Moondance
10-12-2004, 07:01 PM
Isaac Mizrahi: Oh, she is? Where? Oh look! Bebe Neuwirth!
Bebe Neuwirth: Hi.
Isaac: How are you?
Bebe: Good. How are you?
Isaac: Good. So, Bebe.
Bebe: Isaac.
Isaac: What sign are you, Bebe?
Bebe: Capricorn.
Isaac: You're Capricorn, because you're wearing the right shoe for Capricorn today.
Bebe laughs.
Isaac: Let's go look at those shoes, because you sent clothes for us, too...
Bebe: Yeah and I realized, "I have to go shopping." I don't really have any outfits.
Isaac: You know, how your clothes are so tiny that you don't notice them as actual clothes. Either like barbie clothes or something. So, look, we have all these shoes for you. Oh, this is Ben, by the way, Ben Walzer. [piano player]
Bebe: Hi, Ben. Nice to meet you.
Isaac: I just thought it would be nice to have a straight man on the set. (Bebe laughs) Since you were trying shoes on. (Bebe's still laughing) Seriously.
Bebe: (laughing) Yeah, kind of a straight perspective.
Isaac: [looking at the table of shoes] There are certain ones wecan just get rid of right away.
Bebe: Some of these have your name on them.
Isaac: Well, because predominantly they're mine.
Bebe: Oh.
Isaac: So, you sent us - we have these clothes with, like, a very oriental theme. It's either Chinnese or Japanese or something.
Bebe: I really loved the Japanese aesthetic since I was a little girl. And my parents were very...
Isaac: Chinnese restaurants and Japanese food.
Bebe: (laughs) You know us Jews on Saturday night, we have Chinnese.
Isaac: Are you Jewish?
Bebe: Uh-huh.
Isaac: (on cloud nine - Bebe is laughing hysterically) Bebe Neuwirth is Jewish! (to Bebe) I don't know what the hell that means - something. It's meaningless.
Bebe: I don't know.
Isaac: So what are we going to do? Are we going to put you in some clothes? Now what are you putting together?
Bebe: I would wear sneakers or cowboy boots. So I need help.
Isaac: Now the cowboy boot thing...
Bebe: When you see me in cowboy boots at a screening and I'm all dolled up and I've got cowboy boots on, that's so I don't get a migrane.
Isaac: Put that on. I'm going to look for shoes now.
Bebe: Alright. Where do I go to put it on?
Isaac: To this little changing booth here. See the little curtain?
Bebe: (shaking her finger to the camera) You're not coming with me, are ya? (laughing)
Isaac: Don't come with her.
Isaac looks for shoes - astounded by her taste in cowboy boots.
Piano plays.
Isaac: Ok, Bebe. That's your cue to enter.
Bebe: Oh, the glamour music?
Isaac: Look how glamous you look.
Bebe tries on shoes.
Bebe: How do I walk in these? The vamp is too low.
Isaac: (to his piano player) Play a vamp, would you, please?
Bebe hums a vampy tune.
Isaac: Wow!
Bebe: No, you know what? These are gorgeous to look at, but see how long the vamp is?
Isaac: I don't think they're so gorgeous. I don't like what it's doing - it's giving me a whole...
Bebe: (takes them off) Ok, fine, but, I can't walk in them anyway.
Isaac hands her a higher shoe.
Bebe: That's three inches, right?
Isaac: I know, but commit, Bebe, commit.
Bebe: (jokingly) I have a commitment problem. (puts on the shoe) You know what? That's not bad. You know, I got a pedicure for you.
Isaac: You did?
Bebe: Yeah and I hate pedicures.
Isaac: Wow, you're kidding.
Bebe: Hate them.
Isaac: Well, because you're a dancer you think of your feet as tools.
Bebe: Well, they're pretty unattactive if you get up close.
Isaac: I think dancer's feet are attractive.
Bebe: Just because they look like they can do something. You can do something with those feet, right?
Isaac: Are you all turned out and everything?
Bebe: No, I have - that's why I'm not a ballet dancer, because I didn't have a very good turn out.
Isaac: How'd you get started as a dancer?
Bebe: I was four years old, I saw "The Nutcracker" and I said, "I want to do that."
Isaac: Wow.
Bebe: Then when I was thirteen, I went to see "Pippin" and I said, "Ok, I want to dance on Broadway and I want to do that guys choreography."
Isaac: Right.
Bebe: Not knowing that it was God that I was talking about. (laughs)
Isaac: But at thirteen…
Bebe: But it resonated for me. I got that. There was just something about it – it felt really familiar and I just felt like it would suit me. It actually suits me better than anything else.
Isaac: Um, shoes – who cares.
Bebe: These are really comfortable.
Isaac: Put this on.
Bebe: You know, I wear cowboy boots with that.
Isaac: Right. Put this on.
Bebe: Or sneakers. (laughs)
Bebe exits.
Isaac: How you doing in there, Bebe? Bebe?
Bebe: Yes, sir.
Isaac: Are you ready, darling?
Bebe: Yes, sir. These go with these, right?
Isaac: This is the all purpose shoe we’re discovering.
Bebe: Yeah.
Isaac: What’s your favorite thing you’ve ever worked on? What do you think your best work is?
Bebe: My best work? You know I’ve been so good so often. [b]The truest remark throughout this entire interview (laughs) No – “Sweet Charity” was a very big deal.
Isaac: When was that?
Bebe: Eighty-Six.
Isaac: Eighty-Six.
Bebe: They gave me a Tony Award for that and I really felt like I did something there. And working with Bob Falsey, I mean, he really changed my life – every turn.
Isaac: So you think of yourself as primarily a dancer, which is funny because I think of you as a very, very, very talented and fabulous dancer, but I also think of you as a great actress.
Bebe: Well, I…
Isaac: Like, I'm sorry to say this but, like, Lilith is the funniest thing in the world.
Bebe: Yeah, she's funny. (mind you, Bebe is NOT smiling)
Isaac: She's a scream.
Bebe: Yeah, she's funny.
Isaac: Why don't you love doing that?
Bebe: I just was not comfortable working in a situation comedy medium. I felt like I was a fish out of water or a plant in the wrong soil, you know, I just - (Bebe tries to change the subject] These are cool. (about the shoes)
Isaac: A) You were heaven, right? You were heaven on that show, and B) It's like, you never have to work again or something.
Bebe: Uh, no. That's not true.
Isaac: No?
Bebe: These were the days before Friends.
Isaac: Ok, go put on that little black dress.
Bebe: The little black dress. Yep. (laughs)
Isaac: Now, Bebe.
Bebe: Sir.
Isaac: That you have to try on cause it’s the cutest thing, right? (about a shoe)
Bebe: It’s nothing in the hand.
Isaac: It’s nothing in the hand, (Bebe laughs) but on the foot, darling.
Bebe is trying to tie the laces around the front of her foot, she eventually succeeds, but everyone knows that shoes like that are tied in the back – OH WELL, IT’S BEBE!!!
Bebe: And these stay on, how?
Isaac: Well, you know… (laughs)
Bebe: These are gorgeous.
Isaac: They are the most gorgeous thing in the world.
Bebe: Here’s the thing, if a show looks good and you can’t walk in them, like, go to Madison Ave. and you see some women walking up Madison Ave. (Bebe demonstrates) like that Is that sexy?
Isaac: I respect them, personally.
Bebe: (laughs) For giving the effort.
Isaac: Well sit down for a second.
Bebe: Well sitting in a restaurant…
Isaac: Cross your legs. Ok, I rest my case. She’s a little paranoid because she is a dancer and she has to do, like, you know, six really fast turns and a split in a pair of shoes. But pretend she was, like, just walking from her car to a restaurant.
Bebe: To a chair.
Isaac: And you are sitting down and crossing your legs.
Bebe: Right.
Isaac: Then, what?
Bebe: That would be great.
Isaac: Isn’t that a good shoe for that?
Bebe: Yeah.
Isaac: Oh, my, God, right?
Bebe: Right.
Isaac: Yeah, right. Ok, I think that’s it. You can go change.
Bebe exits.
Isaac: It was a good day, right? Well, you know, Bebe Neuwirth, how could you go wrong, right?
Bebe Neuwirth: Hi.
Isaac: How are you?
Bebe: Good. How are you?
Isaac: Good. So, Bebe.
Bebe: Isaac.
Isaac: What sign are you, Bebe?
Bebe: Capricorn.
Isaac: You're Capricorn, because you're wearing the right shoe for Capricorn today.
Bebe laughs.
Isaac: Let's go look at those shoes, because you sent clothes for us, too...
Bebe: Yeah and I realized, "I have to go shopping." I don't really have any outfits.
Isaac: You know, how your clothes are so tiny that you don't notice them as actual clothes. Either like barbie clothes or something. So, look, we have all these shoes for you. Oh, this is Ben, by the way, Ben Walzer. [piano player]
Bebe: Hi, Ben. Nice to meet you.
Isaac: I just thought it would be nice to have a straight man on the set. (Bebe laughs) Since you were trying shoes on. (Bebe's still laughing) Seriously.
Bebe: (laughing) Yeah, kind of a straight perspective.
Isaac: [looking at the table of shoes] There are certain ones wecan just get rid of right away.
Bebe: Some of these have your name on them.
Isaac: Well, because predominantly they're mine.
Bebe: Oh.
Isaac: So, you sent us - we have these clothes with, like, a very oriental theme. It's either Chinnese or Japanese or something.
Bebe: I really loved the Japanese aesthetic since I was a little girl. And my parents were very...
Isaac: Chinnese restaurants and Japanese food.
Bebe: (laughs) You know us Jews on Saturday night, we have Chinnese.
Isaac: Are you Jewish?
Bebe: Uh-huh.
Isaac: (on cloud nine - Bebe is laughing hysterically) Bebe Neuwirth is Jewish! (to Bebe) I don't know what the hell that means - something. It's meaningless.
Bebe: I don't know.
Isaac: So what are we going to do? Are we going to put you in some clothes? Now what are you putting together?
Bebe: I would wear sneakers or cowboy boots. So I need help.
Isaac: Now the cowboy boot thing...
Bebe: When you see me in cowboy boots at a screening and I'm all dolled up and I've got cowboy boots on, that's so I don't get a migrane.
Isaac: Put that on. I'm going to look for shoes now.
Bebe: Alright. Where do I go to put it on?
Isaac: To this little changing booth here. See the little curtain?
Bebe: (shaking her finger to the camera) You're not coming with me, are ya? (laughing)
Isaac: Don't come with her.
Isaac looks for shoes - astounded by her taste in cowboy boots.
Piano plays.
Isaac: Ok, Bebe. That's your cue to enter.
Bebe: Oh, the glamour music?
Isaac: Look how glamous you look.
Bebe tries on shoes.
Bebe: How do I walk in these? The vamp is too low.
Isaac: (to his piano player) Play a vamp, would you, please?
Bebe hums a vampy tune.
Isaac: Wow!
Bebe: No, you know what? These are gorgeous to look at, but see how long the vamp is?
Isaac: I don't think they're so gorgeous. I don't like what it's doing - it's giving me a whole...
Bebe: (takes them off) Ok, fine, but, I can't walk in them anyway.
Isaac hands her a higher shoe.
Bebe: That's three inches, right?
Isaac: I know, but commit, Bebe, commit.
Bebe: (jokingly) I have a commitment problem. (puts on the shoe) You know what? That's not bad. You know, I got a pedicure for you.
Isaac: You did?
Bebe: Yeah and I hate pedicures.
Isaac: Wow, you're kidding.
Bebe: Hate them.
Isaac: Well, because you're a dancer you think of your feet as tools.
Bebe: Well, they're pretty unattactive if you get up close.
Isaac: I think dancer's feet are attractive.
Bebe: Just because they look like they can do something. You can do something with those feet, right?
Isaac: Are you all turned out and everything?
Bebe: No, I have - that's why I'm not a ballet dancer, because I didn't have a very good turn out.
Isaac: How'd you get started as a dancer?
Bebe: I was four years old, I saw "The Nutcracker" and I said, "I want to do that."
Isaac: Wow.
Bebe: Then when I was thirteen, I went to see "Pippin" and I said, "Ok, I want to dance on Broadway and I want to do that guys choreography."
Isaac: Right.
Bebe: Not knowing that it was God that I was talking about. (laughs)
Isaac: But at thirteen…
Bebe: But it resonated for me. I got that. There was just something about it – it felt really familiar and I just felt like it would suit me. It actually suits me better than anything else.
Isaac: Um, shoes – who cares.
Bebe: These are really comfortable.
Isaac: Put this on.
Bebe: You know, I wear cowboy boots with that.
Isaac: Right. Put this on.
Bebe: Or sneakers. (laughs)
Bebe exits.
Isaac: How you doing in there, Bebe? Bebe?
Bebe: Yes, sir.
Isaac: Are you ready, darling?
Bebe: Yes, sir. These go with these, right?
Isaac: This is the all purpose shoe we’re discovering.
Bebe: Yeah.
Isaac: What’s your favorite thing you’ve ever worked on? What do you think your best work is?
Bebe: My best work? You know I’ve been so good so often. [b]The truest remark throughout this entire interview (laughs) No – “Sweet Charity” was a very big deal.
Isaac: When was that?
Bebe: Eighty-Six.
Isaac: Eighty-Six.
Bebe: They gave me a Tony Award for that and I really felt like I did something there. And working with Bob Falsey, I mean, he really changed my life – every turn.
Isaac: So you think of yourself as primarily a dancer, which is funny because I think of you as a very, very, very talented and fabulous dancer, but I also think of you as a great actress.
Bebe: Well, I…
Isaac: Like, I'm sorry to say this but, like, Lilith is the funniest thing in the world.
Bebe: Yeah, she's funny. (mind you, Bebe is NOT smiling)
Isaac: She's a scream.
Bebe: Yeah, she's funny.
Isaac: Why don't you love doing that?
Bebe: I just was not comfortable working in a situation comedy medium. I felt like I was a fish out of water or a plant in the wrong soil, you know, I just - (Bebe tries to change the subject] These are cool. (about the shoes)
Isaac: A) You were heaven, right? You were heaven on that show, and B) It's like, you never have to work again or something.
Bebe: Uh, no. That's not true.
Isaac: No?
Bebe: These were the days before Friends.
Isaac: Ok, go put on that little black dress.
Bebe: The little black dress. Yep. (laughs)
Isaac: Now, Bebe.
Bebe: Sir.
Isaac: That you have to try on cause it’s the cutest thing, right? (about a shoe)
Bebe: It’s nothing in the hand.
Isaac: It’s nothing in the hand, (Bebe laughs) but on the foot, darling.
Bebe is trying to tie the laces around the front of her foot, she eventually succeeds, but everyone knows that shoes like that are tied in the back – OH WELL, IT’S BEBE!!!
Bebe: And these stay on, how?
Isaac: Well, you know… (laughs)
Bebe: These are gorgeous.
Isaac: They are the most gorgeous thing in the world.
Bebe: Here’s the thing, if a show looks good and you can’t walk in them, like, go to Madison Ave. and you see some women walking up Madison Ave. (Bebe demonstrates) like that Is that sexy?
Isaac: I respect them, personally.
Bebe: (laughs) For giving the effort.
Isaac: Well sit down for a second.
Bebe: Well sitting in a restaurant…
Isaac: Cross your legs. Ok, I rest my case. She’s a little paranoid because she is a dancer and she has to do, like, you know, six really fast turns and a split in a pair of shoes. But pretend she was, like, just walking from her car to a restaurant.
Bebe: To a chair.
Isaac: And you are sitting down and crossing your legs.
Bebe: Right.
Isaac: Then, what?
Bebe: That would be great.
Isaac: Isn’t that a good shoe for that?
Bebe: Yeah.
Isaac: Oh, my, God, right?
Bebe: Right.
Isaac: Yeah, right. Ok, I think that’s it. You can go change.
Bebe exits.
Isaac: It was a good day, right? Well, you know, Bebe Neuwirth, how could you go wrong, right?