First, can you let us know what you’ve been working on most lately – what fans should know and watch out for?
I’m not a social media guy. I have a Twitter account my agents made me get. I’ll post some funny stuff and get like nine likes, then post something stupid and get 100 angry replies!
My main thing is acting. They just picked up the second season of Bob Hearts Abishola. I just hope we can start filming in the Fall. That’s where you can find me.
I’m usually out doing standup – well, usually, but not now of course. I’m just waiting to see how this all works out and how they do filming again.
You’ve kept a strong tie to your Pittsburgh roots – stressing that hard work ethic- how and why were you able to do so?
One of the greatest things about Pittsburgh – people take pride in their work. They are accountable and if they mess up they own up to it and try to fix it. They have pride in doing things right. I take all of that from Pittsburgh. Respect for family – and maybe the most important thing – understanding right and wrong. It doesn’t matter who’s saying it- a friend, someone you voted for – if it’s wrong it’s wrong – no matter who said it. That’s a gift from my dad. Siding with someone just because you are close with them when you know it’s wrong – that’s detrimental to society. You know what’s right and what’s wrong.
You mentioned your father a lot as a mentor. How has he helped you – and who else has helped mentor you along the way?
My father first and foremost. My dad just told me a great thing that I told my son. Parents give you a bunch of good stuff, but they also give you their flaws. Your job as a parent is to try and pass on less of the flaws to your kids, and to enhance the good things. He’d tell me, don’t take advice from the guy that walked into the building the same time you did. Take advice from the guy that was there earlier, who’s been around longer.
I have a good Spidey sense for people like that. My manager Chris DiPetta is one of those guys who’s helped me. Greg Garcia – the producer of Yes, Dear. He got me a role as a re-occurring character and that got me ready for a leading role. Jim Burroughs – the legendary director- and Chuck Lorre. Chuck was like the Bill Parcells of producing. All those guys – and I’ve always been coachable. If I trust you. I gravitate to hard-working, decent people with proven success. Those are the things that are important to me that I found in those people I mentioned.
What I love about Jim and Lorre – they are there to make you better. Just like in football – if you do it every day in practice it can be grueling – but on Sundays, you know your shit. Jim is the best of the best and the kindest human being I know. A lot like Dan Rooney – I had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of times. He had that quiet strength and humility. That’s attractive to me – you know people like that are secure in who they are.
How has the Pittsburgh acting and music community been helping artists from your perspective?
Pittsburgh has this hidden talent. You know it for being a hard-nosed, blue collar town but it’s had a brilliant evolution. A lot of industry towns have shut down, but Pittsburgh has a resilience I hold on to as well. In Showbiz you get a million no’s before you get a yes- if you ever get a yes. You have to be resilient. Pittsburgh is the same way. It went from a steel mill town to a college town, to a medical town to a corporate destination. Now it’s also a good film town. And the music scene is incredible. My favorite band right now is the The Commonheart – soulful singers who sing the truth.
And there are good young comics. Pittsburgh humor – I love it. We are able to tell the truth but in a way that’s so funny it doesn’t hurt. That’s a Pittsburgh gift to me. Pittsburgh doesn’t take itself so seriously – if a comic goes too far and hits the guardrail fans will let them know – but not in an overboard way. When you hear things with humor like that you can adjust things sometimes.
I know you’re a big Steelers fan of course. What makes you – and really all Steelers fans – so devoted to the team?
Two things – the first is resilience – like I was saying before. They are never out of it. Franco Harris set the template, When the Immaculate Reception happened the city took on that personality and the team took on the personality of the fans. Play ’til the whistle blows mindset. It enchanted the city and the players saw they were connected to the personality of the city. That we are all here for the guy next to me – that nose-down, work hard work ethic, If you do that you never know what can happen.
That 1979 year – I’m still waiting to top that year! The Steelers and Pirates both won championships, and the Penguins did just a year later. What an amazing time to be 11 years old!
The national media seems to like picking on Ben and the team at times – thoughts on why?
For the same reason we can’t stand New England I think. Comics always like to rip you when you’re on top too. It’s not personal – you want to tackle the guy with the ball. When you succeed they like to pick on you and critique you.
You ever play football as a kid?
I didn’t play anything worth mentioning – I wasn’t that good. Not good enough for college for sure . But there was nothing better than then going out on that cold brick street with friends and look at each other and tell one guy they’re Swann, another they’re Franco, another they are Stallworth – I’ll be Bradshaw- and we’ll all play ball on the street and imagine we’re Steelers.
There is a bond in the city on Sundays when Steelers games happen. It’s not just football – it’s family time when the people you love show up with covered dishes. It’s that thread of family. I’m a guy who uses words for a living, but you can’t put it into words. It’s special when you grow up in that culture. For those three hours, we’re all one.
What’s the biggest misperception you think fans have about the team?
There’s not a Pittsburgher that doesn’t think something is wrong with the team – only because we love them. We’re honest about it though. When other fans tease us about what’s wrong with our team, instead of getting angry we’ll talk to them for 20 minutes on why they are right until they say they are sorry for bringing it up!
I am happy for Tomlin though. Staying together as a team despite losing Ben and going 8-8 when there’s no way we should have – that was rejuvenating for the team and I think him as well. I think he was unfairly knocked – by me as well. But he stepped up He didn’t have his cannon at quarterback but he came away still winning games.
And getting Minkah was brilliant. I’m so confident in how good he is that I think if we had him when Brady was scorching us, I think some things would have been very different. He takes that away. Thats exciting for me. With Ben back and the defense flourishing the team can be very good – to know that the over the middle zone hole has been filled finally.
Do you think defense can repeat it’s performance of last season?
I do think they can keep it up with the younger blood they have in the secondary and pass rush. The pass rush has been great and that helps the secondary grow and learn and hides some weak spots. No pass rush and it’s bombs away. With our linebackers and now having a good secondary I think the benchmark is high.
Do you think the offense has enough weapons?
I love Conner but I’m not sure he has the weight and size to handle the workload we give him. Can he have all of those carries? When it was Bettis with five minutes left and a lead, you could just relax.
I like Snell – he stepped up. I would love a real power back on offense. Someone who can pound the defense and force safeties to come up so Ben can shred them downfield. I’d like to see them get back to that.
Lastly – what are your favorite experiences with players and the team that stand out to you now?
The sideline Terrible Towel twirl – the first time I did that was at the Jets game when they missed the field goal at the end of the game. I needed to sleep for three days after that it was so mentally exhausting!
Meeting Jerome Bettis and finding out he watched Mike and Molly – that was amazing. And striking a great friendship with Franco – that was mind-blowing, just going out and getting a pizza with Franco Harris! And doing the CBS Halftime Show with Cowher – that was special too.
And meeting the Rooneys. They are so welcoming.
I took my mom to the Steelers game last year. That was the one after the big fight on Cleveland. It was like Cleveland woke our ancestors. There was no way the Steelers should have won that game but the fans carried that team and we beat them – with no offense. That work ethic – playing until that whistle blows. It was great getting to see that with her.
Now, the Steelers are 13-1 when I do the Terrible Towel twirl! To bring my mother to be a part of that and to pull of the upset – that I think is my favorite memory so far.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
