mental_floss magazine
SUBSCRIBE >
GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS >
DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS >
subscriber services >
As host of Inside the Actor’s Studio, James Lipton has garnered a reputation as a stuffy academic, throwing around words like “existential” and sounding out every syllable in “extraordinary.” But, based on my research, he actually seems pretty cool.
1) He and Conan can bring the silly (frat boy style)
On his many appearances on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Lipton really lets his hair down to the point where he might as well just join a frat. To kick off spring break one year, he shotgunned a beer on the show (after delivering a short lecture on Rob Reiner’s The Sure Thing, of course). Another time, he appeared dressed as a belly dancer. But his best appearance featured a two-fer: first, he eloquently recites a verse from Kevin Federline’s new rap album, then follows it up by doing a beer bong on the stage (Caution: possibly NSFW). Nothing can quite compare to Lipton, hat appropriately cocked sideways, saying with a sly smile “This is for the haters.”
2) People think he was a pimp (but he wasn’t)
Living in France in his youth, Lipton found himself unemployed so, according to his biography, Inside Inside, he ended up working as a maquereau. A common misconception is that a maquereau is a pimp- it’s actually quite the opposite. A maquereau works for a prostitute, setting up her encounters. According to Lipton, he had a successful run in that line, especially among tourists.
3) He’s not afraid to laugh at himself
Lots of people have tried to imitate Lipton, but none have come as close as Will Ferrell, who masters Lipton’s speech and often pompous line of questions. But rather than eschewing the parody or watching it with the sound off (a la Sarah Palin), Lipton embraced it. He has consistently praised Ferrell’s as the best imitation of him out there. And in 2001, he even took it a step further when, at the Concert for New York, he imitated Ferrell imitating him.
Even beyond praising Ferrell, though, Lipton’s not afraid of a little self-parody. On Arrested Development, he played an acting theory-obsessed jail warden, training Tobias to use real-life experience to enhance the character of Frightened Inmate 2. And on Da Ali G Show, he wrote and performed a short rap.
4) He can do commercials and still make them good
I’m not a fan of the GEICO gecko and I’m done with the cavemen. But there is one set of ads for the insurance company I like – the tongue-in-cheek celebrity pitchmen. And none is better than Litpon’s, where he tells a customer’s story in his traditional flowery language.
Of course, there’s also the series of ads Lipton did this summer for Hellboy 2, where he interviewed Ron Perlman in character, talking about his inner demons and preferred method of fighting.
And as another parody of his interviewing prowess, in 2005, Lipton did a set of ads with DC Shoes where he sat down with a number of Xtreme athletes.
Watch Danny Way and James Lipton Commercial in Sports Online | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com
5) He makes movie stars swear
In the last act of any of his shows, Lipton presents his illustrious guests with ten questions, based on Bernard Pivot’s version of the Proust Questionnaire. Those questions usually let the guests goof off while they share their favorite sounds, their least favorite words and what they want God to say to them at the Pearly Gates. But undoubtedly the most entertaining question is the seventh – What is your favorite curse word? It’s fun to see legends like Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman blush and then get bleeped. In this clip, see Natalie Portman spout off her favorite curse.
6) He can dance
Watch him in action here.
Comments (15)
Comment
Lipton is an odd mix of being entertaining and sometimes annoying. However, I love Inside the Actors Studio because the show actually talks about performance/directing as a craft.
The funniest two hours on TV ever was his interview with Robin Williams. Frankly, I’d love to see the full five hours it was edited down from!
The main bad thing about Lipton is that BravoTV keeps screwing with his show’s schedule. BravoTV has not played the show more consistently over the last few years. There are actually some new episodes this season, but you Bravo doesn’t have the decency to keep the 9pm Monday slot open for Inside the Actor’s Studio – there are 200 great reruns to play if Lipton hasn’t recorded a new show recently!
posted by Laurie D. T. Mann on 12-10-2008 at 5:43 pm
He made fun of himself a little on “Arrested Development,” too. He played a prison warden/acting enthusiast.
posted by Jenn on 12-10-2008 at 5:51 pm
One more cool thing about Lipton: He wrote An Exaltation of Larks, that amusing reference book that collects collective nouns for all sorts of beasts and beyond.
posted by James Callan on 12-10-2008 at 5:52 pm
We made James Lipton ill once! Some classmates and I were visiting NYC on a trip a few years ago, and we randomly chose to meet at a Chinese restaurant on Bleeker Street for dinner. Lipton and a lovely woman we assumed to be his wife were eating at the next table over.
We were very good about not gawking, but messed it up anyway. One of our party began to tell an unfortunately in-depth story about throwing up on the 6 Train the night before at a not-very-restaurant-friendly volume. Lipton kept shooting us grossed-out looks, until finally he and the lady had their dinners packed up, paid, and stalked out.
I probably should be more ashamed of this story than I am. Sorry, Mr. Lipton. We were young.
posted by terri on 12-10-2008 at 5:55 pm
Aw, no mention of Arrested Development? Still an awesome list.
posted by Tonberry2k on 12-10-2008 at 5:58 pm
James Lipton is the best. The best “Inside the Actors Studio” so far was aired a few weeks ago, when Dave Chappelle interviewed James Lipton. It made me want to go out and buy the book.
posted by Amy D on 12-10-2008 at 6:19 pm
He was a guest this time last year on Wait Wait… Don’t tell me! It was a pretty good program, you found out a lot about him…
posted by Jason! on 12-10-2008 at 6:26 pm
Arrested Development was listed, under number 3. Tonberry & Jenn, read closer before posting please.
posted by Jacqui on 12-10-2008 at 8:51 pm
I’ve been a Lipton fan for years, starting with EoLarks when I was little. Is there anything the man can’t do? I heard him on Wait, Wait last year (a very memorable time; I’m really glad I wasn’t driving, I was laughing so hard) and read Inside Inside this year. Amazing man.
posted by RJ on 12-10-2008 at 10:06 pm
His father was Venice Beach beatnik Lawrence Lipton who wrote the novel the Holy Barbarians.
So. Awesome.
posted by Rosie on 12-10-2008 at 10:16 pm
I’ve been thinking about doing a blog on Nina Foch, an actress and legendary acting teacher who passed away last week — Lipton was her first husband.
posted by Ransom Riggs on 12-11-2008 at 12:20 am
Thanks for explaining the word maquereau! It’s in a song and it’s been bothering me for years, and I always wanted to figure it out on my own but couldn’t look up the word because I had no idea how to spell it. [Sounded to me like "macaroll".] And just looking up the song is cheating.
So. Much gratitude!
[Captcha: aries upset. Sounds like the title of a Greek-pantheon tween series.]
posted by Aemi on 12-11-2008 at 2:49 am
oh man.
that guy can effing dance! pretty awesome article.
posted by Jill...not Jillian on 12-11-2008 at 7:36 am
From Arrested Development:
“It’s a self-strangulation for the ages”
I’m not sure how recently it was made, but I SAW the episode of Inside the Actors Studio recently where Dave Chappelle interviews Lipton. It is endlessly entertaining and interesting, much like Mr. Lipton
posted by Michael on 12-11-2008 at 8:08 am
One of his greatest pieces of art was looked over . . . .He composed the music to cartoon Thundercats . . . I legend in his own time.
posted by Nathan on 12-11-2008 at 9:46 am