Starry Constellation Magazine
  

KEVIN POLLAK

THE LITTLEST SUSPECT
by: Jamie Steinberg

Featured INTERVIEWS
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Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) I have three movies coming out. The first is released August 6th called Middle Men, which is a Paramount Pictures release starring Luke Wilson, Giovanni Ribsi and Gabriel Macht. I just finished filming the movie The Big Year with Steve Martin, Owen Wilson and Jack Black about competitive bird watching. Also, the comedy web series that I co-created, wrote and directed called "Vamped Out" is on http://www.babelgum.com. I am writing the second season right now, but all six episodes of season one are on that site right now. I just made a deal with Amazon for "Kevin Pollak's Chat Show." They are going to offer it up as a DVD purchase, rental, video on demand and digital download with the full library unedited.

Q) You have a comedy special appearing on Showtime called "The Littlest Suspect." Where did the title come from?

A) I was in a movie called The Usual Suspects that had a very famous poster with a police lineup. In fact, I am the littlest suspect.

Q) How did the idea for the special come about?

A) The production company approached me about doing a standup special. They specialize in shooting one hour specials and they have their own production deals with various cable outlets, Comedy Central and what have you. They presented me with the package for doing the special.

Q) How were the impersonations you'll do and the stories you'll discuss chosen?

A) It's not that hard. I just have a whole bunch of stories. For me, it was never really just about doing impersonations, but personalizing them with stories. Even though I started out as a comedian, I've now worked with a lot of the movie actors that I've been impersonating. So, I have first hand experience stories of running into them and, in some cases, doing the impression for them or choosing not to do it for them and why. Those stories compile over the years. So, for me, it wasn't so much choosing which impressions, but rather which stories I was going to tell. They interchange and I fit as many of them as I could into the special.

Q) Have any of the people you impersonate not been a fan of your interpretation of them?

A) I've really yet to meet anyone who was not a fan of it. They all seem to enjoy it. I guess they enjoy it, as it is a form of flattery.

Q) You have great comedic timing. Is it something that is natural to you or have you had to work at it?

A) I don't know if it is something that is part natural and mostly honed over many, many years of work on stage. Comedians ask me if there are any tips that I can give them and there are no shortcuts to it. It's like any job, really. You just have to put in the hours to become better at it. The more time you spend on stage, of course, the better you become at it. When they ask me, I say, "Get one hundred hours on stage and then ask me again." Then, when you ask me again, I'll say, "Talk to me again when you have one thousand hours on stage." Then, it's just a matter of finding your voice up there in front of the audience. America's number one fear above death is to speak in front of an audience. To the comedian, it's a place of comfort and discovery. So, that's what I really encourage others to find.

Q) What has been one of most memorable moments from your career?

A) It's sitting next to Johnny Carson on his couch doing impressions of Peter Falk, William Shatner, Dudley Moore and Albert Brooks while watching Johnny from a foot away laughing. He's pushing himself away from the desk because he's laughing so hard. That's a memory that is tough to beat.

Q) Why will people want to tune in and watch "The Littlest Suspect?"

A) There is really only one reason to tune in and watch....you enjoy laughing. Maybe you need an abs workout, that could be a reason to watch.

Q) You are an active Twitter user. Why is that such an important way for you to interact with your fans?

A) It kind of went from how I learned to hate Myspace, jump over Facebook completely and find happiness in Twitter. You only have a couple of sentences and you have to constantly edit your thoughts into a couple sentences and be succinct rather than meandering in your communication. It allows your fans to sort of keep in touch with what you're up to, but also communicate to you briefly in a couple of sentences. There is a sense of community on there that is pretty amazing.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) A million thanks and we're not even half way home.

 


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