Candice Bergen —RUBEN V. NEPALES
LOS ANGELES—In this part two of my column on the “Murphy Brown” star, Candice Bergen talked about the #MeToo movement, her decision to bring back the series, what she missed about it during the two-decade gap—and more.
Excerpts from the interview:
What do you think of the #MeToo movement? The #MeToo movement needs some boundaries and needs to be more accountable and that the men should have a way to give their side of the story.
The #MeToo movement has had a huge impact, and I don’t think that will disappear.
What was it like on the first day back on the set of “Murphy Brown?” It was very surreal for all of us because, first of all, we were 3,000 miles away from where (Los Angeles) we shot the show for 10 years.
Our production designer, Jane Musky, had designed intricate copies, reproductions of our original sets. We walked onto a soundstage that, six weeks before, had been empty.
There was not a pencil in the room. Nothing, no bleachers. Our producer, Frank Pace, got all of this done in six weeks, which is sort of a miracle. Murphy’s townhouse was built to architectural plans.
Was it an easy or tough decision for you to bring back the series? They did not have to convince me. Diane (English, the show’s creator) and I are partners in crime. I just said, “I have to be in New York, because my husband’s (Marshall Rose) health is not good. I would love to do the show, but I can’t leave New York for LA now.
Both CBS and Warner Bros. said they could do that. Of course, they lose a lot of money shooting the show here (New York), so it was not a nothing for them. And not a nothing for Diane to set up a show across the country from where she was used to working.
Is doing the show beneficial to you and everyone concerned as you also take care of your husband? Yes, I thought it would work out very well for me to be out of the house for a certain number of hours of the day because it was healthier for everyone.
I’m, of course, lucky because I can afford to have help. I can afford to have that choice and to not be at home all the time. It’s a great luxury for me to have the show to go to and to be laughing during the day all the time and have that.
What did you miss about “Murphy Brown” during the gap of two decades? What I did miss about the experience of doing “Murphy” is the laughing, and we have that again. And it is great! Because the scripts are so well-written and funny that we’re always laughing on the set. I do love my costars, and I was eager to work with them again. But Murphy is just an incredibly rich character. It’s such a privilege to play this woman, who’s not like anyone we ever saw on TV.
I got to do some parts that were fun, but one part that was almost as good as Murphy was in a television series called “Boston Legal” with James Spader. I played a woman called Shirley Schmidt, who was very smart, caustic, tough and funny. That was really fun to play. That was written by David Kelley.
Do you find it grueling to be back doing a series? First of all, it isn’t that tough a show. The schedule is great. It’s the most humane schedule in television. You get there at 9, 9:30 (a.m.). You go home at 4 (p.m.).
How do you keep fit? It’s hard to find time to work out. Everyone else is in great shape. Faith Ford (Corky Sherwood) is just silly. If you touch her arm, it feels like a rock. She’s just in dazzling shape. And Jake McDorman… I mean, they all go to gyms. They all make an effort, except me (laughs).
I try to stay healthy. When you’re on the show, you’re very focused. You don’t have any breaks. Lunch is half an hour, and we sit outside. But it’s very focused for me, so when I get home, I just want to curl up in my chair and stay quiet.
Also because it’s not so easy learning lines at my age. It wasn’t so easy learning them 30 years ago, either, but it’s challenging now. But I thought it might delay dementia for a few years.
How difficult was it for you over the years to be considered for funny roles just because of your good looks? I didn’t even realize until a few years ago how complicated the fact of beauty is because it’s so important to people, especially in this country.
You have to fight. It cuts off any attempt of becoming a person, because people only respond to your looks.
It takes more energy to become a person if you conform to an ideal of beauty. So I was never able to do comedy, for example. The fact that I got to do “Murphy” was like a miracle to me. That was always my dream, to do comedy. I was always kind of the wimpy leading lady who was getting shot or whatever.
How did you land the Murphy Brown role? Oh, they didn’t want me for the lead. CBS wanted that “famous comedienne,” Heather Locklear. I was way too old. We met with the head of CBS. He no longer has anything to do with the network, but we met with him. He just looked at Diane, and it was like, “Why [her]?” He said [to me], “Well, thanks for coming.”
Diane said to me, “I’ll be right back.” She went back into the office with him and she said, “This is as important to us as it is to you. We feel that she (Candice) can play this and that she is really right for this part.” He caved in and came out. He said, “Oh, welcome to the show, Murphy.” Then, he was gone.
Were you always funny? Oh, my father (Edgar Bergen, ventriloquist, comedian and actor) was very funny. He was a weird entertainer, but he had good wit. He wrote his own material, and he was a very witty writer. He was also very conservative and if you met him, you would think he was a banker.
He had a radio show that did very well. I would go on as his little guest sometimes. There was always humor in my house. I always wanted to make my father laugh. I never had vanity about my looks because I was basically trying to figure out how to get the laugh.
Your two memoirs were bestsellers. Are you raring to write a third one? I don’t think anyone wants another book. There’s something that I feel is basically unhealthy about spending that much time on yourself. I’ve written two, and I always have a sense of shame afterward. I write about other things and I am disparaging about myself. Frankly, most people don’t pay any attention to my writing. I wrote many articles when I was in my 20s and 30s, but I haven’t since.
But your books sold well. Yes, they did very well (laughs). It was nice.
Do you think this “Murphy Brown” revival will go on for a decade? I’d love to have another 13 episodes. We don’t know if we’ll be picked up. Our ratings are not what “Roseanne’s” were before Roseanne Barr bit the dust.
But I’m grateful to have this chance to have done 13 more shows. It’s been just heaven. Perfect experience for all of us.
What’s your experience with aging so far? I’m 72. What I decided before doing the show is I would be 72, and I would not do stuff.
After the first year of “Murphy,” I had my eyes done because lighting in a half-hour comedy is so harsh, because they have to light the whole set. They can’t light individuals.
People sort of said, “You should take care of these (eyes).” So I had my eyes done because I have hooded eyes. I haven’t had a facelift and any plastic surgery since then.
When I go see the doctors who do these injections, I’m such a pussy—excuse me, I mean that in the best way (laughs). The doctor says I need the propofol, which is an anesthetic. I need a tranquilizer shot just to get shots in my face. Most women don’t even feel them, but I say, “Ahhh, I need to come back! I can’t do it now!”
So I haven’t done cosmetic procedures because I can’t stand the pain. I am such a terrible patient. But beyond that, it’s time that we started being who we are. I have a great hair and makeup person on the set so, obviously, I make an effort.
But, it’s important to younger women, not that any of them watch our show, to admit to being your age. And why can’t I look my age? I don’t see anybody of any age on TV with lines anymore. I find it just so weird.
How about internally? What’s different? I look at life as being every day is a miracle. And the older I get, the more of a miracle every day gets.
E-mail rvnepales_5585@yahoo.com. Follow him at https://twitter.com/nepalesruben.