Ahoy, squirts! Quint here. A couple of weeks after the release of SKY HIGH I was contacted about doing an interview or two with some of the cast. That eventually whittled down to me getting some phone time with Kevin McDonald. I have to say that seeing SKY HIGH out perform STEALTH at the box office made me smile. It may not be a perfect film, but it's surprisingly sharp and funny with a great, great cast. Including Kevin McDonald.
I think the interview came off really well. He was very fun to talk to. So, let's get down to it! Enjoy!
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QUINT: I'm actually really curious as to how they approached you for this. I know you did LILO & STITCH for Disney, but I'd imagine that the decision between doing voice-work or live action would...
KEVIN MCDONALD: See, that's a coincidence. The story may be boring, but I'll try to keep it short, is that the producer of this movie, SKY HIGH, Andrew Gunn, was a high school kid in Toronto in the mid '80s when the KIDS IN THE HALL first started as a stage troupe. He and his best friend, Keanu Reeves used to sneak in. They came into our show and became KIDS IN THE HALL fans before we even had a TV show.
So, now he's a big Hollywood producer. He thought two parts would be perfect for two kids in the hall, Dave (Foley) and I and that's my boring short story.
QUINT: Was there any hesitancy on your part to join the project 'cause I know that there seem to be a shortage of family films, at least live action films, that will appeal to more than the youngest of kids...
KEVIN MCDONALD: Right. Um... there was no hesitancy (he pronounces it like hesitincy)... I can't pronounce the word, but you know what I mean, about it being a family movie. When I first heard about it I thought, "Oh, oh well... Let me look at the script," because I'm nervous about any Hollywood comedies nowadays. But I read it and there was a chance of it being funny.
[Here I laugh out loud... it wasn't exactly what I was expecting to hear...]
Sometimes it doesn't even have the chance! This one had a chance and it depended on the directing and everyone in it, including myself because I can be bad, who knows? And I knew it had that chance, so I said yes.
QUINT: When they approached you with it, did you know that they wanted Dave Foley in the movie as well?
KEVIN MCDONALD: No! By the time I said yes I didn't know and then, like, a week later I found out that Dave was on. So it was a cherry on top of a sundae. I was the sundae, this was the cherry. Dave. Dave was my cherry. I'm trying to make my analogy clear!
QUINT: Yeah, if you don't clear that up you'll be getting some phone calls.
KEVIN MCDONALD: (laughs) I tell ya'. Dave is my cherry.
QUINT: Awesome. Did they approach you specifically for the part of Mr. Medulla or did you get to pick?
KEVIN MCDONALD: They did, they did... 'though I also would have enjoyed the part... Have you seen the movie?
QUINT: Yes, I did.
KEVIN MCDONALD: I would also would have liked the part of the Bus Driver. And Dave's part. There are a lot of good parts, but yeah I always liked the part of the bus driver. There's sort of a Don Knotts-y kind of thing about him that I... I like to copy Don Knotts. I'm proud to say. Proud and ashamed to say.
QUINT: One of the things I really like about SKY HIGH is that unlike most movies that have a lot of characters in the script and cast some great character actors, SKY HIGH actually doesn't waste the talent they have. Each character is smartly written and gets their moments to shine.
KEVIN MCDONALD: Yeah, I know. We're lucky. That was in the script and the director is a good director of comedy. He sort of gets comic moments. Not a lot of directors do. A lot of directors come from music videos and commercials and they make things look great, but how many funny videos and commercials... Ah, there actually are a few funny music videos, I take that back when I think about it...
But it's still hard to get a good comedy director. So, him and the script combined got us old comedy pros to do stuff. Bruce Campbell, Dave Foley and myself... Cloris Leachman! I think Cloris Leachman is very funny in the movie!
QUINT: I love Cloris Leachman!
KEVIN MCDONALD: She's like the master of schtick!
QUINT: I don't know if I could ever meet her because I'd make an ass out of myself by continually bringing up her Frau Blucher character from YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN.
KEVIN MCDONALD: Yeah, exactly! That's one of, like, my all time favorite movies. It could be arguably the best comedy ever arguably.
QUINT: Arguably... I'd say early Mel Brooks kinda depends on mood, you know? I mean, at certain times BLAZING SADDLES would overtake YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN for me...
KEVIN MCDONALD: Yeah, BLAZING SADDLES is also very funny.
QUINT: I know you've done lots of improv... Did they allow you to play around a lot?
KEVIN MCDONALD: Yes. Yes, they allowed us to play around a lot because, like we said, the director's such a good comedy director. In fact, sometimes they let us play around too much! They would say, "Go ahead! You can think of other lines if you want!" Sometimes I felt pressured! They really, like, wanted you to, but that was good. They'd have us do a few takes of the script, which is good, and you'll fall back on that, then you'd have fun doing what you want. So, yeah. They really pushed for that, for sure.
Actually, there are a lot of ad-libs in the movie. There's one ad-lib where you can see me laughing. Dave makes some joke that I forget right now... Oh, yeah! The save the citizens scene where the kids have to save a dummy. He ad-libbed "Remember when they used real people?" and my cover ad-lib is to laugh. But it looks like I'm laughing in character! That's in the movie... made it to the trailer, too. There lots of stuff like that in the movie.
QUINT: We have to talk about the head a little bit...
KEVIN MCDONALD: (giggles) Yes, we do. It was made of foam. These guys are, like, the best make-up guys. They did the shaved heads for SCHINDLER'S LIST, a little more serious of a movie. This like Steven Spielberg's make-up crew and they did an amazing job. It looked like part of my head. Live, live if you came to the set you'd think it was part... You wouldn't think it was part of my head, but it looked like it was part of my head. There were no wrinkles in the make-up. It was amazing.
QUINT: How was it enduring the make-up trailer? How long was the process?
KEVIN MCDONALD: At first it took. like, 2 hours, then, like, halfway through the movie they got it down and they could do it in 45 minutes, but for some reason it looked better. As they did it quicker it looked better. I don't understand. But two hours at the beginning... that was kind of a drag 'cause you'd have to come in before everybody else at, like, 5:30 in the morning, but it was still fun. And it wasn't that heavy until later in the day, like by 4 or 5 pm it started feeling heavy. And I couldn't scratch my head. The more I thought about my head being itchy the more itchy my head got.
QUINT: Were there many "anal probe" references onset? (This is a well known KIDS IN THE HALL skit, by the way... not my personal perversion... or is it?)
KEVIN MCDONALD: Yes! Yes. I think the person who mentioned it the most was Dave because he wrote the Anal Probe sketch and then the producer mentioned it... and... It hasn't really been mentioned that much. It should be more... that's the first thing I thought of 'cause that's the first time I wore a prosthetic head. Back then they used latex and I was allergic to latex and my eyes got swollen. The next day I couldn't film 'cause I looked like I had a prosthetic head on with my own head. It really swelled. That's what I remember the most from that scene. They don't use latex anymore, so it was okay in the movie.
QUINT: Is there any B-roll floating around of you guys going off, maybe doing the anal probe sketch... except with Bruce Campbell?
KEVIN MCDONALD: Um... I don't know. We did! I don't know if they got any B-roll. They probably did. Oh, they showed a little bit at the wrap party. There's a little bit, yeah, I think. And we know Bruce Campbell from way back, so that was a lot of fun. I have a lot of fun with him. We did a pilot together a few years ago and he's always fun.
QUINT: What was that pilot about?
KEVIN MCDONALD: It was called MISSING LINKS. It was sort of like CHEERS set in a golf club. He was like the Sam, like a golf pro broken down in a broken down golf club, but I was sort of like the Norm.
QUINT: That sounds awesome. I would have loved to have seen that.
KEVIN MCDONALD: Yeah, it was okay. It wasn't as good as it could have been, but it was okay.
QUINT: Was there a particular scene that you did in SKY HIGH that really stands out as being really enjoyable to shoot?
KEVIN MCDONALD: I like the Chinese restaurant scene. That's where we ad-libbed the whole thing. Where I'm there with the double date of the twins and Bruce Campbell. That was fun. We ad-libbed a lot. It's only, like, a small introduction to the real scene where the kids are talking so a lot of it was cut, but I had a blast. Bruce and I had completely different conversations every (take). Except it was very hot. Except for that it was my most fun day.
And of course being with Dave. Any time with Dave. My most fun time was dragging him into my trailer and making him listen to my Brian Wilson CD.
QUINT: Oookay...
KEVIN MCDONALD: (laughs)
QUINT: What's next for you?
KEVIN MCDONALD: I'm trying to do a TV show, hopefully for FX, about my drunk dad called MY DRUNK DAD. But it'd be a comedy. (laughs) But it'd also be real. It'd be like a real drunk dad only it'd be funny, so we're working on that and hopefully that'll happen soon.
QUINT: I think that's about all the questions I have, but...
KEVIN MCDONALD: Great. I like your website. It was an honor for me to do this interview.
QUINT: Oh, thanks, man. We're all big fans of you guys here.
KEVIN MCDONALD: Thank you. Thank you very much.
QUINT: Before I go, I have to ask you what's your favorite dirty joke?
KEVIN MCDONALD: Oh, gee... I don't have any. I don't know any dirty jokes. You know why? 'Cause my dad, the drunk dental equipment salesman, said so many dirty jokes to me as a kid I blocked 'em out! I don't know a dirty joke... let me think. Can I think of one and call you back later?
QUINT: Sure. You can also have them send me an email or something if that's easier.
KEVIN MCDONALD: Yeah, I have your email address, too. I'll email you a dirty joke! (laughs) I'll hear 3 or 4, I'll pick my favorite and I'll email you!
Well, He never sent a dirty joke, but it was really cool of him to do the interview for you good folks. So, go take the chillins to see SKY HIGH if you haven't already! It's one of those rare family movies that you'll enjoy just as much as the kiddies! Thanks for Kevin McDonald for doing this interview, especially since the film is already well into its release. I don't know of many actors that'd take the time to promote a film that's already out. If I get his dirty joke I'll make sure to update interview!
Keep your eyes on the site, squirts. This is the first of a handful of interviews I've got for you, plus I've seen 3 movies that come out in the next couple weeks, so I have lots of goodies boilin' on the burners that will be coming soon. 'Til then this is Quint bidding you all a fond farewell and adieu.
-Quint
