FRANCES GRANT finds herself being chatted up by a sitcom actor who lists pickling exotic vegetables among his hobbies.
"What a wonderful connection," says the guy on the phone from Los Angeles. He's introduced himself as Sean Hayes - but how do I know this really is the man who plays
mad Jack on sitcom Will and Grace?
"It's good for me, so is it good for you too?" is the best spot test I can come up.
"It's wonderful - it's always good for me, baby," says Hayes. Yep, that sounds just like flirty Jack.
"My mom was just in New Zealand and Sydney. I sent her there in November. She said it was unbelievably gorgeous. I have to come stay with you, I'll plan it in the near future."
That surely sounds like happy houseguest Jack.
"There's definitely a bit of me in Jack," Hayes confirms. "That off-the-cuff sarcasm is kind of me as well."
And in case we need further evidence, here's the story of how he landed the role of the camp, wacky sidekick in Will and Grace.
"I went in and met with the producers, and after I read for the part I was walking out of the room and I said, 'I know you're all staring at my ass right now' and just walked out. So that's pretty much how I got the part."
When Will and Grace premiered in the United States last year, it was notable for being the first American sitcom in prime time with two openly gay characters.
No need for coy Ellen-style coming out story-lines for Will (Eric McCormack) and friend Jack: they're gay and that's a given.
Hayes, however, won't answer questions about his sexual orientation. And the fact that there are gay characters in the show is no longer a big deal, he says.
"For anybody to bring it up now, they'll be looked at as, 'Where have you been' - do you know what I mean? - and so we've kind of made it through the threshold. And after all, it isn't a gay show, it's a funny show with gay characters, so that's that."
From the start the focus for the four lead actors was on working well together and making the best of the well-written scripts, he says. "Nobody was too concerned with any of the content, our main concern was to make it funny and interesting."
Gay, straight, whatever. But there's another suggestion Hayes won't brook: that hyped-up, neurotic Jack and drunken socialite Karen have stolen the show.
"No, no, it's definitely an ensemble show. You couldn't have half an hour of just Jack and Karen and you couldn't have half an hour of just Will and Grace ... I agree we're the cartoon versions of Will and Grace, but we all have wonderful things to do in the show, it's pretty equal."
That penchant for off-the-cuff sarcasm 29-year-old Hayes shares with his character doesn't always work off-screen, however.
Take his biographical blurb in the publicity notes for the show, for example. He grew up in Chicago, the youngest of five children, studied classical piano, performance and conducting. He's been in a pop band and worked as a musical theatre director and composer.
He was a stand-up comedian in Chicago and Los Angeles and has done television work and a movie, Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss. And "he relaxes by playing hopscotch and pickling exotic vegetables."
Is he a wacky guy, then? Hayes groans and says he's lost count of the dead serious questions he's fielded from reporters on that one. "They were like, 'So, you pickle exotic vegetables?' And I'm like, 'No people, it was a joke.' I'll never live it down."
Forget the irony-deficient journ-alists then, what kind of feedback does he get from the fans?
"Oh gosh, people seem to really love this character, and what a blessing. I'm the luckiest man on Earth. Probably because he's such a free spirit and doesn't apologise for the way he is ... he just is who he is, he doesn't wait for anybody to judge him and at the same time he's a little self-deprecating. People cling to those kinds of characters."
Does his mother watch the show, when she's not being sent on trips Down Under?
"She doesn't miss it," says Hayes adopting his Jack voice. "She doesn't miss it or else I will shoot her."
Whoa, matricide? Nah, folks, only kidding. "You sound like fun," he says hopefully. "I'm coming to New Zealand, I'll call you. You can show me the ropes."
Who: Sean Hayes
What: Will and Grace
Where: TV3
When: 8 tonight
FRANCES GRANT finds herself being chatted up by a sitcom actor who lists pickling exotic vegetables among his hobbies.
"What a wonderful connection," says the guy on the phone from Los Angeles. He's introduced himself as Sean Hayes - but how do I know this really is the man who plays
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