B.L. This was a great role for you, being the crusty coach of these madcap curlers.
L.N. I'm delighted. Thank you.

B.L. When you first read the script what was the major attraction for doing it?
L.N I didn't have to bother because it was sent to me by Paul and he said "will you be in my movie?" So when I got the script I immediately said, "I'll be in your film, I'll do what ever you want me to do." That's how I've always worked with Paul. He's a very funny and talented guy. It seems to have turned out well. Men With Brooms is more of a human comedy not bonkers off-the-wall dumb and stupid Frank Drebin which I love. I love that kind of comedy but also there are some emotional revelations in this of the human being and you are able to approach it in a different way and the audience can figure out that there is something going on inside there. You sure couldn't do that as Frank Drebin, he doesn't even know that there is something going on inside there. B.L. Maybe one year he'll figure it out L.N (laughing) Right... let's hope so.

B.L. You know, in Naked Gun 47,maybe by then he'll have it figured out.
L.N. I'd be ready.

B.L. Are you a curler?
L.N. No, but I'm an athlete.

B.L. Curling isn't an easy game, it may look like it but it's not. Was it difficult for you?
L.N. I had to do something that they could shoot and with the magic of the camera make it look ... because I'm the coach and I'm the head honcho so I have to look good. I have to be right and they were successful doing that. I have known about the magic of the camera for a long time so I knew that it could be done. It just depends on how it was photographed. Even so, I might have thrown that rock five or six times and then you stretch out and you are reaching. It's in the film where I am stretched out and I say "son, how's my form" and he says, "it was perfect. It was wonderful." So I say, "can you get someone to push me back because I can't unbend." I'm just locked in to position. However, three or four days after I was doing that sequence it hit me. All the muscles in my body were killing. Hey, look I was carrying around a 42 pound rock, pure granite. That was heavy!

B.L. So you are working with Paul Gross who is the director, the writer, the star, he even has his hand in the music. Is there anything this guy didn't do?
L.N. Well you went down the list. I have been trying to draw it to the attention of the people. There are any number of reasons why Paul is easy to dislike and talent is number one on the list. Well, sure he does the writing but he does very good writing and he has already shown that he does very good directing but on top of that they out in the music and the sound and the editing and the telling of the story and how long you are on each shot, and he is learning a great deal. In many cases it's in that editing room that a picture either makes it or loses it.

B.L. That's for sure.
L.N. This is the one thing with Paul. How can you act in a film and think about your work in a scene and be occupied. How do you get to sleep I'll never know. There are so many details and you are taking care of details.

B.L. There is something that is troubling me with this film.
L.N What would that be?

B.L. Well, being the big star that you are, especially being the star of The Naked Gun, why were you not allowed to be in the scene called "The Naked Jump"?
L.N. The Naked Jump? I quit doing those. I actually stopped doing things like that since Airplane, remember the line don't call me Shirley and I explain to people that I don't use the name anymore. I threw away my pumps, but I didnt realize that when I threw away my pumps, I also threw away my jumps. (laughs).Thats not bad!

B.L. It's always so much fun to see you in films. When you get a script these days what is it that still drives you?
L.N. The main drive for me is comedy. I love doing comedy but that can be spoiled by working with people who don't love comedy as much as you do. There are some people who you just work for because they just give you the nourishment. But, I love doing drama too and it's great when I am able to get the chance to do that.

B.L. My nine year old son will kill me if I don't ask you if we are ever going to see Frank Drebin again on the big screen in another Naked Gunfilm.
L.N. Smart boy you have there. Wonderful boy he is very smart and you are raising him well! Well you know Frank Drebin is part of me. I can't see anything happening with it now though because I don't see it getting out of the archives at Paramount because they really can't let the property go. People want to buy it but they won't sell. They don't want to do anything with it, but they won't sell it. You see if they sell it and somebody makes it and its a huge success then somebody made a mistake and nobody wants to put themselves in a position where they are at
fault. It's too bad because I would love to give old Frank a kick at the can again.