Billy Gardell looks ahead to new dramatic role, Paramount show
Comedian and actor Billy Gardell gets a bit wistful when he speaks about “Mike & Molly,” the CBS sitcom he starred in with Plainfield native Melissa McCarthy. The show ended its six-season run in May.
“I thought it could have gone on for another 10 years,” said Gardell, who played Chicago police officer Mike Biggs. “That show was one of the greatest journeys I have ever been on.”
Gardell, 47, is now looking ahead to his next career endeavor: It's a future with stand-up comedy, drama and maybe a few surprises, he says.
Gardell recently spoke with the Daily Herald about his Saturday, Nov. 12, comedy show at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora as well as his dramatic role as Elvis Presley's manager Thomas Andrew “Colonel Tom” Parker in the upcoming CMT TV series “Million Dollar Quartet” and of his love for his fellow “Mike & Molly” cast members.
<b>Q.</b> What kind of comedy are you bringing to the stage on your current tour?
<b>A.</b> My comedy has a working-class mentality - don't take yourself too seriously. And life keeps dealing me new humor. I have been married for 15 years, and we have a teenager now (Gardell and wife Patty have a 13-year-old son, Will). So I look at the hypocrisy of everything, along with talking about trying to be a decent husband and father.
<b>Q.</b> How do you feel about “Mike & Molly” ending its six-year run in May?
<b>A.</b> It was a blessed journey. I love those people, and I am eternally grateful for that time.
<b>Q.</b> Why did the show end?
<b>A.</b> That question is above my pay grade. There was talk that it was because Melissa lost weight, and talk about the actors' contracts. Who knows why networks do what they do? But you can't cry over spilled milk.
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Q.</b> Do you keep in touch with the show's cast?
<b>A.</b> Absolutely. We all keep in contact. This was a group of people who came together at a very special time. Right now we have all been rooting for Katy Mixon and her new show, “American Housewife.” She just won her time slot.
<b>Q.</b> Do you have any interest in doing another TV sitcom?
<b>A.</b> I would eventually like to do a sitcom, if the right script appears. Right now, I am dipping my toe in the dramatic world.
<b>Q.</b> Yes, tell us about playing Col. Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's manager, in the upcoming CMT series “Million Dollar Quartet.”
<b>A.</b> It was really interesting to play Col. Parker, because he was kind of a huckster and a con man, and at the same time, a visionary. I got to really dig into the role. “Mike” was always super nice and had the right moral compass all the time. But Col. Parker would do anything to get the deal done. He had his hand way too far in the cookie jar. But he could not have gotten away with all of the crooked stuff if he had not been charismatic. He was despicable, but likable.
<b>Q.</b> Do you have another project you can tell us about?
<b>A.</b> I am working on material for an hourlong comedy special. It should be done by next summer. And I would love to get into the producing side of a sitcom. That would be a dream project.
<b>Q.</b> You said your son Will is 13 now - what's it like for you to be the father of a teenager?
<b>A.</b> Once your kid becomes a teenager, it's all one-word answers. But he is a great kid. And he is starting to find his passions. He just got a part in the school play. So maybe he is a chip off the old block.
<b>Q.</b> What are you looking forward to when you arrive in Chicago?
<b>A.</b> I want to thank Chicago for being such a big support base for us, and for always showing so much love. I am looking forward to seeing all of the “Mike & Molly” fans at the theater.
<b>Q.</b> I interviewed you in 2011, when you were performing at a comedy club in Schaumburg. At the time, you said you were looking forward to heading to Portillo's restaurant while in Chicago. You said that Portillo's has “good everything.”
<b>A.</b> Well, this time, I will be in and out, and heading to another city the next day. But I will definitely find time for my Portillo's run.
<b>Q.</b> What does the future hold for Billy Gardell?
<b>A.</b> I am looking forward to making people laugh. It's not a bad way to wander through this life.
Billy Gardell
Where: Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora, (630) 896-6666 or
Showtime: 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12
Tickets: $55-$65; show is rated R for strong language