Dick Van Dyke Hates Reality TV, Agrees His 'Poppins' Accent Was Lousy

By Nicki Gostin Posted May 5th 2011 12:00PM

The irrepressible Dick Van Dyke is believe it or not, 85, but he shows no signs of slowing down and has just released a memoir, 'My Lucky Life In And Out Of Show Business.' It's filled with tales about his lustrous career, although the star of his own iconic TV show and films like 'Mary Poppins' tells PopEater in a new interview, "I hesitate to call it a career. I had no goals in mind. I just went with whatever happened." Too modest, Dick, and in his lovely must-read book, the rubber-faced funnyman takes pride in the fact he "stood for something" and "upheld values" with his work.

In our lively chat, the proud great-grandfather of four spoke about his winning fight with the bottle, why he turned down 'Dancing With the Stars,' his distaste for reality TV (on 'Apprentice': "I've never been so bored in my life!"), and the greatness of 'Mary Poppins,' his bad cockney accent notwithstanding.

"I not only wince every time I hear it but every Brit that I run into rakes me over the coals for it," he admits. "I have taken such a kidding all these years -- but I deserve it I must admit."

You come across in your book like your public persona. Is that fair to say?
Yeah that's pretty much it. I've always resisted doing a book because my life sounded kind of pedestrian. Actually after I'd got it written I retitled it because almost anything that happened to me happened by chance.

Well I think your talent had a little something to do with it.
Well you have to be able to deliver, that's true.

You never sold out in your career.
I hesitate to call it a career. I had no goals in mind. I just went with whatever happened.

You were working during the cultural revolution of the 60's and 70's. You must have turned down a lot of material that you didn't agree with.
That's true. By the 70's they weren't doing much of my kind of stuff anymore.

Did it make you bitter?
Oh no. I would have liked to have been around during the 30's and 40's, that would have been wonderful but I'm not going to complain.

I can't believe 'Diagnosis Murder' was on the air for ten years.
It was the longest I've ever held a job. Thank God for Hallmark because they insist on family entertainment, so it was a perfect niche for me.

You must hate Reality TV.
Yes I do hate it I must say. I know it's inexpensive to do but I don't think it's entertainment. We watched Donald Trump's 'Apprentice,' whatever it is, I've never been so bored in my life! That's not entertainment. Those shows encourage bad behavior.

Have you been asked to do anything recently?
I get a lot of scripts but as you say they are not exactly my cup of tea. They did ask me to do 'Dancing With The Stars,' I said I can do one show but on that show you have to come up with a new number every week and I told them that I think I'm a little past that stage.

Maybe you could be a special guest star.
That would work. I'd get Betty White to dance with me (laughs). I'm the not the oldest person out there. Thank God for Betty.

You write a lot about spirituality and your search for meaning.
I would describe myself as curious. I've always been one of those people who are full of doubts. So I do a lot of research. I think there's been too much theological hairsplitting going on. So I try to keep it simple and leave the litany out. I keep going back to books by people like Martin Buber. I make notes in the margins. It's kind of fun to go back to a book I read 30 years ago and see what I was thinking about at the time. To live a life of love and compassion and to care about your fellow human beings and do no harm. I think that's a religion right there.

You've met a lot of Presidents. Who was your favorite?
The most recent, I got to sing and dance for Obama last summer at the Ford Theater. I was thoroughly charmed by both he and Michelle. My least favorite was probably Johnson. He was kind of a gruff, ill-tempered guy, I suppose because of the pressures of the job but nevertheless he did a lot for civil rights so I'm not going to fault him.

You were very open about your alcoholism when not many celebrities talked about it.
That's right. Mercedes McCambridge who did the voice in 'The Exorcist,' was the first one that I was aware of who went before Congress and talked about it. It helped remove the stigma from it a little bit and I've never regretted coming out publicly either.

You were on and off the wagon and then you just quit.
It's like my drinking machine broke. All of a sudden it just didn't do anything for me anymore which was a blessing. It just faded away.

What was harder to give up, cigarettes or the drink?
Cigarettes. I've talked to heroin addicts who say it was nothing compared to cigarettes. I think it's the hardest one of all. A physician noticed in an x-ray that I had a little spot on my lung, my father had passed away from emphysema so that scared me straight.

You're in a singing quartet.
Four guys in their 30's and me. They found me in a Starbucks one morning. We got together ten years ago, we do a lot of benefits, fund raisers, children's hospitals. It's the most fun I've ever had.

What was your favorite movie?
Oh 'Mary Poppins' of course, by far and away is my favorite.

I love you in that movie but you know your accent isn't the best.
I not only wince every time I hear it but every Brit that I run into rakes me over the coals for it. I have taken such a kidding all these years -- but I deserve it I must admit.

Did you realize the movie was special when you were making it?
Oh yes, everybody did. The music alone. We knew we had something really nice going. Everybody was so enthusiastic about it although little did I know 40 years later it would still be around.

You say you had a little crush on Mary Tyler Moore but nothing happened right?
Oh no not at all!

Was 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' your favorite working experience?
I think everyone connected with that show says it was the best five years because it was like going to a party everyday. It was so much fun.

More Q&As From Nicki Gostin: Rob Lowe, Robert Redford, Gwyneth Paltrow and Raquel Welch

Tags: Dick Van Dyke

Comments

(101)

Thursday 05 May

By mrbasebal1

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Here is a guy who was an alcoholic and one who smoked cigarettes most of his life. He is 85 years old and still going strong. What does that tell you? People want to be able to say" "If you don't do this, you will live a long life", or "If you do this, you will live a long life". The fact of the matter is, no one really knows how long they will live. Genetics probably has more to do with longevity than anything else. That is a hard pill to swallow, if your parents died of cancer in their late 40's and didn't smoke or drink.

By BayouPlalah

It tells me it's a good thing he STOPPED doing those things and THAT's why he's still alive.

By stu

LAME popeater! this interview sounds like the exact 1 on The View tuesday.
I luv'd Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!

Saturday 07 May

By BTDT

Always been a fan. He was great in Bye Bye Birdy.

By bobparks

What does that tell me? It tells me he was LUCKY. Smoking is STUPID, plain and simple.

By amused

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Party On! Good Bye.

By jorg1776

I had a professor in one of those college courses in life skills they make you take freshman year explain it this way. You will die at roughly the same age no matter what. What smoking especially does is determine what your last few years will be like, active and healthy or in a nursing home on oxygen. Its more a quality of life thing rather than longevity.

By Joe Papierz Jr

You obviously missed the point of his story. He STOPPED smoking and drinking..............IN TIME. Try using your brain. How can putting foul air containing chemicals into your lungs and alcohol into your stomach be of any benefit to your body? You either smoke, drink or both and are looking for a way to justify not quitting because you are too weak to quit. Don't try to convince yourself or others with your false logic.

By randy

As much as I hate to admit it, I have to agree with the genetics theory. My grandfather smoked 4 packs of unfiltered cigarettes a day since he was 13 (the 4 packs started later I'm sure) and lived to 94! The doctor said his death had nothing to do with smoking....he was just old and wore out! I myself, as ashamed to say as I am, smoke 2 packs a day since I was 15 and I'm now 56. I can still out run my 32 yr old son, and hold my breath underwater longer than my 9 yr old grandson. I went for an insurance health exam and the agent called me back asking if I really did smoke because NOTHING showed up on the blood or urine tests! Now pay attention folks... DO NOT SMOKE ! IT'S REALLY HARD TO QUIT, AND MY STORY IS PROBABLY VERY RARE, but I do think genetics play a big role .

By Bud Maxwell

I agree. Having been a pack-a-day smoker since age nine, now at age eighty, am not about to quit. It's the only pleasurable vice I've got, and since quitting drinking thirty years ago, I feel healthier than anybody I know. Remember, George Burns lived to be 101 and smoked 25 cigars every blessed day. (Pf course, some will say if he hadn't smoked, he would still be around!) LOL

By smokey

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

tells me i can smoke again, yesssssss.

By Marilyn Barfoot

He was a dancer; notice how many of them live a long time.

By forum4women

Tells me he has learned from his mistakes and good thing he does not do those now. Always better to be healthy even if the nasty cancer threat can get anyone of us at any time. Being that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 2 men will get cancer, we are at risk no matter what we do.

Just live life to the fullest for as long as you can.

By lovetmd98

What it tells you is that HE IS ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES. If you smoke, the ODDS are NOT in your favor that you will live a long and healthy life. I would guess that you are a smoker and are using this to justify and make yourself feel better. If that is the case, you are making a big mistake.

By ln

test

By old enough to remember

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

What it tells you is that he is lucky. My spouse's grandfather died of emphasyma (spelling) at age 85. He had smoked since he was 10. You might say he lived a long life. However, his siblings that survived childhood and did not smoke lived well into their late 90's and even several years past 100.

Monday 09 May

By taraterm2

Theres no doubt genetics and a good attitude play a huge part in longevity, but more people die younger of their bad habits than those who survive them. Everyone knows some old coot who smoked 40 cigarettes a day and lived to 100, but that doesnt mean anything.And as you can see, he admitted himself the spot on his lung scared him straight. Thank God this wonderful funny man stopped the bad habits in time.

By janna

It's a medical fact that smoking causes many health problems. Not only that, it pollutes the air. Quit making excuses for your bad habits. Yes, maybe if you never smoke or drink you'll still get cancer or whatever and die. However, if you do smoke or drink you are increasing your chances of getting any number of horrible diseases. So there you have it.

By tony

i had a friend,he quit smoking and 2 days later at a gas station he was hit by the truck delivering cigaretts,true story.

By Screetch

i had a friend who was a truck driver, he retired then two days later he was run over by a giant flying cigarette. possibly true story.

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