David Spade sat down with Street at the Four Seasons last week to talk about his new movie --in which he actually acts--occasionally.
What was it like working with child actors on a film that's basically about how being a child actor screws you up?
It's funny because I wanted them to be in the movie and I was like "I play, like, a loser - do you wanna come play yourself as a loser?" But they had a good sense of humor about it. I do think it definitely takes its toll. It's weird enough when I do a bad set of the improv at my age -- I weird out. But to be a kid and have it all yanked away -- then even your parents don't love you anymore cause you're not famous. It's just your whole self-esteem is based on it. I see why you get screwy. I don't know if I'm going to go buy a fedora to fix everything, but that's what Corey Feldman did.
But also, like, literally. The children that you worked with --
Oh, the little ones. Well they were cool. I mean, we auditioned a bunch of them and the moms are like "Do it better! She was funny in the car! Honey, do it right!" I'm like, you think I want you around? Forget about your kid. You're terrifying. It's like American Idol Junior. So, we got the most normal kids and the most normal parents. And the little girl is great. She's sweet. She would like run over to my trailer to say hi in the morning. She runs over and goes "Hi David" and I go "Oh, Hi" then she says "Hey," and I go "What do you need?" She's like "Just wanted to say hi." I'm like, "Who just says hi? What a weirdo!" But I realize they're just like nice, and they're kids. I don't ever hang out with kids so I had fun with them. It was good to see some refreshing, happy attitudes.
Adam Sandler's Production Studio did this. Is there anything else that the old Saturday Night Live gang is going to collaborate on, or do you guys usually try to work together?
We were trying to throw something around with me, Chris Rock, and Adam, called "Salt 'N' Pepa...'N' Salt." No, I don't know what it's called, but we have a few ideas, we're trying to log one out, cause we thought doing a guys Charlie's Angels would be funny, with three morons. And, we are three and we're definitely morons, but basically, if I have an idea I would go to Adam. He backs up what he says - got Joe Dirt off the ground when people wouldn't. He got this off the ground. He's a good guy.
This was easily your most emotional film, because you really seem to be... acting.
Caution: Acting.
No, was that tough for you?
It was tough, in a way, because it's unintentional. It starts out funny child star, tries to relive his childhood, and then when you find out talking to these guys what mattered most was they didn't have friends or just someone close that care about them and that has to be layered in - than when the character does it, it just gets real for a second. You kind of get to see why the guy's a mess. It's just more real. But ultimately, at the end, it comes out kind of sweet. That's nice. I don't mind that.
No -- It's easily the sweetest film you've done.
Right. People seem to at least like that. No one's complained yet, at least, which is good.
So how do you think that your non-child star childhood helped you develop into the person that you are today in ways that being a child star --
You weren't in Scoobie Doo... You weren't that girl...
I wasn't but I've heard it before.
Okay. It'd be very good if you were. She's the secret hotty in that movie.
Really.
Oh yeah.
Velma. Yeah, well, it's the glasses.
It's everything. She's a hotty. Okay, now, what was my question? I forgot already. What did I do...
How do you think your non-child star childhood helped you develop into the person that you are today, as opposed to one of these abnormal childhoods?
Well, it wasn't too normal, but at least it wasn't being famous. I think I had a good mom, so when you have at least one good parent out there that's around you get some sort of base, so you don't go cukoo. But my, whatever, fame was so gradual that it didn't really freak me out. Doing standup, so people around town knew me, you get used to that. And then SNL, but I'm never on, so a couple of people know me. And then Tommy Boy, commercials, 1-800-COLLECT, I did those... Then Just Shoot Me is even more people - primetime, then on syndication - so now, anywhere in the country, there's a chance someone would know me. I also learned the lesson it doesn't mean they like you. I thought it meant they like you too and then I see "There's that guy - he's an idiot - ha!" or "There's that guy - I hate him"
