Mary Birdsong – Reno 911!

By starrymag | May 20, 2020

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) What are the recent projects that you have been busy working on?

A) In addition to shooting and then promoting the “Reno 911!” reboot on Quibi, I’ve been…

Writing a feature film. My writing partner (and long-time BFF) Katty Biscone lives in Seattle, so the whole Zoom-atizing of America lately has made it so much easier. Also— we’re both so happy we get to see each other every day!

Pitching an original pilot that’s autobiographical.

I’ve also been working on my tan. (Does that count?) [laughs]

 

Q) Where do we pick up with Deputy Cherisha KImball when we return to “Reno 911!”?

A) You know what? That’s a good question. We shoot the show in such a fragmented (but ultimately smart and very efficient) way that it’s hard to tell what parts they’ll put where. Think of all the scenes in each “Reno 911!” season as LEGOS. Shooting the show is when we make all the individual Lego pieces and then Tom Lennon, Ben Garant and Kerri Kenney-Silver (the original creators of the series, as well) and the editors put all the pieces together to make nice big building called Season 7 of “Reno 911!”. I have no idea which of my Legos they’ll out where. (Was that cryptic enough for ya?) [smiles]

 

Q) What was it about the series or this new Quibi version that interested in you in returning?

A) Getting paid lots of money-dollars. There’s that. [smiles] But, seriously, there have been rumors about this happening for so long. And I tried to keep my expectations low because you don’t wanna get your hopes up and then be disappointed. I wasn’t sure what doing this seventh season would be like and it far exceeded my expectations.  I had SO MUCH FUN. It had been ten years since we’d worked together on the show, but it felt more like ten days.

 

Q) Was there someone(s) in particular you were looking forward to sharing a scene with?

A) It was GREAT to get to work with cast members Ian Roberts and Joe LoTruglio, because they weren’t in the past seasons of the show that I did. I was in one episode of Season 2, and then became a regular cast member for seasons 3, 4, and 5. But Joe and Ian didn’t become deputies until Season 6, which I wasn’t in. I’d already gotten to know both of those guys outside of “Reno 911!” many years before we worked together this year.  They’re the best.

 

Q) Who were some of your cherished characters you are excited to see making a reappearance?

A) I’m a huge fan of Patton Oswalt’s, so I was psyched he’d be back but bummed that my scenes weren’t WITH him. It was also great to see Jim Rash on set (though- again, my scenes weren’t with him).

 

Q) You have great comedic timing. Is it something that has always been a natural ability for you?

A) Thank you! I was painfully shy when I was young— a real mama’s girl, hiding behind her skirt whenever someone I didn’t know came by. I often preferred to sort of sit off in the corner observing others rather than engaging with them full-on. And I think maybe all of that listening and observing served me well, especially in comedy. And then at around the age of six years old or so, I started just doing these extreme characters—loud, bossy, funny. I didn’t know it at the time, but those characters were like a life-raft. If I interacted with other people as someone else, I didn’t feel scared.

I was also dyslexic and I had a bad lisp, so I think I was fond of mimicking others as a way to get rid of those traits I was embarrassed about. I still battle with shyness just as much now as when I was a child; I’ve just gotten better at hiding it and learned little tricks to help my brain climb out of that crippling self-consciousness. Also, my mom and dad are both very funny and my siblings are, too. The mimicry skill I think I get mostly from my dad because he has a real affinity for picking up languages. And my little sister Veronica is hilarious – she has enough characters in her to put on her own one-woman show.

 

Q) What are some of your all-time favorite “Reno 911!” episodes?

A) I love Coconut Nut Clusters. And I especially loved the first episode of Season 2 where I played a massage therapist disguised as a Geisha who beats the crap out of Junior (Ben Garant). And any episode with Little Terry (Nick Swardson) in it will always be in my top ten.

 

Q) What do you think it is about “Reno 911!” that makes now the perfect time for it to return?

A) We all desperately need to LAUGH! And I think we’re craving something that’s kind of different and edgy/out there, but familiar at the same time. And that’s “Reno 911!”

 

Q) What is it about Quibi that makes it such a good home for the show?

A) Well, firstly it’s the fact that Quibi just ponied up and made it HAPPEN! That right there says a LOT. Their enthusiasm and their support (not only in promoting the show, but also in their creative support). They didn’t micromanage every scene and every detail. They trusted us to do our jobs.  They have been amazing. But also, since it’s a mobile platform, I think it will find a whole new audience that are too young to remember watching “Reno 911!” back in the early 2000s.

 

Q) What have you personally taken away from your time working on this iconic series?

A) I think more than anything the love of the fans has meant so much to me. This show, in particular, just has such a loyal fan base. They tend to think of the characters on the show almost like family (really fucked up family, sure…like that cousin who’s hilarious, but always making an ass of himself at weddings). I like to think that almost any fan of this show could do a walk-on in an episode with NO PROBLEM.  They’d feel at home. [smiles] Being a part of a show that people hold so dear means a lot to me, and it’s a privilege to be a part of something special like that.

 

Q) We love the incredible artwork you share on social media. What inspires your creations?

A) Thank you so much!!! I love drawing and painting. I do it every morning while I have my tea. It’s basically art therapy. [smiles] It started out as a journal— more of a writing habit than artwork. I started journaling when I was eighteen years old. I was a freshman in college and a teacher made us start one as an assignment. I love writing down my dreams first thing in the morning and I’ve found that if I’m having trouble recalling what I dreampt the night before, if I start doodling/drawing, it will often trigger a whole FLOOD of images and storylines from my dreams that I’d had no access to just a few minutes prior. I’m fascinated by dreams— the neuroscience surrounding them. The poetry in them. All of it.

 

Q) For those that truly love your pieces, is there somewhere they can go to purchase some prints?

A) The book I’m writing is an illustrated memoir and it features a lot of the drawings I’ve done. No publisher or anything yet, but I’m certainly open to that. Until then, they can always email me directly (marybsong@gmail.com) if they’d like to buy any individual pieces or if they want to commission something or contact my agent at Innovative Artists Agency. Or send me a message on Instagram (@marybirdsongofficial).

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of you and the work you do?

A) Just thank you,thank you, thank you! From the bottom of my heart, I always love hearing from fans. So, don’t ever be afraid to reach out. As long as I have the time, I will answer. Sometimes it takes me a while, but I will. Oh, and please subscribe to my YouTube channel— http://YouTube.com/marybirdsongtv— and if you comment on any of my #365CharactersIn365Days videos I can almost always respond to those pretty quickly.