Improvised Roundtables, Episode 61: Actors With One-Line Waiter Roles

#62standardFood/Hospitality

Sep 14, 2022·46m

Premise: This week we gathered four actors who have achieved the impossible: played waiters in movies or TV shows who have one line. A lot goes into performing such deceptively simple roles, so put out your diner mug brain and let these actors fill it to the brim with robust industry knowledge that'll wake you right up.

Bits & Timeline (14)

0:00CHARACTER_INTRO

3:55

The Art of the One-Line Waiter

Four actors who specialize in 'co-star' roles—specifically waiters with exactly one line—gather to discuss the profound artistic weight of being 'living furniture' for stars like Leonardo DiCaprio.

"A good co-star isn't invisible, I'd say, but I'd say is barely there so that Leo DiCaprio can be there."

"We're living furniture, you know what I mean? In so many words."

"One line is the most powerful thing you could do."

3:56BACKSTORY_REVEAL

4:12

IMDb Star Meters and Local Hires

The actors share their credits, ranging from 'Dentist 3' on Grey's Anatomy to a 'neighbor waiter' on Mike & Molly. Chance reveals he is a local hire out of Albuquerque who specializes in saying 'What was that?'

"I'm a local hire out of Albuquerque."

"I was a neighbor and I said, 'Here is your mail.' So like a waiter, but a neighbor waiter."

"I asked Leo DiCaprio if he wanted his top off."

11:43GAME_OR_PITCH

3:22

The 'Here's Your Steak' Masterclass

Cole challenges the group to demonstrate their process for the line 'Here's your steak.' Ana reveals her secondhand training via her mother's GoPro, while Franco describes walking on bricks to simulate waitress fatigue.

"I'll say 'cut' when I'm doing the process and 'action' when I'm doing the actual performance."

"My mother goes to Leslie Kahn and then she reports back to me."

16:35GAME_OR_PITCH

1:55

The 'Here's Your Steak' Masterclass (Part 2)

"I would tie bricks that I get from my neighbor's yard to my feet."

19:30VISUAL_GAG

1:59

The Albuquerque SAG (ASAG) Experience

Chance Mulrony describes the unique benefits of the Albuquerque SAG union, including casino vouchers, breakfast burritos, and 'dust mitigation' insurance, while revealing he was once slapped by Philip Seymour Hoffman.

"I'm part of the Albuquerque zag. ASAG."

"We get sunburn insurance and we get dust mitigation."

"My ASAG number is four. I'm number four."

22:10ESCALATION

2:06

The Hell of Monologue Monday

Cole and Ana explain the grueling social media schedule for modern actors, including Self-Tape Tuesday and the mysterious Free-Day Friday, which Chance completely fails to understand.

"You guys don't know the hell that is monologue Monday."

"Friday's a free day but you have to post free day."

"Usually I'm getting hit up by people that support Trump and just comment use kind of my videos to use it almost as a pulpit."

25:10CHARACTER_INTRO

1:45

Linda Arnoff's Trauma-Based Method

Cole demonstrates his acting process taught by Linda Arnoff, which involves staring at a wall for two hours to find the 'soul' of a one-line waiter role, resulting in a spit-filled delivery.

"Linda teaches Albuquerque equals drug addict."

"I'm Jim. My brother just died in Iraq."

"Here's your steak."

30:30VISUAL_GAG