LEILA KENZLE
Paul
Reiser and Helen Hunt get
most of the glory on Mad About You (Tuesdays, 8 p.m./ET, NBC). But let's not
overlook the contributions of the show's supporting cast. Take, for example, Leila Kenzle.
As Fran Devanow, Jamie Buchman's best friend and business partner, Kenzle has taken a
Rhoda-esque role and given it a '90s twist. Fran is a single mom with a thriving career --
and the hefty therapy bills to go with it. Kenzle, however, seems considerably less
neurotic. This reformed Jersey Girl recently chatted with us about the next season of Mad
About You, answering the phone for celebrities and her love for Soupy Sales.
Listen to the entire interview in RealAudio 3.0.
(4
minutes, 05 seconds)
Download the RealAudio player here
The best friend is a time-honored sitcom staple. Who are some of your favorites?
I loved Rhoda, of course. I like everyone on the cast of Friends. NewsRadio, nobody has friends. I like the cast of Seinfeld, and they're all friends, relatively speaking. I loved Ethel! It's hard not to love the classics. (14 seconds)
Will the Buchmans' new baby affect Fran's friendship with Jamie?
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I don't think so. I think if anything -- and, you know, of course, 'cause I'm the actress, I'm hoping this -- it makes it better, because the truth is, I've been there before, you know. I have Ryan [Fran's son on the show]. I understand! (11 seconds)
So you used to be a total Jersey Girl. How did you break out of that mold?
Do you know that people actually, when I came here [to L.A.], had to tell me... You know, like, I had friends go, "You know, you could wear your hair a little less high." And also, I think, because I was always like, "Well, why do I have to go up for that part?" and realizing that well, that's because that's how I was dressing and that's how I looked. And so I changed my style, I guess. (19 seconds)
Do people back home still have big hair?
Oh, my God, my sisters! Yeah! Now that they're moms, their hair isn't as big because they don't have time for it anymore, but they still, you know, have -- although I have frosted hair, what the hell am I talking about? You know, I still am a Jersey Girl, even though I think that my hair is less. All I do is use less spray right now. (18 seconds)
You were a phone operator at the Meadowlands Hilton in New Jersey. Did you ever take calls for celebrities?
All the time. That was the greatest part of it. For Bruce Springsteen. A lot of sports players, too. You'd be like, "Yes, hold on one moment, please, Mr. Springsteen." Aerosmith used to check in, and they'd always rent out the whole floor or whatever, the bands, because the Meadowlands Arena was there and they'd check in under, you know, Jane Doe or some bizarre fake name. And people would call up and say, "Is Aerosmith there?" and we'd have to go, "No." Of course, they came in in a van that said Aerosmith. They're hanging out in the lobby with lots of chicks. And you'd have to go, "No, I'm sorry, we have no one under that name. Steve Tyler is not here." You'd be like, "Oh, my God, of course they're here. Just come down!" (41 seconds)
What do you watch on TV?
OK, here's my list. I watch Friends. I watch NewsRadio. I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I like The X-Files. Favorite things are the crime stuff on A&E and Investigative Reports and Biography. Love A&E. That's a big channel. Like, if in doubt, go to [channel] 44. (21 seconds)
What did you watch growing up?
Believe it or not, my favorite show when I was a kid was The Soupy Sales Show. I loved that show! I loved Soupy Sales and [White] Fang, that, that -- whatever. And then I would watch, oh, Hogan's Heroes. I loved Hogan's Heroes. I watched Lost in Space, and I was madly in love with Bobby Sherman. (20 seconds)
Could you sing us a TV theme?
[Sings The Brady Bunch theme.] (11 seconds)
Interview by Susan Campbell Beachy
Photo credit: Leila Kenzle by Michael Tighe/NBC