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Q & A with Kevin James Posted: Thursday October 17, 2002 12:38 PM
SI: You love the Mets, Jets, Islanders and Knicks, just like Doug Heffernan, your character on the show. Is there any difference between you and Doug? Kevin James: Just that Doug is four pounds heavier. I beef up before every taping. SI: In the Oct. 7 episode Doug prayed for Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde to throw a game-winning pass. Have you ever prayed for one of your teams to win? KJ: I've summoned the Lord many times. I'm still paying God back for the '86 Mets. SI: You were a sports-management major at SUNY-Cortland. If you were running the Mets, whom would you hire as manager? KJ: I would probably bring in Tony Robbins and start fresh. SI: As a standout tailback at Long Island's Ward Melville High, what kind of runner were you? KJ: I wouldn't go out-of-bounds -- unless I was forced out or I needed Gatorade. SI: What kind of running do you do now? KJ: Now I'm starting to jog. But every time I do jog I have 9-1 pressed into my phone, with the next '1' ready to be launched in case I drop. SI: When did you turn from hoping for a career in sports to pursuing one in comedy? KJ: When I was at a Division III college and it wasn't working out for me there. If I wasn't breaking out in Division III, it was time to regroup. SI: Former pro wrestler Mankind was on your high school wrestling team. Who won your practice bouts? KJ: I kicked the crap out of him. But now he's gotten a little bigger and a little better, so I've got to shut my mouth. SI: In one of your stand-up bits, you tell how disgusted you were when a man in the stands at Shea Stadium ate an apple. What was the problem? KJ: As American as an apple is and as American as baseball is, they don't go together. You can't be chewing an apple at a baseball game. You've got to let go of the diet that day. It's the same thing as wearing a suit at a ballpark. Let it go. Loosen the tie. SI: When you worked as a personal trainer, what was your advice to clients? KJ: I think I invented the phrase "Don't overdo it." SI: You're an 18 handicapper. Is it true you beat Tiger Woods at his celebrity tournament? KJ: That's right, I took down the Tiger. I don't like to mention this, but it was just three holes, and Tiger was allowed to use only three clubs -- a driver, a five-iron and a nine-iron. He putted with his driver. You don't have to write that last part if you don't want to. SI: Tiger's a great golfer, but could he carry a sitcom? KJ: I would never say Tiger couldn't do anything. This guy can do whatever he wants if he sets his mind to it. I'm sure if he practiced and worked with his father, he'd be funnier and better than I am. SI: Who's a better golfer, you or Ray Romano? KJ: I am. Put that in capital letters. SI: Who's better looking, Anna Kournikova or [TV wife] Leah Remini? KJ: Without a doubt, Leah. Kournikova's sweet, but you know what, I have to work with Leah. Think if I went the other way on that question. There's no win on that one. SI: Would you rather have your life as a sitcom star, or Mike Piazza's life? KJ: I'd rather have mine because I think my career can go on much longer. I would always love to be an athlete, but it's got to be a tough day when you have to hang up those cleats. I'd almost rather be a golfer, because then you've got the Senior tour to go to. SI: You've described yourself and Ray Romano as a fatter, uglier version of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Is that being fair to Ray? KJ: Why, you think Ray's good-looking? You drinking over there, Pete? Yeah, we're the uglier, fatter, less-talented version of those guys. And they smell better. That last one's just a guess. SI: Right after your show started, in 1998, you said your goal was to be famous enough to take batting practice at Shea. Have you? KJ: Yes, a bunch of times. Last year I took one out off [coach] Mookie Wilson. But now they're throwing away from me. How does it look if a fat sitcom guy is knocking the ball out? —Pete McEntegart Issue date: Oct. 21, 2002
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