Tim DeKay Talks 'Collar,' Kelly Kapowski and Playing 'Bizarro Jerry'

By Mike Hess Posted Mar 9th 2010 03:36PM

Tim DeKay's television career is one for the history books, so the whopping success of his show 'White Collar' is just the icing on the cake. The devilishly handsome actor -- who has been on everything from 'Seinfeld' (Bizarro Jerry! Which he almost didn't play!) to 'Carnivale' to the incredibly racy 'Tell Me You Love Me' -- is now a part of USA's tremendous lineup with 'Collar,' and he stopped by the PopEater headquarters to chat about the show's vibe ("It's 'The Thomas Crowne Affair' meets 'Midnight Run") and why being faux-married to Tiffani-Amber Thiessen "doesn't suck."

So, to someone who maybe hasn't ventured out and watched 'White Collar' yet, what's your Cliff's Notes summary of it?

'White Collar' is a show about the unlikely pairing of an FBI agent and an ex-con solving smart, glamorous, interesting and provocative crimes in a sometimes very funny way. It's 'Thomas Crowne Affair' meets 'Midnight Run.' That relationship between Robert DeNiro and Charles Grodin, they're very different but you can tell they kind of like each other even though they're quite opposite. And the 'Thomas Crowne Affair' gives it that snap and hipness.

Before 'White Collar,' you were on HBO's much-discussed and very racy show 'Tell Me You Love Me.' How was the transition coming out of that?
The transition coming out was nice, to not have to worry about being naked literally and figuratively. As an actor, you just love doing different things. You want to be as many characters as you can, because it's fun to pretend in different backyards. 'Tell Me You Love Me' was a very specific kind of show, and 'White Collar' is as well. Not to sound too artistic, but the more specific something is, the more range you have as an actor. Because you get to do what you worked for a long time to develop.

Your wife on the show is Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, who will forever be Kelly Kapowski to us. Were you a 'Saved By the Bell' watcher?
I never did! I certainly knew who she was. I never watched 'Saved By the Bell' or 'Melrose Place,' but whenever I saw her I thought, 'Oooh, she's cute!' I had been cast originally prior to her on 'Collar,' so they were bringing in a number of women to do a chemistry read. She walked into the room, said hello and gave me a hug and I thought: 'Oh, here's my pretend wife.' She's smart, she read well ... it doesn't suck.

With 'Tell Me' or even 'Collar,' how do you go about explaining to your wife all of these romps with gorgeous actresses?
With Tiffani it's very easy because she and my wife get along well. I learned early on to tell my wife exactly what she's going to see, because you don't want to surprise your wife when she comes to see a show or play and in a scene there's something rather provocative. Then she says, 'Oh, when did you shoot that? I didn't know that was going to happen.' That's not what you want.

I completely forgot until just before the interview that you were on 'Seinfeld' playing Jerry's alternate universe twin, Bizarro Jerry.

Someone told me that episode was just on the other night! That was like a different lifetime ago. It was prior to me having kids. I had done the episode prior, and we were almost through it, and I had just gotten another job that I was going to do. Jerry came up to me and said 'We want you to do next week's episode, too' and he handed me the script. I told him I had a job, and he told me to read it. It was the Bizarro episode and I thought 'Oh, this is going to be a classic,' and it is. So, I read it and I told him I wanted to do it but I had another job, and he said 'Who do I call?' And he and his people got on the phone and we made some calls, and I got to do both.

More 'Collar' Talk With Tim on AOL Television

Tags: Tim DeKay, white collar

Comments

(9)

Tuesday 09 March

By Bill

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To me, Tim DeKay will always be Dean in the movie "Big Eden." His portrayal of a man who loves his best friend so much that he tries to be his lover is raw, heartbreaking, and tender.

Wednesday 10 March

By meetingrich

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Meet a Rich Match on

W W W..M illionAi reC H a t s .c0 M

The bes t c l u b f o r
seek ing the rich s i n gl es, sex y beauties. ...what's the most important is that you don't have to be a milli onaire, but you can me et one. ...

Meet a Rich Match on

W W W..M illionAi reC H a t s .c0 M

The bes t c l u b f o r
seek ing the rich s i n gl es, sex y beauties. ...what's the most important is that you don't have to be a milli onaire, but you can me et one. ...

ccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

By BTDT

Did I read that right?

Thursday 11 March

By Judy

You must have not seen it from the first episode, I look forward to Tuesdays just to see White Collar, it is funny, interesting and a joy to watch the stars interact, a very good cast of interesting people that act well together, Love them all.

By Dave

white collar is by far the worse TV show ever put on, that pansy ass looks anemic

By flo flo

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White Collar is a great show I dont know what you other people are watching. Both of the guys are so sexy but I like Tim Dekays laid back still.

By Bee

White Collar is such a good show! It's just like the movie 'Catch me if You Can' with Leonardo Dicaprio. I think the second season will be a hundred times better, the first season of any series is always a little dull because they're playing it safe. I love criminal minds, but theyre not the first show to use a serious disposition for a charector and DeKay's charector isnt THAT serious. And Matt Bomer is insanely goodlooking!

By jmslotnick

I thoroughly enjoy White Collar. Great cast. Tim DeKay is very good and handsome and his costar Matt Bomer is one very good looking young man as well. Looking forward to the next season....

By Mikki

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White Collar is one of the best shows on TV! I can't wait until Tuesday night every week. Tim DeKay is perfection in his FBI role - very believable. The script every week is top quality and to me, is not predictable at all. Matt Bomer is adorable and is very capable in his role. The rest of the talent is very well casted. Tim's wife, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen is perfect in this role. The chemistry between them is natural and believable. I am looking forward to summer when new episodes air!

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