Vol. 46
Sunday, July 6, 2008
©Marc Allan
All Rights Reserved
Ask Tracy Morgan a serious question and you may get either a contentious answer or the beginnings of a comedic riff where you're the unwitting, overmatched foil.
The trick is to recognize the difference.
"This ain't an interview," he exclaimed. "It's an experience!"
Got that right.
The "Saturday Night Live" alumnus, who returns for a second season as Tracy Jordan on the NBC sitcom "30 Rock" (8:30 p.m. Thursdays, NBC), was calling from the set of "First Sunday," a buddy comedy he's filming with Ice Cube that's due out in early 2008. Though these haven't been the easiest of times for Morgan, 39 – who pleaded guilty in February to drunken driving and was accused of groping a Florida radio personality in May – he was relaxed and funny.
"I'm the Willis Reed of comedy," he boasted, a reference to the New York Knicks center who hobbled onto the court during Game 7 of the 1970 NBA finals and inspired his team to victory. "I play hurt."
Q: I'm sure people think Tracy Morgan is Tracy Jordan. Are you?
A: No. Absolutely not. Come on. That's just a character that I play. I'm a bit more stable than that. I have fun playing Tracy Jordan, but Tracy Morgan is much more interesting than Tracy Jordan.
Q: "30 Rock" had an inconsistent first year, but it found its footing later in the season.
A: Nowadays, everybody wants everything to pop off immediately, you know. You have to give shows time to find their audience.
Q: It seemed like it got its rhythm when the stories started focusing on Jack and Liz. Would you agree?
A: I don't know. I think everybody's getting a shot. I mean, if that's the case, then good. But I think the story writing shows everybody's life and everybody's workplace. That may be your opinion.
Q: That is my opinion. I'm just asking if you agree.
A: I don't know. Yeah, probably.
Q: So how do you see yourself and your character fitting in next season?
A: I see him doing the same thing: Bringing the funny.
Q: I've heard you weren't happy with the episode where your character was thought to be illiterate – that you felt it promoted a negative stereotype.
A: Whoever told you that lied. That never came out of my mouth. No way. Nowhere publicly. It's never been documented. And I loved that episode. It's one of my favorite. I love this thing. I'm a third-generation show business person. Who are these people who are telling you this stuff? Who are "they"? They are lying to you. They're twisting Tracy Jordan and Tracy Morgan. Tracy Morgan is not mad about Tracy Jordan.
Q: You work in a profession dominating by white writers. What's it like having to take the words of young, white writers …?
A: I don't take the words from them. I just get some words. I show up on the set and I let them know my experiences and my character. They take that and they add the role to it. That's our process. It's called chemistry.
Q: Ideally, what should someone who writes for you do to play to your strengths?
A: Listen. Keep your mouth shut and listen, and you might be privileged to learn a thing or two.
Q: You're smiling now, right?
A: I'm very much smiling. Now you're getting it. That's what the world needs to do: Shut up and let's listen to one another. We might learn something about one another and we won't have to assume. And we're got to stop listening to "they," because "they" don't know anything. Young, white writers leave me and their world is upside-down. They're open. Their mind's open.
Q: You mentioned three generations of your family was in show business. Tell me about that.
A: You know who my grandfather was? The man, the myth, the legend – Stepin Fetchit.
Q: Stepin Fetchit?
A: And you know who my father is? Tony Dorsett. The Dallas Cowboys. He won't admit it, but he is. Patrick Ewing was my father. It's a whole big thing. You know who my grandmother is? Uhura from "Star Trek."
Q: Does she know that?
A: She won't admit it. My mother ran away when she was pregnant at 16 with me. She didn't get along with Tony Dorsett. It's a whole big thing. Tony comes around now. He wants to see his grandkids, so he comes around now.
Q: When you look around at sitcoms, are you happy with what you see?
A: What's crushing sitcoms and comedy right now is having to be politically correct. PC kills comedy. What about Archie Bunker? What about "The Jeffersons"? We made fun of all the clichés. Now, you can't make fun of it.
Q: Anything else you want to tell people?
A: I love 'em. Tony Dorsett and Uhura know that you say hello.
marc-allan.com
BIO:
Marc Allan is a freelance reporter/ writer whose work has appeared in the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and many other newspapers and magazines.
He's based in Indianapolis.
If you need something written, contact him at marc@marc-allan.com
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