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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 5, 2012)
News Giant continued from page 6 really drives you and pushes you hard. KW: Teresa Emerson wants to know whether you enjoy doing voiceover work. MCD: Oh, of course you have to love it any time you can go to the studio in pajamas, and the only preparation you have to do is take a shower and brush your teeth. You don’t even have to memorize your lines. The script is right there in front of you. So, yeah, I love voiceover work. It’s right up there with acting. KW: Harriet Pakula Teweles says: Because of your size, you are often cast in a role of “The Heavy.” Since that is not the real you, how difficult is it to assume that role? MCD: It’s kind of difficult, because once people enjoy you as “The Heavy,” they want to see you as that all the time. And if you become pigeonholed, then there are only certain limited roles you can play. To help, I’ve trimmed my weight down to a solid 275 instead of being over 300 pounds. KW: Judyth Piazza asks: What is the most important lesson that you have learned working in Hollywood? MCD: Save your money. Save your money, because you could be very busy for a year, but then have the next one off. That’s happened to me, but I put my money in the bank, Kam. I don’t splurge. So, my best advice about working in Hollywood is: Save your money! KW: Judyth also asks: If you could change one thing about Hollywood, what would it be? MCD: How they do business. Kam, if you shake my hand and tell me we’re going to do this or that project together, I’d believe you. But when I first got to Hollywood, I’d believe all the peo- ple who’d tell me they were going to put me in a movie. And I still haven’t heard back from a lot of them to this day. I don’t like it when someone can look you in the eye and lie to you, or pre- tend that they’re more than you. KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would? MCD: [LOL] No, I just like answering the questions posed, because people can really come up with some off the wall stuff. KW: What is your favorite dish to cook? MCD: I made myself some pancakes this morning that were off the chain. I have to admit that I love pancakes and vegetari- an meatloaf. I am a food connoisseur, although I don’t eat pork. I’m lucky my girlfriend is a great chef, since eating is one of my favorite pastimes. KW: What is your guiltiest pleasure? MCD: Cheesecake! I just had some Cinnamon Chocolate Cheesecake, some German Chocolate Cheesecake and some Pineapple Upside-Down Cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory the other night. So, I had to work my butt off the next day, because I’m trying to get in shape for my new television series, “The Finder.” KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see? MCD: An accomplished actor who was homeless twice. A per- son who was down on his luck in Chicago in 1996, crying his eyes out on the lakefront. I see a guy who told himself: There ain’t no use in crying because nobody cares. You can either be a bum or follow your dream and try to make it. Today, I see a suc- cessful person when I look in the mirror. KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest child- hood memory? MCD: [Chuckles] My earliest memory is of the Christmas my mother bought me an Aurora race car set. That was the only gift I got that year, but I was the happiest kid in the world when she bought me that. I didn’t care about anything else. But that was back in the day, I don’t even know if Aurora’s still in business anymore. That and Electric Foot- ball were my favorites when I was a kid KW: Tudor Electric Football! I had that, and an HO-scale race car set, too. MCD: See, you know what I’m talking about, Kam. I can reminisce with you without Specializing in *short sales sounding weird. * bank owned properties KW: If you could have one * first time home buyers wish instantly granted, what * investment properties would that be for? * residential & commercial MCD: That’s a no-brainer. Just to have my mother’s health restored. Arthritis and other ail- ments have taken their toll, and she’s not as vibrant as she used to be. My wish would be to have her health back the way it was in Torrey Nelson the Sixties when she would play C: 503-381-2107 catch with me, throw a football W: 503-208-3797 with me, and teach me how to F: 503-536-6523 hold a bat. Yeah, my wish would E: mrtnel@gmail.com be for my mother to have excel- www.dwellrealtypdx.com lent health. 5625 NE MLK Jr. Blvd. KW: The Columbus Short Portland, OR 97211 question: Are you happy? MCD: Yes, extremely happy. You gotta remember I was homeless. Whenever I think I have something to complain about. I go outside, walk across the street and look at my home, and remind myself of the time I was living on the damn lakefront in a car full of garbage bags with clothes, and ask myself, “What do you possibly have to be upset about?” Kam, I have nothing to complain about. A friend of mine was just murdered, shot five times last Thursday as he was driving on a freeway entrance ramp. The last thing he did was dial 9-1-1. Another thing my mother told me as a child was, “Always wake up with a smile on your face, because a lot of people who went to sleep last night are not with us this morning.” So, I’m extremely happy, Kam. KW: Looks like your mother has given you a lot of sound advice over the years. MCD: Yeah, she’s never steered me wrong. I remember when Martin Luther King was shot and people started rioting in Chica- go. My mother whacked me on my butt just because I balled up a piece of paper and threw it out the window. She asked me, “Why did you do that?” I said, “Because they killed Martin Luther King.” She said, “just think, where are we gonna buy our Michael Clark Duncan groceries, if they burn all the stores down?” I hadn’t thought of that. September 5, 2012 The Portland Skanner Page 9
