Friday, October 26, 2007

MATTHEW BRODERICK ON SEINFELD, FERRIS BUELLER AND THE METS

By Dan Fleschner, Live from Studio 1A, allDAY

Actor Matthew Broderick stopped by the set this morning to talk about his role co-starring with Jerry Seinfeld in Bee Movie.

After he spoke to Ann, Matthew sat down with me for a few minutes to talk about a wide range of topics, including Seinfeld, Ferris Bueller, and the Mets.

Here's our conversation:

Q: What's your relationship like with Jerry Seinfeld? How far back do you guys go?

Matthew Broderick: I don't remember. I think it's maybe four years ago that we started to be friends. I met him a few times over the years, but I didn't know him. We really met through his children -- or his one child, at the time. Our kids went to the same pre-school and the same day camp at Amagansett.

So I actually kind of met him that way. Then we found out that we had some things in common, so we started hanging out. He's such an interesting, hilarious person to be around. Also so smart and supportive of his friends. He's been a nice addition to my world of friends.

Q: Do you have a favorite "Seinfeld" episode?

MB: Gee, I like all of them. There's one where Kramer works in an office without actually having a job. That one made me laugh. The "Delores" one. The backwards one. The Chinese restaurant. The parking lot. They're all good.

Q: We could be here all day listing all the great ones.

MB: Yeah.

Q: Cereal is very important to Jerry. Have you ever had cereal with him?

MB: I believe I have had cereal with him. He likes a big breakfast sometimes on the weekends. I've been over there for some big spreads.

Q: I have to ask you about Ferris Bueller's Day Off. How often does someone come up to you and ask you about it or mention something about it? Does it happen on a daily basis?

MB: Nearly daily, I would say. It depends on where I am. In New York, people don't talk to me too much. I'm working in Louisiana right now, and people down there like to see me and see how I am, ask me questions.

Q: Does it get tiresome having to talk about this movie that you made more than 20 years ago?

MB: Not really. It's very flattering, for the most part. And people bring up other things too. That movie had a big effect on people, and I'm very proud of it.

Q: I read about your obsession with ping pong. What's the deal with that?

MB: I enjoy ping pong. I'm not sure I'm obsessed with it, but I like playing it. Table tennis.

Q: Are you a purist? Do you only refer to it as table tennis?

MB: I call it ping pong, almost always. I think ping pong came from a toy manufacturer or something. It's really fun. I have some Romanians that I play with, and we have a really good time.

Q: Have you ever played anybody world-class? Any Olympic gold medalists from China or anyone like that?

MB: No. I have played real slightly-pro-type people once or twice. And they're about a billion times better than me. Every time you think you're getting good at it, I'll play someone that just destroys me.

Q: You're a Mets fan, I'm a Mets fan.

MB: I'm sorry.

Q: Have you gotten over their collapse at the end of this season?

MB: Kind of. I don't really think we'll ever be over it. Now it's just part of the Mets experience, you know? The Cubs aren't ever going to get over that guy messing with the foul ball--

Q: Right, Steve Bartman.

MB: Right. I don't think we'll get over this. I don't think the world will get over this, because it proves that nothing is safe. It's pretty distressing. And yet, it's just baseball.

Q: Are you watching the World Series?

MB: I've been trying to. Last night looks like a great game, but it was our premiere [for Bee Movie], so I didn't get to see it. I like watching the playoffs, whoever's in it.

Q: Back to Jerry, who's also a Mets fan -- have you ever been to a game with him?

MB: Yeah, we've been to a few. We were there for the Mets' final out of the playoffs last year. That final called strike three against [Carlos] Beltran. We were sitting right there as the rain drifted down on us.

Q: That was not a good day.

MB: No.