Convergence Questions for Clancy sent in by the fans Interview conducted by Beth Blighton March 2000

From: Morgana -- The only question I have for Clancy is: What kind of music do you like?

Clancy: Oh, all kinds! Right now IÕm listening to whatever Rosie listens to. And right now weÕre listening to a tape of Disney songs, sung by my friend Michelle Nicastro. I donÕt know how she got the rights to sing these songs, but apparently itÕs a couple of things. I recently fell in love with "The Music Man" again, so I was learning all the songs from "The Music Man". But on my own? I kinda like sort of a fusion, I kinda like the jazz fusion/blues. Love John Prine.

CBFC: Were you in band in high school?

Clancy: Nah... Oh well, in junior high I did play the trombone, but not very well. But I like everything! IÕve got classical music in my truck, and a lot of blues in my truck, Irish folk songs, stuff like that.

From: Wendy, The Netherlands -- My question for Clancy is if he has a favorite musician or band and, if he has, who. And also does he play any instruments himself? Cause in Buckaroo he played the piano but was it really him?

Clancy: Yes it was really me, but I do not play the piano and I donÕt play any musical instruments. I can be taught to play one song... for the camera (laughs), which was what I was doing.... My mom is a pianist, so I have some kind of knack for it, but I have no discipline, so...

CBFC: Did she enjoy that performance?

Clancy: Oh, my mother loved it! Oh, yeah... are you kidding?

CBFC: And how did your brother feel about you playing a lawyer in "The Practice"?

Clancy: He just e-mailed me and said, "Good job."

From Dave -- I loved the movie Bad Boys...its seems from reading all of the articles on the website that all anyone is interested in is Earth 2.... but ClancyÕs role in Bad Boys was great!!! I remember being a kid when I first saw the film and his character Viking scared the crap out of me.....still does!!! Hehe.... I want to ask Clancy what was it like making that film...working with the other actors....did he study for the role? Personally I think that was his best role ever (No I have not seen all of his roles but from what I have seen).

Clancy: Oh, man! That was my first one! That was my best role ever? Oy... I give up!

CBFC: And what did they do to your hair in that one?

Clancy: They dyed it!

CBFC: They killed it...

Clancy: Yeah, they bleached it up.

CBFC: How long did it take for that to grow out, or did you just get fed up and shave it all off?

Clancy: Nah... it eventually grew out. But we didnÕt really study. It was my first gig, so I really donÕt have any perspective on it. It was just kind of... I was just kind of in awe of everything!

CBFC: That was an early film for Sean Penn, too, wasnÕt it?

Clancy: Yeah, but heÕs a movie brat, so he was very familiar with what was going on. It was great fun! Ya know, I was making whatever scale was then... $700 a week or whatever it was, so I thought I was rollinÕ in it! But I really have no perspective on "Bad Boys" since it was really the first, plus anything IÕd say about it is completely taken with affection and... fear. Just look at the clothes in that thing, man!

CBFC: Did they pump you up for that or were you already in great shape?

Clancy: Oh, I was in great shape. I was... 22 years old! So...

From Tina Lawwill, Ohio -- Will you take any more roles like The HighlanderÕs "Kurgan" or The BrideÕs "Viktor"?

Clancy: Hey, Tina! If itÕs a good script I donÕt really care, as long as itÕs a good script.

CBFC: She may mean possibly heavy make-up roles...

Clancy: I did that "Outer Limits." If they make stuff like that... I wonÕt do another "Highlander" unless I get to read the script beforehand, ya know...

CBFC: Now, in the directorÕs cut of "Highlander", they have the director and the producers talking scene for scene about it on a separate track... Have you heard that?

Clancy: No, IÕve got it on LD, but I havenÕt looked at it yet.

CBFC: They were saying that in the scene where you burst through the door of the forge and went after Ramirez, that the sword broke or something?

Clancy: Probably... The only thing I remember from that is I was supposed to jump and bring the sword down on the table, and the table is supposed to smash in two. I guess that actually happened, that we finally got that. But the first time, they didnÕt score it enough, and it bounced right off the table, so I just figured "Well, theyÕre rolling... so IÕll sweep everything off of the table." The only problem is I swept it right off the table into the crew that was standing outside camera range.

CBFC: So you sent wax a-flyin?

Clancy: Oh...! I sent all that crockery, all that stuff into the crew. They were pretty mad at me. And I apologized... They werenÕt amused.

From Rodica -- According to which criteria do you choose a part? What motivates you to accept or to refuse a role?

Clancy: An excellent script... A good script. I have this pithy phrase I say, "I try not to take roles in movies that make it worse" -- that make anything worse -- like violence or racism, or that sort of thing. And you can tell pretty easily what those are, because they use derogatory words to describe an ethnic group, and I usually stay away from those. But I recently sat down with a guy whoÕs doing an adaptation of Arthur MillerÕs "Focus", which is basically about prejudice and stuff like that, and in this one, the guy says everything, but it [the adaptation] is so smart! And I may or may not get the role, so weÕll see. But I would love to do that role. Cuz if itÕs a good script... thatÕs all -- good script and good people involved, though IÕve done plenty of scripts that were lousy. Sometimes itÕs just a matter of how much IÕm in the red.

From Susan Bowden, UK -- A.) Hi Clancy, could you give us a few examples of some of the worst scripts or ideas youÕve either seen or had suggested to you? From the poorly written, the terrible, to the downright ludicrous ones. Maybe stuff youÕve laid aside after only a glance, amazed it was ever written, or something that was so unintentionally funny, that you sat and read it right through, purely for entertainment value!?!

Clancy: Hmm.... WhatÕs a really bad one? I forget them so quickly...

CBFC: Nothing like "Motorcycle Vampires from Mars?"

Clancy: Yeah... ya know, although I would read something like that just for fun. Oh, gosh... Oh, there was this one thing last year that just got all sorts of excitement built up around it, and I finally read it and I could not understand why anyone would want to do it. It was from the "X-Files" guys, and it was a group of people that investigates scientific phenomenon that are strange, and they either explain it away or they discover something... goofy.

CBFC: Now thereÕs something weÕve never seen before!

Clancy: Right! Exactly! But the premise was so bad... It was one tough guy who was running the whole thing because of whatever reason, and then they were coming up with these awful ideas... mostly about deformities... about people with deformities, and it was just... dumb. So that was something I just couldnÕt get behind. CanÕt remember the name of it, like Something... SomebodyÕs CabinetÉ. Like "Dr. CaligariÕs Cabinet" or something. What are some other ones...?

CBFC: IÕm amazed they even tried to shop that out.

Clancy: Well, ya know, nothingÕs really a bad idea, itÕs just like poor execution of scripts. WhatÕs-his-name...? Jim Cameron has a good idea and an awful execution of a script thatÕs gonna be a series... just terrible execution, just a terrible script, oh...!

CBFC: Is he still working on the "Planet of the Apes" movie idea or no?

Clancy: Nah... I think I heard that...well, I dunno whoÕs doing it, I heard Tim Burton was doing it...

CBFC: Yeah, on the discussion lists, thatÕs one of the most popular choices of roles people would like to see you play -- Taylor from "Planet of the Apes".

Clancy: Uh-uh... No way, no way....

CBFC: That would be a rough shoot.

Clancy: Yeah, and I wonÕt be asked either, so...

CBFC: No doubt they would ask Schwarzenegar to star...

Clancy: Yeah, let one of those guys do it.

Also from Susan: YouÕve done a whole bunch of different voices for various cartoon shows. It must be a LOT of fun working on those - and we all know itÕs not just our kids who enjoy cartoons, right! "Spongebob Squarepants" is currently the family favourite. Some good humour there! But youÕd also be the ideal choice to ÕvoiceÕ a character in any of the big Animated Features. Is this something youÕd definitely be up for? Have you ever read for anything along those lines? And what type of character would you like to play? It would be all too easy to suggest ÕBad GuyÕ wouldnÕt it!!!

Clancy: No, not really... I donÕt have an ideal...

CBFC: Do you like to play the animated bad guys or good guys, or you donÕt care?

Clancy: I donÕt care. IÕll play anything, I like Õem all. I like the bad guys, though... I do like bad guys, cuz theyÕre more interesting.

CBFC: WhenÕs the last time you played a bad guy?

Clancy: A strict bad guy?

CBFC: Yeah, cuz "Flubber" was more cartoon-ish and doesnÕt really count as a real bad guy.

Clancy: Yeah, yeah...I dunno...

CBFC: "Donor Unknown"?

Clancy: Maybe "Donor Unknown"... Gee, what was the last thing I even did? Gosh, I dunno...

From: Anne Backus -- What has been your favorite role to play in movies and stage?

Clancy: The next one!

From: "Name withheld upon request" -- A.) Hi Clancy! I was wondering if you had heard about the new Highlander movie and if you would portray a character in it (maybe a flashback of the Kurgan, or another character), if you were approached? And B.) What type of car do you drive and what color is it?

Clancy: I drive a green Dodge Dakota club cab... but IÕm looking for that four door! I like that four door! Rosie and I picked out the color together, and they didnÕt have any blue ones, so we got a green one instead. I have a blue car that I used to drive a lot, but now IÕm just getting it fixed. ThatÕs that carÕs job -- my Õ66 Chevy.

CBFC: Is that your baby?

Clancy: No, itÕs just my... I dunno what it is... ItÕs a money pit! I just canÕt bring myself to... Old cars should just die like dogs, they should just expire.

CBFC: Have you had it a long time?

Clancy: Yeah, since "The Bride" IÕve had that.

CBFC: I just kill my cars, unfortunately.

Clancy: Well, this oneÕs been killed a few times and raised from the dead.

From Ruth -- A.) I would like to submit these questions for Mr. Brown. First does he smoke? And if he does, what brand does he smoke?

Clancy: I do, and I shouldnÕt, so IÕm not gonna tell you what brand, cuz theyÕre all bad.

CBFC: So they donÕt deserve free advertising...

Clancy: ThatÕs right!

Also from Ruth -- B.) And, what character has he played that best mirrors his own personality?

Clancy: Whew... Probably Danziger.

CBFC: You mean youÕre not like the Kurgan?

Clancy: (laughs) Not at all... Probably Danziger, maybe this next guyÕs got a side of me youÕll be sorry to see..

CBFC: WhatÕs that?

Clancy: HeÕs just a little pushy. "The Hurricane" gaurd Jimmy Ð IÕd like to think I would be like him.

CBFC: I liked the "Patron Saint of Liars" character Son. I thought that was close...

Clancy: But heÕs so well-drawn in the book, I canÕt really say IÕm him.

From Alice -- Have you ever been to Vermont?

Clancy: As a kid, I think, yeah I have.

Also from Alice -- Do you have any travel horror stories you can tell us?

Clancy: Just recently I was trying to head back to Ohio to see my folks and to see Madison, and I was in the airport. And there was a blizzard going on, but we werenÕt affected by that. Our airline had a computer glitch. So I got there and had to wait for three hours... they kept pushing it, kept pushing the flight until it was supposed to leave at 9:00, and then at 6:00 in the morning they finally canceled it. And I was just furious. And then they offered to book everybody on whatever other flight they could, except their computers were down, so to book somebody was gonna take another hour. That was just nuts... So thatÕs my horror story.

CBFC: And I will throw one last question at you, just because we share a birthday and I have to ask... What was it like to work with Shirley MacClaine?

Clancy: Oh, oh, oh.... Shirley MacClaine! Shirley was... SheÕs a presence! SheÕs somethinÕ.

CBFC: Is she tougher than Connery or no?

Clancy: I wouldnÕt mess with either of them!

CBFC: In a fair fight, who would win?

Clancy: I would say Shirley would because Sean would be too much of a gentleman... Well, maybe Sean wouldnÕt be after a while -- after she hurt him. HeÕd probably deck her. But she was very nice to me because, at the time, I was this young, good-looking man, so she was very nice to me!

CBFC: Good girl, Shirley!

Clancy: She was not very nice to some of the other women... but... We were sitting in the makeup trailer once and Tienneman Square had just happened, so all the troops were in Tienneman Square and I think they had just broken it up, and she suddenly started talking about what was going on, what had happened. I mean, this had just happened like the night before, hours before, and weÕd just gotten the first pictures from the news, and she started telling us all what was going on. I think it was only me and the makeup people in the trailer, but she started saying "Well, all the soldiers were drugged, they were ordered to do this, they were all farmers, they made sure everyone was from the country, kinda the farmer Chinese going against the student Chinese. They drugged them, they shot them, they da-da-da-da-da..." And she had like these extraordinary details. And I sorta went out on a limb and said, "Uh, Shirley, thatÕs fascinating! How did you find this out?" And she says, "Well... I have my sources." And I asked, "Well, is it from the horseÕs mouth?" And she says "In a manner of speaking." Cuz she apparently knows them -- the Chinese leadership! Deng Xio Ping, I guess, or whoever was the leader, and she said that she knew his wife, and he was not responsible for it because he was on his death bed, and she had spoken to his wife. So IÕm like "You spoke to her on the phone?" and she says, "Well, I spoke to her." I think she did speak to her on the phone. And I said "When did you speak to her on the phone?" But then, I didnÕt want to get too into that... I just wanted to believe her! I just wanted to hear her answers and believe them. (chuckles)

CBFC: And she didnÕt say she channeled her or whatever...?

Clancy: DidnÕt tell me that, no no... She didnÕt say. But she obviously recognized auras in the pictures of the troops that indicated they were drugged. SheÕs hooked in that way, she believes that sheÕs got the power and, if she does... It doesnÕt matter whether I believe it or not! IÕll respect that, just so long as I donÕt have to go to some cult meeting! (laughter)

 

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