Higgins says ‘Yes’ to success
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — In the new Jim Carrey movie “Yes Man,” John Michael Higgins plays a man who has decided to say “yes” to everything, prompting Carrey’s character to take a similar approach to life.
That’s Higgins’ character. But how inclined is the actor to just say yes?
“I say yes to everything. Have you read my resume?” Higgins asks during an interview at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
He’s taking a jab at himself. His list of television and film credits actually reflects a very successful career.
Higgins was praised for his portrayal of David Letterman in the 1996 HBO movie “The Late Shift.” The Boston native was a dramatic stage actor in New York for 20 years before being tapped to play the late-night talk show host.
“I feel proud of my performance as Letterman. I felt that his struggle was a dignified struggle. I thought it was a good story that a man should be put through that and somehow succeed out the other end,” Higgins says.
That cable movie was Higgins’ transition from drama to comedy. What followed was a series of comic television and film roles including the Christopher Guest movies, “Best in Show,” “A Mighty Wind” and “For Your Consideration.”
He’s glad he did the Guest films, because actors improvise their lines, which pushed him to improve his skills.
“There’s no rehearsal. We show up on the set. We’ve got 30 days, if that, two takes, and we move on. And if you’re not funny, you die. Which gives you this really high bar to jump over and kind of pulls out the best in a lot of the performers,”Higgins says.
Then there is his role as a regular on the series “Kath & Kim.” The new NBC comedy has not received good reviews or high ratings. But NBC is behind the show and in November gave the go-head to tape a full season.
As for the big comedy movie “Yes Man,” Higgins is glad he agreed to be in the film. He believes that with all the problems going on in the world, people need as many avenues as possible to escape with some laughter.
“Also, I actually find it harder to be funny when I am happy,” Higgins says, and the sour economy has helped him find humor.
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