Lauren Graham #2

Tonight Show with Jay Leno April 21 2001

Jay: Lauren, how are you.
Lauren: Fine, thank you.
Jay: I read in my notes today that we met ? I'm usually good at these things.
Lauren: You may not remember, You were very, very kind to me early in my career.
Jay: I was ?
Lauren: Um hum. You're so kind, probably all the time, you just don't remember.
I was new to LA, and I was driving what can be best described as a Pacer.
Jay: an AMC Pacer. A fine collector automobile.
Lauren: yeah, except mine had come from Chicago, for no reason, and it had areas of it that were just kind of rusted out. So I used to get a lot of guff. Guff, for driving this car.
Jay: Guff ? There's an LA word. A lot of guff.
Lauren: I did that for the sailors ? Umm, so I was driving with my boyfriend, at the time, and he said "Role down your window, there's a comedian who wants to say something to you." And I thought I was going to get mocked. And I role down the window and a very nice, distinguished man said "excuse me, I just wanted to let you know that you had a tail light out." And I said "Thank you, Jay Leno! " and it was you.
Jay: Well that's lovely. OK .
Lauren: So then I thought, that you know, this is my big shot, here at the red light. I thought I would make my career. And I was eating a bagel, and I said "Do you want some bagel ?" ...Isn't that good ? Aren't you surprised I haven't been here earlier ?
Jay: Yeah, yeah. I think I remember burning rubber, and taking off.
Lauren: I was like "Wait, wait." .... So isn't that funny ?
Jay: Yes, that's a fascinating story. Well, I hope you got the tail light fixed.
Lauren: I did. In fact I just junked the whole car.
Jay: What was I in, do you remember ?
Lauren: You were driving.....aaa..... surprisingly .....you were driving a Ford Taurus.
Jay: I wasn't driving a.....I didn't have a Ford Taurus. I wasn't driving a Taurus. What color was it ?
Lauren: Its was green.
Jay: No. Green, no that was a 66 Chrysler Hemi Coronet. That was not a stupid, Ford Taurus !
Lauren: Ummm....
Jay: Did you really think that of me. Get out ! A Taurus.
Lauren: I just thought that, cause you know you like your cars and .....
Jay: Duh.....
Lauren: and I thought maybe.........I love that you're so insulted by a Ford Taurus.
Jay: I am insulted by that.
Lauren: Cause the Taurus people are gonna be very happy about that. But I ummm....
Jay: Well screw them, it was a 66 Coronet. Thank you very much. See the men know what a Hemi Coronet is. Thank you very much.
Lauren: I thought it was very nice, it gave you very sensible, well rounded, kind of edge.
Jay: Well thank you very much, that's what I am, I'm too edgy.
So you come from a big family ? Tell me your background.
Lauren: Well, no, I'm an only child, really. I have a half brother, and two half sisters. Are you surprised that I'm an only child ?
Jay: No, you have two half brothers, and two half sisters.
Lauren: No wait. I just have one half brother. And two half sisters. But they came very late in my life. so, I was raised by my dad.
Jay: So you're not an only child.
Lauren: Well, I was.....I'm the only child of the two people who had me.....that sounds dirty.....
Jay: You know, we're not working on a prenuptial agreement here .......I'm just trying to find out ....... so you do have brothers and sisters.
Lauren: Who I love. Chris, Maggie and Chase.
Jay: So you grew up where ?
Lauren: I grew up in Northern Virginia, outside of DC. ..... Rock on .... Fairfax County.
Jay: Now, your dad raised you.
Lauren: Yes, that's right.
Jay: What did he do ?
Lauren: He's a lawyer.
Jay: He's a lawyer ? Ohh, I see.
Lauren: Yes.
Jay: That would explain all the half sister, half brother thing.
Lauren: Yes. Very technical.
Jay: Now, you came to LA. What kind of job did you have when you came here ? Did you get a job right away in show business ?
Lauren: Well I actually started in New York, and I did, I got a job very quickly. And I was thrilled, and my agent, who called me, said "I have a job for you. How tall are you ?" Well, I'm 5' 9" . Yeah, 5' 9'' . OK. An umm he said "That's great cause you fit the costume." So I went down to the place I was hired to be 5' 9" , and I was play a character of a soccer.. ummm.... World Cup Soccer mascot .... it was a dog . It was a big head. And ummm..
Jay: You had to wear the dog head.
Lauren: The whole thing. I had to wear the dog body. Yeah.
Jay: Did you do your hair and everything before...
Lauren: I was like maybe they'll think of me for the actual soccer ball or something .
Jay: Could you be seen, or just in the big dog head ?
Lauren: Let me tell of something about playing the character of a dog, Jay. It's very, very difficult, because people come up and punch you, cause hey, you're a dog and it's so funny. And they want their picture with you, you know. And I realized throughout the day, I was smiling for pictures. (laughter form audience)
Jay: But you couldn't be seen. You were a dog.
Lauren: That's right, Jay. But I didn't think of that at the time.
Jay: Was it heavy, was it hot wearing the costume ?
Lauren: It was very hot, and I had to share it with another person, because, apparently if you stay in it too long, you just start shooting people. And so every hour I would have to, like, exchange with this girl, who was a lovely girl, but, and I wish her the best, but she was sweaty. I would have just have gotten my self esteem back after the hour, and I would have to get back in the wet, nasty costume and umm, so here I am, so it all worked out OK.
Jay: And you're still 5' 9" .
Lauren: And I'm still 5' 9" , that's true.
Jay: So do you get recognized now. Now that you're not wearing the dog head. Do you find people know you a little more.
Lauren: Well I do find sometimes, and it's always surprising, I always get embarrassed ... for the people .... like i get more nervous ..... kind of ... you know .... I was shopping the other day, and some one came up to me and said " I love the show and I was so touched " and I said ohh thanks and "my sister and I watch it together, could we get your autograph." Yes and I was signing the thing, and some one else tapped me on the shoulder and she was like "excuse me" and I was like, I'm sooooo famous, I'm like, I'm huge. And I was like, aah yesss. And she goes " Can I see these in an eight and a half ? " An I was like ......here's were I am, and here's were it its. I was like, do I work at the store, do I....
Jay: Gilmore Girls, you have a tough time spot.
Lauren: Yeah.
Jay: What are you on, you're on between.....
Lauren: You know, it's the Friends are on, at eight o'clock on Thursdays, the Survivor, God knows..... Hey don't cheer for Friends while I'm talking......and ummm I heard they're moving Monday Night Football, to really crush us, moved to Thursdays.
Jay: Oh really. To try to put an end the that Gilmore juggernaut, that's coming down the road.
Lauren: Cause we have at least 80 people watching now.
Jay: But it's critically acclaimed, so you do a wonderful job.
Lauren: Thank you. I'm very proud of it.
Jay: Gilmore Girls, Lauren Graham. Thank you, thank you very much.
Lauren: Thanks.