James Marsters

Rove: My next guest is best known as ’Spike’ from the TV series Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and Angel. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, here’s him at his scary best.

(cuts to clip from Season 5 episode ’Checkpoint’ - part of the ’heartfelt gratitude’ graveyard scene)

Rove: Please welcome the world’s sexiest vampire, James Marsters!

(audience applauds, James walks out, waves at the audience, hugs Rove, James and Rove exchange a few greetings while the audience is still applauding)

(James notices the massive bowl of jelly beans on the coffee table in front of him)

James: Woah!

Rove: Their beans!

(At this point James is still standing)

James: Yeah... I’m a sugar addict, so I’m gonna stuff my face right in there. Stay away from that.

(Rove, audience laughs)

Rove: By all means.

James: Are you expecting Ronald Reagan? Ok. I’m a good boy.

(James finally sits down)

Rove: How are you going?

James: I’m going good. And what does that mean?

Rove: ’How are you going?’

James: Yeah.

Rove: ’How are you doing?’

James: Exactly, I’m used to ’how you doin. How ya doin. How ya doin,’ I’m gone.

(audience laughs)

Rove: Ah, I’m walking right now.

(James laughs)

Rove: Now, do you.. I’ve noticed obviously you’ve got the-

James: I’m so nervous by the way.

Rove: Why are you nervous

James: Well, because...

Rove: You’re a big time Hollywood super star.

James: Pffft.

(audience laughs)

James: Yeah, but I’m in Australia now, and that don’t cut it. (audience laughs) No. I ah, I watched your show. And you’re, its the coolest show man.

Rove: I like you already.

(James, audience laughs. James utters ’Fuck off’ jokingly under his breath)

James: Ah, I’m gonna shut up, I’m kissing your ass. (audience laughs) No. I watched your show and you’ve got a very funny show, you’ve got a
 (pause) - You’re more funny than Letterman.

(audience applaud)

Rove: Oh, I don’t, I don’t think so. Now, I have to ask-

James: You know. Dave ain’t gonna have me on now. So I’m already past it.

(audience laughs)

Rove: Now how is life for you post Buffy, post Angel?

James: It’s so good.

Rove: Is it?

James: Yeah. Ah, well, the thing is, I kinda forgot that people watch this show. Both Angel and Buffy. I had a lot of fun making the show and I come from theatre where the only people that are watching you are right there. I kinda forgot that anyone else was watching. So I’m going out into Hollywood and I’m meeting people and you know, head of 20th Century Laa (purposing slurs the words, audience laughs) And their all like ’We love your show! We love you man, come into the family’ And so it’s this really kinda beautiful time in my life where I’m just kinda sitting back and accepting all the love.

Rove: Do you find that you can blend in a little bit more without the bleached hair?

James: A little bit. (everyone laughs) A little bit. Ah, I, I don’t know man I think I where my face in a way on the street, I got it in New York. And it’s kinda like ’hi.’ (pulls Spike face) All it is, I’m afraid like you’re gonna attack me. (everyone laughs) So people get the Spike face too much.

Rove: Oh well.

James: And the hair sorta doesn’t really matter. So what I find is if I stay in one place, then I, then people get me. And, but if I keep moving then.. I’m, I’m ok.

Rove: Now I’ve noticed here, on your right arm, you’ve got a little patch.

James: Yeah baby.

Rove: Oh, you’ve got two!!

Rove & James: Two!

James: Two baby. Yeah (hits his arm)

Rove: (jokingly) Wow. His whole body was covered in them.

James: Yeah, you should-

Rove: Now, I know you’ve had trouble because you’ve been trying to quit in the past and you had like nude scenes to do in Buffy and there’s nowhere to put a patch.

James: (grins) Ahuh. That’s right. And that is the time you need that patch!

(audience laughs)

Rove: Yes, indeed.

James: Because I where the patch (sigh) If I don’t where the patch I become a complete arsehole. (everyone laughs) I really do, I start to pick fights

Rove: Really? You get that?

James: I’m drastically immature.

Rove: Wow.

James: (in loud voice) ’Who you? You talkin to me?’ (audience laughs) You know. ’No. I didn’t notice you before.’ Ah, so yeah, there were many times I was going to the set of Buffy and I was trying to quit smoking and I would be arguing with the steering wheel, man. And I’m going ’get some cigarettes bro!’ So yeah, I’ve been on the patch for five years. (audience laughs) And I have no intention of quitting.

Rove: And how’s it going for you? (audience laughs)

James: So good.

Rove: Really?

James: Yeah! When I’m here- (pauses, laughs a bit, points at Rove) You’re good. When I’m here to say, anybody who’s smoking cigarettes here, just get on the patch, because the cigarette will make your nauseous and jittery. Because you get too much nicotine and then too little.

Rove: Right.

James: But then the patch just kinda makes it-

Rove: It’s sweet.

(audience laughs)

Rove: Now, another thing that I know you’re addicted to, like my good self, is Pez. You collect Pez dispensers.

James: God yeah. Yeah.

Rove: How cool are we?

(everyone laughs)

James: No, I gotta say-

Rove: Now do you have, what’s your, have you got the entire set, I belive you have a few missing ones.

James: Man I got, I have every Pez dispenser you can name. Because I told my fans I like Pez. So I get A LOT of Pez. But interestingly enough, I got to Australia and nobody gave me Pez.

Rove: That’s not right.

James: No it really is.

Rove: That is not right.

(audience laughs)

James: It’s cool, it’s very cool.

Rove: Why? You need Pez.

James: No, I got all this home made candy.

(Rove laughs)

James: I did. And I’m like, there’s these Jars of stuff and I’m like (in an Australian accent) ’What part of the dingo that came from?’ (audience laughs) But yeah you taste it, it’s pretty good.

Rove: Now tell me, is there going to be, or I have heard there is going to be more Spike in the future. That there’s possibly another project involving Spike. Tell us about this.

James: Yeah, I hope so. Joss. It’s was interesting. Joss came to me at the end of Angel.

Rove: The creator of Buffy.

James: Yes, Joss Whedon. Who wrote, along with David Greenwalt, developed both Buffy and Angel, together. And, um, it was weird, because I was doing some ah just basic work for the show, voice over stuff and filling in bits and he came up to me and he’s like ’Man I really like your work and I’m hoping that you’re still interested’ And he’s, he’s kissing me butt! And I’m like ’What are you doin, Joss?’ And I told him, I said, ’Joss, stop it. Three lines, fifty lines, lead role, whatever you want man, call me. I’m there for you, because frankly, you’re one of the best writers I’ve worked with.’ And ah, he said he wanted to do a Spike movie. TV movie. But it’s also contingent upon other characters. He wants to do four TV movies and one of them is Spike. But, and so I said yes, right, immediately, I’m your bitch. (everyone laughs) But I don’t know if the other people signed off on it. So it may or may not happen not because I didn’t sign off on it. But it may not really sell as a single project.

Rove: Well, we’ll se. We look forward to seeing some more of you in the future.

James: I hope so.

Rove: It’s been an absolute pleasure talking to you tonight. James Marster ladies and gentleman.

James: It’s really cool to meet you. Thanks man.