Duane Daniels – Fashion Police

Q) What are the current projects that you are working on?

A) I have several theatre projects. I am producing a new play festival in San Diego. So far, we’ve done four of the eight plays and there is still four to go in the span of a month. I am really busy with that since I am producing it. I’ve done some film work and I was in the TV show “Fashion House” for several episodes. I am negotiating for some things in the future. I am also doing a fundraiser show in San Diego, where I perform with my partner Dane Stauffer. We’ve been doing this for six years and we are in a show called “Dane and Duane, the Only Thing Missing is U.” We have a show on the 17th here in San Diego. I am currently rehearsing that.

Q) You are starring in the show “Fashion House.” Please tell us about the premise of the show and about your character, Detective Gerardi.

A) I play a crooked cop and I shouldn’t tell you how it ends. It’s kind of a crime family show, that is a drama and sort of a soap opera. It’s on every day. It’s what they call a telenovela. I won’t come on until October or so, but I get to play a crooked cop in this and set some people up. There are gun battles and all kinds of cool things.

Q) What made you want to be a part of the show?

A) I like to take jobs when they are offered to me. If I can get a gig, I’ll usually do it. I just like staying busy. I always have lines to memorize, a show to work on or a scene to shoot. I just like to stay busy, so I say yes to pretty much everything. This show seemed like a lot of fun to me and it shoots on the same lot where “Veronica Mars” shoots, too. I got to be over there and I have a lot of friends there. So, that was fun, too.

Q) What is it your most memorable moment from filming?

A) My most memorable moment would have to be the gun battle. I had never done a gun battle before as a film or TV actor. I’ve done stuff like that on stage and that’s really different. On camera, to have a gun battle, is totally different and a lot of fun. You have live weapons, blood and all kind of cool things. It was really neat. The scene I shot is just like a five year old kid playing out the same scene in his backyard. It was just like that! It was just like going back in time to do a gun battle.

Q) Why should viewers take the time to tune into the show?

A) I think it’ll be one of those things that draws you in. It hooks you and holds you. The more you know about the characters, the more you care about what happens to them. It’s one of those things where if you check out a couple of episodes in a row that you’ll be hooked. It’s really satisfying story telling, as well.

Q) You played the principal on the show “Veronica Mars.” Are you going to miss Neptune High School?

A) I’m still at Neptune High! Veronica is not, but I am! I’m still there busting kids and filling out forms. Just kidding! Actually, I certainly am missing not working with them this season so far. I hope at some point I’ll be back on the show. I don’t know when, how they are going to work that in or if they’re going to work that in. I definitely miss it and I miss the people. It’s a fantastic show and if you can be on a TV show at all, why not make it a fantastic one? I really really enjoyed Kristen, all of the directors, actors and crew people. I’d like to see Mr. Clemens go into politics. I think at heart, he’s a pretty good guy. I always approached the role like I was trying to be a good high school principal. I think I was really concerned with doing a good job in the school. I also think there are a bunch of stories out there. Every kid has a story, not just Veronica.

Q) You are very active in theatre. What originally sparked your interest and keeps it going?

A) You would think after about thirty years in the business you’d get  kind of tired of it or think you know everything about it, but the more you think you know the more you know you don’t know about it. You just have to keep on doing it and it gets more fascinating the longer you’ve done it. There is always another story to tell and there is always a new way to tell it. I love being in that world. What I produce mostly are new works. I work with playwrights on developing new material, typically. To me, it is just what I love doing. I never get tired of it. I just never get tired of it. There is a show that I do on stage called “Triple Espresso,” for parts of eight years now. I’ve done like 2,000 performances and every time I do it, it is still incredibly fascinating.

Q) What do you do in your spare time?

A) I play some basketball. I like to swim and go to the beach now and then. I do some traveling. I go to New York any time I have time off. I have a lot of friends. Even when I’m with my friends, we’re talking theatre. There is always something to work on. There is always some new enlightenment. It’s liquid. It’s like comedy, it’s liquid. It’s not a solid because you can’t count on it. It’s always moving and ever changing. You can’t do it the same. It’s always right now. It’s just a beautiful and fun process. I also teach acting to students in LA and San Diego. That’s fun to me, too. If I can do something to help an actor achieve his or her goals then I really want to do that.

Q) What is your latest obsession? A book? A movie? An activity?

A) There are some movies that I really like, but wouldn’t call myself obsessed over them. I liked A Prairie Home Companion a lot and I also really liked Little Miss Sunshine. Those two movies were really fabulous. I also write music and do a lot of singing. I do a lot of swimming. I totally dig it. I am also kind of an uncle to a one year old. He and I live on the same property in LA. I live in a guest house behind a rather nice house and they have a one year old son. I get to hang out with him quite a bit. I am not a father myself so it’s a lot of fun to get to be a part of his life.

Q) What would you like to say to your fans and supporters?

A) I would like to say thanks very much for being supportive of me. I hope that I get to do some more stuff that you guys can see. I hope you’ll find me on stage somewhere. I do a lot of theatre all around the country. You can find out what I’m doing athttp://www.fritztheatre.com. Fritz Theatre is my company in San Diego. Thanks a ton for the support. I’m glad you guys like what I’ve been doing. I hope I get to do a whole more stuff for you to enjoy. It’s really nice. The “Veronica Mars” actors are such great people. I see what kind of fans they have out there and it’s so well deserved. The actors are so great! They are just really wonderful people. I have a lot of respect for the fans because they seem to know who is worth checking out.