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Steppin' Out Magazine, 19 September 2001
Interview/article by Chaunce Hayden.
Actress Shawnee Smith portrays Linda, the attractive albeit loopy assistant to Dr. John Becker's medical practice on the CBS hit television series "Becker." Smith's television credits include: Florence Madison in "The Tom Show" with Tom Arnold and regular roles in the sitcoms "Arsenio" and "All is Forgiven." She has also appeared in such mini-series as "Something Borrowed, Something Blue," "I Saw What You Did," "Face of Evil," "The Stand," "The Shining," "Two Cups of Joe" [Twice Upon a Time] and "Crime of Innocence," for which she won the Youth in Film Award for Best Actress in a telefilm. She has also guest-starred on "The X-Files" and "Players."
Her Feature film credits include a role in the blockbuster movie "Armageddon." Further, Smith has received acclaim for her roles in a string of independent films, including the Academy Award winning "Leaving Las Vegas," "Dogtown," "Bombshell," "Eat Your Heart Out," "Men," "Female Perversions," "The Low Life," "A Slipping Down Life," "Iron Eagle," "Breakfast of Champions" and "Every Dog Has it's Day." She also had co-starring roles in such memorable films as "Who's Harry Crumb?," the remake of "The Blob" and "Summer School."
Born in Orangeburg, SC, Smith decided she wanted to pursue an acting career when she was eight years old after she landed her first role in the 1982 feature film "Annie." When not acting, Smith, who lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter, writes and sings in the rock 'n roll band "Fydolla Ho."
Chaunce Hayden: I guess I should start by congratulating you on your new contract on "Becker."
Shawnee Smith: Thanks.
Earlier this summer, you and some of your fellow cast members walked off the show in protest when you were initially denied more money by the network. That took guts, considering the success of "Becker."
Sometimes you got to be bold in this life.
Did you fear losing your job?
Yeah. There was a fee at stake. But sometimes you've got to choose your battles and this was a worthwhile fight. It was worth it.
"Becker" is a major success in the ratings, Yet you don't hear much about it. Do you find that odd?
(Laughs) I know! I think we got more press in the last month than we did over the last three years.
Why is that?
I don't know. "Raymond" and "King of Queens" got a lot of press. But CBS owns those shows and Paramount owns "Becker." So who knows? My guess is that we've always had great ratings since we first went on the air. I'm guessing CBS gave the squeaky wheels the most grease. You know what I mean?
What kind of people watch "Becker"?
Well, we don't have the same audience as "Friends." It tends to be an older audience. But I don't know, we just lost another minute and a half in advertisers this year, so somebody out there must be watching it.
Your character on "Becker" is so funny. In Fact, Ted Danson has said, "I have to read two pages of lines, then Shawnee will come in and say one word and steal the scene."
(Laughs)
Interestingly enough, you're not a stand-up comic.
No, I would never do that.
You're not a comic, yet you're so funny. How do you explain that?
Um... I don't know. It's one of those intangible things that I don't think too much about or ask too many questions. I just kind of take it. A big part of it is because of the writing of the show. It's brilliant.
Would you ever want to try stand-up comedy?
Hell no! But I do sing in a rock band.
Fydolla Ho.
Yea. At least if you're in a rock 'n' roll band and nobody is clapping us getting into it, you can just say "f--k off." It's rock 'n' roll. But when it comes to comedy, you're up there to make people laugh. I mean, have you ever done stand-up? No way! That would take some set of balls.
Are you saying you don't have the balls?
(Laughs) Give me some good material and I'll try to squeeze a few jokes in between songs!
Speaking of the band, do you find most people are just there to see the star of a Hollywood sitcom, or are they there to see an original band?
We just went on tour through Fresno, Vegas, Texas and Louisiana. I think a lot of people came to the show because they know me from the TV show or whatever. But most of those people left horrified after the first song.
Would you describe your music as punk rock?
I wouldn't call us a punk band. But there's a hard edge to us.
I heard your band described as a cross between the Misfits and Frank Sinatra.
(Laughs) Did you! Some people don't expect what they see. So some people leave and by the end of the show we have a bunch of new fans. In fact, usually if someone has ten dollars at the end of the show and they have a choice of buying a t-shirt or a CD, they buy the CD.
Do you ever play in clubs where nobody knows you're a TV star?
Yeah! People just hear the name Fydolla Ho and they are sure curious.
Howard Stern is always having celebrity bands on his show. Would you be willing to go up against Howard's band?
Hell no! Dude, that would be the kiss of death. I try to separate it as much as I can from my acting career, because record labels are so nervous about bands that have actors in them. People in the pop world have done it. But it's different in the rock world. Nobody has really done it successfully.
Critics will never accept successful actors who play in bands.
Yeah. They're really tough. I've even thought of changing the name of the band when we finally get a record deal, just so the music stands totally on it's own merit. I wouldn't want anyone to know that I'm even I the band.
At this point, "Becker" is just too big for you to get away with that.
(Long pause) I don't know, Chaunce.
Do you think people come to hear Russell Crowe's music or just to see a popular actor?
I think they come just to see Russell Crowe. I've never heard the band, but my guess is that it's just that bland rock thing. My band is a real band. We have songs that should be heard on the radio. I think we make a statement in the world of music.
Do you think they'll ever let your band play on an episode of "Becker"?
(Laughs) No! I don't think the "Becker" audience is ready for that! Actually, I would love to sing on the show. I would like it if you found out that my character Linda is marauding in some stark, divvy jazz bar singing Billie Holiday songs with some 90-year old black pianist.
Your career has been both successful and at times not so great.
I know. Sometimes I'm shocked that I'm not a superstar by now. And I watch MTV2 and I can't imagine that I don't have a record deal yet! I'm just shocked! I can't believe some of the stuff that's on there.
Did you watch the MTV Video Music Awards?
I watched
the first half. I watched Janet Jackson try to squeeze out a tear for Aayilah. A
friend of mine knows an entertainment attorney and she asked him if he was
involved in music and he said "Hell no!" That business is just so wrong and so
corrupt. By the way, my nickname on tour was Chauncy. The whole band was given
nicknames by the band Junior, who we toured Texas with. It was Jenny, Curl,
Little JJ, and Chauncy! Do you know who else has that name?
Who?
Steven Spielberg's dog.
You're kidding!
No.
(Laughs) So we're in good company!
So has Ted Danson ever heard your band?
Yeah! He's been to one of the shows.
Does he look at you differently now?
Yes! It's kind of shocking to me, but I get labeled as crazy. People always say, "Oh Shawnee, she's so crazy!" I was sitting in a restaurant with Les Moonves, the big CBS executive, and he leaned over and said, "Oh Shawnee, she's crazy!" I was at the table with my best friend! People think they know me. I asked my best friend if she thought I was crazy, and she said, "Yeah!"
Are you crazy?
I have no idea. I couldn't tell ya. All I know is nothing shocks my fellow "Becker" castmates anymore. I think when Ted [Danson] saw my band, he just said to himself, "Oh Shawnee, she's crazy."
Have you done any movies lately?
I just did a movie over the summer called "Never Get Outta the Boat." But honestly, I would really like to start acting[?] more. I don't think I have been properly represented for awhile. I don't think I've had sufficient opportunity. At the end of the day, I think it's a game of odds. I think that more opportunities I have to get through the door, the more will happen.
Does your character on "Becker" limit your opportunities because it's so strong and memorable?
Because the show isn't in the public eye like "Friends" or "Sex and the City" with that young, hip, Hollywood circle, and because it flies so low on the radar... (Pauses) I mean, I have a steady job and the show is really well-written and respected by the critics, except for that asshole in TV Guide who just flippantly disregarded it.
You're referring to TV Guide's recent fall reviews?
Yeah. He dissed us for not coming to work. He wrote, "Who do they think they are for wanting more money for a show?" You may have to look that quote up, Chaunce.
Did a lot of people say how dare you ask for more money?
Yeah. (Laughs) All I can say is that the common people, from the crew to the guys in the mill and my Texas buddies and a bunch others said, "You go!" What we were making was absurd and obscene compared to other shows. But it's all relative.
How worried were you that they were just going to write you out of the show?
The first thing we were told was, "You can all be replaced in 5 minutes." But the people at Paramount deny ever saying anything like that. But hey, you got to fight for your piece of the pie.
I wonder if I asked you how much more you're getting now if would tell me?
It's all undisclosed information. So if I told you, I would have to shoot you.
Did the "Becker" walkout upset Ted Danson?
We tried to keep him as uninvolved as possible. It wasn't his battle, it was ours. And he is just by nature of his position in this, on both sides of the fence and we didn't want to put him in an awkward position. We know he considers us friends.
Did her ever call you during the walkout?
No, it just wasn't appropriate. He was in an awkward position. Everyone was.
The husband and baby okay?
Yep! We're cruising like a normal family!
As normal as possible, you mean.
Yeah! (laughs)
And final word?
Thanks for supporting your local ho! ------------------------------------------------ END
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