Ian Ziering Is Joining Chippendales
Our Players
Hello, I'm Ian Ziering.
Hello, I'm The Interview Extender.
The Scene
Ian, I'm so glad you called. I just knew you had more to say about your Chippendales gig than what was in your official statement!
I appreciate the opportunity!
I know you have semi-professional dance experience, having gone a pretty long way on your season of Dancing With The Stars--
And from one great season hosting Your Mama Don't Dance.
...Right!
It was a big hit for Lifetime--
Lifetime, right, I know!
But, you know, I think they felt like one season was enough and that they weren't going to try to top it.
Sure, that happens with a lot of hit shows.
What was that?
Nothing. So, what was the first thing that went through your mind when Chippendales called you?
I called them!
You-- oh! Cool!
Yeah, you know, the Dancing alumni have kind of an unofficial network amongst ourselves, and when Joe told me how much fun he had, I thought, "I gotta get in on that."
"Joe" is Joey Lawrence, right?
Yeah. I mean, his really good friends call him Joe.
Sure. Is it usual for guys to volunteer themselves to Chippendales for these sort of stunt gigs?
Stunt gigs?
Yeah, you know, stuntcasting someone for the revue who's...uh....
Oh, I see what you're saying -- someone who's famous as a TV star.
...Right.
Well, you know, I think I can make people forget my past roles--
Steve Sanders.
Or as Nathan in The Christmas Hope.
Nathan, yeah, totally.
But despite being so established as an actor, I know I have the training and the experience and obviously the body to get my Magic Mike on in Vegas!
But getting back to my question: you called them. Is that how they usually cast their shows?
Well, you know, maybe not, but I think they appreciated my enthusiasm.
Right. Because I'm sure it happens more often that, like, they have a wish list of hot famous guys that they think could really tear it up, and then they call, you know, someone like a Chris Evans who's like, "Thanks, but no, I'm too busy, and your show is ridiculous and doing it would be a huge step down for me." And then they move down the list, and it's like, Ryan Kwanten, no. Adam Levine, no. Morris Chestnut, no....
Yeah, okay.
And then someone calls them up and presents himself -- do you think they were Googling you while you were on the line?
Uh, no!
Oh, great -- so they said yes right away!
Well--
They didn't.
You know, I had to send them some current photos, so that they could see my body from every angle.
Yeah, that makes sense.
And then those were great, they said, so the only next step was for me to come down to their theatre and audition.
So you showed off your Dancing With The Stars moves and you sailed right in!
I had four callbacks, and then yes, sailed right in.
So your run starts June 6, and then what?
And then I have a great gig! You know, my wife and I have a baby and she's pregnant again, so we're really excited to move to Las Vegas and settle down with a really stable job that I can potentially do for years to come.
You-- it's open-ended? It's not just a short-term thing they can hype on billboards and then replace you with a Drake Bell type?
Replace-- what? I bought a house!
Oh, honey.
Oh, no.