10 questions for Ted Danson

Don’t let the white hair fool you. Ted Danson is nowhere near slowing down. Yes, he’ll probably always be associated with Cheers, the long-running ’80s sitcom, and his character, bar- tender Sam Malone (in fact, he still signs his autographs “Cheers—Ted Danson”). But since the show ended, the 62-year-old actor, who has won two Emmys among many other awards, has become a fixture on three cable TV series: the FX legal drama Damages and the HBO comedies Bored to Death and Curb Your Enthusiasm. The latter show, the brainchild of his buddy and Seinfeld cocreator Larry David, gives Danson the opportunity to do something he relishes: work alongside his wife, Mary Steenburgen. He describes his relationship with Steenburgen as a true love match cemented “by silliness.” Does he believe being in love makes him funnier? “I do,” Danson avers. “I love making Mary laugh.” And when Mary laughs, we all laugh.

 

1. You’re one half of a very funny couple. You often act together too. How do you make that work?

It can be tough working together be- cause when the reviews come out, you have only a 25 percent chance of being happy. There’s loved her/hated him, loved him/hated her, hated them both, and then the only one you want: Loved them both. Those are bad odds. We have egos and we compete ... But it’s competition that lifts you up, as in “I want to be where you are.”

 

2. Can you give me an example of a recurring argument between the two of you?

 

Basically the theme is my unconsciousness. That would have to be the theme of all female and male arguments. But an example? Do you think I'm stupid? I'm not that unconscious. “Hey, Mary, read what I said we argue about!” I don’t think so.

 

3. Do you guys still make a funny holiday card each year?

Life got busy, but we’re thinking about starting it up again. That was all Mary. She is the camp counselor. One year we formed an imaginary dance troupe and did “Twelve Days of Christmas” poses. We had the entire family, the dogs—everybody— dress up. It was a huge two-day shoot. That card came out in the form of a calendar. It was just hysterical, with running commentary from a critic named Bitterman.