Theatre in Review

Tuesday, 12 March 2013 20:14

An In-Depth Interview with, Larry Thomas, Seinfeld's The Soup Nazi--Yippee! Featured

Written by

Many people bust out laughing when they hear someone who has the balls to say something that is "Politically incorrect," unfiltered and/or honest. Just think of all the bleep and giggles you frequently received from watching "OMG!" worthy types of TV shows, such as "All in the Family," "Rosanne" and "Seinfeld."

Speaking of bluntness and "Seinfeld," Larry Thomas Guest stars in the new comedic film, "You Don't Say." The movie was written/directed and partially produced by the two-time, award-winning filmmaker, Robert Alaniz. It deals with the issues of saying whatever the hell you feel like saying, and has people calling it "hysterical, a feel good movie, and truly a movie with a voice." And despite a potentially lethal Chicago snowstorm, I happily interviewed multi-award-winning, and Emmy award nominated, Larry Thomas, about "You Don't Say?"

 

larrythomas

 

Larry Thomas (Mr.Menendez) in "You Don't Say?"

BUZZ: I'm so glad you didn't croak on the plane from L.A?

LARRY: "You know I had to change flights, because of a little technical glitch, that was sort of my thing. But you never wanna be morbid enough to check the flight that you didn't take. You know, wouldn't that be awful—to just go, I wonder if that plane crashed?"

BUZZ: (LAUGHING)

LARRY: "I can't bring myself to that."

BUZZ: I almost always like to ask people what they were like in high school. Were you popular, a hoodlum, stoner, goody-two-shoes, jock, cheerleader, geek...?

LARRY: "You know what? That is such an interesting question for me, because I started out not being popular. We moved so much, that I never went to an elementary school or junior high school, for like the whole time. So, I never got to know people for that long. My high school was the 1st time I went to a school for 3 years. I wasn't ever anything, basically because I went to work every day before lunch. (Those days they gave high school credit for working.) But, I did find out that near the end of 12th grade that a lot of people knew me. I wouldn't say I was popular, popular, but just people knew who I was, and nobody bothered me, or had anything against me."

BUZZ: Were you similar to a "Richie Rich" as far as money went while you were growing up?

LARRY: "I grew up with a Single mom, and myself and my sister. But she could just through the years, barely afford to get us through life. But she did, and wonderfully, and worked hard. But when it came time to be a teenager and wanting to do something, I had needed my own money. In 11th or 10th grade, I got a job washing dishes in a restaurant after school. And in the evenings, I would unload a Catering truck."

BUZZ: That's some very tough work. I bet you had muscles like Hercules.

LARRY: No [muscles like Hercules]. I like to work—I like being busy. When I'm in between times of working, I just hope something will come up. I really enjoy working.

BUZZ: What made you get into acting?

LARRY: Well what made me get into acting, was trying to get a date with a girl who was a Theater major, when I was a Journalism major. And I took a theater class, thinking it might make it easier. But since I had never acted in my life before, and was 20 or 21, I was kind of forced to do something [take an Acting class]. But I was so thrilled by the aspect of just standing there, having the attention and focus on me, that I decided I wanted to do it. But talent as an actor, I just had to learn it, and I spent a lot of years on it, but I'm glad I did it."

BUZZ: Yeah, I can see why—you've been in many popular films, commercials and TV shows, which brings me to ask: What was it like being in "Seinfeld?"

LARRY: "Well, that was a very cool thing to do. It couldn't have been better. And 'Seinfeld' as a machine couldn't be better to me as the years go on, because it just keeps getting more and more popular. And takes the place of a lot of work, I might have to do to keep my name alive, my fame alive. Like that would be my job, and 'Seinfeld' does that for me. [People saying] 'I know who you are' is important, you know?"

BUZZ: Do you ever bump into anyone who also worked on "Seinfeld?"

LARRY: "It's funny because I will frequently run into Wayne Knight, who played Newman, in super markets because we both live in the same area. And some of the people who were Guest stars, like I, we keep in touch."

BUZZ: Could you please give their names?

LARRY: "Reni Santoni as, 'Poppie,' Liz Sheridan, who played, 'Helen Seinfeld,' and Brian George as, 'Babu Bhatt.' We keep in touch. We all kind of belong to this cool little club of having been a Guest character on 'Seinfeld.' "

BUZZ: So, you don't still talk to any of the main cast from "Seinfeld?"

LARRY: "No. But it's funny because last year, I did a Superbowl commercial with Jerry, and it was the 1st time I had seen him since the finale of 'Seinfeld,' like 14 years earlier. And he was just such a nice guy, and said 'Larry, thanks for coming down.' He was really cool because he joked around about life in general. Where I joked around about where being 'The Soup Nazi' has taken me. At one point we were shooting a scene, and he asked me a trivia question about the episode I was on." [He asked who the lady who grabbed the bag of soup was, I told him she was an extra, and he replied she was great—her timing was perfect.]

BUZZ: Were you afraid some people would take offense to the name of your character being "The Soup Nazi?"

LARRY: "No, it didn't occur to me at the time. I'm Jewish, and all Jewish people are brought up in their home, going 'That guy's a Nazi,' 'That guy's a Nazi!" It's been a joke to us, I mean all my life. So it didn't occur to me that it would be anything other than a joke. I mean, we don't like to watch footage of what happened in a Concentration camp, but when someone jokes that they're a Nazi because they're strict, it doesn't go any further than that."

BUZZ: (Eyes popped out of head, hair standing straight up, and jaw dropped wide open, very wide open!) Wow! That's just another thing that shows people, who are Jewish, have such an incredibly great and admirable sense of humor!

LARRY: "Yeah, I guess that is a trait. It has been said one of the surviving factors of Jewish people is their good sense of humor."

BUZZ: What do people who are your fans say about you, and what do the ones who aren't say?

LARRY: "For every 20 people that email me, and go I really like your book, [as well as the work you did in particular films and TV shows.] And I love the photos of you online that you sell, I'll get 1 person that'll be like Loser, can't you find anything else to do?"

BUZZ: That's so cruel!

LARRY: "Yeah, but I have to say I am the luckiest guy in the world. It just seems like 98 percent of the public loved what I did [on 'Seinfeld'], and are thankful that I did it. It can't get any better than that."

BUZZ: You have a son, Benjamin.

LARRY: "Soon to be 20. I love this era of getting together with him."

BUZZ: How does he feel about you acting for a living?

LARRY: "Many things. First of all, he would never ever want to be an actor. Both parents were actors, and he's been asked by Casting people 'So, what about you? Do you want to be an actor?' And he says 'That is the last thing I ever want to do,' but he says it with a smile on his face. That's how adamant he is about it. But he loves the fact that he's slightly famous, because I'm slightly famous. And he loves the perks. Someone will say 'I hear your dad's The Soup Nazi,' and that just gives him these cool perks. (He may meet some people he wants to know.) But he also knows exactly where it lies in the great scheme of things, it gets me work, but I still have to do the work."

BUZZ: When your son was little, and asked you for some soup, did you say "No soup for you?"

LARRY: (LAUGHS) "You know we've never played that game? He was only 2 when I did the episode. (Pauses) I do remember hearing a little tiny voice coming from the other room saying 'No soup for you!' though."

BUZZ: (LAUGHING and stomach growling for the best soup.)

BUZZ: When it comes to your new film "You Don't Say," please do say what you want to about it.

LARRY: "I really have high hopes for it—it'll be good. I'm really looking forward to the premieres. And I so enjoyed, not only working with Robert, but all the other actors. And Robert communicates extremely well with his actors, and is very open to ideas. He doesn't mind hearing the actor's say on things."

BUZZ: You don't say?

For more info on Larry Thomas, "You Don't Say?" and tickets for the Chicago Premiere on April 6th, 2013, please visit: www.facebook.com , http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0859130/ , and www.youdontsaythemovie.com

Last modified on Wednesday, 27 March 2013 14:16

 

 

         17 Years and counting!

Register

     

Latest Articles

Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.