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>> HASKINS: Coming up
on "Theater Talk"...
>> FIERSTEIN: I think I've told
every story of my life
on this show.
I should just this show and have
it typed up as my autobiography.
[ Laughter ]
>> HASKINS: "Theater Talk" is
made possible in part by...
♪♪
>> FIERSTEIN: Hello, everyone.
I'm Tracy's mom.
>> Oh, so you're what spawned
that.
>> FIERSTEIN: Excuse me?
[ Laughter ]
>> FIERSTEIN: Is it live?
>> HASKINS: It's live.
It's live.
>> RIEDEL: [ Laughs ]
>> HASKINS: Live on tape from
New York City, it's
"Theater Talk" with...
>> FIERSTEIN: A live actor.
>> RIEDEL: [ Laughs ]
>> FIERSTEIN: I'm live.
Live on TV.
>> HASKINS: And who are you?
>> RIEDEL: Yeah. I'm barely
alive.
Welcome to "Theater Talk."
I'm Michael Riedel.
This is Susan Haskins.
And our good friend
Harvey Fierstein, who is here to
tell us about something that
will be live --
>> FIERSTEIN: That will be live.
>> RIEDEL: "Hairspray."
>> FIERSTEIN: "Hairspray."
>> RIEDEL: NBC.
>> FIERSTEIN: NBC.
>> RIEDEL: Live.
>> FIERSTEIN: Event.
>> RIEDEL: December 7th.
>> FIERSTEIN: December 7th.
>> RIEDEL: Pearl Harbor Day!
>> FIERSTEIN: Ah!
>> RIEDEL: Tora! Tora! Tora!
>> FIERSTEIN: They bombed
our boys!
Yes. We're going to...
I mean, we're going to do this
live.
And some of it's
out on the street.
>> RIEDEL: Oh, right.
>> FIERSTEIN: It's like...
Jerry... You know, they said
they're going to -- you were
doing it on a back lot at
Universal, and so they're
dressing whole streets to look
like Baltimore.
And Jerry said to me, "Oh, and
welcome to the '60s.
You're going to come
running down --"
I said, "Wait, wait, wait,
wait, wait. What?"
"Well, you have to come running
down the block."
I said, "Wait, wait, wait, wait,
wait. What?"
"You've got to come
running down --"
I said, "Jerry, I did this on a
Broadway stage.
It was 60 feet wide."
He said, "Well, you're going to
come running down the street."
I said, "Have we got
the hot dog cart?
'Cause here's my idea.
Why don't I climb on the hot dog
cart, and he runs down the
street?"
>> RIEDEL: [ Laughs ]
>> FIERSTEIN: And the idea that
we're actually going to be out
on the street, singing, dancing
live on television.
>> HASKINS: They got that from
that "Grease: Live" they did
where they were all --
>> RIEDEL: They opened it up
there, and then how much
rehearsal time is
going into this?
>> FIERSTEIN: Everybody starts
October 17th.
And then it's live
December 7th.
We lose one week with
Thanksgiving 'cause we have to
come back, and I think we're
doing the Thanksgiving Day
parade.
They haven't really let us know
or not.
But I think we're all coming to
New York for Thanksgiving.
And so that's like...
So two weeks in October, all of
November, so like seven,
eight weeks.
But one whole week is dress
rehearsals.
Obviously, you've got to get it
down like --
>> RIEDEL: Right. Of course.
>> FIERSTEIN: I mean, we're used
to doing live theater, but there
aren't millions of people
watching that one performance.
The very first performance.
>> HASKINS: Millions
of people, yeah.
So, now, Harvey, when they first
announced this project, at
first, they said, "Oh, they're
going to do 'Hairspray' live,"
and they said that you were
working on writing it.
And so we all thought, "Well,
he'd better be in it," but they
didn't --
>> FIERSTEIN: No, they actually
called me 'cause last year, I
wrote "The Wiz."
>> HASKINS: Yeah.
>> RIEDEL: Which was terrific,
by the way.
>> FIERSTEIN: Thank you.
>> RIEDEL: That was really good.
>> FIERSTEIN: You know, it's
such a different job doing
something like that.
It's like the 'Funny Girl' that
I have running in London now.
It's because you want to capture
the original.
You don't... You're not
reinventing it.
You've got to have the same
spirit of it and yet bring it to
that audience, bring it to this
audience, and especially, I
felt, because I was working with
Kenny Leon, I wanted to make
sure that "The Wiz" spoke to an
audience of kids that would
never maybe go to the theater.
And maybe get them interested in
the theater by seeing "The Wiz."
I mean, "The Wiz" was such
a cultural event.
So it is a different kind of job
to do than just writing
something new or like on
"Newsies," where I was a little
freer to write my own style.
But there, you have to...
So, anyway, so they were very
happy with what I did with
"The Wiz," so they called me and
said, "We're going to do
'Hairspray.'
We don't know how you feel
about this.
Would you be willing
to write it?"
And I said, "Of course I'd be
willing to write it."
>> RIEDEL: Because we should
say, Mark O'Donnell, who wrote
"Hairspray" for Broadway,
has died.
>> FIERSTEIN: Has passed
away, so --
>> HASKINS: But didn't you,
Harvey, write a lot of the jokes
in "Hairspray"?
>> We hear. We hear.
[ Laughter ]
One hears the strangest things
around Broadway.
There's more to a book than the
jokes.
>> HASKINS: When they announced
this TV thing and they said you
were writing it, and I thought,
well, surely they are not going
to do another --
>> RIEDEL: John Travolta.
[ Laughs ]
>> HASKINS: Well --
>> FIERSTEIN: I heard they were
going to ask Elaine Stritch.
She's dead, but if you
make the offer...
>> RIEDEL: [ Laughs ]
>> HASKINS: Well, I thought they
were going to get one of those
people from the Disney KIDS
musical or something.
You know.
But no, the best --
>> FIERSTEIN: I hear a rumor.
I don't know if it's true or
not.
[ Mouths "It's true" ]
That I was like the 10th or
11th person they came to.
>> RIEDEL: You're kidding me.
>> RIEDEL: But it was fine.
>> HASKINS: Who would
they go to?
Who on earth?
>> FIERSTEIN: That, I really
can't say.
>> HASKINS: That is something.
>> FIERSTEIN: But I do know a
bunch that said...
And I know a bunch that said,
"Why isn't Harvey doing it?"
>> RIEDEL: Exactly.
>> FIERSTEIN: But anyway...
But the thing...
But I understand television.
I mean, it's television.
>> RIEDEL: Right.
>> FIERSTEIN: It's like --
>> RIEDEL: They need a pop-star
name or something.
>> FIERSTEIN: Yeah. Well, like
with the movie of "Hairspray,"
which is a safer subject,
obviously, since it's way in the
past.
The most of the money, as I
understand it, for that
New Line film, came from China.
So, when you go to Chinese
investors and you say, "We've
got Harvey Fierstein," they
go...
>> RIEDEL: [ Laughs ]
>> FIERSTEIN: So... But if you
say, "We have, you know, Batman
eyes" or whatever, they go, "Oh.
Okay. We'll put money in it."
>> HASKINS: And, you know, not
being in big-money show business
myself, there's --
>> RIEDEL: [ Laughs ]
>> FIERSTEIN: This isn't
big-money show business?
>> HASKINS: No, no. There are
some projects, you think,
"Really, why bother to do it if
you're going to do that?
You know, just hold it."
>> RIEDEL: But you have
a good cast.
You've got -- Kristen Chenoweth
is in this.
Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson.
>> HASKINS: Martin Short
is your husband.
>> RIEDEL: Martin Short.
Sean Hayes.
>> HASKINS: Zadan and Meron are
doing this wonderful thing,
Broadway musicals --
>> RIEDEL: Craig Zadan and
Neil Meron.
>> HASKINS: Craig Zadan -- I was
being overly familiar.
Are doing these wonderful
Broadway musical things, but
sometimes, how can I put it?
Sometimes there some casting
choices they've made that are
for popular consumption or
something, and you think,
"Don't you --"
>> FIERSTEIN: And what we don't
know, and of course it's not the
audience's business, is
sometimes they've tried to find
the right people.
>> HASKINS: Yeah. Okay.
>> FIERSTEIN: It's a scary thing
to do live television.
And I think there's a lot of
people that they say, "And it's
live," and they go, "Uh, no,
thank you."
>> RIEDEL: "Goodbye." Yeah.
>> FIERSTEIN: I mean, that's
scary, to sing live on TV.
>> HASKINS: But who's the woman
who starred in
"The Sound of Music"?
>> RIEDEL: She was the country
star.
>> HASKINS: Yes, a wonderful
performer.
Not a great actress.
But they went with that,
where --
>> RIEDEL: And you know how many
viewers they had?
>> HASKINS: I know.
>> RIEDEL: Over 20 million.
>> HASKINS: And it set the form.
>> RIEDEL: I know you fancy
yourself la mama purist, but
come on.
>> FIERSTEIN: But it started
that whole thing.
It started this whole thing...
>> RIEDEL: Exactly.
>> HASKINS: Yes, it did. It did.
>> FIERSTEIN: ...which is
bringing an -- You know, between
what Craig and Neil did, with
starting these musicals on
Broadway, which now, you know,
has Fox, too...
>> HASKINS: On TV, yeah.
>> FIERSTEIN: On TV, which Fox
took, you know, and did
"Grease," and now somebody else
is doing something on ABC.
>> HASKINS: They're gonna do
"Rocky Horror Show."
>> FIERSTEIN: Well, that's a
sort of film thing, but, still,
it's a -- it's a show.
And I hear ABC is doing it.
So it's kind of thrilling.
>> HASKINS: Yeah.
>> RIEDEL: They're gonna be
doing "Passion."
>> FIERSTEIN: It's --
[ Laughter ]
Okay.
>> HASKINS: Good one. Good one.
>> FIERSTEIN: I can't make these
jokes.
I'll get in too much trouble.
>> HASKINS: With whom, Michael?
>> FIERSTEIN: Don't feed me
these --
>> RIEDEL: Harvey's gonna play
Fosca.
>> FIERSTEIN: Oh, my.
[ Laughter ]
I'm too pretty for that role.
[ Laughter ]
There's -- There's --
I can't make these jokes.
[ Laughter ]
>> RIEDEL: Yes, you can.
Don't worry, darling.
>> FIERSTEIN: I feel like --
I feel like I'm onstage with
Donald Trump.
>> RIEDEL: [ Laughs ]
>> FIERSTEIN: I just cannot talk
about his hair.
>> RIEDEL: Have you ever done
live television before, or
this -- will this be the
first -- I mean, not a talk
show, but actually performing on
live TV?
>> FIERSTEIN: I did
"Timeless to Me" on
"The Today Show."
>> RIEDEL: Right, okay, all
right.
>> FIERSTEIN: You know, but
that's not like doing the entire
performance.
>> RIEDEL: Right.
>> FIERSTEIN: I mean, when does
anybody?
I mean, there have been those
three shows that we know of --
you know, "The Sound of Music,"
"Peter Pan," and "Grease."
>> RIEDEL: Right.
>> FIERSTEIN: And that's it.
>> RIEDEL: That's it.
>> HASKINS: But wasn't there one
other?
>> FIERSTEIN: No, there's the
"Rocky Horror," but that's
filmed.
>> RIEDEL: And "The Wiz."
>> FIERSTEIN: Oh, and "The Wiz,"
of course.
>> HASKINS: And yours,
"The Wiz."
>> RIEDEL: Right, right.
>> FIERSTEIN: I forgot about
that one.
>> HASKINS: Yeah. [ Laughs ]
>> FIERSTEIN: Yeah, so, I mean,
there are a limited number of
people who have ever done it.
>> RIEDEL: But you're -- Now,
but you're a pro.
Do you have any nerves --
nervousness at all about it?
>> FIERSTEIN: Of course, but
I -- but 'cause you've never
done it before.
I mean, that's the point of
having six or seven weeks of
rehearsal.
>> RIEDEL: Right.
>> FIERSTEIN: By the time you
get to that day, you've done it
a billion times, and it's old
hat.
>> HASKINS: And, also, they're
gonna tape the dress rehearsal,
aren't they?
Don't they tape the dress
rehearsal?
>> FIERSTEIN: I assume they do.
They do it in the Tony Awards.
>> HASKINS: I think, one time
once, something went wrong, and
they dumped in some dress
rehearsal.
>> FIERSTEIN: Did they?
>> HASKINS: That's the rumor.
>> RIEDEL: Well, my favorite,
though, was in "Peter."
>> HASKINS: Neil and Craig will
let us know.
>> FIERSTEIN: Yeah, you ask
them.
>> HASKINS: Yeah.
>> FIERSTEIN: It reminds me of
that -- It reminds me of that
story.
I think I've told every story of
my life on this show.
I should just take this show and
have it typed up as my
autobiography.
[ Laughter ]
But of Gene Barry and
George Hearn...
>> RIEDEL: I love this.
>> FIERSTEIN: And they're
singing "Song on the Sand."
>> HASKINS: Yeah.
>> FIERSTEIN: And so
Gene Barry's, you know...
♪ Remember that little... ♪
♪ That afternoon in fall,
afternoon we met? ♪
♪ The concertina played --
What was that song? ♪
♪ It's -- It's strange
what we recall,
odd what we forget ♪
♪ He played -- ♪
[ Laughter ]
And George Hearn leaned across
the table and said,
"La...da-da-da,
da-da-da, da-da-da, da...
da-da!"
[ Laughter ]
>> RIEDEL: Speaking of that,
what was that first preview?
'Cause you wrote the book to
"La Cage Aux Folles," and now,
of course, you know, what's the
big deal?
A gay show? Who cares?
But let's go back to Boston
in -- what -- early '80s, right?
>> FIERSTEIN: 1982.
>> RIEDEL: And you're about to
open a show where two men --
Did they kiss in the show?
I don't remember.
>> FIERSTEIN: No, Arthur
wouldn't let them kiss -- he
wouldn't even let them hold
hands.
>> RIEDEL: Really?
>> FIERSTEIN: No. He wouldn't
even let them hold hands.
>> RIEDEL: Why?
>> FIERSTEIN: 'Cause Arthur.
He was Arthur.
>> HASKINS: Well, no, but why?
>> FIERSTEIN: He came more and
more out the older he got,
but...
>> HASKINS: Oh.
>> FIERSTEIN: He -- No.
They did not kiss in the show.
>> RIEDEL: But was there a
moment where you realized, "Oh,
my God.
What are we doing?
We're doing a show where it's
about two openly --
>> FIERSTEIN: No, we had --
we had all kinds of moments like
that, but -- but, no, the great
opening moment of
"La Cage Aux Folles,"
first preview, was the
orchestra's playing, and you had
David's sets, and -- and the
curtain went up, and you saw
these two buildings.
And the buildings part like
this, and La Cage comes
downstage.
>> RIEDEL: Right.
>> FIERSTEIN: The building comes
downstage.
And so, they're playing this
overture.
Jerry and Arthur and I were all
so excited.
♪ Da-da-da da-da da-da
da-da da-da-da ♪
♪ Da-da-da da-da da-da
da-da da-da-da ♪
Then it split.
♪ Da-da-da da-da da-da ♪
Then it fell over.
[ Laughter ]
>> RIEDEL: And La Cage fell
over?
>> FIERSTEIN: It just fell over
flat on the stage -- end of the
show for a little while.
[ Laughter ]
Curtain came down.
>> RIEDEL: And how --
>> FIERSTEIN: 45 minutes later,
we started again.
>> HASKINS: So, now, Harvey, I'm
looking back to when you started
in "Hairspray" -- 2002?
>> FIERSTEIN: Well, we star--
Yeah, no, I mean, we did
previews -- we did a couple of
workshops and stuff like that.
>> HASKINS: Yeah, yeah.
>> FIERSTEIN: So, really, 2000.
>> HASKINS: Right.
>> RIEDEL: Right. Seattle --
you started in Seattle.
>> HASKINS: Who approached you
with that -- that idea?
>> FIERSTEIN: They -- They had
already written part of Act 1.
Rob Marshall was directing.
Marc and Scott --
Marc Shaiman and
Scott Wittman --
had written the score.
The book was being written by
Mark O'Donnell.
Margo was producing.
Those were the pieces that were
in place.
>> HASKINS: Did they all have
you in mind?
>> FIERSTEIN: They did not have
me in mind, and in fact,
Bernie Telsey would not let me
audition.
>> RIEDEL: Why?
>> FIERSTEIN: He said, "Harvey
can't do this.
We don't want to see Harvey."
And they kept pushing and
pushing -- my manager,
Richie Jackson, kept pushing and
pushing, and they wouldn't see
me.
And Richie finally called Marc
and said, "Marc, Harvey wants to
come in and audition."
He said, "Well, of course he
should come in and audition.
How ridiculous!"
So I came in, and I auditioned.
>> HASKINS: I wonder who they
thought should do it.
[ No audio ]
[ Laughter ]
>> FIERSTEIN: It was so funny
because -- because, you know, I
had -- I mean, all my early
shows at La MaMa were all
musicals, you know?
>> RIEDEL: Right.
>> FIERSTEIN: You know?
>> HASKINS: Yes, and you were in
drag in parts, yes, yes.
>> FIERSTEIN: And in drag, and
so, none of that was -- but --
but, you know, here I was,
auditioning, really, for a
Broadway show, musical, for my
first time, and -- and so I came
in.
Rob Marshall was the director.
And I came with my own pianist,
'cause I used to have a club act
back then and do -- and they
asked me to sing something, so I
did.
I think I sang
"Tale of the Oyster,"
the Cole Porter song.
>> HASKINS: [ Laughs ]
>> FIERSTEIN: And then, they
said, "Do you have something
else?"
And I went, "Okay."
"Do you have something more up?"
And I did something more up.
And they said, "Do you have
something more rock-'n'-roll?"
I said, "Rock-'n'-roll?"
I did "Frank Mills" from "Hair."
>> HASKINS: Oh.
>> RIEDEL: [ Chuckles ]
>> FIERSTEIN: I mean, well...
I was there for 45 -- I did my
entire book.
>> RIEDEL: [ Laughs ]
>> FIERSTEIN: And I kept -- And
I'm saying to myself --
>> RIEDEL: "Harvey Fierstein
Songbook."
>> FIERSTEIN: I'm saying, "This
is so sweet of them."
>> RIEDEL: Oh, they're indulging
you.
>> FIERSTEIN: Pity -- it's --
it's a pity lay.
>> HASKINS: Oh.
>> RIEDEL: 'Cause there's no
chance.
>> FIERSTEIN: "It's a pity lay
because they'll never give me
the job, and they -- they're
embarrassed that I came in and
I'm so terr-- or, when I leave,
they are gonna laugh their ***
off."
So, I finally sang it.
I said, "Kids, I got nothing
else in the book."
And they said, "Well, thank you
so much for coming in."
And I called Richie.
I said, "They were so sweet to
me.
They were so -- They let me sing
everything I had.
And, so I emptied my whole club
act."
I said, "The only thing I left
out was the monologues."
And -- And I said, so, you know,
"Thank them very much."
And he said, "You want to shut
up now?
They just offered you the role."
>> HASKINS: Yes.
>> FIERSTEIN: And it was one of
those funny things.
>> RIEDEL: [ Chuckles ]
>> HASKINS: And going -- Again,
going back to the concept that
they were going to do it on TV,
possibly without you, is just
unimaginable.
You can't -- I mean, I saw other
people pick up the role, like
Bruce Vilanch did a nice job,
and --
>> FIERSTEIN: Yeah, they would
love -- I mean, would love to.
>> HASKINS: Yeah.
>> FIERSTEIN: I mean, I saw lots
of Ednas.
The thing they wouldn't do was,
you know, when we were thinking
about who should take over when
I left -- 'cause, remember, I
did it for two years.
>> RIEDEL: Yeah.
>> HASKINS: Yes.
>> RIEDEL: Won the Tony Award.
>> FIERSTEIN: ♪ Hey, Tracy,
hey, baby, look at me ♪
♪ I'm the cutest chickie
that you ever did see ♪
♪ Hey, Tracy, hey, baby,
look at us ♪
♪ Where is there a team
that's half as fabulous? ♪
♪ I let go... ♪
>> HASKINS: And then you came
back, and they said goodbye.
>> FIERSTEIN: Never, never
missed a performance, never --
I did two years solid, and
then -- but when I was gonna
leave, I said, "The most press
we could get --"
I said -- They just wouldn't go
along with me.
I wanted Lainie Kazan to replace
me.
>> HASKINS: Yes.
>> FIERSTEIN: I thought, "How
much fun would it be if somebody
like Lainie came in and did it
and did a total switch?"
>> RIEDEL: Yeah.
>> FIERSTEIN: And then you could
do people like Bruce or
whatever.
>> RIEDEL: When did you realize
in "Hairspray" that it was --
it was a hit -- it was gonna be
good?
When does that moment dawn on
you?
Is it the first preview, when
the audience responds?
>> FIERSTEIN: Yeah.
>> RIEDEL: You just knew in
rehearsals that it was coming
together, or do you not know
until you're in front of the
audience?
>> FIERSTEIN: Well, we did a
backer's audition -- not
backer's -- you know, those
workshops were backer's
auditions.
>> RIEDEL: Yes.
>> FIERSTEIN: I mean, there was
a kind of famous one where there
were very famous people there
who got up and left during it.
>> RIEDEL: Really?
>> FIERSTEIN: And a very famous
producer, who will not be named,
said to them, "You know, you've
got Harvey, and no show,"
and, I mean, stuff like that.
So -- So it was not in our
backer's auditions, and it was
not in our workshops.
We still had a lot of work to
do.
They wouldn't show me the
script.
And I said, "I can't do the show
like this.
It's -- It's not -- It's not
there.
And I can't go..."
It was like a couple of weeks
before leaving for Seattle, and
I said, "I'm not going --
I don't want to be one of those
people like Lauren Bacall,
standing in the center of the
stage during applause and
saying, "I'll be in my dressing
room till you give me a new
book."
[ Laughter ]
"I don't want to do that.
You know, please..."
And so, I said, "It's better if
I just walk away."
>> HASKINS: [ Gasps ]
>> FIERSTEIN: You know, "Let me
just -- Let me just bow out."
>> HASKINS: And they wouldn't
give you a script 'cause it was
not done, and they didn't want
you --
>> FIERSTEIN: Because it wasn't
done, and I had a lovely meeting
with Jack O'Brien, 'cause Jack
had taken over directing by
then.
And there's no more wonderful
person.
He said, "Harvey, you got to
trust me."
And I said, "You know...
if I hadn't done 'Legs Diamond,'
I might trust you."
[ Laughter ]
"But sometimes -- sometimes..."
>> RIEDEL: And that was your
book.
>> FIERSTEIN: And that was my
book, so I take all the blame
for that.
And I was able to say,
"Sometimes, it's not fixable.
You know, you love something to
death, and it's --"
And he said, "But you know this
is fixable."
And I said, "I believe it is,
but, you know, if you won't even
let me see the book, what are
you..."
Well, anyway, so, he wouldn't
let -- And I went home, and Marc
called me up on the phone.
>> RIEDEL: Marc Shaiman?
>> FIERSTEIN: Marc Shaiman said,
"Are you really not gonna do
it?"
And I said, "Marc, how can I do
it if I can't even read it?"
He said, "I'll let you read it."
And this shows you how long ago
it was or how far we've come in
that 10 years, but he faxed it
to me...
[ Laughter ]
...page by page.
>> RIEDEL: Oh, my God!
>> FIERSTEIN: And that was the
version we did.
>> HASKINS: Well, we exhumed
from the "Theater Talk" archive
a tiny, little clip from the
press preview.
>> ALL: ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
>> FIERSTEIN: ♪ Hey, Tracy,
hey baby, look at me ♪
♪ I'm the cutest chickie
that you ever did see ♪
♪ Hey, Tracy, hey, baby... ♪
>> HASKINS: So, this was --
this was May before you opened,
'cause you opened in August,
right?
>> FIERSTEIN: Yes, but that was
after Seattle, then.
>> HASKINS: Right. So, anyway --
>> FIERSTEIN: Oh, so the show
was all fixed, and it was
gorgeous.
>> RIEDEL: It was perfect!
>> HASKINS: But, anyway --
>> FIERSTEIN: Well, but the
first preview in Seattle, they
went crazy.
>> RIEDEL: They went crazy at
the first preview?
>> FIERSTEIN: Oh, they went --
The first preview in Seattle was
when -- I was in my dressing
room.
I'd already taken off my
costume, already taken off my
wig, and I -- and I said, "What
is that noise?"
And the audience was stomping,
still in the house, stomping
for me to come back out.
It was one of those...
>> RIEDEL: Oh, wow.
>> FIERSTEIN: ...magical moments
that you never think you -- that
will ever happen in your life.
I will never forget that
feeling.
They said, "Harvey, you've got
to go back out there.
The audience won't leave."
It was -- A lot of the audience
was the Seattle Men's Chorus...
>> RIEDEL: Oh, yeah.
>> FIERSTEIN: ...who I had
worked with, and so they were
there, you know, cheering us on.
But -- And the audience stayed
and stayed.
And I came out in my dressing
robe.
>> RIEDEL: Did you have to --
Oh, you didn't put the wig back
on -- you just...
>> FIERSTEIN: My dressing -- No.
I mean, I'd already started
undressing.
We were already -- and so I came
back out in my dressing robe,
and -- and screams and all that.
It was just one of the most
thrilling things, and that's
when I said, "Whatever happens,
we've got something that's
magical here."
>> HASKINS: How heavy is your
fat suit for this?
You keep a fat suit.
>> FIERSTEIN: Let's see.
I'll show you pictures that you
can take a shot of and put --
and put -- maybe --
I don't know what, but we'll
figure out before the show.
>> HASKINS: 'Cause I'm seeing
these promos.
>> FIERSTEIN: I just took --
No, I just took -- We --
I'm just doing costume fittings,
so I actually took photographs
in nothing but the fat stuff,
which is different this time,
'cause it's not designed by
William Ivey Long.
Somebody else is designing.
But the *** are still the
same, so the *** are about
8 pounds each.
>> HASKINS: Right.
>> FIERSTEIN: Each bun is about
5 pounds, I would say.
>> HASKINS: You look enormous.
>> RIEDEL: [ Laughs ]
>> FIERSTEIN: My --
>> HASKINS: No, because you
do -- you do not, and yet, on
the TV promo, they've got you
now...
I thought, "Whoa, that's a heavy
fat suit."
>> FIERSTEIN: Yeah, yeah.
It's -- But -- Yeah.
It's the magic of television.
>> HASKINS: It's the magic of
television.
>> RIEDEL: Are you -- Are you --
Are Marc and Scott writing any
new songs for it, or is it --
are you doing the score?
>> FIERSTEIN: They're using --
What I did was -- We're much
closer to the Broadway show
than -- than the film version
was.
>> RIEDEL: Right.
>> FIERSTEIN: You know, that
was -- that was what they
wanted.
That's what I wanted.
That's what Neil and Craig
wanted.
That's what Kenny wanted.
We did take out the "Madison"
dance that was in the Broadway
show and used the song from the
movie.
>> RIEDEL: Mm-hmm.
>> FIERSTEIN: And there's a song
that's the end titles of the
movie that we're using as the
end title -- as our sort of bow
thing for the show.
>> RIEDEL: You know, my favorite
moment in "Hairspray" is
"Timeless to Me."
That was always my favorite
number.
>> FIERSTEIN: Well, thank you.
>> RIEDEL: 'Cause it was al--
"Hairspray" was pitched on such
a fun, high level, and then you
go right down to this wonderful
couple together.
>> FIERSTEIN: Right.
>> RIEDEL: ...and that great old
Shaiman-Wittman song, which is
kind of a throwback to
another -- to another era.
>> FIERSTEIN: And we're doing
it, and, you know -- and we're
doing it on the street.
We're doing it -- Wilbur's gonna
be out on the street, working on
that invention thing.
>> RIEDEL: Oh, right.
>> FIERSTEIN: And I'll be on the
phone with Mr. Pinky and then
come down to the street.
>> HASKINS: That's Martin Short?
>> FIERSTEIN: Yeah, Martin and I
will do it out on the street,
and then the neighbors will be
hanging out their windows,
watching us.
>> RIEDEL: Doing
"Timeless to Me"?
>> FIERSTEIN: Yeah.
>> RIEDEL: In like an
old-fashioned -- the very
old-fashioned movie romantic
scene on the street, with...
>> FIERSTEIN: Yeah, but
hopefully -- I mean, I don't
want to lose...
>> RIEDEL: The intimacy.
>> FIERSTEIN: ...that intimacy
of the two of us.
>> RIEDEL: Yeah.
>> FIERSTEIN: And, you know,
and, obviously, a camera can do
that, 'cause a camera can come
right in and -- and really give
you that intimacy.
So it's not as much to worry
about.
But, you know, Marty's so funny
and so alive and so --
You know, I mean -- I --
You know, just the idea, like
when I was tying the script, and
I was thinking of Marty doing
it, and I -- and I have that
line, "Oh, Wilbur, stop.
You're the funny one."
And I said, "It's gonna be so
lovely saying that to him."
>> RIEDEL: Yeah.
>> FIERSTEIN: You know, I mean,
what's better than -- than, you
know, Marty Short?
>> HASKINS: Is there --
If Marty Short were improvising,
not in the live thing, but in
rehearsals, would that ever work
its way in, or is that what --
you don't...
>> FIERSTEIN: You know, Kenny
doesn't -- Kenny's very organic.
>> HASKINS: Mm.
>> FIERSTEIN: I mean, I watched
him work on "The Wiz."
>> HASKINS: Mm-hmm.
>> FIERSTEIN: He's so gentle.
He's so loving.
He's so real.
And even on "The Wiz," it was
always about keeping it real,
and it was always keeping --
you know, and it's --
because, as he says, this isn't
theater.
>> RIEDEL: Right.
>> FIERSTEIN: You know, this is
not theater.
This is not movies.
>> RIEDEL: Now, is this --
>> FIERSTEIN: It's something in
between.
>> RIEDEL: And if this works, if
"Hairspray" works, and I think
it will, in a big way, is there
any chance you can convince
Craig and Neil to do the live
version of "Legs Diamond"?
>> HASKINS: [ Chuckles ]
>> FIERSTEIN: We've discussed
it.
>> RIEDEL: [ Laughs ]
>> FIERSTEIN: And, once again, I
said, "Make Peter the offer."
[ Laughter ]
You never know.
It all depends on him.
>> HASKINS: But seriously --
>> FIERSTEIN: Somebody wanted --
Somebody wanted to put it on
recently.
>> HASKINS: Really?
>> FIERSTEIN: And I -- And I
read it again...
>> RIEDEL: Yeah?
>> FIERSTEIN: ...to just see if
I could do anything to fix it.
>> RIEDEL: Anything to it.
Is it fixable -- "Legs Diamond"?
>> FIERSTEIN: No, it was such a
terrible idea to start with.
It was just -- You know, and
then we'd try --
[ Sighs ] Everything that could
have gone wrong with that show
did go wrong, but, conceptually,
we never did the show that was
conceived.
I mean, they came to me after
the show had already been,
and there was no show.
And the director,
Robert Allan Ackerman, said to
me, "Here's the idea.
We've got Peter Allen."
>> RIEDEL: [ Chuckles ] Right.
>> FIERSTEIN: "We have the score
that Peter wrote.
We have this production that's
all about black lights."
It was -- This was the original
idea, like somebody -- You know,
'cause it was a sort of a
chase -- chase -- there were
lots of gang--
>> RIEDEL: Gangster chases and
stuff, yeah.
>> FIERSTEIN: So, like, a
showgirl takes off her feather
boa and throws it, and it became
a staircase that you could run
up.
So the whole thing was done in
black light.
It was very puppetry.
>> RIEDEL: Mm.
>> FIERSTEIN: So I wrote it that
way.
I wrote the whole thing with
chases and things like that.
And then, they -- then they did
a workshop and decided they
didn't like the way it looked.
Everything was too dark.
The audience would be asleep
with everything in black light.
And...so we were stuck with a
show that had a -- it was like
doing "Cats" with everybody
dressed in 1940s suits.
>> RIEDEL: But you had the great
lines -- I think it was
Jon Wilner who was the ad man on
it.
He told me -- I think I put it
in my book.
He said, "The second preview,
Harvey was in the lobby at the
intermission.
He said, 'It's getting better.
Only 150 people left tonight.'"
[ Laughter ]
>> FIERSTEIN: We used to stand
outside behind the colonnade of
the -- of the theater and watch
the people leave.
And I -- One woman just turned
to me and said, "Harvey."
[ Laughter ]
>> RIEDEL: Not that way for
"Hairspray."
>> FIERSTEIN: But wait.
But wait.
I think you'll never get this on
TV, 'cause it's too long.
But we were -- But, you know,
Jimmy just died.
>> RIEDEL: Yeah,
Jimmy Nederlander, who produced
it.
>> FIERSTEIN: Who produced it,
and I loved him so much.
>> RIEDEL: Yeah.
>> FIERSTEIN: I adored him.
And he wouldn't hear of letting
Peter go, you know, because
Larry Kert was his standby.
And Larry Kert did a dress
rehearsal, you know, 'cause you
had to do a put-in.
>> RIEDEL: Yeah.
>> FIERSTEIN: And the whole show
was 3,000 times better.
I'm sorry, Peter. I'm sorry.
But it was so much better with
Larry.
But, anyway, so, could not get
Peter entrance applause.
I mean, he is the star of the
show, the whole reason you're
doing the show, and the audience
couldn't care less.
>> RIEDEL: Yeah.
>> FIERSTEIN: So it's like,
"What are we gonna do?
What are we gonna do?"
So he came up with, "We're gonna
write this new number."
And Peter wrote the number "When
I Get My Name in Lights"...
>> RIEDEL: "Name in Lights."
>> FIERSTEIN: ...which became
the big Hugh Jackman song.
>> HASKINS: Right, right.
>> RIEDEL: Exactly.
>> FIERSTEIN: Well, six of the
songs from "Boy from Oz"...
>> RIEDEL: Were from
"Legs Diamond."
>> FIERSTEIN: Yeah, so there
would have been no "Boy from Oz"
were it not for "Legs Diamond."
So he wrote
"When I Get My Name in Lights,"
and we built this huge electric
sign that said "Legs Diamond"
with real girls on it and phony
girls on it and him riding in.
And the curtain comes up, and
the music's playing, and he
rides in on this 20-foot
electric sign --
"When I Get My Name in Lights,"
and the audience didn't applaud.
>> HASKINS: Oh!
>> FIERSTEIN: And
Charlene Nederlander turned to
me and went, "I could have had a
bracelet."
[ Laughter ]
>> RIEDEL: And that's show biz,
baby.
>> HASKINS: All right.
>> RIEDEL: All right.
Harvey Fierstein is going to be
starring as Edna in --
>> FIERSTEIN: Live! Live!
>> RIEDEL: Live --
"Hairspray Live!" December 7th.
>> FIERSTEIN: And I better know
my lines, 'cause I wrote it.
>> RIEDEL: [ Laughs ]
He finally takes the credit.
All right, Harvey, we'll be
watching --
>> FIERSTEIN: No, I wrote the --
the teleplay.
>> HASKINS: Adaptation.
>> RIEDEL: Oh, the TV --
Right, right, right.
And we'll -- I'm gonna have a
viewing party at my apartment.
We'll be cheering you on.
>> FIERSTEIN: Can I come?
>> RIEDEL: [ Laughs ] Right.
[ Applauds ]
You're my guest.
Thank you very much,
Harvey Fierstein.
>> FIERSTEIN: Thank you.
>> RIEDEL: A pleasure, as
always.
>> ALL: ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
>> FIERSTEIN: ♪ Hey, Tracy,
hey baby, look at me ♪
♪ I'm the cutest chickie
that you ever did see ♪
♪ Hey, Tracy, hey, baby,
look at us ♪
♪ Where is there a team
that's half as fabulous? ♪
♪ I let go, go, go
of the past now ♪
♪ Said hello to this red-carpet
ride ♪
♪ Yes, 1 know that the world's
spinning fast now ♪
♪ Tell Lollobrigida to step
aside ♪
>> ALL: ♪ Mama, welcome to the
'60s ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh,
oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Oh, Mama, welcome to the
'60s ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh,
oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Go, mama, go, go, go ♪♪
♪♪
>> HASKINS: Our thanks to the
Friends of "Theater Talk" for
their significant contribution
to this production.
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