As a seasoned actor with a diverse resume, I can relate to the feeling of a scene being cut out, especially when it was as pivotal as it seemed in your story. It’s always a bit disheartening, but life goes on and so does our craft. Just like how I’ve moved from the small screen to the big screen and back again, we adapt and keep pushing forward.
In the universe of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” it’s challenging to scare Dennis Reynolds, a character who is suspected to be a serial killer, sociopath, and self-absorbed individual, brilliantly portrayed by Glenn Howerton over almost 20 years with a compelling blend of menace and unreasonableness. However, in the iconic season-four episode “Dennis Reynolds: An Erotic Life,” Rob Thomas, the lead singer of Matchbox Twenty, manages to intimidate Dennis while he’s institutionalized, by standing over him with bloodshot eyes and an angry silence.
In a humorous and embarrassing manner, Thomas, accompanied by comedian Sinbad who portrays a character similar to himself, teases Dennis. This is set against the backdrop of a complicated plot that sees Dennis being forced into rehab as part of a questionable scheme surrounding his supposedly fictitious erotic memoir. Thomas, acting as Sinbad’s sidekick, taunts Dennis with threats to beat him with his own shoe, suddenly sniffs him, and primarily functions as an enthusiastic cheerleader for Sinbad. The goal is for Sinbad to seize Dennis’s autobiographical “smut” journal. Thomas delivers only one line in the broadcasted episode: “Watch your ass, new meat,” which he hurls at Dennis with a deep growl that matches his unhinged demeanor.
In the span of just a few months following an invitation from Thomas and his bandmates, the October 2008 cameo by the cast of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” took place during one of their concerts at the Staples Center. As Thomas recalls, “The audience was still relatively large, but it felt intimate and like the concert was just for them – they were at a level where it seemed personal.”
In essence, the self-proclaimed television enthusiast managed to achieve most of his wishes during his stint on one of his beloved shows, even getting a chance to emulate a McPoyle character. The cut scene containing much of his dialogue and a short, gory sequence he spent considerable time contemplating for his act? Thomas is content that you can view it online now – he still occasionally revisits it himself. “I didn’t brood over it too much,” Thomas explains about the unbroadcasted sequence where he assists Dennis in escaping from Sinbad and the asylum, only to take his own life later. “It’s more like, Oh, that’s a shame, ” he adds. “And then, over the years, at hotel after-parties when we’re drunk together, discussing it, we often find ourselves watching it on YouTube.”
How did you feel when you encountered the Always Sunny gang for the first time in March 2008? They turned out to be exactly as I expected, showing up ahead of schedule and spending time socializing before the performance while indulging in drinks together. It was amusing to observe them teasing each other and joking around with Glenn, especially when they started reminiscing about Glenn’s role on That ’80s Show, and then debating its failure: “I don’t know why it didn’t work. What do you think it was? Maybe because it was just plain terrible, maybe that’s what it was.” Watching them improvise was a delightful experience. However, I wasn’t under the impression that I belonged to their group. This was simply me trying to leverage whatever connections I had in an attempt to get these people we were constantly watching on the bus to visit us instead.
How did things move from “We shared a fun moment at that concert and joked about it” to “You were seriously considered for an episode, here’s the script”? For me, it seemed to happen quite swiftly. The process is usually brisk, and creativity flows smoothly. In retrospect, I sometimes wonder if there was already a plan involving Sinbad, and I thought, “Perhaps they could incorporate Rob into the Sinbad project.”
[Laughs.] Who would be the least likely person to resemble or work alongside Rob, and that’s who Sinbad was cast as?
How did you initially respond upon reading the script? Since only your parts were delivered to me in a physical form, I couldn’t fully grasp the broader narrative context – which felt even more peculiar given that it was an erotic legacy with no introduction or background. However, for me, it triggered immediate fear. Oh boy, how am I going to pull this off? It’s not my usual setting or genre. It’s not something I’m accustomed to. If you’ve ever watched a Matchbox Twenty video, you might recognize one of my moves: “I just saw something in the distance, and I don’t know what it is.” [I squint, lean my body to the right, and lean forward while squinting more.] I spent countless hours alone, rehearsing these lines, trying not to overact them.
Working with Sinbad as my scene partner didn’t increase the pressure; instead, it was exhilarating. In fact, it slightly reduced the pressure because he is a skilled comedic artist who doesn’t belong to their group or share their dynamics. They form an exclusive fraternity that I am not a part of, and Sinbad knows his craft well, but in this context, he is an outsider. Moreover, the script assigned much of the main responsibilities and high-energy scenes to Sinbad.
My request for the performance was if possible, I desired to emulate a McPoyle character. I wanted to appear disheveled and unkempt, as though I had been on a drinking spree or abstained from drugs for ten days and was severely craving them. They granted my wish. The experience of applying that substance which instantly turns your eyes bloodshot was quite enjoyable.
It tickles me to realize the robe was a McPoyle reference. You see, I’d been curious as to why you and Sinbad were sporting identical robes that no one else in this rehab center had. Now, isn’t it amusing? As fate would have it, I’ve developed a friendship with Jimmi Simpson, and when I mentioned my theory, he went back to rewatch the scene and agreed, “Wow, I completely missed it before!”
What else did you find useful in getting into character, apart from wearing the costume? Well, I found myself pondering over the lines – there weren’t many to remember – and figuring out how to deliver them convincingly. Then it struck me that the key wasn’t just the dialogue, but the physical aspect of it all. It was about being in the scene with Sinbad as he delivered his lines. His cues like “Get his shoe,” or my own random moments of simply smelling him. That’s what I came up with to help me get into character.
In one of the scenes originally planned, I was supposed to act out a moment where I take my own life by shooting myself in the head. This scene, in my opinion, stood out, though I’m unsure if it made the final cut because I didn’t perform it perfectly. Prior to pulling the trigger, I had to pause for a few moments, reflecting deeply on life. Those three seconds of contemplation may have been the most significant ones for me, perhaps even surpassing all other thoughts. While I believe I can convincingly portray emotions in scenes, if directed to perform mundane actions like picking up a coffee cup and walking over to sit down, it would likely appear incredibly unnatural.
In reviewing the episode again, it’s your lively performance that makes me laugh so much. You rock back and forth, acting as a hype man for Sinbad; you even shake the memoir as if it were a Bible. I wonder how much of that was scripted. To clarify, when reading the script, it indicated that Sinbad would be quite animated. Most of those actions were me reacting more to Sinbad’s performance. Sinbad had a few crucial lines, such as “Watch your ass, new meat”; everything else was essentially, “Follow Sinbad’s lead.” It was much like how you would behave in real life.
As someone who has navigated the twists and turns of life, I take immense pride in the decisions I’ve made along the way. When the subject comes up during conversations, it’s usually my actions that garner attention rather than a single statement. It’s the subtle gestures, the nuanced movements, the embodiment of Sinbad’s character that truly stand out and add depth to the scene. I am grateful for these moments, as they transform me from an empty canvas into a vibrant painting, adding layers of complexity and richness to my performance.
In the scene where you and Sinbad awaken Dennis, your reaction seemed quite intense with wide, angry eyes. What led you to choose this specific expression?
Are there any particular athletes you’d like to highlight? For me, growing up, it was Wayne Gretzky. I didn’t have a grasp of good and bad yet, but I remember thinking, “That wasn’t right” because he didn’t care about what others thought. And I can say that confidently since he doesn’t mind being criticized.
Was the decision to smell Dennis something you had already planned beforehand without sharing it with others? How did people respond to this unexpected action? Upon smelling him, Glenn found it amusing. He jokingly asked, “Did you take a whiff of me?”
If Sinbad had allowed you to continue after saying “Sing a song — shut up,” which tune might you have chosen to sing given the situation? Well, I thought it would be amusing to pick “Long Day” because I imagined myself saying “Long day…” and then continuing with my frustration. This reminds me of a scene from the show 30 Rock, where Tracy Jordan’s wife, Angie, says “Ham” in her reality show, and it becomes popular. In my mind, I could have sung “Long day!” and then returned to expressing my anger. It would have been quite a spectacle!
Were there any extra attempts needed due to me laughing uncontrollably? Not at all, I was too anxious for that to occur. There were a few instances – and it might not have been me, more likely Sinbad – where the atmosphere seemed to become quite relaxed, with everyone on set laughing as we continued filming the scene. I don’t believe my actions had any negative impact, but ideally, whatever I was doing wasn’t taking away from Sinbad’s performance, it was only enhancing it. My favorite moment I wasn’t even present for: When Dennis says, “Rob Thomas and Sinbad were there,” and Rob responds, “Rob Thomas, yuck.” That makes perfect sense.
After Barbie’s release, you expressed your feelings about Bring It On seemingly making fun of Matchbox Twenty with their use of our music, while Barbie seemed to celebrate “Push.” I’m curious where you believe this performance falls on that spectrum. You see, we are a well-known pop-rock band, and dealing with the associated criticisms requires a thick skin. For Barbie, I received a message from Greta Gerwig asking for the song’s use, and I saw interviews in which she talked about how growing up, that song was significant to her. However, my best friend and co-founder of Matchbox Twenty, Paul Doucette, despises it being there. He feels like our music is being used to support the patriarchy. I jokingly told him, “I don’t think you got it.” But I say this because even among us, perceptions differ. For me, it was more about having a shared meaningful moment, one that they found important enough to invite me to be part of something significant for them. And those characters in the movie would definitely not be Matchbox Twenty fans. That disdain was one of my favorite parts.
In hindsight, I don’t recall a single moment that made me feel like a laughing stock for anyone. Instead, I’ve always felt included and part of the entire experience, just as we always have been. If you ever need our assistance in poking fun at ourselves, by all means, let us know!
In the scene you cut, most of the dialogue was mine. Filming all those lines, I aimed to emphasize the humor derived from the situation rather than deliberately trying to be humorous myself. I just wanted to say, “Got your back,” essentially sacrificing myself for him. I was disappointed because I was looking forward to the part where I die. Looking back, I believe they might have left it out because they didn’t find my performance convincing enough during the actual acting scenes when it came time to implement it.
Were you ever given a reason why they decided to remove your scene?
No, no one explained it to me. I wasn’t sure if it was due to timing, performance issues, or because the content was too intense. They had an episode where a British soldier’s head exploded, and someone told me that was supposed to be comedic violence, whereas mine was actual suicide, which might have been too dark. Even though I was disappointed as I loved being part of my favorite show and wanted more screen time, I didn’t let it bother me too much. It’s more like, Oh, that’s unfortunate. And then occasionally, when we’re at a party after the show, tipsy, discussing it with someone, we often end up watching it online on YouTube.
Is there any current show where you’d like to make a guest appearance? For instance, I find myself fantasizing about you being part of Girls5eva. Speaking of which, I’m conversing with Rob Tannenbaum, one of the producers for Two and a Half Men and other shows. We’re developing an idea called ‘Rob Thomas Can’t Say No’. It’s somewhat similar to Larry David’s style, revolving around a character based on me living in Westchester, struggling to decline requests from people, often finding myself in tricky situations where I aim to do the right thing, but somehow end up deeper and deeper in trouble. However, the plot depends heavily on my participation, so we’re still discussing if I feel at ease with that.
Are people often reminded of your appearance in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia?
Was it during our first gathering that the suggestion came up about you proposing Matchbox Twenty to star in or direct one of their music videos? It seems like that idea did indeed surface among us. The imagery surrounding Matchbox Twenty has always been quite earnest and serious, so the thought was, wouldn’t it be entertaining to infuse some absurdity into one of their songs? After a couple of drinks, I may have suggested it. In the moment, when everything was going exceptionally well, I remember thinking, “Why not take another risk? Let me see how far I can push this idea.” If they had agreed, it would have been fascinating to see an incredibly serious video juxtaposed with the humor of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The allure lies in the possibility of creating something entirely new and different for a music video. Now that you’ve reminded me, I can’t help but feel a pang of regret that it never came to fruition.
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2024-08-16 18:56