Michael McKean
Michael McKean
Michael John McKeanis an American actor, comedian, writer, composer and musician well known for his portrayal of Leonard "Lenny" Kosnowski on the sitcom Laverne & Shirley; Charles "Chuck" McGill in the AMC drama Better Call Saul; and for his work in the Christopher Guest ensemble films, particularly as David St. Hubbins, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the fictional rock band Spinal Tap from the film This Is Spinal Tap. He co-wrote "A Mighty Wind", which won the Grammy Award...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionTV Actor
Date of Birth17 October 1947
CountryUnited States of America
I think a band that doesn't have a sense of humor can come up with their own take on whimsy.Kind of lead-footed and ham-handed, but I think just all the better for that.
I never regret anything and I don't believe in regret. I think it's just a big time-waster.
The process depends on the situation, and I don't think there are any two songs that have gone exactly the same way... well, actually, that's not true.
I think you have everyone kind of pulling on the same end of the rope. It's not like you're Robin Williams and everyone else is a deaf mute. It's like - there's plenty of help.
I'm kind of the town pump. I think I have a pretty good ear for what sounds good in this style.
The whole process was just so much fun. Also, watching people who weren't primarily instrumentalists - watching them pick up instruments... Parker Posey never played the mandolin before.
Eugene Levy came into the office with "A Mighty Wind" - that song - with the lyric complete, but the melody wasn't quite there yet, and he and Chris and I worked on the tune - and that's how that one became a three-person song rather than a one-person song. It's a different process every time.
Eugene Levy came into the office with ""A Mighty Wind"" - that song - with the lyric complete, but the melody wasn't quite there yet, and he and Chris and I worked on the tune - and that's how that one became a three-person song rather than a one-person song. It's a different process every time.
Sometimes we have to look to other performers to kind of spark us, but there is something kind of ""old home week"" about us. So I've never really felt the battery run down on these shows.
Well, it's that everyone's got all these sketches, and there are ways other than quality to get them on. You know?
I was there to be kind of the adult - to be David Spade's dad. Which was okay, and I got to do a few things. I was on 26 shows and I managed to get 20 sketches on - either as sole writer or co-writer. So I can't say that I was completely miserable.
You know, I think it's one of those cases where the situation really does dictate your level of ridicule.
I don't know whether the result is substantially different, but it feels a little different. I think the only song that I wrote all by myself in this is a tune called ""Killington Hill,"" which is not in the film but it's on the DVD.
One piece that looked like it was doomed - we were going to shoot it in this hotel hallway, and it was just my character musing that maybe this was just the beginning of something, maybe we were on our way out of obscurity or something, and then we were setting up to do it - and we just had to get this other shot.