and then I just thought, Okay, what would
be like to really be self absorbed with myself?
Speaker 3 (10:24):
It's soome and it's so great that you have such
a good body to be self absorbed with, because you
know everyone else was also self absorbed with your body.
Speaker 4 (10:36):
From you know, I come from an area. I'm just
a regular schmuck around here.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
You know, the people I grew up with, like you
know so and I spent a lot of time in
locker room.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
So I'm just a regular Joe.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
Well, the whole physicality thing, I mean, it's just it's
it's kind of amazing and that I remember even like
when you weren't there, we would be shooting other episodes
and it would come up with the camera crew, like
people would say, the heart wants with the heart wants.
You know, It's like, you know, what do you do?
You guys want to heal after work while the heart
(11:06):
wants with the heart wants, you know, Like we didn't
had a part of.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
The lexicon for the remainder of the shot. It really
did iconic you doing that once?
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Yeah, no, it really did. Do you have any you know?
This was another thing that I had forgotten and I think,
I mean, we find as Andrew and I find as
we watch it, we go like I don't remember shooting
that at all, Like I barely remember shooting anything, And
(11:35):
although I am finding very entertaining, I find it crazy
that I remember so little. But what I really didn't
remember was that Carl started sleeping with Brie in later
seasons and became her Andrey right, So Carl was just
a massive horror on Is there anyone he didn't sleep with?
Speaker 4 (11:59):
Maybe the heart on?
Speaker 5 (12:02):
Uh? Well no, I mean, I'll only get going on
somebody I wasn't a lot crazy about.
Speaker 4 (12:07):
However, I'll get to that question.
Speaker 5 (12:10):
Do you remember when you said to me one day
we were like, I just started on. The show is
a second season, I think towards the end of the first,
I don't know, and you said to me, you said,
what are we doing?
Speaker 4 (12:21):
Are we doing shit? The show hadn't really taken it
off yet, You're like, well, do we.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
That's really funny that you that. I don't actually remember that,
but I can imagine, you know, some episodes were better
than other episodes, some writing was better than other writing.
And I can imagine that I would be the kind
of person who would just be not like even mean,
but just sort of like, do you think this is shit?
Or do you think this is good?
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Like?
Speaker 3 (12:48):
How are we going to work this out? Richard, like, what,
how are we going to make this as good as
we can make it?
Speaker 7 (12:52):
Wait?
Speaker 6 (12:52):
And what did you say back? What did you say
to her?
Speaker 4 (12:55):
I really have no idea. I really think I said I.
Speaker 6 (13:00):
Had no idea, right right?
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Maybe?
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Maybe not?
Speaker 5 (13:04):
Well, I don't know why, because I never think you know,
what I do is you know, I got it.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
I never think that like so, which is a nice thing.
You know, keep humble totally, But that's why we have directors.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
But man, we are so enjoying watching you. We really are.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
Yeah, You're so great in it.
Speaker 7 (13:21):
I'm curious what is your I mean, say, for a
character like Carl who you were talking about, how he
feels so sort of self interested and absorbed and then
he goes on to be the kind of horror of
the neighborhood. What is your process as an actor for
getting into a role like that or a character like that?
Speaker 5 (13:38):
You know, sometimes I know people like I just it
pops off the page and I, you know, just like
embody a friend or somebody I've seen, or it's an
amalgam of things, and then the process is sort of
hate to use the word organic, you know, it's it evolves.
I did a play in La and it started one
(13:58):
where and then I like I was that became a
sort of old Jewish guy who took like this, you know,
one character, I played two characters, so it's I don't know,
it's sometimes it gets revealed over time. And then like Carl,
I brought it in and and then I remember Mark,
I forget what season was. I was like, okay, enough
with the you know, like he's is. He didn't create it.
(14:19):
He didn't it wasn't on the page, so he didn't
have the sort.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Of attachment to it.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Like no, I mean I did. I loved, I loved
all that.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
I loved just doing he asked you to pull that back?
Speaker 4 (14:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Wow, okay, and did you.
Speaker 6 (14:40):
Sure we'll watch?
Speaker 2 (14:44):
So yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
I have this idea in my head that I don't
know if this is accurate, but maybe you can help
clue me in if I'm right. I I assume that
maybe when Carl came to be, they didn't know how
much a part of the show you would be yet,
and then when you came and were so amazing, and
you had all these fun ideas and you gave this
character just so much oomph and magic and identity that
(15:07):
maybe they decided to expand on Carl's presence. Am I
right with that assumption?
Speaker 4 (15:12):
Do you know anything?
Speaker 5 (15:14):
I think he was just there to punch around for
a little while and then ended up, you know, being likable,
and yeah, it happened.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
The last job I had to oh, yeah, well, well
you are. You are fun to be around and very
charismatic and likable, and so I can imagine, like why that.
Speaker 5 (15:32):
Expansion back at you? And I you know, look, we're
like it drives me nuts. Two things drive me nuts.
So we have what Ward shows, we already got the award,
it's like, why we go. We're so blessed to be
able to do this and to have like people like Grossman,
who I was able to do another show with him
or two afterwards, and.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
I love that. I just love working in this in
this place where I'm playing all day and I get
to play with amazing people like you guys. It's so yeah, I'm.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
I feel very grateful, very very blessed about the whole thing.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
I agree, it's quite a gift.
Speaker 7 (16:10):
You did you have any like stand out I mean,
I know it was a long time ago, but stand
out scenes or moments or things that really have stayed
with you from the show.
Speaker 5 (16:21):
I know this is going to sound strange, and I
really enjoyed being in bed with your mother.
Speaker 7 (16:28):
I know what clip we're using on social media for
this interview.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Well I enjoyed that, fan, Yeah, I know. Wow, Oh
my gosh.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
Well right, I love working with your mom. I love
working with your mom and people ask me that all
the time. And I had fun with you know, the
other girls down the lane. You're just your mom's pretty
fucking awesome.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
That's you know, that's so sweet. I'm I mean, really,
it's and you know what.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
Honestly, because I'm just tell the truth.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Well, I love that, and when when I also love
that my daughter's here saying listening to it, because sometimes
there are people in my life that I'll come across
that will say things to me like that, and I'll say,
will you just go to my funeral because my daughter's
an only child and there won't be a lot of
family around here, and be really nice if all these
people said these things so that my daughter would know
(17:21):
I was a good person. So Richard, we're putting you
on the funeral list, and you can perfect I love it.
Can I ask you? Is there this is weird, but
I do kind of I'm interested, what because you're such
a process kind of person. Like my recollection of working
with you is also that, I mean the same the
(17:43):
way I like to work is like is it funnier
if I say the line and then sit down, or
is it funnier if I stand up and then say
the line? Like like like really trying to you know,
finesse the puzzle of the whole thing from a lot
of different angles of thought. Is there something that you
remember about working with me that was specific.
Speaker 8 (18:07):
Just how assiduous you were to the application of the craft,
of figuring it out of playing, of trying this, trying that,
being open to like, oh no, let's try it this way, okay, let.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
Me do like just being flexible and curious.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Oh I can't think of anything nice to prepare and prepared.
Well that's it.
Speaker 7 (18:29):
Well you're getting a big love festivals.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
Prepared to say the same things. I feel the same
way about how fortunate I was to work with Terry
for all of those years.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Yeah you too.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
I mean I was really.
Speaker 5 (18:42):
Ready to tour and role model and a consummate pro
and somebody's just fun and like, you know, bringing food
to the set.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
It's such a sweet gesture.
Speaker 5 (18:50):
I don't know if anyone else did that, but that
that it just spoke volumes of your character.
Speaker 6 (18:56):
What food did she bring to this out?
Speaker 4 (18:58):
I don't know the story, A cook's and whatever.
Speaker 5 (19:01):
I mean, it was terrible for the teeth and overall health,
but it was a sweet I did bring.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
I did were you? Did you have a partake in
the big tequila bar? Things I would do every Friday
night on the camera truck.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
I spent a lot of time in the camera truck.
And that's all I'll say.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
Well, that was a lot of that alcohol was supplied
by me, and we had a lot of Friday nights
into Saturday mornings where we would we would finish up
our week.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
I've always managed to find that, you know, the screw
ups that I could go like, hey, I got a
six pack.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
You know, hey, you any guys kind of.
Speaker 5 (19:39):
Do you find that there were nights we were gonna
have like a glass of red white wine?
Speaker 4 (19:44):
Uh uh eva. And you know, we just work and
do our stuff. And I've been on a bunch of
shows like that. But you don't abuse it. You're just
you're creating and having fun, right.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Speaking of shows. We actually we were just saying that
we saw you pop up on this season of The
Morning Show.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
Which I loved, and it was great, how exacting to
see you on there?
Speaker 4 (20:05):
It was it was really fun.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
I my son went to UCLA, so we shot it
at Luskin Center in U c. L A.
Speaker 4 (20:11):
And I've stayed there and had a lot of fun there.
Uh and uh.
Speaker 5 (20:15):
I was able to spy on the UCLA football team
practicing right outside my hotel window. And it was just lovely.
She was lovely, the cast lovely, John's lovely. Those really
the only two actors I worked.
Speaker 4 (20:26):
With on that.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
Did you know John before.
Speaker 4 (20:28):
Or I did not know? We never crossed paths.
Speaker 5 (20:30):
Yeah, well I'm but he's a sweet hat, a sweet
cat who again really likes the craft and it is
not what he appears to be because he's gotten such
a rarefied air like a lot of you know, people
like yourself and that get you know, recognized, and like
Jennifer is.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
It's it's pretty creepy watching people you know, hover there.
Speaker 5 (20:57):
It's almost like parasitic or the like she's some some
prey animal and you know all these hyaenas are It's
it's pretty weird, but it was fun to watch and
the director was super fun and I wish it was
more like Grossman, you know that everybody was like Grossman.
A couple of folks we had on Housewives where they
want to come out and jam and you you bring
(21:21):
your riff and then they're going to like, well how
about this.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
And so, But it was sometimes there isn't space to
do that. Were there other directors that ran through the
seasons that you were on that you liked, particularly on
Desperate Housewives?
Speaker 5 (21:35):
For some reason, I just remember him, but yeah, I
love them all. And if you named him Mary, like yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Yeah, Larry Shaw?
Speaker 4 (21:43):
Do you remember Larry Shaw?
Speaker 5 (21:45):
My god?
Speaker 4 (21:45):
And Larry was great too.
Speaker 5 (21:46):
Larry was a lot of people didn't think he was
as creative as he was because he came up through
the ranks in a different way or I forget Larry's
arc leaders look like a producer like in the Trenches guy,
and a lot of people didn't thought he was had.
He was kind of dry and you know, nuts and bolts,
but he was super funny at times.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (22:06):
I liked him.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
I liked him a lot. We like the thing that
I remember the most, we had a conversation once Larry
and I like on the side, you know, of the
set when they're changing the lighting and you're just kind
of hanging out and waiting, And for some reason we
came up with the conversation of how our favorite thing
was both of us, was when your foot finds the
cool spot in the sheets at night, like you know,
(22:28):
when you go so and so. For years we would
be like, did you find the cool sheets?
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Right?
Speaker 3 (22:34):
Foot found the cool sheet. It's just so funny how
you have these little tiny things that you hook into
your memory about with what one person's relationship with you was.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
Right, right, right right? Yeah, No, he was a sweetheart.
Speaker 5 (22:47):
You know again, I've had I had three concussions before
I was fifteen, and other things have played their role
in making me forget a lot of things. And plus
I'm so accustomed to like absorbing a lot of stuff
and then jet seeing it. So he went out with
the jenison.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
I have that same thing too. I think it's like
as an actor, I think you develop an acute skill
at short term memory because you have to learn so
much so quickly, and then the downside of that is
that it just all goes completely away and you don't
even know what you did yesterday. That's so interesting. I
think you're right, right, Yeah, do you have that?
Speaker 1 (23:22):
I totally have that, but I never knew why or
I never identified.
Speaker 6 (23:26):
It that way, But that's totally true. I'm curious.
Speaker 7 (23:29):
I want to jump back to something that you said
talking about the Morning Show and the kind of like
a parasitic dynamic maybe around how people viewed Jenner Anniston.
Did you feel like any of that kind of same
celebrity culture rubbed off on you at all at the
time during Desperate Housewives, because that was We've had some
conversations about, you know, how paparazzi were camped outside of
(23:50):
my mom's house all the time while I was growing up, and.
Speaker 6 (23:52):
It was just such a phenomenon. Did that affect you
at all?
Speaker 5 (23:56):
Oh god, yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean the lightning in
a bottle of that show was it's pretty rare. And
not only did I have friends that came out of
the woodwork, but people just treat you different. It's very strange,
and that kind of repels me. But yeah, I remember,
you know, walking down the street and Beverly Hills with
an old buddy of mine. He was staying up in
(24:17):
l A and chased down the street by t m
Z and it was it was such a cliche Hollywood
moment and I you know anyway, Yeah, so yes, that's that,
but not to that extent.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
Where you know, your mom, like the girls were the
we were just sort of the.
Speaker 5 (24:34):
Fluff and the film and your mom and the girls
were you know, front and center and that, and like
Jen's she and Reesa the star of the show, but
she's got another another level of insanity to deal with.
There's various levels and and I would I would not
want that.
Speaker 6 (24:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Something we're also sort of recognizing is that the show
seems to be back out there a bit. Whether that's
I think it's probably because of streaming and you know,
younger people are what TikTok and younger people are discovering
it for the first time. Are you feeling that affect?
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Are people?
Speaker 4 (25:21):
Over time?
Speaker 5 (25:22):
All over the world, people are like, you know, young
people come up and talk to me and introduce themselves
or at least like most of the time it's like
I know you from somewhere or whatever. So yes, that
that it's it's crazy the young people that are watching.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
It now, do you and so so you don't have
a favorite scene. It's not the scene where you you
you close the car door in my towel and you
drove away. It's not that scene.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
I didn't look, by the way, what a gentleman in
the rear view. But everything is.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
Reversed, everything was upside down, so it looked better that way,
I'm sure.
Speaker 5 (26:02):
Uh no, I just you know, any scene we were
because we would just goof and that, so like every
day was my favorite. And uh as much as I
could piss off Jamie or like just just get under
people's skin.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
It was really working with Nicola, and it was completely
different than working.
Speaker 5 (26:23):
With you because she's sort of off the coffin, not
very prepared, and that has its its beauty and its challenges.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
But you worked with her. Was she the kind of
second most person you worked with?
Speaker 5 (26:35):
I know, Marsia, Okay, I did the whole that an
arc of one year or two or something.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
I don't know you and then and then Nicolette we
worked on one season.
Speaker 5 (26:47):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Okay, Yeah, it is funny how I've sort of forgotten
about that. And I'm a little bit possessive about you.
So like when I started to realize that, oh wait,
there was a whole season where he was with three Like,
what the hell? Well, I a really think of Karl.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
In the context of.
Speaker 6 (27:04):
Wait, tell us what was I mean?
Speaker 5 (27:05):
Well, look, look my plumber Pinnata is finally run out
of a candy beating it all these years.
Speaker 7 (27:10):
So at you, I would love I mean, if you can,
I know we don't have a ton of time, but
I'd love to hear a little bit about what you
remember from working with Marsha or working with Nicolette, because
we've said a lot. Obviously my mom and Andrew can
only offer, like their perspectives of the scenes that they
were in.
Speaker 6 (27:29):
Do you have any memories from that time that.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
You want to share?
Speaker 6 (27:34):
Yeah, I mean you.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
Don't have you know, Yeah, I love Nichola's tremendous. She's
She's a sweet lady. And I just like your mom,
I come from a world where you get prepared and
then you get ready to play and get ready to
improvise or change things, and and Nicolette.
Speaker 4 (27:54):
Doesn't come from so I don't think.
Speaker 5 (27:56):
Marcia was always pretty well prepared, and we had a
lot of fun and she was a lot of she
was a lot of fun to play with. But yeah,
you know I your mom broke the mold for me
on that show.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Oh thank you.
Speaker 7 (28:09):
Well, I have one last question, let's hear it, please
tell it, because I love not having a TV in
the home. What motivated that? Just to bring it all
the way back to the beginning, Why no TV? And
how is it major life better?
Speaker 5 (28:22):
So I grew up like I grew up in a house.
We had a black and white TV. Then we had
a color TV. It was my parents' bedroom.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
And when I in Jersey, I wouldn't I listened to
music at night.
Speaker 5 (28:36):
And then I moved into the city and I didn't
have a TV, and I had a girlfriend who had
a TV. But and I would go to you know,
I'd go to bars and watch ball games because I
love sports. And then I moved to LA and never
had a TV. I just listened to music and read
and painted and lived by candlelight.
Speaker 4 (28:57):
It was really lovely.
Speaker 5 (28:58):
So I plus, I was going through a lot of
of changes from this relationship that was really difficult for me,
and a wonderful change. And then I had a house
and look at the beach TVs and you know, the
whole thing. And then I had a condo and looking
at the guel, I had five TVs, and and I
just I don't know, I just wanted to desaturate from
(29:19):
that world.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
And I went through something with this last show.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
I was on twenty twenty one, and I started to
see the business and what will have my you know,
cog in the wheel, and just wanted to simplify my
life and not so.
Speaker 4 (29:38):
Inundated and or stimulated.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
I think a lot of people could learn a lot
from that. I think that that's something everybody needs to take.
Speaker 6 (29:50):
A little I'm gonna smash my TV when I get.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Home, just throw it right out the wind.
Speaker 6 (29:57):
I'm done with you ging up with the TV.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
You know, we've really found that I feel like, in hindsight,
the husbands did not get the kudos that they deserved
because there was, as you said, so much hype around
the housewives that we really were pushed out in front
and center. But without all that hype, now watching it
at a time where it's not the thing everybody's talking about,
(30:22):
we are just finding that the show would be nowhere
without all the husbands. And you guys were all so
individual and so spectacular, but like in each of your
individual ways. It really supported the show in an almost
like invisibly effortful way that nobody paid attention to with
(30:49):
enough gratitude at the time, And so I am doing
it now. Richard Bergy, I want to thank you for
helping to make Susan's journey on Desperate Housewives so memorable,
for help make my journey on despert Housewife so wonderful.
And it's just so great to see you, and thank
you for joining us on our little podcast. It's so
good to see you, and I just wish you continued success.
(31:11):
Is there anything that you want to promote that you
are up to next that you want to tell us about.
Speaker 4 (31:16):
No, well, my mother is one hundred and one.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
I can't give through my second divorce, and I was like,
I just got to really get back to some simple
things and so being because.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
I would like to be it's n arrogant.
Speaker 5 (31:32):
And but my mom said she'd like to have me
there with my brother while she when she crosses over.
I wasn't there when my dad crossed forever. So and
I'm connecting with some old friends here. I'm just really
enjoying being a sort of unplugged from the business kind
of dipping my toe in here and there, but really
committed to being around for my mom.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
And do you know what, Richard, I relate to that
more than you might know. I three years ago took
over really the primary caregiving of both of my parents,
who are ninety. My dad has to menia. I bought
them a house up the street from me in where
I live in Los Angeles, and so I'm very, very
involved in their daily care and I've got my dad
taking art classes and I went over there the other
(32:13):
night and put on the new Superman movie for them,
and I'm bringing them food. And it really is something
to kind of be with your parents in the stage
where you're the parent sort of. And so I'm glad
that you're able to do that. And I send your
whole family like lots of love.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
Thanks so much. You guys are terrific. Good luck with this.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Thanks for being here. We know everyone's going to love
here and from you, thank you. Bye bye bye
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