John Michael Higgs On Beg The Go-To Gay And Season Two of "Happily Divorced" - IMDb

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• ‘BT SHOW’ STAR JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS: I WOULDN’T PLAY A GAY MAN AGA TODAYTHE LAST LAUGHMAARTEN BOER/NBC VIA GETTYJOHN MICHAEL HIGGS TELLS “THE LAST LGH” PODST ABOUT ANGERG DAVID LETTERMAN, GETTG TYPEST AS GAY, AND PLAYG A NEW MR. BELDG ON PEACK’S “SAVED BY THE BELL” REBOOT.MATT WILSTESENR EDORUPDATED DEC. 01, 2020 12:41PM EST / PUBLISHED DEC. 01, 2020 4:50AM EST JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS NEVER SET OUT TO BE A EDIAN, BUT HE WAS SO GOOD AT THAT STUCK.“THE ONLY REASON I’M STILL WORKG AS A EDIAN IS BEE I HAVE NEVER APPROACHED THE JOB OF EDY AS A IC,” HE SAYS ON THIS WEEK’S EPISO OF THE LAST LGH PODST. “I JT PLAY THE SCEN. I JT PLAY THE NEED AND THE BIGGER THE NEED EDY, THE FUNNIER IS.” THE 57-YEAR-OLD CHARACTER ACTOR MAY NOT BE A HOEHOLD NAME, BUT HE HAS AN UNMISTAKABLE FACE—PECIALLY FOR FANS OF HIS WORK CHRISTOPHER GUT’S FILMS, STARTG WH BT SHOW. IN THAT MOVIE, HIGGS PLAYED THE YOUNGER AND MORE FLAMBOYANT HALF OF A SHIH TZU-OWNG GAY UPLE WH MICHAEL MCKEAN, A PART HE DOUBTS HE WOULD BE ASKED TO PLAY TODAY.BUT 20 YEARS AFTER THAT FILM’S RELEASE, HE HAS SOMEHOW TRANSFORMED HIMSELF TO THE EDY WORLD’S GO-TO OVER-THE-HILL WHE GUY. WHICH IS HOW HE END UP PLAYG THE NEW MR. BELDG—AKA PRCIPAL RONALD TODDMAN—ON 2020’S BIG SAVED BY THE BELL REBOOT, STREAMG NOW ON PEACK. “I’M BASILLY A DUNK TANK CLOWN,” HIGGS SAYS OF HIS LATT ROLE. “I’M THE BUTT OF A LOT OF BASEMENTS. I GET MY STAT LOWERED A LOT, YOU KNOW, AS ALL GREAT EDY DO.” IT WAS THE NEW SERI’ SHOWNNER—AND FORMER 30 ROCK WRER—TRACEY WIGFIELD WHO OFFERED THE PART TO HIGGS AFTER STG HIM AS A SIARLY OUT-OF-TOUCH NEWS ANCHOR ON HER SHORT-LIVED, BUT BRILLIANTLY FUNNY S GREAT NEWS.“I TOLD HER TOWARD THE END OF GREAT NEWS, IF YOU LL THEN I’M G,” SAYS HIGGS, WHO GOT HIS BIG BREAK PLAYG DAVID LETTERMAN THE 1996 TV MOVIE THE LATE SHIFT. HE LLS WIGFIELD’S WORK “THE BT TELEVISN WRG” HE’S EVER HAD THE PLEASURE OF PERFORMG. “HER NSISTENCY AND HER ABILY TO WRE JOK, THAT IS EXCG FOR A IC PERFORMER LIKE MYSELF,” HE ADDS. “BUT WHAT’S REALLY EXCG IS HOW EP THE LGH N BE, BEE ’S ABOUT BASIC HUMAN NEEDS, DIGNI AND THGS LIKE THAT.”“I THK SHE ME AS A B OF A PUNCHG BAG,” HIGGS ADMS. “I AM AN OLD WHE MAN AND I’M FISHED. IT’S OVER. THE TI HAS RECED AND I’M STANDG THERE NAKED. AND I’M REALLY HAPPY TO LIVER THAT THE LATER PART OF MY REER.”HIGHLIGHTS OM OUR NVERSATN ARE BELOW AND YOU N LISTEN TO THE WHOLE THG RIGHT NOW BY SUBSCRIBG TO THE LAST LGH ON APPLE PODSTS OR WHEREVER YOU LISTEN TO PODSTS. ADVERTISEMENT WHAT DAVID LETTERMAN THOUGHT OF HIS PERFORMANCE ‘THE LATE SHIFT’“HE MA NO BON ABOUT WHAT HE THOUGHT OF MY PERFORMANCE. HE SAID EVERY NIGHT ON THE SHOW AND BEAT ME UP REALLY SOUNDLY, WHICH WAS SURREAL. BEE WHEN I TOOK THE JOB I WAS A STAGE ACTOR WH VERY LTLE MONEY. I WAS LIVG NEW YORK. I WAS EATG RAMEN AND SUDNLY I WAS BEG ATTACKED BY ONE OF THE MOST FAMO RICH PEOPLE ALIVE EVERY NIGHT. MY IENDS WOULD LL ME UP AND SAY, ‘DID YOU HEAR WHAT HE SAID ABOUT YOU LAST NIGHT?’ AND I HADN’T EVEN FISHED THE MOVIE YET! I ACTUALLY DON’T BLAME HIM. HE’S A PRIVATE PERSON. HE DIDN’T LIKE THE PROJECT. AND I WAS THE EASY TARGET BEE DIDN’T MATTER WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. IN HDSIGHT, I DON’T HAVE MUCH ANIMOSY OR BLAME FOR DAVID LETTERMAN. HE’S A PUBLIC PERSON SO HE SHOULD EXPECT TO HAVE SOME KD OF REPRENTATN THE MEDIA, WHICH HE DO. HE JT DIDN’T LIKE THIS ONE BEE SHOWED HIM AT HOME. HE DON’T WANT TO BE SEEN AT HOME, I DON'T BLAME HIM. I DON’T WANT TO BE SEEN AT HOME.” ON HIS HANCY TO PLAY A GAY CHARACTER ‘BT SHOW’“CHRIS [GUT] LLED ME UP AND HE SAYS, ‘LISTEN, I WANT YOU TO DO THIS MOVIE ABOUT DOGS UP VANUVER.’ AND I WAS LIKE, GREAT, THAT SOUNDS REALLY FUN. AND HE SAID, ‘THERE’S A GAY UPLE THE MOVIE AND I WANT YOU TO DO THAT.’ BEE I HAD JT DONE THIS GAY CHARACTER FOR THIS OTHER THG. I HAD DONE A LONG SERI OF GAY ROL ON STAGE NEW YORK. AND I HAVE NOTHG AGAST GAY AT ALL. IT’S JT THAT AS AN ACTOR, YOU WANT TO MOVE AROUND A LOT. I HAD JT DONE FOUR PROJECTS. AND ’S NOT LIKE GAY PEOPLE ARE ALL THE SAME. I WANT TO SPREAD MY WGS A LTLE B OR TAKE A BREAK AND THEN DO AGA. IT WAS ALSO A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TIME. THE ATMOSPHERE NOW IS VERY DIFFERENT. SO I DOUBT THAT I WOULD EVEN BE ST AS A GAY CHARACTER BEE WOULD SEEM NOT PC OR SOMETHG LIKE THAT. THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT ACTORS OUT THERE WHO ARE GAY. IT WOULD FEEL FUNKY THE DAYS, I THK, AND PROBABLY SHOULD.”WHAT HE LEARNED OM WORKG WH THE LATE FRED WILLARD ADVERTISEMENT “IT’S A GREAT LOSS. AND A BIG FLUENCE ON ME, ON MY OWN EDIC REER. AND TO SOME EXTENT, I N’T SAY I’VE HERED A MANTLE, BUT I’M VERY MUCH HIS WAKE AND HIS FOOTSTEPS BEE OF THE TYP OF THGS I‘VE BEEN DOG. THERE’S A GREAT LE THAT MART MULL SAID, WHICH IS FRED DIDN’T E HIS TURN SIGNALS. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT HE WAS AN CREDIBLY POSIVE PERFORMER. AND THAT WAS ALWAYS NTRAST TO THE ABSOLUTELY RIDICULO THGS HE WOULD SAY. YOU WOULD HAVE TO NSTANTLY BE SQUARG THE TWO. HE LOOKED LIKE A PATG OF A PESTRIAN. IF YOU GAVE AN 11-YEAR-OLD A PENCIL AND SAID, DRAW A MAN, THEY WOULD DRAW FRED WILLARD. SO WAS BETIFUL TO WATCH HIM WORK. HE WAS A VERY GENTLE, A VERY LOVELY, WARM PERSON. SHY, AS MANY GREAT EDIANS ARE. AND HE HAD A VERY HIGH BAR FOR HIMSELF. HE WANTED EVERYTHG TO FIRE. I N’T IMAGE WHAT KD OF A PICKLE THAT WOULD PUT HIM . HE RO VERY WELL. WHEN I GIVE MYSELF A HIGH BAR, THAT EVERYTHG HAS TO BE GREAT, ’S WEARG. IT’S VERY HARD TO STA AND FRED DID . HE PUT THAT BAR UP AND HE CLEARED EVERY SGLE TIME. IT’S A GREAT REER.”NEXT WEEK ON THE LAST LGH PODST: STAND-UP EDIAN JSI KIRSON. MATT WILSTE
• JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS ON BEG THE GO-TO GAY AND SEASON TWO OF "HAPPILY DIVORCED"{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY JIM HALTERMANMARCH 7, 2012/2:23 PMBY JIM HALTERMANMARCH 7, 2012 / 2:23 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS ON BEG THE GO-TO GAY AND SEASON TWO OF \"HAPPILY DIVORCED\"","DATEPUBLISHED":"2012-03-07T19:23:27.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2012-03-07T19:23:27.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"JIM HALTERMAN","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS ON HAPPILY DIVORCED (WH NATHAN ANRSON){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHETHER ’S HIS FILM WORK ON THOSE HILAR CHRISTOPHER GUT PRODUCTNS LIKE BT IN SHOW, TELEVISN WORK AS DAVID LETTERMAN THE B-PIC THE LATE SHOW OR THE GOOD WIFE OR ORIGATG THE TLE ROLE THE OFF-BROADWAY PRODUCTN OF PL RUDNICK’S JEFEY, JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS IS ONE OF THOSE ACTORS YOU’VE SEEN JT ABOUT EVERY MEDIUM IMAGABLE AND, MORE TIM THAN NOT, HE’S PLAYG A GAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN THE TV LAND S, HAPPILY DIVORCED, HIGGS AGA PLAYS GAY, THIS TIME AS CHARACTER PETER LOVETT, WHO FIGUR OUT HE’S GAY WHILE MARRIED TO HIS WIFE, FRAN, PLAYED BY FRAN DRCHER. THE SETUP? THE UPLE DIVORCE ONLY TO REMA EACH OTHER’S LIV. MIRRORG DRCHER’S REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE WH HER EX, PETER MARC JABSON, THE CLOSENS BETWEEN THE TWO IS THE HEART OF THE SERI. IN FACT, MUCH OF THE FUN HAPPILY DIVORCED IS THE EX-SPOE'S ATTEMPTS TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER WHILE NAVIGATG THEIR WAY THROUGH REENTRY TO THEIR RPECTIVE DATG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WH THE SEND SEASON OF THE S LNCHG TONIGHT, HIGGS FOUND THE TIME TO S DOWN WH TO TALK ABOUT HIS SUCCSFUL REER, HOW HE BEME THE GO-TO ACTOR FOR PLAYG GAY CHARACTERS AND WHICH FORMER -STAR HE WOULD ST AS A LOVE TERT FOR PETER ON HAPPILY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;} GOG THROUGH YOUR CREDS, YOU REALLY HAVE DONE EVERYTHG, BUT WHAT DO YOU SEE AS LIKE YOUR FIRST BIG REER MOVE THAT CHANGED THGS FOR YOU THE BS?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS: WELL, AT LEAST FOR FILM AND TELEVISN, I SUPPOSE WOULD BE PLAYG DAVID LETTERMAN THE LATE SHOW. THAT WAS WHEN I SORT OF WAS PUT ON THE MAP LOS ANGEL. I HAD BEEN A THEATER ACTOR FOR 20 YEARS BEFORE THAT SO, ’S BEEN A LONG, A LONG HL. AND THE WORK I’M PROUST OF IS THAT PART OF MY REER. BUT I’VE ALWAYS FELT AND HOPE DON’T SOUND PREC OR LIKE I’M SHOWG OFF OR SOMETHG, BUT MY THEATER WORK…I REALLY AM A THEATER ACTOR. I AM MA FOR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TICHA ARNOLD, VALENTE RODRIGUEZ, FRAN DRCHER, HIGGS, RA MORENO AND ROBERT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: DO BOTHER YOU THAT PEOPLE KNOW YOU MOSTLY FOR YOUR TV AND FILM WORK? WOULD YOU RATHER PEOPLE HAD SEEN JEFEY OR SOME OF YOUR OTHER STAGE WORK?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: YEAH. I DO FEEL LIKE DO. THE THEATER FLATTERS ME MORE THAN THE FILM AND TELEVISN DO. IT’S JT THE PTH OF THE CHARACTERS I FEEL ARE STRONGER ON {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: YOU’RE ALSO KNOWN MORE FOR EDY, BUT YOU’RE A GREAT DRAMATIC ACTOR, TOO. ARE YOU OKAY WH THAT, OR WOULD YOU RATHER BE DOG MORE DRAMA?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: I’M NOT PARTICULARLY OKAY WH THAT. I THK THAT’S THIS TOWN. YOU KNOW, ’S SRY TO HIRE SOMEBODY TO DO ANYTHG OTHER THAN WHAT YOU’VE SEEN THEM DO. IN THEATER I WAS MOSTLY A DRAMATIC ACTOR. I REALLY N’T EXPLA . I FEEL LIKE AFTER I DID THE LETTERMAN THG, STRANGELY THE LETTERMAN THG, I THK… SOUNDS CRAZY, BUT BEE I PLAYED A EDIAN EVERYONE THOUGHT I WAS A EDIAN, AND I THK ’S THAT SIMPLE AND STUPID. THE ANSWER WAS THAT SOMEHOW HE’S A EDIAN BEE HE PLAYED DAVID LETTERMAN. I DON’T GET . I MEAN, THAT’S THE BT I N {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: AND YOU’VE BEEN PLAYG CHARACTERS THAT HAPPEN TO BE GAY FOR A LONG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HIGGS' OUT JUDGE ON THE TNT SERI RAISG THE BAR WAS JT ONE OF HIS MANY GAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: EARLY ON WERE YOU AWARE THAT NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE PLAYG GAY AT THAT POT? OR DID YOU NOT REALLY RE?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: I HAD BEEN WARNED MANY TIM, YOU KNOW, ‘DON’T DO ’ AND TO SOME EXTENT THEY WERE RIGHT. IT’S THE SAME AS PLAYG A EDY OR TRAGEDY. IF BODI START BUYG YOU ONE WAY, THAT’S THE WAY YOU’RE GOG TO GET BOUGHT AND SURE ENOUGH, CERTALY AFTER BT SHOW, ANY GAY CHARACTER THAT SHOWED UP ANYWHERE, THEY LLED ME. AND THE CHARACTERS ULDN’T HAVE BEEN MORE DIFFERENT. THAT’S WHAT WAS SO SILLY ABOUT THE WHOLE THG. IT’S LIKE PLAYG CATHOLIC, YOU KNOW? ‘WELL, HE PLAYS CATHOLIC SO ANY TIME THERE’S A CATHOLIC, WE’RE GOG TO GET HIM.’{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: AND I’M GUSG PEOPLE ASSUME YOU’RE GAY BEE OF ALL THE ROL YOU {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: THEY DO, OR THEY DON’T, I DON’T KNOW. I N’T HELP THEM IF THEY…MAYBE THEY’LL ASSUME I’M THE PRCIPAL OF A JUNR HIGH SCHOOL IF THEY SAW ME BAD TEACHER. I N’T HELP {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: HAPPILY DIVORCED IS REALLY FUN AND YOU AND FRAN HAVE SUCH A GREAT CHEMISTRY. HAD YOU WORKED TOGETHER BEFORE?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: NO, NO, I HADN’T. IT WAS LUCK. WE HAD VERY GOOD CHEMISTRY THE MUTE WE MET. FOR ME PERSONALLY, WELL SHE’S A LOVELY, TELLIGENT, GENERO PERSON, WHICH I FD THOSE THGS VERY APPEALG, BUT I THK WE’RE VERY SIMPATI AS PERFORMERS. THERE IS A KD OF AN OLD SCHOOL VVILLIAN STREAK BOTH OF , AND WE’RE NOT FSY ABOUT OUR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THGS N BE SOLVED RATHER EASILY AND QUICKLY G TRIED AND TE METHODS OF EDY OR JT SCENE STUDY, AND WE WORK REALLY WELL TOGETHER ON THAT SRE. IT BE QUE FUN BEE WE HAVE ON OUR TIR. THE WHOLE ST HAS AN AGE AND THEY’RE REALLY PROS, AND NO ONE’S BEG TGHT HOW TO DO A FOUR MERA SHOW HERE. THEY ALL KNOW EXACTLY WHERE TO STAND, WHERE THE LGH IS, HOW TO TURN YOUR HEAD TO GET , BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, SO WE’RE NOT WAG FOR PEOPLE TO TCH UP. OR WE DON’T HAVE A 21-YEAR-OLD WHO’S NEVER DONE , YOU KNOW, SO THAT MAK THE DAY FASTER AND MORE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: WERE YOU VOLVED AT ALL THE SHAPG OF PETER, LIKE HOW BIG DO YOU PLAY ? HOW GAY TO PLAY ?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: I BRG MY WHOLE THG TO , AND THEY HAVE TO RPECT THAT AND THEY DO. SO, I’M NOT PETER MARC JABSON AND I NEVER WILL BE. I ULD PLAY PETER MARC JABSON, BUT THAT’S NOT GOG TO GET ANYONE ANYWHERE. IT’S NOT THE GIG EHER. FRAN’S RIGHT [THAT] A S, ’S REALLY A LONG HL, SO PLAYG TICS AND MANNERISMS WILL DIE, THEY’LL BURN OUT LIKE A MATCH AFTER TWO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: HOW DO YOU STA THAT FOR FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS ON A SERI?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: I’VE NEVER DONE . SHE HAS. I IMAGE ’S A CHALLENGE. I HOPE WE HAVE THE LUXURY OF THAT PROBLEM, BUT I REALLY DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER. I’VE PLAYED REALLY LONG-NNG SHOWS, LIKE THEATER SHOWS; THEY’RE A DIFFERENT THG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: THE FIRST SEASON WAS A LOT ABOUT PETER GETTG ED TO BEG OUT AND ALG WH EVERYTHG THAT WH THAT. WHAT WILL WE SEE THE SEND SEASON?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: I THK THGS WILL START TO BEE MORE FE HIS LIFE, AS OPPOSED TO SORT OF SEARCHG. AND ALSO WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THE FIRST SEASON ALG WH FRAN AND HER STGGLE. IT IS THE FRAN DRCHER SHOW, AND WE HAVE TO UNRSTAND HER PLETELY BEFORE MOVG OFF ONTO A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER CHARACTERS. A LOT OF HER CHARACTER IS A FUNCTN OF HER RELATNSHIP WH ME, SO I BENEFED OM THAT. I THK NOW WE’RE GOG TO SEE THAT PETER IS GOG TO BE RELAXG MORE TO HIS DIFFERENT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE HIGGS PAIRED AGA WH MICHAEL MCKEAN (L), HIS BT IN SHOW {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: IS THERE A BOYIEND PETER'S FUTURE?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. SO I THK, MY GUS IS Y. IF NOT THIS SEASON, MAYBE THE NEXT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: IS THERE SOMEBODY YOU WOULD LOVE TO SEE PLAY THAT CHARACTER?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: I WOULD HAVE MICHAEL [MCKEAN] BACK. I WANT TO PLAY MICHAEL’S BOYIEND AGA. THAT WAS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: NOW YOU’RE AT A POT YOUR REER WHERE I SEE YOU DO EVERYTHG. I SEE YOU ON THE GOOD WIFE AND OTHER MOVI AND SHOWS. IS THERE ANY WAY YOU ULD HAVE PLANNED THIS REER OUT?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: NO. STRANGELY, I’VE NEVER HAD ONE OF THOSE JOBS THAT JT PUT ME TO THAT TEGORY WHERE I N JT SORT OF S BACK AND SAY, ‘I WANT TO DO THIS, I WANT TO DO THAT, I WANT TO DO THIS.’{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}I WORK FOR A LIVG, AND I HAVE TO SHAKE TRE AND SEE WHAT’S OUT THERE. IT’S EASIER THAN ED TO BE, I’LL TELL YOU THAT. I DON’T HAVE TO DO A LOT OF DNG ANY MORE, BUT THEN PEOPLE KNOW WHO I AM, WHICH IS GOOD. BUT MAKG PLANS, REER PLANS, HAS ALWAYS BEEN HARD FOR ACTORS, UNLS YOU’RE ONE OF THE SEVEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: WH TALK OF THE RETURN OF ARRTED DEVELOPMENT, ARE WE GOG TO MEET WAYNE JARVIS AGA?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: GOD, I HOPE SO. HE’S A STRANGE, STRANGE MAN, REALLY FUN TO PLAY, REALLY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: IF YOU WEREN’T AN ACTOR WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOG?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: I WOULD BE A LERATURE PROFSOR. THAT’S WHAT MY TRAG IS SCHOOL, AND THAT’S WHERE MY TERTS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN ONE OF CHRISTOPHER GUT'S MOCKUMENTARI, FOR YOUR CONSIRATN, WH CATHERE O'{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: WHAT HAVE YOU YET TO DO THAT YOU’RE DYG TO DO?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: IT WOULD BE GETTG BACK TO SOMETHG, MORE THAN DOG SOMETHG I HAVEN’T DONE. I WOULD LIKE TO GET BACK TO DOG DRAMATIC ROL, MAYBE THE THEATER. THEATER IS SO HARD TO DO. I HAVE A FAY. IT’S VERY HARD TO DO THEATER BEE OF THE TIME TAK. UNLS YOU HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT TYPE OF LIFTYLE, OR UNLS YOU HAVE A GIANT PILE OF MONEY STG AROUND OM YOUR GREAT-GREAT GRANDFATHER, WHICH MANY ACTORS DO, THAT’S HOW THEY’RE ABLE TO BE ACTORS, YOU KNOW? BUT I WOULD LOVE TO GET BACK TO THAT, AND I WOULD DIRECT MORE THE THEATER THAN I DID {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: ARE YOUR KIDS YOUNG, OR ARE THEY OLR?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: YEAH. FIVE AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: DO YOU SEE MORE GAY PARENTS AND A GAY PRENCE AT THE KIDS' SCHOOL?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: YEAH, I’VE REALLY NOTICED. AT THE SCHOOL WHERE WE GO, THERE’S BUNCH OF SAME SEX PARENTS AND IS PLETELY OLD HAT NOW. I MEAN, I’M SO HAPPY ABOUT THIS DAY HAS ARRIVED AT LEAST THIS TYPE OF MUNY WHERE IS SIMPLY A NON-ISSUE. IT’S JT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HAPPILY DIVORCED AIRS AFTER HOT IN CLEVELAND EVERY WEDNDAY AT 10:30PM ON TV {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
• ‘BT SHOW’S’ STT AND STEFAN HAVE GONE OM GROANS TO GAY GOALS 20 YEARS
• IS JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS GAY?
• JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS SAYS PLAYG GAY ON 'HAPPILY DIVORCED' PAYS

‘BT SHOW’ STAR JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS: I WOULDN’T PLAY A GAY MAN AGA TODAYTHE LAST LAUGHMAARTEN BOER/NBC VIA GETTYJOHN MICHAEL HIGGS TELLS “THE LAST LGH” PODST ABOUT ANGERG DAVID LETTERMAN, GETTG TYPEST AS GAY, AND PLAYG A NEW MR. BELDG ON PEACK’S “SAVED BY THE BELL” REBOOT.MATT WILSTESENR EDORUPDATED DEC. 01, 2020 12:41PM EST / PUBLISHED DEC. 01, 2020 4:50AM EST JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS NEVER SET OUT TO BE A EDIAN, BUT HE WAS SO GOOD AT THAT STUCK.“THE ONLY REASON I’M STILL WORKG AS A EDIAN IS BEE I HAVE NEVER APPROACHED THE JOB OF EDY AS A IC,” HE SAYS ON THIS WEEK’S EPISO OF THE LAST LGH PODST. “I JT PLAY THE SCEN. I JT PLAY THE NEED AND THE BIGGER THE NEED EDY, THE FUNNIER IS.” THE 57-YEAR-OLD CHARACTER ACTOR MAY NOT BE A HOEHOLD NAME, BUT HE HAS AN UNMISTAKABLE FACE—PECIALLY FOR FANS OF HIS WORK CHRISTOPHER GUT’S FILMS, STARTG WH BT SHOW. IN THAT MOVIE, HIGGS PLAYED THE YOUNGER AND MORE FLAMBOYANT HALF OF A SHIH TZU-OWNG GAY UPLE WH MICHAEL MCKEAN, A PART HE DOUBTS HE WOULD BE ASKED TO PLAY TODAY.BUT 20 YEARS AFTER THAT FILM’S RELEASE, HE HAS SOMEHOW TRANSFORMED HIMSELF TO THE EDY WORLD’S GO-TO OVER-THE-HILL WHE GUY. WHICH IS HOW HE END UP PLAYG THE NEW MR. BELDG—AKA PRCIPAL RONALD TODDMAN—ON 2020’S BIG SAVED BY THE BELL REBOOT, STREAMG NOW ON PEACK. “I’M BASILLY A DUNK TANK CLOWN,” HIGGS SAYS OF HIS LATT ROLE. “I’M THE BUTT OF A LOT OF BASEMENTS. I GET MY STAT LOWERED A LOT, YOU KNOW, AS ALL GREAT EDY DO.” IT WAS THE NEW SERI’ SHOWNNER—AND FORMER 30 ROCK WRER—TRACEY WIGFIELD WHO OFFERED THE PART TO HIGGS AFTER STG HIM AS A SIARLY OUT-OF-TOUCH NEWS ANCHOR ON HER SHORT-LIVED, BUT BRILLIANTLY FUNNY S GREAT NEWS.“I TOLD HER TOWARD THE END OF GREAT NEWS, IF YOU LL THEN I’M G,” SAYS HIGGS, WHO GOT HIS BIG BREAK PLAYG DAVID LETTERMAN THE 1996 TV MOVIE THE LATE SHIFT. HE LLS WIGFIELD’S WORK “THE BT TELEVISN WRG” HE’S EVER HAD THE PLEASURE OF PERFORMG. “HER NSISTENCY AND HER ABILY TO WRE JOK, THAT IS EXCG FOR A IC PERFORMER LIKE MYSELF,” HE ADDS. “BUT WHAT’S REALLY EXCG IS HOW EP THE LGH N BE, BEE ’S ABOUT BASIC HUMAN NEEDS, DIGNI AND THGS LIKE THAT.”“I THK SHE ME AS A B OF A PUNCHG BAG,” HIGGS ADMS. “I AM AN OLD WHE MAN AND I’M FISHED. IT’S OVER. THE TI HAS RECED AND I’M STANDG THERE NAKED. AND I’M REALLY HAPPY TO LIVER THAT THE LATER PART OF MY REER.”HIGHLIGHTS OM OUR NVERSATN ARE BELOW AND YOU N LISTEN TO THE WHOLE THG RIGHT NOW BY SUBSCRIBG TO THE LAST LGH ON APPLE PODSTS OR WHEREVER YOU LISTEN TO PODSTS. ADVERTISEMENT WHAT DAVID LETTERMAN THOUGHT OF HIS PERFORMANCE ‘THE LATE SHIFT’“HE MA NO BON ABOUT WHAT HE THOUGHT OF MY PERFORMANCE. HE SAID EVERY NIGHT ON THE SHOW AND BEAT ME UP REALLY SOUNDLY, WHICH WAS SURREAL. BEE WHEN I TOOK THE JOB I WAS A STAGE ACTOR WH VERY LTLE MONEY. I WAS LIVG NEW YORK. I WAS EATG RAMEN AND SUDNLY I WAS BEG ATTACKED BY ONE OF THE MOST FAMO RICH PEOPLE ALIVE EVERY NIGHT. MY IENDS WOULD LL ME UP AND SAY, ‘DID YOU HEAR WHAT HE SAID ABOUT YOU LAST NIGHT?’ AND I HADN’T EVEN FISHED THE MOVIE YET! I ACTUALLY DON’T BLAME HIM. HE’S A PRIVATE PERSON. HE DIDN’T LIKE THE PROJECT. AND I WAS THE EASY TARGET BEE DIDN’T MATTER WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. IN HDSIGHT, I DON’T HAVE MUCH ANIMOSY OR BLAME FOR DAVID LETTERMAN. HE’S A PUBLIC PERSON SO HE SHOULD EXPECT TO HAVE SOME KD OF REPRENTATN THE MEDIA, WHICH HE DO. HE JT DIDN’T LIKE THIS ONE BEE SHOWED HIM AT HOME. HE DON’T WANT TO BE SEEN AT HOME, I DON'T BLAME HIM. I DON’T WANT TO BE SEEN AT HOME.” ON HIS HANCY TO PLAY A GAY CHARACTER ‘BT SHOW’“CHRIS [GUT] LLED ME UP AND HE SAYS, ‘LISTEN, I WANT YOU TO DO THIS MOVIE ABOUT DOGS UP VANUVER.’ AND I WAS LIKE, GREAT, THAT SOUNDS REALLY FUN. AND HE SAID, ‘THERE’S A GAY UPLE THE MOVIE AND I WANT YOU TO DO THAT.’ BEE I HAD JT DONE THIS GAY CHARACTER FOR THIS OTHER THG. I HAD DONE A LONG SERI OF GAY ROL ON STAGE NEW YORK. AND I HAVE NOTHG AGAST GAY AT ALL. IT’S JT THAT AS AN ACTOR, YOU WANT TO MOVE AROUND A LOT. I HAD JT DONE FOUR PROJECTS. AND ’S NOT LIKE GAY PEOPLE ARE ALL THE SAME. I WANT TO SPREAD MY WGS A LTLE B OR TAKE A BREAK AND THEN DO AGA. IT WAS ALSO A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TIME. THE ATMOSPHERE NOW IS VERY DIFFERENT. SO I DOUBT THAT I WOULD EVEN BE ST AS A GAY CHARACTER BEE WOULD SEEM NOT PC OR SOMETHG LIKE THAT. THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT ACTORS OUT THERE WHO ARE GAY. IT WOULD FEEL FUNKY THE DAYS, I THK, AND PROBABLY SHOULD.”WHAT HE LEARNED OM WORKG WH THE LATE FRED WILLARD ADVERTISEMENT “IT’S A GREAT LOSS. AND A BIG FLUENCE ON ME, ON MY OWN EDIC REER. AND TO SOME EXTENT, I N’T SAY I’VE HERED A MANTLE, BUT I’M VERY MUCH HIS WAKE AND HIS FOOTSTEPS BEE OF THE TYP OF THGS I‘VE BEEN DOG. THERE’S A GREAT LE THAT MART MULL SAID, WHICH IS FRED DIDN’T E HIS TURN SIGNALS. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT HE WAS AN CREDIBLY POSIVE PERFORMER. AND THAT WAS ALWAYS NTRAST TO THE ABSOLUTELY RIDICULO THGS HE WOULD SAY. YOU WOULD HAVE TO NSTANTLY BE SQUARG THE TWO. HE LOOKED LIKE A PATG OF A PESTRIAN. IF YOU GAVE AN 11-YEAR-OLD A PENCIL AND SAID, DRAW A MAN, THEY WOULD DRAW FRED WILLARD. SO WAS BETIFUL TO WATCH HIM WORK. HE WAS A VERY GENTLE, A VERY LOVELY, WARM PERSON. SHY, AS MANY GREAT EDIANS ARE. AND HE HAD A VERY HIGH BAR FOR HIMSELF. HE WANTED EVERYTHG TO FIRE. I N’T IMAGE WHAT KD OF A PICKLE THAT WOULD PUT HIM . HE RO VERY WELL. WHEN I GIVE MYSELF A HIGH BAR, THAT EVERYTHG HAS TO BE GREAT, ’S WEARG. IT’S VERY HARD TO STA AND FRED DID . HE PUT THAT BAR UP AND HE CLEARED EVERY SGLE TIME. IT’S A GREAT REER.”NEXT WEEK ON THE LAST LGH PODST: STAND-UP EDIAN JSI KIRSON. MATT WILSTE

Higgs has often played gay characters: In "Bt Show, " he and Michael McKean were a dishy uple enterg their Shih Tzu a natnal dog show (via IMDb). In that movie, Higgs played the younger and more flamboyant half of a Shih Tzu-owng gay uple wh Michael McKean, a part he doubts he would be asked to play 20 years after that film’s release, he has somehow transformed himself to the edy world’s go-to over-the-hill whe guy. ”On his hancy to play a gay character ‘Bt Show’“Chris [Gut] lled me up and he says, ‘Listen, I want you to do this movie about dogs up Vanuver.

And he said, ‘There’s a gay uple the movie and I want you to do that. ’ Bee I had jt done this gay character for this other thg.

I had done a long seri of gay rol on stage New York. And I have nothg agast gay at all. And ’s not like gay people are all the same.

JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS ON BEG THE GO-TO GAY AND SEASON TWO OF "HAPPILY DIVORCED"{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY JIM HALTERMANMARCH 7, 2012/2:23 PMBY JIM HALTERMANMARCH 7, 2012 / 2:23 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS ON BEG THE GO-TO GAY AND SEASON TWO OF \"HAPPILY DIVORCED\"","DATEPUBLISHED":"2012-03-07T19:23:27.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2012-03-07T19:23:27.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"JIM HALTERMAN","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS ON HAPPILY DIVORCED (WH NATHAN ANRSON){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHETHER ’S HIS FILM WORK ON THOSE HILAR CHRISTOPHER GUT PRODUCTNS LIKE BT IN SHOW, TELEVISN WORK AS DAVID LETTERMAN THE B-PIC THE LATE SHOW OR THE GOOD WIFE OR ORIGATG THE TLE ROLE THE OFF-BROADWAY PRODUCTN OF PL RUDNICK’S JEFEY, JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS IS ONE OF THOSE ACTORS YOU’VE SEEN JT ABOUT EVERY MEDIUM IMAGABLE AND, MORE TIM THAN NOT, HE’S PLAYG A GAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN THE TV LAND S, HAPPILY DIVORCED, HIGGS AGA PLAYS GAY, THIS TIME AS CHARACTER PETER LOVETT, WHO FIGUR OUT HE’S GAY WHILE MARRIED TO HIS WIFE, FRAN, PLAYED BY FRAN DRCHER. THE SETUP? THE UPLE DIVORCE ONLY TO REMA EACH OTHER’S LIV. MIRRORG DRCHER’S REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE WH HER EX, PETER MARC JABSON, THE CLOSENS BETWEEN THE TWO IS THE HEART OF THE SERI. IN FACT, MUCH OF THE FUN HAPPILY DIVORCED IS THE EX-SPOE'S ATTEMPTS TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER WHILE NAVIGATG THEIR WAY THROUGH REENTRY TO THEIR RPECTIVE DATG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WH THE SEND SEASON OF THE S LNCHG TONIGHT, HIGGS FOUND THE TIME TO S DOWN WH TO TALK ABOUT HIS SUCCSFUL REER, HOW HE BEME THE GO-TO ACTOR FOR PLAYG GAY CHARACTERS AND WHICH FORMER -STAR HE WOULD ST AS A LOVE TERT FOR PETER ON HAPPILY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;} GOG THROUGH YOUR CREDS, YOU REALLY HAVE DONE EVERYTHG, BUT WHAT DO YOU SEE AS LIKE YOUR FIRST BIG REER MOVE THAT CHANGED THGS FOR YOU THE BS?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS: WELL, AT LEAST FOR FILM AND TELEVISN, I SUPPOSE WOULD BE PLAYG DAVID LETTERMAN THE LATE SHOW. THAT WAS WHEN I SORT OF WAS PUT ON THE MAP LOS ANGEL. I HAD BEEN A THEATER ACTOR FOR 20 YEARS BEFORE THAT SO, ’S BEEN A LONG, A LONG HL. AND THE WORK I’M PROUST OF IS THAT PART OF MY REER. BUT I’VE ALWAYS FELT AND HOPE DON’T SOUND PREC OR LIKE I’M SHOWG OFF OR SOMETHG, BUT MY THEATER WORK…I REALLY AM A THEATER ACTOR. I AM MA FOR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TICHA ARNOLD, VALENTE RODRIGUEZ, FRAN DRCHER, HIGGS, RA MORENO AND ROBERT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: DO BOTHER YOU THAT PEOPLE KNOW YOU MOSTLY FOR YOUR TV AND FILM WORK? WOULD YOU RATHER PEOPLE HAD SEEN JEFEY OR SOME OF YOUR OTHER STAGE WORK?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: YEAH. I DO FEEL LIKE DO. THE THEATER FLATTERS ME MORE THAN THE FILM AND TELEVISN DO. IT’S JT THE PTH OF THE CHARACTERS I FEEL ARE STRONGER ON {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: YOU’RE ALSO KNOWN MORE FOR EDY, BUT YOU’RE A GREAT DRAMATIC ACTOR, TOO. ARE YOU OKAY WH THAT, OR WOULD YOU RATHER BE DOG MORE DRAMA?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: I’M NOT PARTICULARLY OKAY WH THAT. I THK THAT’S THIS TOWN. YOU KNOW, ’S SRY TO HIRE SOMEBODY TO DO ANYTHG OTHER THAN WHAT YOU’VE SEEN THEM DO. IN THEATER I WAS MOSTLY A DRAMATIC ACTOR. I REALLY N’T EXPLA . I FEEL LIKE AFTER I DID THE LETTERMAN THG, STRANGELY THE LETTERMAN THG, I THK… SOUNDS CRAZY, BUT BEE I PLAYED A EDIAN EVERYONE THOUGHT I WAS A EDIAN, AND I THK ’S THAT SIMPLE AND STUPID. THE ANSWER WAS THAT SOMEHOW HE’S A EDIAN BEE HE PLAYED DAVID LETTERMAN. I DON’T GET . I MEAN, THAT’S THE BT I N {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: AND YOU’VE BEEN PLAYG CHARACTERS THAT HAPPEN TO BE GAY FOR A LONG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HIGGS' OUT JUDGE ON THE TNT SERI RAISG THE BAR WAS JT ONE OF HIS MANY GAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: EARLY ON WERE YOU AWARE THAT NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE PLAYG GAY AT THAT POT? OR DID YOU NOT REALLY RE?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: I HAD BEEN WARNED MANY TIM, YOU KNOW, ‘DON’T DO ’ AND TO SOME EXTENT THEY WERE RIGHT. IT’S THE SAME AS PLAYG A EDY OR TRAGEDY. IF BODI START BUYG YOU ONE WAY, THAT’S THE WAY YOU’RE GOG TO GET BOUGHT AND SURE ENOUGH, CERTALY AFTER BT SHOW, ANY GAY CHARACTER THAT SHOWED UP ANYWHERE, THEY LLED ME. AND THE CHARACTERS ULDN’T HAVE BEEN MORE DIFFERENT. THAT’S WHAT WAS SO SILLY ABOUT THE WHOLE THG. IT’S LIKE PLAYG CATHOLIC, YOU KNOW? ‘WELL, HE PLAYS CATHOLIC SO ANY TIME THERE’S A CATHOLIC, WE’RE GOG TO GET HIM.’{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: AND I’M GUSG PEOPLE ASSUME YOU’RE GAY BEE OF ALL THE ROL YOU {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: THEY DO, OR THEY DON’T, I DON’T KNOW. I N’T HELP THEM IF THEY…MAYBE THEY’LL ASSUME I’M THE PRCIPAL OF A JUNR HIGH SCHOOL IF THEY SAW ME BAD TEACHER. I N’T HELP {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: HAPPILY DIVORCED IS REALLY FUN AND YOU AND FRAN HAVE SUCH A GREAT CHEMISTRY. HAD YOU WORKED TOGETHER BEFORE?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: NO, NO, I HADN’T. IT WAS LUCK. WE HAD VERY GOOD CHEMISTRY THE MUTE WE MET. FOR ME PERSONALLY, WELL SHE’S A LOVELY, TELLIGENT, GENERO PERSON, WHICH I FD THOSE THGS VERY APPEALG, BUT I THK WE’RE VERY SIMPATI AS PERFORMERS. THERE IS A KD OF AN OLD SCHOOL VVILLIAN STREAK BOTH OF , AND WE’RE NOT FSY ABOUT OUR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THGS N BE SOLVED RATHER EASILY AND QUICKLY G TRIED AND TE METHODS OF EDY OR JT SCENE STUDY, AND WE WORK REALLY WELL TOGETHER ON THAT SRE. IT BE QUE FUN BEE WE HAVE ON OUR TIR. THE WHOLE ST HAS AN AGE AND THEY’RE REALLY PROS, AND NO ONE’S BEG TGHT HOW TO DO A FOUR MERA SHOW HERE. THEY ALL KNOW EXACTLY WHERE TO STAND, WHERE THE LGH IS, HOW TO TURN YOUR HEAD TO GET , BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, SO WE’RE NOT WAG FOR PEOPLE TO TCH UP. OR WE DON’T HAVE A 21-YEAR-OLD WHO’S NEVER DONE , YOU KNOW, SO THAT MAK THE DAY FASTER AND MORE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: WERE YOU VOLVED AT ALL THE SHAPG OF PETER, LIKE HOW BIG DO YOU PLAY ? HOW GAY TO PLAY ?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: I BRG MY WHOLE THG TO , AND THEY HAVE TO RPECT THAT AND THEY DO. SO, I’M NOT PETER MARC JABSON AND I NEVER WILL BE. I ULD PLAY PETER MARC JABSON, BUT THAT’S NOT GOG TO GET ANYONE ANYWHERE. IT’S NOT THE GIG EHER. FRAN’S RIGHT [THAT] A S, ’S REALLY A LONG HL, SO PLAYG TICS AND MANNERISMS WILL DIE, THEY’LL BURN OUT LIKE A MATCH AFTER TWO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: HOW DO YOU STA THAT FOR FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS ON A SERI?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: I’VE NEVER DONE . SHE HAS. I IMAGE ’S A CHALLENGE. I HOPE WE HAVE THE LUXURY OF THAT PROBLEM, BUT I REALLY DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER. I’VE PLAYED REALLY LONG-NNG SHOWS, LIKE THEATER SHOWS; THEY’RE A DIFFERENT THG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: THE FIRST SEASON WAS A LOT ABOUT PETER GETTG ED TO BEG OUT AND ALG WH EVERYTHG THAT WH THAT. WHAT WILL WE SEE THE SEND SEASON?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: I THK THGS WILL START TO BEE MORE FE HIS LIFE, AS OPPOSED TO SORT OF SEARCHG. AND ALSO WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THE FIRST SEASON ALG WH FRAN AND HER STGGLE. IT IS THE FRAN DRCHER SHOW, AND WE HAVE TO UNRSTAND HER PLETELY BEFORE MOVG OFF ONTO A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER CHARACTERS. A LOT OF HER CHARACTER IS A FUNCTN OF HER RELATNSHIP WH ME, SO I BENEFED OM THAT. I THK NOW WE’RE GOG TO SEE THAT PETER IS GOG TO BE RELAXG MORE TO HIS DIFFERENT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE HIGGS PAIRED AGA WH MICHAEL MCKEAN (L), HIS BT IN SHOW {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: IS THERE A BOYIEND PETER'S FUTURE?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. SO I THK, MY GUS IS Y. IF NOT THIS SEASON, MAYBE THE NEXT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: IS THERE SOMEBODY YOU WOULD LOVE TO SEE PLAY THAT CHARACTER?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: I WOULD HAVE MICHAEL [MCKEAN] BACK. I WANT TO PLAY MICHAEL’S BOYIEND AGA. THAT WAS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: NOW YOU’RE AT A POT YOUR REER WHERE I SEE YOU DO EVERYTHG. I SEE YOU ON THE GOOD WIFE AND OTHER MOVI AND SHOWS. IS THERE ANY WAY YOU ULD HAVE PLANNED THIS REER OUT?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: NO. STRANGELY, I’VE NEVER HAD ONE OF THOSE JOBS THAT JT PUT ME TO THAT TEGORY WHERE I N JT SORT OF S BACK AND SAY, ‘I WANT TO DO THIS, I WANT TO DO THAT, I WANT TO DO THIS.’{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}I WORK FOR A LIVG, AND I HAVE TO SHAKE TRE AND SEE WHAT’S OUT THERE. IT’S EASIER THAN ED TO BE, I’LL TELL YOU THAT. I DON’T HAVE TO DO A LOT OF DNG ANY MORE, BUT THEN PEOPLE KNOW WHO I AM, WHICH IS GOOD. BUT MAKG PLANS, REER PLANS, HAS ALWAYS BEEN HARD FOR ACTORS, UNLS YOU’RE ONE OF THE SEVEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: WH TALK OF THE RETURN OF ARRTED DEVELOPMENT, ARE WE GOG TO MEET WAYNE JARVIS AGA?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: GOD, I HOPE SO. HE’S A STRANGE, STRANGE MAN, REALLY FUN TO PLAY, REALLY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: IF YOU WEREN’T AN ACTOR WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOG?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: I WOULD BE A LERATURE PROFSOR. THAT’S WHAT MY TRAG IS SCHOOL, AND THAT’S WHERE MY TERTS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN ONE OF CHRISTOPHER GUT'S MOCKUMENTARI, FOR YOUR CONSIRATN, WH CATHERE O'{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: WHAT HAVE YOU YET TO DO THAT YOU’RE DYG TO DO?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: IT WOULD BE GETTG BACK TO SOMETHG, MORE THAN DOG SOMETHG I HAVEN’T DONE. I WOULD LIKE TO GET BACK TO DOG DRAMATIC ROL, MAYBE THE THEATER. THEATER IS SO HARD TO DO. I HAVE A FAY. IT’S VERY HARD TO DO THEATER BEE OF THE TIME TAK. UNLS YOU HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT TYPE OF LIFTYLE, OR UNLS YOU HAVE A GIANT PILE OF MONEY STG AROUND OM YOUR GREAT-GREAT GRANDFATHER, WHICH MANY ACTORS DO, THAT’S HOW THEY’RE ABLE TO BE ACTORS, YOU KNOW? BUT I WOULD LOVE TO GET BACK TO THAT, AND I WOULD DIRECT MORE THE THEATER THAN I DID {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: ARE YOUR KIDS YOUNG, OR ARE THEY OLR?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: YEAH. FIVE AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AE: DO YOU SEE MORE GAY PARENTS AND A GAY PRENCE AT THE KIDS' SCHOOL?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JMH: YEAH, I’VE REALLY NOTICED. AT THE SCHOOL WHERE WE GO, THERE’S BUNCH OF SAME SEX PARENTS AND IS PLETELY OLD HAT NOW. I MEAN, I’M SO HAPPY ABOUT THIS DAY HAS ARRIVED AT LEAST THIS TYPE OF MUNY WHERE IS SIMPLY A NON-ISSUE. IT’S JT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HAPPILY DIVORCED AIRS AFTER HOT IN CLEVELAND EVERY WEDNDAY AT 10:30PM ON TV {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

So I doubt that I would even be st as a gay character bee would seem not PC or somethg like that. There are so many great actors out there who are gay.

John Michael Higgs on Happily Divorced (wh Nathan Anrson)Whether ’s his film work on those hilar Christopher Gut productns like Bt In Show, televisn work as David Letterman the b-pic The Late Show or The Good Wife or origatg the tle role the off-Broadway productn of Pl Rudnick’s Jefey, John Michael Higgs is one of those actors you’ve seen jt about every medium imagable and, more tim than not, he’s playg a gay the TV Land s, Happily Divorced, Higgs aga plays gay, this time as character Peter Lovett, who figur out he’s gay while married to his wife, Fran, played by Fran Drcher. In fact, much of the fun Happily Divorced is the ex-spoe's attempts to support each other while navigatg their way through reentry to their rpective datg the send season of the s lnchg tonight, Higgs found the time to s down wh to talk about his succsful reer, how he beme the go-to actor for playg gay characters and which former -star he would st as a love tert for Peter on Happily Gog through your creds, you really have done everythg, but what do you see as like your first big reer move that changed thgs for you the bs?

‘BT SHOW’S’ STT AND STEFAN HAVE GONE OM GROANS TO GAY GOALS 20 YEARS

I mean, that’s the bt I n And you’ve been playg characters that happen to be gay for a long Y.

Higgs' out judge on the TNT seri Raisg The Bar was jt one of his many gay rolAE: Early on were you aware that not a lot of people were playg gay at that pot?

If bodi start buyg you one way, that’s the way you’re gog to get bought and sure enough, certaly after Bt Show, any gay character that showed up anywhere, they lled me.

IS JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS GAY?

’AE: And I’m gusg people assume you’re gay bee of all the rol you They do, or they don’t, I don’t know.

How gay to play ? Five and Do you see more gay parents and a gay prence at the kids' school?

JOHN MICHAEL HIGGS SAYS PLAYG GAY ON 'HAPPILY DIVORCED' PAYS

John Michael Higgs has appeared on dozens of televisns shows, om Frasier to Ally McBeal to Arrted Development, but now, he’s fally a seri of his own, TV Land’s Happily the show, he stars alongsi Fran Drcher as Drcher’s character’s gay ex-hband and he’s thankful that the character he plays isn’t a stereotype. Though he has played gay characters before (perhaps most memorably as the shih tzu owner Stt Bt Show), he pots out that there’s obvly no sgular way to play a gay character. He explas, “I don’t believe there are a set of character tras to playg a gay character.