showing some respect -- verbosity interviews Rodney Dangerfield

Practically everyone in the free world knows who Rodney Dangerfield is. Mr. Dangerfield has been doing stand-up comedy and movies for years, with such hits as Caddyshack, Back to School, and Ladybugs being chalked up to his credit. Rodney, famous for his overall lack of respect, is currently at work on his next feature, Wally Sparks--due out in January '97. Corey Welton, our resident interviewer-supreme, caught up with Rodney and got a chance to talk a little with him.

verbosity: What was it that influenced you to make a web site? Was it the prestige? The glamour? The radiation off your monitor?

Rodney Dangerfield: It looked like a good way to communicate with folks, maybe give them a few laughs. Having my own web site made sense to me because I could control the content and not have some reporter or editor (no offense) cut up what I was trying to say.

To communicate with folks.

v: You've said that you're a big fan of the internet. Do you design the pages, or does some poor hacker do all the work, while you get ...the respect?

RD: Credit goes mostly to my wife, Joan, and some consultants named Ken Johnson and Powell Hamilton. I get some credit myself for the content and deciding what I wanted on the site.

v: Rodney, you've recently given up being a single man, having gotten married within recent years. What made you give up being the bachelor we all know and love? How is married life?

RD: First of all, time flies. I've been married now three years. The love bug just bit me.

v: One of verbosity's favorite movies that you did was Back To School. Was this based on something you did or would actually like to do? That is, does the idea of higher education seem like something you would like to do?

RD: When I graduated from high school I would like to have gone to college. I'll be 75 next month. At this point in my life, going back to school is not one of my priorities.

v: While we're on the topic of movies and the media, are there any projects you've been working on recently that you would like to talk about? Can you tell us more about the Wally Sparks film?

RD: I play a similar character to the one in Caddyshack, only Wally is much wilder. Everyone who was involved in Wally Sparks says it's the funniest thing I've ever done.

v: This issue of verbosity focuses on the eighties. Being a child of the eighties, I've always felt that this particular decade was more casual and laid-back than the nineties have been, to this point. How do you think the eighties compare to today?

RD: To me I see no difference. I was equally depressed in both time periods.

v: Last month, we interviewed Kevin Smith, an independent film director. Smith is a favorite of ours, and a relatively new flash in the Hollywood camera. Who do you see these days as up-and-coming actors, actresses, and/or directors? Any favorites?

RD: You never can tell just who's going to make it. Take my case--no one picked me.

v: Which more closely resembles the Rodney Dangerfield household: coffee and bagels, pizza and root beer, or shrimp and champagne?

RD: Pizza and root beer!

v: If you could let the world know one thing about you, what would it be?

RD: I'd let them know that I'm at my happiest when I'm joining a congo line.

v: In closing, to what do you attribute to the many years of success and popularity you've enjoyed? Do women just dig you or something? We're just jealous, that's all...

RD: For years I went to the big parties, met the big people, and I sucked and kissed ass.

Thanks to Rodney for taking the time to chat with us. Be sure to check out his awesome website when you've got a spare moment or two!

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This interview was conducted via e-mail. Please do not reproduce without expressed consent of verbosity magazine.