John Larrouquette Talks Child Stars and Returning to 'Night Court'

If it's funny, it should be successful

If you can sit down and for 20 minutes have laughs that aren't dependent on what's happening

in the zeitgeist of the world. The jokes could be 50 years old. They could be from tomorrow

You know, it's just comedy. Just sit down and laugh. So you're back at Night Court

Yes. What has it been like to be back after all these years? At first, it was daunting

It was bittersweet. It took me a long time to say yes. But walking back on the set that I had spent nearly a decade of my life in, in the 80s, it felt like a ghost town

Literally, because so many of all of the cast members had died before we ever did the reboot

So it was tough for me to see those, to remember. It changed all of our lives

That show was sort of a launching pad for all of our careers. It was very popular and successful

And to see it without those people in it was strange at first. But I've obviously grown to love the new people that are there as well

Why do you think it still works all these years later? Hopefully because it's funny

I mean, I don't see any other reason to define it in any other terms

If it's funny, it should be successful. And the idea that if you can sit down and for 20 minutes have laughs that aren't dependent on what's happening in the zeitgeist of the world

We're never political. It's never current. The jokes could be 50 years old

They could be from tomorrow. It's just comedy. Just sit down and laugh, if you can

It's a bit of escapism, maybe. Exactly, particularly escapism, yes. So back in the original Night Court run, you won four Emmys for your work on the show

And by the time the fifth one came around, you were like, I'm done, take me out of the running

What made you choose to do that? You know, I'm asked that a lot, and I think I'm a legend in my own lunchtime

But I think that I thought at the time that it was going to be tough to get away from that character

You know it was so it was indelible in American television at the time And I thought if I ever want to play a dad if I ever want to play a surgeon I got to put some distance between me and that character And so I thought after four consecutive Emmys that great

Let me just, however much longer the show lasts, I'll be happy to show up and suit up and be funny

But let's move on. Let's move on from that. At the time, those four wins, they were a record

which is really cool. Were you able to understand how successful you were at that time

or was it something like you kind of still had that imposter syndrome? That's interesting to say

Yeah, I think that I was still figuring that they were going to find out and just say, you know, you can leave town now if you'd like

But, you know, by that time, particularly after the fourth one, it was not just that, the show's success

That night on NBC, that Thursday night, was just full of great shows

And so it was clear to me we were successful, and I was part of that. So I didn't go home thinking, I don't deserve this

I deserved it. And, you know, you did say that it was your big break, obviously

Yes. And what did it feel like when you found out that you'd gotten that role? Was it a big deal for you

Well, when I got the role, it was just, oh, thank God, a job that I can pay for Christmas

Yeah. Because it was just that. It was a pilot, and we didn't know if it was going to become a series or not

Actually, when I first read for it, I read for the part of the judge. And as I was leaving the building, I was called back and said, there's another part

You want to read this other part? And I went, yeah, sure. That same week, I read for the bartender on cheer

So it was that, you know, I was making the rounds and happened to land that one

made the pilot and got money to be able to afford Christmas that year, and it was great

That worked out. That was it. So you did mention that you and the current cast are very close now

And Melissa told Parade actually recently that she feels like you guys are like family

You're that close. Do you agree with that? I do. She and I talked for well over a year before I ever said that I would do this show

And once we got together, and because of her character coming to my character

as the daughter of the fictional judge. That relationship was established very quickly

and Fielding, who was a hermit who didn't want to have anything to do with life, found a reason to sort of come back into the real world to protect her That really sweet Yeah she had some lovely things to say about you She a very kind and lovely person and a famous liar You had one guest star who you knew from back in the day Mayim Bialik Yes Yes And she played your daughter back in the

day on your show, The John Larroquette Show. Correct. What was it like to reunite with her

That was great. And the real wave of that, though, was because Melissa and Mayim have such a history

together from Big Bang. Yes. So it was the three of us sort of in this odd triangle of we both

worked with her and both loved her. And so it was great to have her back and she played a great

character. So outside of your time on television, you've also done quite a bit with Broadway and you

were in How to Succeed in Business with Daniel Radcliffe. I was. He was shortly coming out of

his Harry Potter status. Are you a Harry Potter fan? I would say I'm a fan. Yes, I'm not an avid

fan. I've seen the movies and I think I saw most of them after I knew I was going to be working

with Dan. I didn't, you know, I was at the age, my children were too older than they would be

enjoying those films as a must-see. But yes, of course, I've seen them

Was he Harry Potter to you, or is he just Dan? He's just Dan. He's just Dan. And I had some reluctance, I'll be real honest

I had some reluctance when I was offered it, because, as I say, Dan Rycliffe has been famous

since he was a fetus, and meeting a young man who's been that famous

sometimes it can go in several directions. But Daniel Rycliffe is the most of a gentleman

I've ever met in my life. Educated, funny, sincere, honest, charitable, loves everybody, knows everybody's name. For that year that I spent with him on Broadway

was a spectacular time to have met him and know him. And we still occasionally stay in touch. He's

a great guy. So as you said, you've worked with quite a few child stars that are very famous to

this day. So we've got Daniel Radcliffe, Mayim Bialik, Macaulay Culkin. Macaulay. Do you like

working with these child stars or do you feel like it? You know, most of the ones that those

three you mentioned were ultimate professionals. So yes, age had very little to do with it

Mayim was already a seasoned veteran. By the time she came to the John Lauer Ketchum

she had her own show. And Macaulay, certainly the success that he had

and the amount of work that he had done when he and I worked together he was always it was great It never occurred to me that they were children quote unquote And you said you do keep in touch with With Dan I do yes

With Dan, I do. Not with Macaulay and not with Mayim just because time had passed

But Radcliffe and I, Sanchez, there's like four of us, we call them the alley boys. We used to sneak out the theater at intermission

and smoke cigarettes and have a talk. And I had the Zippo Lighters made

and engraved the alley boys, 2011. so four of us in the cast used to just hang out a lot together

That's awesome. So we have a fun little game if you're down. We'll see about that

Okay, it's called The Final Verdict, in which you get to be the judge instead of the prosecutor

Yes. So you'll be the final judge on these silly, controversial topics. Really

Yes. Okay. Okay. Do you believe in pineapple on pizza, yes or no

No. No. Okay. Is a hot dog a sandwich? Yes. Oh, you were ready

Meat and bread. What is not a sandwich? Is cereal a soup

No. Why not? Crunchy soup? Fair. Would you consider a block of cheese to be a loaf of milk

Strictly speaking, I guess yes, but no. Should we legalize naps at work

Naps at work? Yeah. Yes. How come? I think people would do better with a nap

I was talking to my wife about this. I don't nap, but she's English and, you know, the Europeans nap all the time and they seem to be a lot happier than we are most of the time

So maybe napping is a clue to that. That's a good point. Which is the superior pet, dog or cat

Dog. Mmm. If Harry Potter magic was real, should it be legalized

Yes. Would New York City survive a zombie apocalypse? Isn't it already

And is Taylor Swift overrated or no? No, not overrated. I mean, the impact that that person has had in the world, you can't overrate something like that

Are you a Swifty? I wouldn't call me that, but I admire her talent tremendously