Bobcat Goldthwait Q&A

The former 'Police Academy' star tells Chris Tilly about his controversial new comedy.

Mar 14 2007

Bobcat Goldthwait made his name performing some of the most shocking stand-up comedy on the American circuit before reaching mainstream audiences as Zed in the 'Police Academy' films. He has since turned to directing, and his new film, 'Sleeping Dogs', begins with a woman committing an unspeakable act on man's best friend before turning into one of the most touching and funny romantic comedies of the year.

Is there anything autobiographical about the 'Sleeping Dogs' story?

I think a lot of it is, though I haven't been involved with anybody who has performed bestiality. That I'm aware of. A lot of the characters are based on people I know though.

So what came first – the title or the story?

At first it was called 'Stay'. But then there was a Mark Forster/Naomi Watts film with that name, and the company that distributed in North America were frightened of their lawyers, and that's what it boiled down to. So now people think poor Naomi Watts is involved with a dog blow job movie.

Well yours is a better film than hers.

I hear it's less confusing.

So where did the inspiration come from?

It was just an idea that hit me. Kind of like my stand up, I used to always say or do things that were shocking to lose the audience, and then I'd spend the rest of the set trying to win them back. It was the same kind of idea. The beginning and end of the movie hit me at the same time, so I simply worked back from there.

How do you finance a film with such controversial subject matter?

We used our own money. Robin Williams gets a thank you at the end and he asked me why. I told him that I'd sold the Stratocaster he gave me a while back to fund the movie. So he partially financed it, like it or not.

How difficult is it getting that tone between comedy and drama right?

Basically, everyone that came on board as an actor got the tone. So all we did was play everything as straight as possible and that's where the comedy comes from. I have an aversion to comedy where everybody speaks in punchlines. I think I hang out with some pretty witty people but we're never that funny. Those kind of movies annoy me and rarely make me laugh.

The film seems to claim that honesty is overrated. Do you agree with that statement?

Yes, I'm amazed when I run into people who believe in full disclosure in a relationship, for two reasons. One, I don't think it's very kind – if you care about a person you're not going to burden then with something that's going to make you feel better and them feel uncomfortable. And two, those things you divulge during pillow talk are the things that are going to come out when you're breaking up.

So will this make a good date movie?

I think so. It's not bitter about romantic love. It would be a more broad-minded date movie than the traditional fare. I don't know if you're going to get laid after it though.

Are there more feature films up your sleeve?

I have a whole bunch of stuff that I'd like to write one day. My real goal is that if I get to keep making movies, they'll be real small ones. Not go off and get a development deal and spend two years of my life making a Kate Hudson movie and wanting to kill myself when it's done.

Finally a question that's close to the heart of most of my generation – would you do a 'Police Academy' reunion film?

Yes. In the past I always said I wouldn't, but the reality of it is that now I would, because I hate it when you see reunion movies or reunion TV shows and someone doesn't show up. I'll go 'wow, Marsha Brady's an asshole – she didn't come back'. Hell, even when they do a 'Happy Days' reunion, Ron Howard still shows up. So I would come back, but I think I'd have to get a wig or something.

'Sleeping Dogs' is released on Friday.

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