Sesosterone! Quick Questions with Greg Sestero!

Greg Sestero, Mark from The Room and all round nice guy, answers some quick questions in the lead up to Cinema Nova’s exclusive season of The Room here in Melbourne.

1. Has the cult success of The Room surprised?

Absolutely! Then again, with Tommy, anything is possible.


2. You've become well known for playing Mark, the good looking brooding best friend of Johnny, played by the film's director Tommy Wiseau, but you're also credited as a line producer. How did that come about? Are you interested in pursuing roles behind the camera?

In getting The Room made, I worked numerous roles, my favorite being casting (too much fun). Tommy credited all of those roles as "Line Producer." I would love to work in front or behind the camera on any project I'm interested in.

3. I get the feeling that being involved in The Room is both a blessing and a curse for an actor. How has The Room affected your life as a working actor?

Ironically, it's been more of a blessing than a curse, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Lol, it's been a fun experience.

4. One of the most iconic lines in the film is "Oh, Hi Mark". How often does that one get yelled out at ya?

Usually only when I'm sitting on a faux rooftop, in front of a green screen, holding a football.

5. Ok, I'll cut to the chase- Writer, director and star of The Room Tommy Wiseau is a character to say the least. How was it working with him? Would you do it again?

Working with Wisesu was an out of body experience. If he agreed to pay my $5.9 million salary again, count me in :)

6. Wiseau is an enigma. There's heaps of rumour and inneuendo about why he makes films and how he got started. When pressed Tommy claims to be an American- but with that unique accent, I imagine he's from an Eastern European country orginally? Can you shed any light on this?

Wiseau emphatically says he's from New Orleans, but I'm guessing another planet. Based on those love scenes, he has a little shape shifting reptilian in him. However, he very well could just be an Anne Rice Vampire creation gone awry.

7. One of my favorite rumours about Tommy is that he made his fortune importing leather jackets to the US and then fell into film making from there. Is there any truth in this?

It's the great question of our time. Where did the budget come from? Patton Oswalt (aka Alfen Goldenpaul) made a solid guess, but I'm in the dark on this one with all of you.

8. The Room attracts huge audiences who make the regular US screenings quite the event. Cult fans have created some pretty quirky things to do when watching The Room. One of them includes screaming "Sestosterone!" every time you character appears on screen. You have to be happy with that, right?

I get a kick out of the fan's creativity. They make the movie so fun.

9. Here's a nerdy question for ya- What's with all the spoon-centric artwok in the film? I secretly hope that Tommy is the artist of these paintings. What is the signifigance, if any?

Well, there is an urban legend out there that Tommy is fascinated with spoons and eats everything with one, including pizza. Honestly, I think the beauty is that there's no known significance to the paintings. Another wiseau mystery...

10. Between Tim and Eric, Patton Oswalt, David Cross and even Alec Baldwin, The Room has got some serious fans, especially in the LA comedy scene.The film is condisered a black comedy, Can you see yourself bridging the gap and working as a comedic actor more often?

The list of fans continue to surprise me. Oswalt and John Hamm's spoof was brilliant. After The Room experience, comedy would be something I'd love to get into. It'd be a blast to work with one of those great talents.

11. What's next for Greg Sestero?

Play a lot of football, make many great films, and work with Aussies:)

www.cinemanova.com.au

Shine on You Crazy Diamond: 4 Memories of Michael Jackson.

With all the hoopla and spectacle, the criminal investigation and crazy rumours surrounding the premature death of Michael Jackson, it’s hard not to be wearied by it all. The thing with MJ is his star is so huge that there are few people that can claim not to be touched in some way by his bizarre kind of magic. Here are some of my memories of that strange, tragic man.

1.) Primary School Morning Exercise. 1992. 11 years old.

The figures were out. The expanding waistlines of Australian kids had forced the government to take action. And before you could scream “fatty!” young kids across the country were being forced to start each day with 20 minutes of aerobics to get the blood pumping. It was a nerd’s nightmare.

Our Phys Ed teacher, Mr. Patterson, must be commended for his exceptional taste- his mix tape included Queen, ELO, David Bowie and Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean. I used to feel self conscious- as a kid I was painfully shy. The song with its infectious bass line and synth strings also contained my name, at least in part. Amidst the flailing arms and legs, kids would affectionately sing the lyrics to me, emphasizing the “Jean”. At 11, this was the height of embarrassment for me and one day I lamented to Mr P. He smiled and said “You should feel flattered. It’s one of the greatest songs I’ve ever heard” He was right. And I felt better. Luckily the Bowie track wasn’t Jean Genie- I think I might have had a fucking breakdown.

2.) Watching Rage. 1999. 18 years old.

Most of my teen years were spent staying up way too late watching the music video program, Rage. One night after a spliff my friend and I were watching a Michael Jackson special and he delighted me with stories from his MJ obsessed childhood- in particular a competition where you had to guess how many buckles where on Michael’s Bad jacket. I was fascinated. As a kid I felt disconnected from pop culture, I tended to live in my own head. I hadn’t really become conscious of music till I was a teenager. Although I liked Michael Jackson as a child, so did everybody. It was amazing to me that my friend had been so crazy in love with the man with the glitter glove. Our intoxicated state encouraged hours of passionate conversation about MJ’s tragic life, his changing appearance and his kick ass dance moves. The next day I ran out and bought Thriller and Off the Wall and marvelled at the sparkling pop perfection.

3.) High School Form Room. 1996. 16 years old.

Brooke from my form room class had attended the History tour the night before and was excitedly showing off the show’s program. I’d always found Michael Jackson fans a little creepy and obsessive but I had to admit her joy was genuine. As I flipped through the glossy guide, I felt beneath my veneer of fake cool, a twinge of jealousy. Beyond my post-grunge malaise, I wished I could step away from the image I was so desperately trying to cultivate. Years later I regretted not going to that concert repeating a phrase that often haunts me: “I got into (INSERT BAND NAME HERE) just after they toured.” I’m such a jerk.

4.) Perth Telethon. 1985. 4 years old.

In 1985 a miracle happened. In the sleepy hollow known as Perth, Michael Jackson, the biggest pop star in the universe made appearance on Telethon! Now let me make one thing clear, Perth in 1985 was like anywhere else in 1975. A small coastal fantasy in the sun, Perth’s claim to fame is perfect weather and the shiny, unbearable fact that it’s the most isolated city in the world. Telethon is a call in pledge show running for a weekend to raise money for a local children’s hospital. A show populated by local TV stars (known as Perthonalities- I’m not joking) and entertainment provided by B-grade singers, kids dance companies and magicians. Not really the forum for a superstar. However, Jackson had been lured to Perth by businessman Robert Holmes á Court who was to sell Michael a rare music collection, including some Beatles songs in exchange for him to appear on Telethon. He agreed and it became a highly anticipated television event. Unable perform due to contractual obligations, Jackson met with sick kids and politely sat as we gawked, mystified at his presence.

I remember watching with my parents glued to the television knowing something pretty special was going on but not sure what it was exactly. The memory was solidified in my mind as it was re-run for years after. All I know is that as he beamed a smile to the audience, people ran to the phone and gave and gave and gave. The sheer presence of this shy, glittery man bought that hospital life saving equipment and shone some light into the lives of some pretty sick children.

We surely construct our memories, piece them together from photos and stories that we’ve been told. We can be selective and conveniently forget the ones that aren’t so good. Yes, there were chimpanzees and oxygen tents, black skin to white, inexplicable visits to the plastic surgeon and allegations of sexual abuse. But if I have to choose, I think I’ll hold onto my Telethon MJ memory, thank you very much.

Boognish on Rye

My housemate showed me a picture of sandwich he had in New York, salami on rye with deli mustard. It was obscene. A heart attack packaged and disguised as lunch. In a downtown diner one can devour the world with oversized bites, obliterating man’s sense of wonder, penetrating the spirit.
Actually, the sandwich looked pretty good. It’s important to get sanctimonious sometimes, I don’t really know why.

I’ve gotten hung up about the film Juno. A bee is in my bonnet and the buzzing is catapulting me into fits of hysteria- not the good, laughing sort of hysteria, but the bad other kind. The writer of the Oscar winning opus, is some young, hip Melvins fan who had an internet blog that took off which lead her to write a film that has captured the hearts and minds of people around the world. What a jerk.

My friend alerted me some similarities that I share with this woman, though, she didn’t need to. I saw the film. Mention the Melvins will you? Just to illustrate how devastatingly unoriginal my whole existence is. Thanks a lot.

Watching the band Ween live is like receiving JOY in liquid form, injected straight into the heart. Elation is truly underrated as an emotion, conventionally a fleeting, momentary state of being. I wouldn’t mind a bit more of that in my life, the good stuff. Although I’m not sure how everyone else would feel having a slightly off tap, almost creepy girl around, smiling at them ecstatically while she checks the mailbox in the morning.
Half way through Ween’s set I got hungry and thought about that salami sandwich. I wondered whether my housemate felt the same way about that meal as I did about Ween at that moment.
I hope so.