There are some very awesome perks to writing for CliqueClack. One is getting to witness Jay and Julia argue lesbianism on Community. Another is occasionally getting the opportunity to interview amazing people. In the hour-long Q & A to discuss the season finale of Royal Pains, I discovered that Henry Winkler may be the nicest guy in show business. Honestly, even as I waited rather impatiently for my turn to talk to the Fonz, I couldn’t help but smile. He made every person he talked to feel really special and had loads of enthusiasm for every topic that was put to him. Mr. Winkler has also been an advocate for children with learning disabilities. At the end of the hour, he even asked if everyone got to ask their questions. Truly a class act.
While tonight’s season finale of Royal Pains — which I got to screen early — is really good, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to ask Mr. Winkler about my favorite role of his … the very good Barry Zuckercorn from Arrested Development. And if I happened to find out more about the AD movie, then so be it. To my credit, I did bring it back to Royal Pains.
Hi Mr. Winkler, it’s a pleasure speaking with you today.
Thank you.
I have to ask. I am a huge fan of your work on Arrested Development. It’s one of my favorite shows; I still think it’s a shame it was canceled. I know the movie’s still in pre-production and it has been for a while.
Well, let me just say this. All of the actors have said yes. We are completely dependent on [show creator] Mitch Hurwitz. He just did a series [Running Wilde] with Will Arnett. Now maybe the nature of that series has changed, maybe he will now turn his attention to the movie.
So you are planning on reprising the role of Barry Zuckercorn?
I still have my chiffon underwear in the drawer waiting.
[laughs] I’m glad to know that was yours.
It was. Now, talk about understanding a character! I don’t know who the hell [Barry] is. All I do is say the words.
You say them very well, I have to admit. You were always one of my favorite parts of the series.
Oh thank you.
I did get to see the [Royal Pains] preview for this upcoming week’s episode and I noticed [your character Eddie] seems a little George Bluth to me. I mean, he has legal troubles, he kind of pits two sons against each other, maybe doesn’t always have the best attorneys and I just wondered if you’ve noticed that.
I never thought of that, but I want to tell you something: if I could be as good as [Jeffrey Tambor], I would be in heaven. What a great thing, being able to look at those two in that way. I think that’s real, I’m going to remember that.
Hopefully then for next season — fingers crossed — you’ll be able to put that in and you can credit me.
Absolutely.
It’s been a pleasure, Mr. Winkler, and all the best.
Thank you.
Funnily enough, just a day after the interview, Will Arnett tweeted twice about the movie moving forward. I know it’s hard to keep hoping after so long, but I really think it’s going to happen. And it will be great … says the girl in the $15 t shirt. Come on!
Clacked by Katie Schenkel 
on Feb 24, 2011 @ 13:00 EST5EDT
That’s AWESOME
I know Mr. Winkler as the “Fonz” (yeah, I know that dates me) but I do watch Royal Pains and enjoy the character he plays. I keep hoping that his character turns out to be a nice guy – since it seems that the man playing him is!
Ehhhhhh
Gotta dig the Fonz
Haven’t sen Royal Pains but it sounds interesting.
What a great guy!
You’re not the first person I’ve heard say that about Winkler. I hope I get to meet him someday.
Henry Winkler, like Betty White, was a regular on The Late Late Show. He kinda got replaced by Secretariat but also I think because he got to work a little more he’s not on as often. He’s a real Mensch and I think this shows here again.
Anyway, I find it odd that this was about “Royal Pains” and you mention the Finale is good – which I really thought it wasn’t – it bored me to death compared to the episodes running up to the finale, with Boris’ asinine behavior getting absolutely boring (we didn’t even get an explanation for the guys getting thrown out, I think Boris doing stuff like that even got too repetitive for the authors that they didn’t even try to give us exposition on that), the reason for SPOILER! the cancellation of the Wedding to be absolutely arbitrary and it getting more and more irritating that the Hamptons getting into some kind of a incubation chamber for serious illnesses they can pull out of their butts to throw the show in a certain direction. To be honest I would’ve loved to get an answer to the question what Winkler thinks if his character REALLY wsent to prison in that episode. If I recall correctly the call from prison never came or did it? I skipped a little bit because it was all so… well it was kinda boring. The best part to me was John Legend singing. What was that all about? He maybe had a five second scene. But back to Winkler: the only way for him to be in the show more next season would be for him NOT to have gone to jail. What were his thoughts on that?
Now… did we get any news about the Arrested Development movie?
I’d say no. Winkler says that the show’s creator failed with “Running Wilde” (which we all noticed because that show was horrible) and he doesn’t have any more information on it whatsoever other than he’s ready. Which is a given since this is how he makes his money and why wouldn’t he be in the movie if they want them to be in it? Which brings me to the point that Wil Wheaton even was filming for the Wedding scene in Star Trek Nemesis and didn’t even end up in it. But I guess it would’ve been going to far asking whether Winkler thought there was story left to tell for him to be in on an Arrested Development movie.
But then again I am asking for something (about Royal Pains) that would’ve gotten round about the same answer. I guess Winkler would’ve answered to my Royal Pains question the same way he answered about the Arrested Development movie. “I know nuttin'” – but I want to work so hopefully they find a way to put me in. Bla bla. I guess that’s the nature of the beast that’s a conference call with someone who doesn’t know how things will progress for his character. So questions about the work on the show, how he enjoyed that, questions about “The Late Late Show” or anything he really does know about would’ve been more substantial. But hey, you can’t have everything.
Great article, Katie!!! I once saw Henry Winkler on the street in NYC and was awestruck! (Didn’t say anything to him, though.)