Masters of the Unpredictable: Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood
October 2008
From left: Mochrie and Sherwood
Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, alumni of
Drew Carey's Emmy-nominated ABC-TV sketch comedy series “Whose Line is it Anyway?,” which ran 1998 - 2006, have been performing together for the last 10 years. After experiencing larger tours with Carey and other “Whose Line” cast members, Mochrie and Sherwood decided to partner and tour the nation as a dynamic duo of improvisational comedy.
The eponymous “An Evening with Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood” is two hours of guaranteed hilarity that's entirely based on audience participation.
“Brad and I are both stage hogs,” said Mochrie. “At this point, we're on stage all the time, so it's great.”
Sherwood agreed, facetiously adding, “We also had to split the money 10 ways [on the group tour], so economically and performing-wise, it made more sense for us to go out on the road ourselves.”
Despite living on opposite coasts, Brad in Los Angeles and Colin in New York City, the funnymen manage to be comically in sync, clearly a result of their long-lasting personal and professional relationship.
For instance, when asked how Mochrie scored top billing for their show, Mochrie explained, “I think Brad was the one who named it, so I think he knows where his bread is buttered.”
The same question posed to the west coast had Sherwood echoing, “I know where my bread's buttered. I keep the big bear happy. I feed him little snacks and then point him in the right direction. It's a very symbiotic relationship.”
Of this symbiosis, Mochrie described himself as the more physical comic of the two, distinguishing Sherwood as the more “verbally astute.” Of course, neither can resist the opportunity to tell the absolute truth.
“I'm the funny one,” said Mochrie.
“I'm the puppet master. He's just the pretty face,” Sherwood bantered, elaborating, “He's got a police record as long as your arm.
While neither can choose a favorite game or sketch, as it varies from show to show, they admit that cracking up uncontrollably or having their minds go blank hardly ever happens.
“The beauty of it [is],” began Sherwood, “because we're a team, the other one's there to catch you, sort of like a trapeze artist.”
Minus the Spandex, of course.
“[Colin's] been trying to work that into the act, and I refuse,” joked Sherwood, a self-described “renaissance man” who enjoys painting, writing music and playing guitar in his spare time.
Familiar with pink tutus, at least during his commercial work as the Nabisco “Snack Fairy,” Mochrie (incidentally, the cook of his household), discussed his perspective of the stage, saying, “My thing has always been, 'If I'm going to die on stage, I'm going down with friends.'
“With an improv show, you have a little more leeway. The audience knows you're working with their suggestions, and they … feel like they're a part of it.”
With decades of improv, acting and hosting work in their repertoire, the masters of the unpredictable are viewing the next 10 years after “Whose Line” as just that.
“It's sort of always chasing the dream and trying to win the lottery, as it were,” said Sherwood of his career choice, continuing, “I always liked being funny. That's all I really knew … I've always been comfortable not knowing where the future's gonna take me.”
For now, he and his wife plan to raise their Rottweiler, Mr. Pickles, in lieu of expanding their own brood. “Our children of choice are dogs. We like [them] better because they don't run around the house screaming, 'I hate you daddy! I hate you daddy!' And, hopefully, they don't accidentally get pregnant while you're not paying attention.”
Perhaps, though, like other comedians such as Ellen DeGeneres, Craig Ferguson and Bonnie Hunt, they'll follow suit and helm their own talk shows one day.
Imagining the prospect, Mochrie offered, “I would just keep it simple and call it 'Colin!' That way people know what they're getting. Or maybe 'The Greatest Talk Show Ever.'”
Sherwood, no stranger to the talk show fare, having made regular appearances on “The Tonight Show,” deadpanned, “My show would be called 'I'm Funnier Than Colin,' and my first guest would be Colin, and then I would prove the title of the show.”
Whatever avenue the playful, witty and charismatic “Whose-Liners” take, Mochrie promised, “I'm going to be milking this cow until it's dead.”
So, the pivotal question remains: Whose line is it, anyway?
“It's mine. It always has been. I always have the last laugh. You can ask Colin,” said Sherwood.
And so I did.
“It's always mine. Well, it depends who I'm with. When I'm with Brad, it's mine. When I'm with my wife, it's hers,” said Mochrie.
Links: Official Site | Facebook | Twitter
Drew Carey's Emmy-nominated ABC-TV sketch comedy series “Whose Line is it Anyway?,” which ran 1998 - 2006, have been performing together for the last 10 years. After experiencing larger tours with Carey and other “Whose Line” cast members, Mochrie and Sherwood decided to partner and tour the nation as a dynamic duo of improvisational comedy.
The eponymous “An Evening with Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood” is two hours of guaranteed hilarity that's entirely based on audience participation.
“Brad and I are both stage hogs,” said Mochrie. “At this point, we're on stage all the time, so it's great.”
Sherwood agreed, facetiously adding, “We also had to split the money 10 ways [on the group tour], so economically and performing-wise, it made more sense for us to go out on the road ourselves.”
Despite living on opposite coasts, Brad in Los Angeles and Colin in New York City, the funnymen manage to be comically in sync, clearly a result of their long-lasting personal and professional relationship.
For instance, when asked how Mochrie scored top billing for their show, Mochrie explained, “I think Brad was the one who named it, so I think he knows where his bread is buttered.”
The same question posed to the west coast had Sherwood echoing, “I know where my bread's buttered. I keep the big bear happy. I feed him little snacks and then point him in the right direction. It's a very symbiotic relationship.”
Of this symbiosis, Mochrie described himself as the more physical comic of the two, distinguishing Sherwood as the more “verbally astute.” Of course, neither can resist the opportunity to tell the absolute truth.
“I'm the funny one,” said Mochrie.
“I'm the puppet master. He's just the pretty face,” Sherwood bantered, elaborating, “He's got a police record as long as your arm.
While neither can choose a favorite game or sketch, as it varies from show to show, they admit that cracking up uncontrollably or having their minds go blank hardly ever happens.
“The beauty of it [is],” began Sherwood, “because we're a team, the other one's there to catch you, sort of like a trapeze artist.”
Minus the Spandex, of course.
“[Colin's] been trying to work that into the act, and I refuse,” joked Sherwood, a self-described “renaissance man” who enjoys painting, writing music and playing guitar in his spare time.
Familiar with pink tutus, at least during his commercial work as the Nabisco “Snack Fairy,” Mochrie (incidentally, the cook of his household), discussed his perspective of the stage, saying, “My thing has always been, 'If I'm going to die on stage, I'm going down with friends.'
“With an improv show, you have a little more leeway. The audience knows you're working with their suggestions, and they … feel like they're a part of it.”
With decades of improv, acting and hosting work in their repertoire, the masters of the unpredictable are viewing the next 10 years after “Whose Line” as just that.
“It's sort of always chasing the dream and trying to win the lottery, as it were,” said Sherwood of his career choice, continuing, “I always liked being funny. That's all I really knew … I've always been comfortable not knowing where the future's gonna take me.”
For now, he and his wife plan to raise their Rottweiler, Mr. Pickles, in lieu of expanding their own brood. “Our children of choice are dogs. We like [them] better because they don't run around the house screaming, 'I hate you daddy! I hate you daddy!' And, hopefully, they don't accidentally get pregnant while you're not paying attention.”
Perhaps, though, like other comedians such as Ellen DeGeneres, Craig Ferguson and Bonnie Hunt, they'll follow suit and helm their own talk shows one day.
Imagining the prospect, Mochrie offered, “I would just keep it simple and call it 'Colin!' That way people know what they're getting. Or maybe 'The Greatest Talk Show Ever.'”
Sherwood, no stranger to the talk show fare, having made regular appearances on “The Tonight Show,” deadpanned, “My show would be called 'I'm Funnier Than Colin,' and my first guest would be Colin, and then I would prove the title of the show.”
Whatever avenue the playful, witty and charismatic “Whose-Liners” take, Mochrie promised, “I'm going to be milking this cow until it's dead.”
So, the pivotal question remains: Whose line is it, anyway?
“It's mine. It always has been. I always have the last laugh. You can ask Colin,” said Sherwood.
And so I did.
“It's always mine. Well, it depends who I'm with. When I'm with Brad, it's mine. When I'm with my wife, it's hers,” said Mochrie.
Links: Official Site | Facebook | Twitter
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