Ted Raimi (Joxer) Chat
from Big Star Chat
Ted: Greetings Ted Raimi fans and Xena fans alike! Thank you to all of those who waited two entire weeks to talk to me from my last chat! We had some technical difficulties here.
HOST: Are you still going to be in the 5th season of Xena?
Ted: Yes Vic most definitely!
HOST: What's up with Normal Joe?
Ted: Well let me tell ya. We finished the pilot but it doesn't look like MTV is going to be picking it up this year, maybe next year, I hope!
adonia17: Will Joxer have sexual subtext with any of the female characters?
Ted: Yes, with Gabrielle, wink wink, but I can say no more!
HOST: Do you have anything to promote?
Ted: Yes, if anyone is interested, there is a new Xena musical which will be out towards the end of 1999, an episode called "Lyre, Lyre Hearts on Fire."
HOST: Any plans for a Xena film?
Ted: No movies at the moment, but you never know!
hilljk12: Whatever happened to the Joxer action figure?
Ted: It's coming out soon. I don't think he'll have Kung Fu grip, but he'll probally fall down a lot!
HOST: Do you have any writing input on Xena?
Ted: I do rewrite whole scenes, actually, on occasion. But that is rare, sometimes we have to because the writers are 7,000 miles away in LA and we film in New Zealand.
Joxrluvr: What is it like working with Kevin Costner?
Ted: He's a sweet man, I enjoyed working with him, and I want to see how "For the Love of the Game" will work out. It's coming out next month.
Cuckoocrazychick: How do you feel about your performance in "The Convert"?
Ted: I'm very proud of that performance. I think it's going to be one of the better episodes, as a matter of fact, thank you!
Ted: By the way check out the Ted Raimi International Fan Club at www.tedraimi.com .
enidcita: Did you enjoy working with John Cusack in "Flounders"? He's a big fan of yours he said.
Ted: Wow, I didn't know that! I'm certainly a big fan of his! He was very nice though I never had any actual scenes with him. I spoke with him for a while and he's a very pleasant fellow. He's from Chicago, and I'm from Detroit, so we had a little common Midwestern ground there.
HOST: Greetings from Poland--and I have a question, who is your guru? from vantoria
Ted: Hello Poland! I don't think I have one, but if I did you could say John Malcheovich, Joe Montagna, both of them in one of those David Cronenberg transporters. And the combined human would probally be my guru I suppose! I'll have a latke here for ya!
Joxrluvr: Do you like dogs or cats?
Ted: I'm a dog person but sometimes I do scratch the furniture, I get fur on the bed :)
HOST: Are you online very much?
Ted: No I'm not on it very much. I used to be on it a lot more, but for a while there, Joxer criticism was so bad that I couldn't even stand to look at it. Now that things are better fan wise, I look at it more but I still don't surf too much. I do write a lot of e-mail however, I love e-mail!
HOST:What was the controversy about Joxer?
Ted: I was a man on primarly a female show. You know, Lucy and Renee are these really strong characters and they're both terrific actresses too, but initially the fans didn't like ANY guy on a female show. They thought I was going to be a guy who'd say go bowling and slap them on the rear end or something like that. Of course that didn't happen. In fact I was more "female" than they were! Joxer can sew, cook, but Joxer can't fight! I think once they saw I wouldn't be a threat in any way they started to watch it and accept the character more. I've got all you guys to thank for the continued success and longevity of the character.
Cheeselikesloth: Hi Ted, I've been a fan since Lunatics, I was wondering how the 5th season of Xena would go if you were in charge?
Ted: That's an interesting question but I don't think that will ever happen, because I think Xena would have something to say about that!
Vantoria: What is your favorite film?
Ted: My favorite film is a toss up between "Treasure of Sierra Madre" with Humphrey Bogart, "Razor's Edge" with Tyrone Power, and "The Breakfast Club" with Emilo Estevez! Good question, I love movies!
Chupacabramorris: Will you get your own show soon or be the main character in a comedy movie?
Ted: I'd love to have my own show someday I'm happy doing Xena. I'm currently writing my own feature film which I'm shooting here in Detroit, MI and hope it will be out sometime next year.
Joxrluvr: What is a typical day of shooting like?
Ted: Usually, Joxrluvr, I get up at 4 O'clock in the morning (Ouch!) study lines untill about 6AM , jump in the shower, drive to the set at 6:30 to be on the set by 7, and I work till about noon, we have an hour lunch break I'm usually starved by then (I could eat my plate) then we work from 1-4 and because we shoot in New Zealand we have the English afternoon tea (with cake and little sandwiches). It was hard to get used to actually. Being in the US, I'm only used to Deli Sandwiches and hamburgers but its still a cool custom, then I go home at 6 at night, wiped out and do it the next day, its a blast!
manolisvarnassinger: How did you start your career in Hollywood?
Ted: I started in highschool. I didn't have any friends or know any girls and I thought it would be a good way to meet people. I started with plays and found I loved it! I mostly got into it but I thought I could make a living at it, and I was lucky. I was a lucky guy, many of my friends are still out of work.
cuckoocrazychick: Are we finally going to see Jace this season, and/or will Jett be showing up again?
Ted: Yes, absolutely! Jace is coming, and he'll be the star of the muscial actually. And he's flamboyantly gay and it was really wonderful to play him! A lot of fun. I also play Jett in the same episode, and he is the King of Assassins so they get together and its quite a meeting!
gtogal32: What do you do for fun on the weekend or when you are off...hobbies?
Ted: I usually just recuperate from Xena but when I have time I love to read, write, play piano and I'm desperately trying to study Italian, but it's really hard.
senshimuran: What kind of music do you like? Do you like Bare Naked Ladies?
Ted: Yes I love Bare Naked Ladies, I'm mostly into the new Moby album "Play," I think that's really rad, and I also like the Chemical Brothers, and Marshall Crenshall, and dare I say it? Hall and Oates! "Marigold Sky" is one of my favorite albums right now.
napalmnacey: I've read that you're learning the piano. As a piansit since childhood, I thought this was really cool! How is it going with that, and what style of playing do you like or would like to play the most?
Ted: Hey, thanks for the question. I love to play classical mostly but of course my pieces are pretty simplified as I'm not experienced yet, i'd like to learn Jazz one day though I know it's really hard, but nothing humbles you like learning a new thing, also it reminds me how hard it was to learn acting, I'm certainly no overnight success.
mazi37_77: Do you ever feel like you need a stunt double for some of those scenes?
Ted: Absolutely, yes! Usually when I try to do my own big stunrs I wind up landing on my butt really hard! A guy who looks just like me (poor fella) usually does my stunts. His name is Mark Roundweight, he's a great man and he does all the huge crashes through windows, horseriding, and falls off the horses you see the in the show. It's closeup with all other stunts, always me falling down and crashing on the set.
adonia17: Will Joxer find love with anyone in the 5th season?
Ted: Hi Adonia! Yes he will. Infact for some strange reason, he is found very attractive by a beautiful young Asian girl you'll meet her this coming season. He has a "fling" with her. It's fun to finally get to play some romance.
joxerfan: Ted--you studied theatre is college, right? What were some favorite stage roles? And would you like to do stage work in the future?
Ted: Yes I did study it. I went to NYU and also studied at the University of Detroit about the best theatre study I've ever had. My favorites were the "Cherry Orchard" by Chekov and also "Wild Honey" by Chekov and I'm looking forward to do stagework in LA or Detroit (my old stomping grounds) I'm not sure which.
senshimuran: What's it like working with Bruce Campbell? Didn't he use to babysit for you?
Ted: It's a blast working with Bruce! He's completely insane!! But in the best way!! Yes he did use to babysit me, he used to drive me to all my cello lessons. He was nice about it, if he didn't do it, my parents would have killed him, but I don't think he minded. :) Nice guy, Bruce.
hilljk12: What is your favorite episode of Xena and why?
Ted: Hi Hill! My favorite is "For Him the Bell Tolls" and the story is so well written, it has a theme I found very appealing, which is this the person you've always wanted to be isn't something you create, but something inside you this very minute, rather charming, I think, pretty cool. I dig it.
hilljk12: Could you tell us more about your role in "For the Love of the Game"?
Ted: Sure I can! I play an art gallery manager, a very SNOOTY one, who refused to let Kevin Costner into this very posh gallery in Greenwich Village in Manhattan. I think I really bug him in the scene. Kevin is great to work with, though, a very generous actor.
HOST: Any closing words for the audience?
Ted: Thanks for logging onto Yahoo Chat! It was great talking to you all. I had some great questions tonight! A special thanks to those from The Ted Raimi International Fan Club! The address again is www.tedraimi.com . Check it out! See ya next time!