Bob Saget: From ‘Full House’ to frat house

Posted on Nov. 23, 2009, at 1:16 a.m.

Comedian Bob Saget is headed to the University of Maine on Dec. 1. The Maine Campus got a chance to talk with the pop-culture icon about “Full House,” his new show on A&E, fraternities, smoking pot and the college generation.

The Maine Campus: How does it feel to know that on any given day, somebody, somewhere is probably watching you on a “Full House” re-run?

Bob Saget: It’s funny because some people say to me, “I just watched you on ‘Full House,’ and I flip a channel and you’re on ‘Entourage.’” I don’t know how that can possibly happen. Apparently, somewhere “Full House” is on at the same time as HBO at 10:30 at night. It’s a giant compliment. The stuff we did when we did that show has become a favorite for people but, when we did it, it was hard going for the first few years. It’s meant for young girls. It was made for what would be the fantasy for three young girls to be raised by three guys. It’s really interesting that it touched a lot of people, and I think some of the reason is how well done it was for that kind of show. It’s weird that I did it — I can’t even watch it. I don’t know what the hell I did. I’m proud of it, but it’s just weird.

MEC: What happened for you to make the transition from “family-friendly” to the comedian you are now?

BS: Well, that’s what I was always like. When I was 17, I played music, comedy songs. I won a radio contest with a song called “Bondage.” It was about people liking to tie each other up. The other song I wrote was “She’s a Man.” Those were like the first things I did. My standup was always about what’s in my pants. The first thing I did was Richard Pryor movies as an actor and I said “f—” in it a bunch. And then I got the part on “Full House” and you can’t say “f—” if you’re on “Full House.” The video show [America’s Funniest Home Videos] was an accident because it was supposed to be a special. It just lasted for eight years. The only thing that’s dirty about me is I say inappropriate things and I drop the f-bomb a lot. Otherwise I’m not as dirty as any of the other people I’m looking at that I love. The new stuff I’m doing now, I’m really happy with. It’s still perverted and weird, but I can’t help what I find funny, which is usually odd.

MEC: On Nov. 17, it was announced you would be doing a show called “Strange Days.” Are you allowed to talk about that yet?

BS: Yeah, it’s all over the Internet. A&E announced it. It’s me going out and studying subcultures that are different and weird. The one we shot already was me going to Ukraine — it’s called “The Ukraine.” I found out it’s like saying, “The Russia,” but I didn’t know that — and getting guys mail-order brides. Finding girls that want to marry an American and come here. It’s comedy-documentary. I’ll go watch [the Burning Man Festival] or go on the road with a biker gang. We’ll try and get some Amish teenagers to see if they want to jump their group, if I’m allowed to film Amish teenagers. It’s me just talking to them and having real conversations and living with them — well, not living with them because I’m still a spoiled bitch — and getting into people’s lives.

MEC: It sounds like it’s going to be awesome. I heard you are going to rush a fraternity for the show.

BS: Yeah, that’s one of the plans. We’ll see. Let’s find out if anybody … maybe you have one at UMaine, right?

MEC: Plenty would love to have Bob Saget rushing their fraternity next semester.

BS: It was really strange. I got honored by Harvard. B.J. Novak, who’s on “The Office,” was a student and honored me. It was pretty interesting; it was when I realized fraternities were calling to me. This writer, who is a very funny writer friend of mine named Danny Chung, grabbed me that night and we went to look at frat houses. We weren’t filming anything, we just went and knocked on the doors and he said, “I got Bob Saget, can we come in?” We just went to all these fraternities. We just walked around.

MEC: People in college right now are the ones who grew up seeing your face on TV. How do you feel when you are around people our age?

BS: It’s nice. I feel that I’m at that age. The stuff I do when I’m doing my standup free and clear and just letting myself go, that just feels like I’m talking to myself, I’m talking to my friends.

MEC: Well, I’m glad you feel that you are our age.

BS: It’s true, I mean I don’t see any difference. I look up to people that are younger. It’s nice to be around people that have a blinded confidence because as people get older, sometimes they get beat up by things, and they get worried. They go, “Life will surprise you,” and “Life is tough.” The new generation coming up, the smart people know that life is tough. They’ve been raised with that. I have nothing but respect for people that are college-age. I get kind of emotional about it because as fruity as it sounds, the college people are the future. I’m the stupid one at my show. I’m the 15-year-old kid who’s talking about his weiner for 45 minutes and then I get to sing about it [laughs].

MEC: If you feel so much like you are our age, what are the odds you are going to be showing up on stage high or drunk?

BS: Oh, never. I can’t work that way. I can’t perform. I can’t think. I think I’ve had booze in me five times in my 35 years of doing standup, and I think I’ve smoked pot like once or twice before, and it just made me insanely paranoid. I have to be completely clear, like an athlete. Unless it’s good steroids — I would take a ton of steroids to bulk up on stage. That’s a joke. I would not take steroids. People, like, want to get me stoned or buy me shots, it’s like, “Dude, I’m working.” It’s not what you want your Northwest [Airlines] pilots to be doing when they’re missing the runway.

MEC: Going in a completely different direction, what was your time on Broadway like?

BS: It was one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life. “Drowsy Chaperone” was the play I did on Broadway. It was such a good show, and I was so proud to be in it. There was 1,600 people a show. There’s just no fear when you learn how to do that. It really helped me as a performer in every way.

MEC: A lot of people know about your standup but not many know about your comedy songs. What do you feel your role is as a comical musician?

BS: I’m a really bad musician. I’m unbearably bad, but I love playing and I’ve written a ton of songs. I can’t stop writing songs. A couple of them people sing with me. They love “My Dog Licked My Balls” — it’s a very powerful song.

MEC: Do you still talk to the cast of “Full House?”

BS: All the time. I did a benefit [Nov. 9], and John Stamos came up and did auction items with me, and Mary-Kate and Ashley [Olsen] came to the event and sat with my real daughters. I saw Candace [Cameron Bure, who played D.J.,] yesterday, and Lori [Loughlin, who played Becky,] yesterday, and I talked to Jodie [Sweetin, who played Steph,] the other day, and I talked to Dave [Coulier, who played Joey,]. … I have a lot of love for everybody with that show.

MEC: So the whole cast is going to have Thanksgiving together?

BS: [chuckles] No, I’ll be with some dear friends and two of my daughters. We’re going to have a nice family night. I like Thanksgiving.

MEC: Well, hopefully you can pack a turkey sandwich for when you come up here.

BS: Oh yeah.

Tickets for Bob Saget, sponsored by Student Entertainment, are $18 for students, $25 for the public and are available in the CCA box office.