Transcript of Yahoo! Chat with Amy Hill and Holland Taylor
of The Naked Truth

Nbclive: Ok...we're just about ready! AMY HILL has just joined us...welcome AMY! (note, Holland Taylor will be joining us momentarily)

GunterGunterGali asks: Amy, do you still do any stand-up comedy?

Amy: I've never done stand-up comedy. I use to do improvisational comedy.

Gotstyle asks: What do you feel sets "The Naked Truth" apart from other shows on primetime?

Amy: Well, I'm on this show! And that's a very good thing. :-)

Nbclive: Welcome Holland to this evenings chat!

Amy: Holland stepped out to use the little girl's room.

Gotstyle asks: Amy, after graduation you moved to japan-what were your reasons for traveling across the world?

Amy: I wanted to get out of Seattle desperately and create a new identity.

Gotstyle asks: For both actresses, when did you first realize you wanted to become an actress?

Holland: Hi, everyone. I'm sorry I was in the john. Don't know what made me want to be an actress. When I was in school, about 12, I did my first play. I was Puck in "Midsummer Night's Dream" in an outdoor theater, and it was a very dream-like experience. I just thought well, I'll just keep doing this. And, I never looked back!

Amy: I performed on the front porch for the Italians across the street. And I never looked back!

Knifeintheneck asks: Hollland, is your real name really Holland, and if so, how did your parents come up with the name?

Holland: It's a family name and it goes back my generations. One of my sister's has it as her middle name, it was my uncle and my niece's first name, and it goes way back.

DarkApostole_13 asks: How would you define your relationship between you and the person who plays the character "Nora Wild" ?

Holland: And no, they don't call me Holly. EVER.

Amy: I resent her beauty.

Holland: Well, in a way she's a younger me. And I resent her beauty. I love her, but I push her around. And, I'm a bit of a bully. But she knows I love. And I know she loves me. And we learn from each other. She's a nice person, and I'm the boss of the apple sauce.

Carrotcake_98 asks: It must be ironic how you work for a gossip/trash magazine on tv. Do the real gossip mags bother you or affect you in any way?

Amy: I find them extremely humorous. I feel I will have made it, if they ever put me on the front page. Then I will have to quit the business and move to the South of France.

Holland: I've never been bothered because I don't have the stature to make anybody bother me. I daresay, my personal life qualifies me to make the cover of a tabloid from time to time, but nobody's asking me. And I've never had anything to do with Brad Pitt.

Nbclive: and an interesting followup question...

MonkeWoman asks: Tabloid Magazines have been given the short end of the stick lately with the "diana" story and other controversies. Do you think this effects the show in any way?

Amy: Well, I was suppose to be a papparazza. Now I don't even carry a camera anymore.

Holland: It did put a damper on our satirical approach to the tabloid world. It's such a horribly sad event. So certain kinds of jokes we gladly threw out. Ultimately, sitcoms are about a bunch of characters are in a box,and it doesn't mattter what the milleu is... or at least it should be that way.

Nbclive: ...more on the papparazzi issue...

Ashleyjudd asks: Have you felt any pressure from other celebrities on the content of your show due to the whole papparzzi issue?

Amy: No

Holland: No, I haven't either.

Bubba1587 asks: Have the two of you ever worked together before?

Amy: No, but I hope to see her on stage sometime. Or, maybe meet her on stage sometime.

Holland: I think we should play together on stage, which for both of us is our natural habitat. More so than television. Sometimes we play cards.

Amy: That's why we know we can work well together.

Nakdtrthfn asks: Holland it is wonderful to see you in women's roles of such strength and character, do you pursue strong roles or do they just come your way?

Holland: I try to get more variety. But, in fact I am offered roles of this type. And, even though once in a while I've acted a very different kind of personality, strength is my strenth as a performer. It's like... why jump over a low fence when you can jump over a high fence. *I just made that up.* I just played the United Stated Attorney General on "Michael Hayes" and it was fun to play someone with true political power in a man's world. But the majority of the strong woman that I've played, are somehow funny or ridiculous and that's what I love about it.

Nbclive: Amy, I've heard you have your own website...is this true? If so, what's the URL?

Amy: Yes, it's www.... whatever that stuff is. You can actually find it on Yahoo! by looking up Amy Hill.

January_Fire asks: Do you give input in the scripts?

Amy: We have an open communication with the writers. Ultimately, it's their call.

Holland: But, if we do something that really flies, and no one can deny, it usually goes in. If some actors have a real problem with something, the writers will write you something else.

Amethyst126 asks: what do you like best about your jobs?

Amy: The pay. Television is like a big cultural grant for me to do theatre.

Holland: I'll speak more generally.... I like the acting as a career because of the endless variety and change. First of all, I don't have any choice because I'm compelled to act. But I am lucky that my profession gives me such variety of experience, locale, people, cultural interests, and creative material.

Raven_911 asks: have either of you ever been on a show like Letterman, Leno, Conan, or Tom Snyder?

Amy: I was on "Pet Shop" with Andy Kindler with my 2 dogs - Wanda and Honey Girl. They rocked! :-)

Holland: I was on "Jay Leno" when I was playing on "Powers that Be" for NBC, which was a great Norman Lear sitcom. It was very exciting and the first thing that surpirsed me was that in his introduction, he said I was one of the stars of "Buddies" as part of his listing my credits. And the audiences applauded loudly, and I was so glad to see such a follwoing. I found myself to be quite comfortable, after I got over the initial nevers. It was quite fun.

Douuy asks: Hill, how'd you like working on your old show "All American Girl?" I loved that show.

Amy: LOVED it. The character I played was so dear to me. Nbclive: another question from a past project...

Keana29 asks: Holland, do you still keep in touch with the cast from Bosom Buddies?

Holland: Yes, I keep up with Tom who I genuinely love and I feel he loves me too. I talk to the others from time to time...

Peter Scolari and Wendy Joe Sperber. And of course Chris Thompson created "Bosom Buddies" and "The Naked Truth." I had done a movie with Tea Leoni before the show started, and she and Chris Thompson both picked me to play this part on "The Naked Truth" independently of each other. Going back to Tom Hanks, everything the questioner ever imagined that was wonderful about Tom Hanks is true.

Nbclive: Are there any upcoming projects (other than "The Naked Truth") that the two of you are working on?

Amy: I'm writing an animation script for HBO. And doing one of my solo shows at the Getty, Feb. 27th.

Holland: An independent picture was just in the competition at Sundance. It's called "Next Stop Wonderland" directed by Brad Anderson. And it was purchased by Miramax for just under 7 million dollars. So I'm sure that will have a release. And, I'm in the "Truman Show" which is the next Jim Carrey show -- directed by Peter Weir and that will be out this summer.

Carrotcake_98 asks: You have an absolutely wonderful cast. Is it difficult to get through the day because you're too busy laughing?

Amy & Holland: And crying.

Holland: We do get along like gang busters.

Drnetiii asks: The show has undergone format and casts changes from original do you think you have found the magic mix now? Holland: Perfection does not exist. Life is starving. Creativity is process. It's all process. I'm speaking tongue-and-cheek, but it's very hard with many, many, many people to come up with something that is really unified. But we try our best. There at least 150 people making a sitcom.

Amy: I go to a whole new show every season, looking for that magical mix.

Knifeintheneck asks: Holland and Amy, do you prefer working on sitcoms, movies or the theater (or standup)?

Amy: I like the theatre the best. I am powerful and in control.

Holland: I would second that. It's also an uninterrupted event. It has an arch of energy. You begin it, you fly with it, you end with it. No one interferes with your timing or with your decision about what is seen. And it's also like a circus act, it can be quite thrilling with your teammates, your cast mates. It's high risk, and it can be very exciting. Film you basically turn yourself over to others. And hope that your instincts and your looks will be protected and revealed.

Raptor_ca asks: how long does a average episode take to film

Amy: An episode takes 5 working days of rehearsal, re-writes, camera blocking, and taping in front of an audience.

CreepOut asks: Who directs the Naked truth?

Holland: Robby Benson at the moment. He's an actor, as everyone knows. He's gifted, and other people take over from time to time.

SoggyBullFroggy asks: I have a son (9 yrs) who swears he's gonna be on tv someday. His idol is Jim Carey. He stays in front of the mirror practicing faces all hours of the day. How can I direct him towards an acting career?

Amy: School plays.

Holland: He has to find his own way. And if he should, he will.

Screenwrtr asks: ok - so I tune in - and hey no nudity?? What gives? (it's called "The Naked Truth", right?)

Amy: You don't want to see us naked, buddy.

Holland: He would want to see me naked if I was standing on my head.

MasterP_Last_Don asks: Amy I really Think you're Good Looking!

Amy: Oooh _

crystal_rain asks: What's the funniest thing to happen on the set????

Holland: Lots and lots, hard to pick. Mark Roberts mooned everyone one day. That was pretty funny. The man that played Dave walked across the set in rehearsal with his behind hanging out. It was nap time and we all needed a pick me up. It replaced tea.

Kooter_98 asks: Do you not think that the episode involving the Plastic Surgery Clinic was a little risque??

Holland: What part? We need an answer from you before we can answer. Risque for whom? It is a 9:30 show.

January_Fire asks: What are your favorite episodes?

Amy: Oh dear. Any of them where I have more than 5 lines.

Holland: I like tonight's because things get hot with me and Jake.

Oriens asks: I live in Australia where the naked truth is huge How do you both feel about thw world wide success of the show?

Holland: We know it's a hit there. And that's a lot of fun, because I happen to love Australia. Since Australia is a year behind, they are seeing our second season, where Geroge Went is the publisher. And next year it will be different. Hope they stick with us.

Fill_From_The_Warehouse asks: I dont think my previous question was written properly so allow me ti reiterate: What is it like to work with the comic genius Chris Elliott?

Amy: He is a sweetheart. And as funny off camera as he is on.

Holland: And I would say he's not like anybody else in the whole wide world, which is a complement in my book.

Surgar_blues asks: i just wanted to say to both of you i think that you are both very funny

Amy & Holland: :-). Thank you.

CreepOut asks: Would you ever think of taking on directing the show yourself?

Holland: Well, because there are 4 cameras, and you have to know what each one of them should see, it's too difficult to just take up over night. I could direct a play tomorrow. But, I would - I need quite a lot of training to direct a 4 camera show.

Amy: I'm not interested in directing TV.

Nbclive: next to last question...

Screenwrtr asks: Great job - good show - great cast-the question is-when we can expect the breakfast cereal?

Holland: When I turn into a banana. Goodbye. I'd love to be online again. It was fun. A new thing to do.

Amy: Peace, love, comedy.  

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