You can’t tell by the transcript, or maybe you will, but this was one of the most fun, confusing, and entertaining conference calls I’ve been on in a long while. You can tell both Charlie and Eden are good friends outside of the show. They both have a great sense of humor and I’m sure Sue could gush all day about her friend Charlie and vice versa, although, it seems Charlie isn’t quite the chatter box Eden is. I absolutely loved listening to their banter and interactions between questions.
If you’re like me and haven’t watched the show from its inception, fear not. That was one of the main questions I asked and these two assured me that while I may miss a joke or two, you can jump in and watch the show at anytime. But, you’re in luck since The Middle will be airing on The Hallmark Channel today, Monday, March 3, 2014.
It looks like I didn’t let Eden finish her answer, but there was so much back and forth chatter going on, and pauses, I thought she’d finished after she said ‘weird.’ Sorry, Eden! You’re adorable!
Operator: The next question comes from Judy Manning. Judy, the floor is yours.
Judy Manning: Hi. Charlie, Eden, thank you so much for taking the call.
Charlie McDermott: Yes, no problem.
Judy Manning: So for some of those people out there who are not huge fans of the show or maybe haven’t seen the show, do you think that the aspect of the show is something that you need from the beginning or that someone can just jump in at any time during the series?
Charlie McDermott: No, I think the one thing that our show definitely has going for it is that there’s — I mean there are a few callbacks sometimes and some episodes that have continued stories, but mostly the show is isolated incidents, every episode. I kind of look at it like we’re kind of human cartoon characters in a way. Our show is written as though it was going to be drawn by cartoonists but they actually had actors perform it. So yes, I think you can definitely jump in anywhere in any season to start watching it, and not feel like you’re missing anything.
Eden Sher: I kind of respect the fact that it’s funny on the level, like if you watch it from the beginning there are definitely Easter eggs at places, like oh that’s funny, they’re bringing (inaudible). Or, oh wow, this is sort of on some level following the actual life — the lives of these people. But on another level, they just write not one off jokes, but you can sort of — you can jump in at any given moment and just, ha, ha, this is funny. I don’t know anything and I can still laugh at this.
Charlie McDermott: Agreed.
Judy Manning: Well, I just watched the Hungry Games again. I watched the Hungry Games again and the swizzle sticks game that you had was hilarious. I couldn’t stop laughing. And I wanted to follow-up on your question earlier, your answer about you putting yourself into your characters. Do you each have brothers and sisters that you kind of relate to since it’s like a brother-sister trio?
Eden Sher: Yes.
Charlie McDermott: I have two younger sisters, yes. I’m the oldest, I guess in that sense. Well, you’re the middle child too, aren’t you, Eden?
Eden Sher: I have actually the exact same dynamic in my real life as I do on the show. I’m in the middle. I have one older brother and one younger brother and they’re actually, like, the same, the same age difference. It’s same birth order even though it’s like the years in between us. Weird. But also–
Judy Manning: Well, thank you so much for taking the call. I really appreciate it.
Charlie McDermott: No problem.
Judy Manning: Thank you.
——————————————————————————————————
Without further ado, here is the remaining conference call.
Conference Call with THE MIDDLE’s – Charlie McDermott and Eden Sher
February 21, 2014
L-R: Charlie McDermott and Eden Sher
Bryan deCastro: Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us this afternoon. Today, we announce the Emmy nominated series, The Middle, comes to the Hallmark Channel weeknights beginning Monday, March 3 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Hallmark Channel is America’s premier family cable television network, and is thrilled to add the much-loved comedy, still a current top 20 hit, to its prime time lineup. Joining us today are two of the show’s stars, Charlie McDermott, who plays Axl Heck, and Eden Sher who plays Sue Heck. Charlie and Eden, welcome and thank you so much from everyone at the Hallmark Channel for joining us today. We will turn it over to the moderator to begin the interview.
Operator: The first question comes from Lisa. Lisa the floor is yours.
Lisa S: Hi, Charlie and Eden. Good afternoon. Such a pleasure to speak with you both.
Eden Sher: Hello, yes.
Charlie McDermott: Good afternoon. Hello.
Lisa S: I am a huge fan of The Middle and I love when I get to live tweet the episodes, and I wanted to find out how you all feel about being interactive with the social media and fans that way as well.
Eden Sher: Charlie, want to take the floor on that one?
Charlie McDermott: Yes, sure, I would love to, Eden. Thank you. Yes, no, I think — I enjoy it. I think it’s fun. Yes, it’s cool. I think it’s a neat — it gets a little, I don’t know, I don’t know how to exactly describe it. There’s days where I really like it a lot and I think it’s cool and then there’s days where it’s a little too much and I kind of just want to get rid of it. So I feel like I’m constantly fluctuating back and forth between the two. I know Eden has — I think Eden has a very definitive opinion on the matter.
Eden Sher: I do. Well, it’s not definitive in that it’s kind of convoluted and volatile in my brain, because on the one hand I’m really, really, really not a fan of the internet just like in general. I have a sort of general phobia of the internet and I don’t really want it that much. But then on the other hand, I feel like that can sometimes not responding to fans on the internet can be misconstrued as ingratitude and I don’t want to feel like ungrateful. I am so grateful for all of the fans and I think it’s so awesome that they want to know information, like personal or they want to be involved. And I’m so happy to be involved, like I want to share myself and let them know that I’m grateful for them, but I really am not the biggest user of social media and the internet in general.
Lisa S: Well, what is your favorite aspect then of your character? And obviously, that’s for each of you, what’s your favorite aspect of your portrayal — of Sue and what’s your favorite aspect of Axl?
Eden Sher: My — I’ll just go and jump in real quick, mine is the — is getting the professional opportunity to get paid to just fall on my butt multiple times a day, and squeal, and steal unicorn onesies from Sue’s wardrobe pretty much.
Charlie McDermott: Did you do that?
Eden Sher: I have done that in the past. It’s true.
Charlie McDermott: I didn’t even know that you had a unicorn onesie.
Eden Sher: I wore it in literally one scene for one episode and I think I haven’t worn it since because I got so excited about it and I asked the wardrobe department where they got it, and I want to buy one. They were like, oh no, you should just take that one. We have a double. But I’m not sure if they actually had a double and they were just being nice and letting —
Charlie McDermott: I think they have five pairs of every item, I’m pretty sure.
Eden Sher: Oh, do they?
Charlie McDermott: They have like double doubles. Yes.
Eden Sher: That’s a relief. That’s a relief.
Charlie McDermott: Because I think — because I’m pretty sure in case they have to — if there’s an episode where something gets spilled on it, they have to have at least four different versions for multiple takes, all that stuff.
Eden Sher: Oh, you’re so right. Well, then, yes, then I’ve worn it once and it hasn’t come up again, but it was — it’s my favorite item of clothing I’ve ever worn for any job. So that’s an aspect of Sue that I really respect. And Charlie, how about for you? Not your favorite aspect of me, but your favorite aspect of Axl.
Charlie McDermott: Wait, what was the last thing?
Eden Sher: I said not your favorite part of — aspect of Sue, but your favorite aspect of Axl.
Charlie McDermott: Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes. Yes, Axl is fun, he’s fun to play.
Eden Sher: Charlie is a brilliant, brilliant wordsmith, really, really good actor.
Charlie McDermott: Very (inaudible). Yes, no, I guess my favorite aspect of Axl is, I don’t know, I always feel like a terrible person usually when I’m playing Axl because he kind of does a lot of terrible things. He’s fun in the sense that I get to just act like an imbecile I guess a lot and always get away with it. And I guess that’s my favorite — yes. He’s funny. I like playing — yes, you want to help me, Eden?
Eden Sher: Yes, it’s super hard to talk about yourself and also talk about the character that you play because so much of yourself goes into it and I know that that’s a weird thing to come to terms with, when you can see objectively that your character is kind of an asshole. But I would say you’re really, really skilled at groaning. It seems really specific really, just the groan and whatever, but I would say my favorite, every time, anytime you have to be outraged at something, something really, really miniscule, I can see the Charlie every part of you that is super — as you, Charlie, rational, and grateful, and would never complain about anything just to get throw that out for a second so that you can just be a brat, and groan, and you just do it so well. And it’s with so much heart. It’s crazy how much (inaudible) can go into your groans, your really obnoxious groans.
Charlie McDermott: No, that is fun. I do like that. Yes, the obnoxious groan is definitely my favorite. I guess because this year, I think I just started to realize I’ve been doing this rolling growl thing with (inaudible) in one scene. That’s been my favorite thing lately. I don’t know where that came from, but I’ve been enjoying doing that to the point where they kind of tell me to stop. I’ve been doing it too much. What did you say?
Eden Sher: I was going to say, it makes me break regularly. Your (inaudible), God, your glares are so funny. Just funny little ticks, be like, favorite part, the groans.
Charlie McDermott: Yes, the groans. I’m going to go with that. Favorite aspect, rolling groans.
Eden Sher: Unicorn onesies and groans, that’s what you get from the cast of The Middle.
Operator: The next question comes from Sean. Sean, the floor is yours.
Sean D: Hey, there guys. How are you?
Eden Sher: I like this guy. I like Sean Daily.
Sean D: How’s my cheering section doing there today?
Eden Sher: Your cheering section?
Sean D: Excellent. Nice to talk to you both again. First of all, congratulations, 100 episodes and counting and that’s obviously what every actor strives for. Everybody wants to get into syndication. Everybody wants their show to live on for more than just a couple of years. So can we start by talking a little bit about what it means to you to be — to have gotten to that threshold and now to be on Hallmark Channel and to have the show be presented to a whole new audience?
Eden Sher: Only because this is actually something that I think about a lot, Charlie probably has some idea of my like — the sentiment, the sentimentality or whatever, how sentimental I am about the show going for so many years and how fearful I am for it to be over, and how —
Sean D: Because you cried at the 100 anniversary party, right?
Eden Sher: To say the least, yes. Cry.
Charlie McDermott: She cries at everything, though.
Eden Sher: I sobbed just a little bit.
Charlie McDermott: Can you sob a little bit, though? Isn’t sobbing by definition excessive crying?
Eden Sher: It was excessive crying in sporadic burst. So each time I was — and then I was, I’m okay, it’s a party. And then I’d be like, oh my God, I’m going to (inaudible) with you guys. Ha, ha, this is so fun. But I would say that it feels pretty surreal and also that another surreal thing of being on a show for five years is making a deal with one of the other cast members, who I will not name names, that if we reach season five in January, he or she, who knows, will be able to kick me in the head.
Charlie McDermott: It was actually the face.
Eden Sher: It was.
Sean D: When did this deal get made?
Eden Sher: What?
Sean D: When did that deal get made, in season one?
Eden Sher: Was that during the pilot, Charlie?
Charlie McDermott: No, it wasn’t the pilot because we were on that set. Because remember, we were — for some reason, because there’s a closet in the (inaudible).
Eden Sher: Oh, right.
Charlie McDermott: That opens up and when we have to enter from the hallway, we hide back there behind the refrigerator. But when it’s closed up, it looks like a normal closet. And Eden, and Atticus, and I were for some reason — had to just all crowd under this small closet. And Eden was on the ground and me, like my normal self, realizing my leg and foot were a perfect distance to kick her in the face, because I was standing up —
Eden Sher: Oh, shoot the mystery is revealed. It’s Charlie.
Sean D: Was there any doubt?
Charlie McDermott: And we made the deal that if we got to season five, I could kick her in the face. And then we got to season five and it was January, that was the deal, it was January of season five and we didn’t do it because I realized I didn’t really, actually want to kick her in the face. It was more just — yes.
Eden Sher: It was just such an unrealistic — it was kind of like, if we get to season five, you get to kick me in the face. For whatever reason, I don’t think either one of us expected.
Charlie McDermott: Well, you actually summed it up. You kind of said it — you wrote me that little note and you kind of said it in there, how it wasn’t about the actual kick in the face. It was about us giving a reason to make it five years or something along those lines.
Eden Sher: Oh, no. It’s going to happen over the phone. I’m going to start crying.
Sean D: Listen, as long as we’re in the way back machine, can we talk about your auditions, when you first came to read for the show, and what do you remember about that?
Charlie McDermott: Well, I first moved here in 2006 and I auditioned for the original pilot a couple months after coming out here. And the character was named Elvis then. And I went in and made it two auditions in and I got cut. I didn’t make it any further. And then the pilot went and they didn’t get picked up. And then a year after that, the audition came back again and it was the exact same audition sides except the character name was scratched out and it said Axl instead of Elvis. And I still had the scenes memorized because I only had two or three lines in the pilot. I had nothing to work with.
Eden Sher: If I ever saw —
Charlie McDermott: So I went and read them and — huh?
Eden Sher: No, no, no, I interrupted you. Continue.
Charlie McDermott: Yes, I have not much left. I auditioned, I went through five auditions over a couple months and got it. And yes, and then that was it. What were you going to say, Eden?
Eden Sher: I was just going to say I kind of agree. If I ever saw the sides again. If I ever just checked them out, if I just did it with a once over I would 100% be able to recite them again because I think had a little bit more of a tumultuous auditioning process than Charlie just because I feel like (inaudible) difficult time casting too just because I don’t know if they had such — it was so vague, their idea, and also so specific, which is kind of the curse of having a character that you love but also having such little idea of how someone could execute it. But I went through also just months and months of auditioning and just being 100% confident that they hated me because they kept bringing me in, and every time they’d say it was a callback there would be different, more and different girls there. And I was just like, this isn’t a callback. These are just more auditions. Are they just forgetting that they’ve seen me already? Like they don’t like me.
Charlie McDermott: That’s what happened to me. That’s what freaked me out because the first time I went in there was like maybe 25, 30 kids and I made it through that one. And I came back and there was like double that amount there. And I had the same thing. I was like, I thought this was a callback, why are there more people. So then, the three auditions after that, which were all for network and studio, there was no one else there. It was just me (inaudible).
Eden Sher: Those aren’t auditions. Those for network and studio, those were your screen tests.
Charlie McDermott: Well, yes, but it was weird. I’ve done those before and I’ve never been by myself. So it was kind of nerve-wracking in the sense that it was like I had zero — my only competition was myself, which terrified me. It was just literally mine to lose. What was weird was that every screen test they had five or six suits and every time they were different, and they were all 10 to 12 years old. You were never there.
Eden Sher: The role that I eventually I ended up — I was like, okay, they’re screen testing me, maybe they do actually like me. I’m reading these sides for the 14th time. The two other girls were 11 and 12 and I was like, well, all right, clearly they want whatever, an actual 12 year old and I’m 17 and have way too — there’s no way I can actually look this young. And each — they never even — they did a process of elimination. First, it was two girls. Then there was just one other girl at the next one and then the other girl at that one was in the room for 30 minutes and I was in for I want to say literally four minutes. So I was again just confident, oh my God, this whole emotional process was just not worth anything. I can’t believe I went through this for nothing, even though I really wanted the role and then ha, ha, it was the best wrong I’ve ever been.
Sean D: All right. Thank you, guys.
Charlie McDermott: And then the first time I met you, I was in my underwear.
Eden Sher: That’s true.
Charlie McDermott: Remember that?
Eden Sher: Quite a fortuitous meeting.
Charlie McDermott: I thought it was a little strange that they just brought these two girls into the dressing room as I was taking my pants off. Like, hi.
Eden Sher: And just before the casting agent had to come up to me and been like, have you met the boy who’s playing Axl? And I was like, no, I haven’t yet and she was like, oh, he’s so cute. And then I walk into — and I was like, oh, okay, he’s like my brother. And I walk into the room and you’re in your underwear. And I was like, this is (inaudible). This is weird.
Charlie McDermott: That is really bizarre.
Operator: The next question comes from Ashley Schafer. Ashley, the floor is yours.
Ashley S: Hi, guys. I would like to just say this has been awesome listening to you. You’re hilarious.
Charlie McDermott: Thanks.
Ashley S: And second of all —
Charlie McDermott: I keep forgetting there’s a group of people listening.
Ashley S: Which you can kind of tell, but I wanted to ask you guys a lot of times when you hear about sitcoms and people who play a family onscreen, they kind of have that relationship off screen. From listening to the two of you, it definitely sounds that way a little. But if you could tell me a little bit about the cast of The Middle, and you guys, and your relationship off screen. Does it kind of have that family dynamic to it?
Eden Sher: I don’t know, I hate Charlie a lot. So maybe that’s (inaudible).
Charlie McDermott: Because we’re both just really good actors.
Eden Sher: Yes, exactly. This is all a façade. I can’t stand this stupid person. I can’t wait to never have to see him again. Oh, I can’t even fake that. I can’t even maintain that joke for more than five seconds. It makes me too sad.
Charlie McDermott: Aw. Yes, we’re very close. Yes.
Eden Sher: I love Charlie. I think we both — I love all the whatever, the cast member that feels very, again, surreal and sometimes like I don’t want to come off disingenuous by saying I love everyone and going to work every day is just a dream come true, and I’m really privileged, and grateful, and I can’t believe that this is my job. But that’s pretty much how I feel. I love it.
Ashley S: And originally, I was actually going to ask you guys how much of yourselves you put into your characters but again, I think that’s something just from listening to you, you can tell the parts of your own personalities that are kind of fitting to build Sue and build Axl. But what do you think it is that’s made The Middle such a success, that’s made you get to 100 episode plus and now in syndication on network? What do you think has made that happen?
Eden Sher: I would say Charlie’s abs.
Charlie McDermott: Yes, my rock hard chiseled abs.
Eden Sher: Do you have a serious answer, Charlie? Because that’s the end of mine.
Charlie McDermott: Yes, I don’t know. It’s very — it’s always — I feel like someone removed from the project, or maybe Eileen or DeAnn would have a better answer. Because I’m never really sure exactly because I, for one, watching myself, I can’t even really watch the show just because I cringe whenever I have to watch myself. So I guess it’s just, I mean I think it’s relatable. From what people tell me that love it, they feel like they can relate to it. And it’s also, the one thing that it definitely has going for it is I’m pretty sure as far as I know, the only network TV show that’s enjoyable and appropriate for the entire family. There’s a lot of shows that are family shows, I’m doing air quotes by myself in the parking lot right now, but it gets too racy for some families, or some things go over the kids’ heads. I feel like this show is a good balance of appealing to young and old simultaneously.
Eden Sher: Also, there’s a certain level of high browness, a certain level of class that comes along with actually making the connotation around family sitcoms can be a little bit like, oh, so it’s going to be like (inaudible) or kid friendly, or whatever. But I think there’s a good (inaudible) of wow (inaudible) funny experience and not use any sort of — not have to resort to — and I like raunchy comedies too, but not have to resort to cheap cursing or just like raunchy, just for the shock value sort of things. If you just make something funny because it’s funny, when someone falls and it’s funny or when someone is stupid and it’s funny, that’s kind of respect. And I also am just going to add that it’s a really difficult question to answer because it’s always, at least for me, a pleasant surprise. I’m not — it’s just a pleasant surprise that — because I am me and Charlie is him. We’re putting ourselves into these characters. So for someone to say, wow, I relate so much to that, it’s always kind of like, really, wow, I’m so glad that you can derive joy from my absolute tomfoolery. Because I’m just being me. Thank you. I’m so glad you can relate, but it’s not the goal. I mean it’s probably Eileen and DeAnn’s genius goal, they know that they’re making it relatable. But when you’re actually in it, it’s hard to say if anyone is going to feel the feelings that you’re feeling at that time.
Ashley S: Thank you guys so much. Talking to you today is awesome and watching you every week is awesome. I love it. Thank you.
Charlie McDermott: Well, thanks.
Operator: The next question comes from Noel. Noel, the floor is yours.
Noel M: Hi, this is Noel. Great to hear you guys and great hearing you guys having so much fun. Eden, Charlie, thanks so much. I am a fan of the show and I actually became a fan in the middle of The Middle, about two and a half years into it. So this kind of goes back to one of the early questions that can you really enjoy the show without seeing it from episode one. And I’m, as a fan, saying yes, you can. You can enjoy it at any point. One of the things that I’ve really enjoyed tremendously is the aspect of the writing, but also the aspect of the characters and how unique the characters are. I think it’s rare for a show to be able to nail that on both ends and I think The Middle has definitely done that.
At what point do you guys think that you truly became at home with the characters? And I’m sensing today there’s always been a little bit of the characters in you as people, but at what point did you say, yes, okay, I feel completely at home with these characters? And this goes out to both of you.
Eden Sher: I feel like I had a very specific moment that I can — usually these things are, again, just difficult to answer. Just I don’t know, it’s just a gradual kind of process. And it is. It’s one of those things that when you’re growing, you’re physically growing and then all of a sudden you look back and you’re like, whoa, I’m a foot taller than I was. When did that happen?
Noel M: Yes, yes.
Eden Sher: But I had a very specific sort of revelatory moment, the season finale of season one with the cross-country, just sitting for 12 hours in this — in the — getting grass, and mud, and fake rain just spilled on me for hours and hours and having to be on crutches, and just, I’m going to finish. That’s the first time that I — not that all of season one I was inauthentic, but that was the most true to Sue that I’ve ever felt and it was like, okay, I love this — I like this character and I am like in it. Like, I got it, I’ve got this shit down.
Noel M: Got you. Got you. What about you, Charlie?
Charlie McDermott: I feel like I started to actually get how to play Axl midway through season three is when I started to feel kind of like I knew what I was doing. And season four, I felt pretty good but I feel like this season has been, for me at least, the one where I kind of really understand what’s going on in his head a little bit better, or I’m able to — I kind of have a specific direction I guess with how I’m trying to portray him. But I feel like especially season one, I even recall Eileen talked to me about this I think it was last season that they basically had no idea what to do with me for the first year. Because I know Sue is kind of in a way, correct me if I’m wrong, Eden, but from what I’ve heard, Sue was kind of like an exaggeration of them when they were younger and then Brick is based off of Eileen’s actual son in real life, and Frankie and Mike come from real places. But Axl was a complete fabrication.
So yes, I didn’t really know exactly where — what I was supposed to be doing with him until about season three I started to feel comfortable. I can’t remember exactly what the episode was, but there was one moment where I just kind of was like, oh, now I get it. And then yes, I just feel like I’ve been building off that since then.
Eden Sher: Well, I want to jump in just about Charlie, just a little bit just because the character, writing a character like Axl, having that sort of brat — not brat, yes, kind of like bratty, attitudinal teenage son is a little bit of a trope. So making a character like that, you totally run the risk of having a false caricature of that teenager, but I think they really, really hit the nail on the head with my good buddy, Chuck, because again, like I said, it takes a really special kind of person to bring really, really heartfelt humanity to a character like that. So I think they really — it took you a little — maybe it took you longer, it took them to kind of figure it out, but I think when you did, when they sort of started giving you a little bit more of a whole person, you started seeing different sides of Axl. I think that had a lot to do with seeing different sides of Charlie.
Charlie McDermott: What side of Charlie?
Eden Sher: It’s almost like they can more accurately see the similarities between Axl and Charlie by seeing how different the real Charlie is. If they see, oh, whoa, Charlie has so much heart it can maybe just inspire them to see, oh, well since Charlie plays this brat so well but his heart is so really in there, it allows them to write Axl with heart more easily, sort of combine it. They can marry the two.
Noel M: That’s great.
Charlie McDermott: Well, thanks Eden.
Eden Sher: You’re welcome.
Noel M: It’s like a love fest going on here.
Eden Sher: It’s a what.
Charlie McDermott: Yes.
Noel M: Like a love fest between you two.
Eden Sher: Oh my God, it’s a love fest every day. It’s heartbreaking how much I love — just have this fondness for Charlie as like — he’s like my third actual brother. Man, I’m just — I’m — maybe this is a little TMI for a phone interview, but no, I can’t (inaudible). I’m a little bit of a gushy human.
Charlie McDermott: No, I’m the same thing.
Noel M: Is there any — ?
Charlie McDermott: I feel like you’re my third actual brother too.
Eden Sher: Exactly. I always wanted to be someone’s third brother.
Noel M: Now, do you guys have any pranksters behind the scenes that will do some kooky and crazy things? And if so, who would that be?
Charlie McDermott: There’s a mole that comes out of the ground every three weeks and just deflates everyone’s tires. And we think — we’re pretty sure it’s Atticus but no one has been able to prove it yet.
Noel M: Well, I appreciate —
Charlie McDermott: I guess the only — there was one prank once. I can’t remember — wait, was there or did I just make one up? Because we get this question a lot and we always talk about how there aren’t really ever any — unless you’re on a George Clooney movie where you have millions of dollars at your disposal, there’s not really much (inaudible) for like pranks. We always try to fabricate pranks. Yes.
Eden Sher: There was one time —
Charlie McDermott: Was there?
Eden Sher: Super innocuous. Well, this wasn’t really like on set, although were you in the room when Patty messed up that take on purpose when we opened the church doors? I don’t think you were because for the Hungry Games. It was when —
Charlie McDermott: Oh, no. I was at school.
Eden Sher: No, no, no, no. You were 100% there. That was the one where we whatchamacallit at Church with Keegan, Michael Keegan.
Charlie McDermott: (Inaudible) I don’t remember.
Eden Sher: Okay, so we opened the door and it’s the big joke of yes, I have such good — I think it was, I have such good role models with my parents and I open the door and they’re screaming at each other, Patty and Neil. And one of the takes we just opened the door and Patty had this Bible and she’s going, the power of Christ compels you.
Charlie McDermott: I was not there for that.
Eden Sher: I know because I think it was — it was after my confessional or whatever. So it was just — because it was so late at night. One time, Charlie and I had Cone Wars though.
Charlie McDermott: Oh, yes, we did do that. Yes.
Eden Sher: It was really innocuous, though. It wasn’t a big deal.
Charlie McDermott: We just put cones on each other’s car. There was really no damage or harm, or even inconvenience at all.
Eden Sher: Yes, and then we were like, man, we don’t want to inconvenience each other. We’ll stop doing that.
Charlie McDermott: Yes, we were like, that got out of hand.
Operator: The next question comes from Kelly. The floor is yours.
Kelly M: Hi, you guys. Thanks so much for talking to us. I had a question for both of you. The show has had some great guest stars on as well, Whoopi Goldberg, Betty White. Who were you most star struck to work with?
Charlie McDermott: For me it was Norm McDonald. I was a huge fan of Norm McDonald. Yes, when he came on. I was also a huge fan of Chris Kattan, both of them from SNL. But I worked with Chris Kattan during the pilot. So I got my star struckedness out of the way pretty early. But yes, when Norm McDonald came on, I was pretty star struck.
Eden Sher: I feel like I was — I don’t know why, I was not — maybe I was star struck on an unconscious level with Whoopi Goldberg because I threw up, but I don’t remember feeling.
Charlie McDermott: That’s a disease, the star struck.
Eden Sher: Yes, exactly. It was like the actual like physical, oh my God, my body is struck. It doesn’t know what to do. Just blech, going to release everything in my body.
Charlie McDermott: I’m actually still pretty star struck by Whoopi Goldberg, but I think it’s more so I’m just terrified of her because she’s such an intimidating person to me. So it’s not so much like whoa, I’m like, oh my God, it’s Whoopi Goldberg.
Eden Sher: Got to be on your best behavior, yes.
Charlie McDermott: Yes, she seems like an immortal to me. I feel like she’s been alive for hundreds of years if not longer.
Eden Sher: She is, yes.
Charlie McDermott: Yes, she just has this confidence and wisdom of an immortal. I remember it was on set, I just came in early one of her first days there and I was getting chips at crafty, and she came up behind me, and she always calls me Slick. Like what’s up slick. I turned around and she was right there just wanting to talk to me and I had no idea what to say or do, and I froze, and basically gave her nothing. She just kept asking me questions and I just stood there with a bag of chips.
Eden Sher: I don’t believe that. I think Charlie has a skewed memory of a lot of interactions where he paints himself as this awkward, not able to make conversation human being and I’ve never , ever seen him in a situation where he doesn’t like handle himself with poise.
Charlie McDermott: Well, maybe I did. I probably — I’m sure I said something but all I remember is being in terror and not being able to speak. But yes, I’m sure I didn’t — maybe I did speak. She said that to me when we all went on The View, right before we walked out. She said it again. She’s like, what’s up slick. I was like — I have a very specific memory of — my grandmother is a nun and we go to the beach every year with our cousins. And she was — or she was a nun. She left the convent. But she had a nun friend come over and visit us and that side of the family is not very appropriate for a nun to be hanging out around. And basically, we just left the nun in the living room and had Sister Act on loop for an entire day. That’s my first real memory of Whoopi Goldberg. I saw that movie so many times in one day.
Eden Sher: That’s so funny.
Operator: The next question comes from JJ. JJ, the floor is yours.
JJ G: Yes, hi.
Charlie McDermott: I think we’re talking too much. People have only been able to get one question out and we just talk to each other for the rest of the interview.
Eden Sher: I know. We’re terrible. All right, ask your question.
JJ G: Okay. Thanks, Bryan, for organizing the call. Hi, Charlie and Eden. I love The Middle and I feel like I’m sure that syndication has been planned for years, and years, and years. But recently I just blogged how this show should be in syndication forever, and ever, and ever, and I feel like I willed it into existence. But anyway, the question to you guys is, syndication is great for several reasons because it means you’re being introduced to a whole new category of people in the future even after the show is done, you guys are gone onto other projects. But another down part of syndication is with shows like The Brady Brunch and Different Strokes in the ’70s, is that some of the child actors from those shows feel like they get pigeonholed into certain characters or roles and they find it difficult transitioning. Of course, others don’t. So do you have any fears or what are your feelings about that regarding syndication and the outcomes of what it could mean for the future?
Charlie McDermott: I think luckily for Eden and I, I mean the show is successful but it’s not anywhere near the success that Full House, or Different Strokes, or the Brady Bunch was because that was kind of the show and 30 million people watched that every week. And also, Eden and I are very fortunate in the fact that we don’t necessarily look that much like our characters outside of filming, especially Eden. And we all are really — I feel like a lot of — we also started the show post-childhood, which helps too. I mean I was almost 20 when we started the first season and Eden was 18. So luckily, we also have — I feel like a lot of the pigeonholing happens when you’re a little kid because you’re not really acting. You’re not performing a character. You’re just playing yourself. So then you as a person becomes identified with the character and that’s how the pigeonholing happens.
But the fact that we were old enough to kind of know that we were playing a character and separate that from our own. So (inaudible) very helpful.
Eden Sher: I don’t know. I’m not fearful. I’m more really excited for the future when I am only — when people just call me Sue Heck on the street and I’m getting paid to make birthday party appearances as Sue and that’s my only source of income. I don’t know, I’m not fearful.
Charlie McDermott: I got offered to do a birthday party season one, did you know that?
Eden Sher: What?
Charlie McDermott: Season one, halfway through, I got offered to be flown to Tennessee for a birthday party as an Axl Heck. Really weird.
Eden Sher: Yes, I think Charlie and I are lucky in that also — not that look different, but I’m pretty confident in that we’re pretty talented human beings who will be able to convince others that we can play other people.
Charlie McDermott: Yes. And if not, then we’ll just do joint birthday party appearances.
Eden Sher: Exactly.
Operator: The next question comes from Sabrina. Sabrina, the floor is yours.
Sabrina B: Hi, Eden. Hi, Charlie. It’s so nice to talk to you guys today. I just wanted to start by saying I love the show and it’s always hilarious, but what I’m really blown away by is how you can weave in these incredible heartfelt and emotional moments, like the episode with Mike and his (inaudible) cat, or the scenes in the Christmas episode this season. And I was wondering, is there any particular moment that was especially emotional for you as actors to film?
Charlie McDermott: For me, the only thing that really — the only time I ever actually felt real Charlie emotion was when, I don’t even know what episode it was. It was this season, but Eden was ripping up a teddy bear in front of me and she was actually really emotional about it, and I was like, oh my God. And that was the most — but I guess that was just a bouncing off of Eden’s emotions because she was excellent, because it was an incredibly good job and I was just — it made me very sad inside. So that was the biggest thing. That would definitely be mine.
Eden?
Operator: Ed, the floor is yours.
Ed M: Okay. Hi, Charlie and Eden. I want to follow-up on an answer you gave, Charlie, to a couple of questions back. So you said you think you finally understand what’s going on in Axl’s head now that you’re in season five.
Charlie McDermott: Yes.
Ed M: What is going on in Axl’s head?
Charlie McDermott: At least the way I look at it, he’s very, very much wants to get away, escape. I mean he loves his family but I think he’s wanted this whole time to kind of just be his own kid, and be his own guy, and make something of himself in a way. And I think what comes out as a lot of selfish aggression because he’s constantly separating himself from his family and constantly talking about how awesome it is. But I think it all, at least in my opinion, comes from a place of insecurity, especially since because this season he’s had trouble meeting any girls or really making any friends outside of his football team. So yes, I always kind of took it as that. I feel like he’s in a way overcompensating for what he wants, I guess. That’s what I’ve taken from it.
Ed M: Do you think he’s starting to face his adulthood or his impending adulthood?
Charlie McDermott: Yes, definitely. Yes. I mean he’s kind of finally realized he can’t just slack off constantly because he almost got kicked out of school. I think that’s a big part of it now. What, Eden?
Eden Sher: Oh my God, I’m there. I’m here. I got disconnected.
Ed M: Well, I’ll ask you one then, Eden, if you’re there.
Eden Sher: Yes, I’m here. Wait, was there — what did I miss? What did I miss? I’m (inaudible).
Charlie McDermott: I gave you a massive compliment. Did you hear me?
Eden Sher: Shut up? Are you kidding me? I literally got disconnected for the one massive compliment.
Charlie McDermott: Yes, because I was waiting for you to say, oh wow, Charlie, thanks, oh my God, so nice of you. But it was just silence.
Eden Sher: And here I was thinking everyone was like, where’s Eden, where’s Eden, what happened.
Ed M: You were just talking about some of the more heartfelt moments on the show and since the show is so funny, and your performances are so funny almost all of the time, when you have to do one of these heartfelt scenes or moments, how do you prepare for those? And what’s it like on the set when you do those because they’re so different from what you usually do? I mean do you have trouble keeping a straight face or what’s that like?
Eden Sher: I can say how I prepare. There’s this — oh, it aired already. The episode where I am scared of Axl not being my brother anymore, I felt so spoiled. I just, as an actor, my actual preparation was just imagining if Charlie was not my friend.
Charlie McDermott: Hey, that’s the scene I complimented you on.
Eden Sher: Oh, oh, really?
Charlie McDermott: Yes, that’s funny.
Eden Sher: You know what, good, I’m glad that my — I really did feel. Yes, I was so — I was like, every time, but I am, I am your brother. And that whole thing about we’re going to go to — I can’t remember, we’re going to vacation here and our kids will wear matching shirts. I was just — that’s all that I was imagining. I was like going on vacation with Charlie’s family and my family, and Charlie has a new best friend.
Charlie McDermott: Yes, real stuff, hashtag real stuff.
Eden Sher: There’s no (inaudible). We’re just like playing ourselves.
Charlie McDermott: Yes.
Operator: The next question comes from Alex. Alex, the floor is yours.
Alex S: Hi, guys. Thanks so much for taking the call today.
Eden Sher: Yes.
Charlie McDermott: No problem.
Alex S: I wanted to know what your favorite moments were that you’re excited to see in syndication.
Charlie McDermott: I love the episode where me and Eden have to do the — Sue and Axl have to do the school project together. That’s always been my favorite, probably always will be my favorite. I love that one.
Eden Sher: I love — oh, I’m copying. Copy. Second.
Charlie McDermott: I remember when I read that I just got so excited when I read it and then it’s one of the ones I actually sat down because I wanted to see it and when I watched it, I was like, oh, that was awesome. I love that.
Eden Sher: Sue and Axl don’t have many actually like real storylines together. So I feel like when we do, it’s like a treat. It’s nice.
Alex S: Awesome. Well, I’m excited to see you.
Charlie McDermott: Good.
Alex S: Thanks.
Operator: The next question comes from Mynda. Mynda, the floor is yours.
Mynda B: Hi, this is Mynda. Thank you so much for taking the time to spend with us today. My question kind of just got asked before, what was your favorite, your favorite scene. But after the 100 episodes, is there any season that you like the best or that you felt worked well for you guys? Or what comes to mine?
Charlie McDermott: I don’t know. I feel like every year I like it more than the year before. I think it’s just because everyone is getting closer. And not that I disliked the year before but just that I feel like every time we come back, I’m having more fun than I did previously because everyone has kind of grown up together in a way.
Eden Sher: Yes.
Charlie McDermott: Cut me off, cut me off.
Mynda B: You feel like you’re getting tighter together as a crew and it’s really rolling for you guys now?
Eden Sher: Yes.
Charlie McDermott: Yes, definitely. I mean everyone — yes. You want to talk, Eden?
Eden Sher: What?
Charlie McDermott: I was saying, do you want to say — I feel like I was cutting you off.
Eden Sher: Oh, no, no, no. Actually, I feel the same. I feel like we got into a groove and I don’t know, I’m happy with the way that we all relate to each other on and off screen. It feels good.
Charlie McDermott: Also, too, there are things that — I always forget people don’t see is the people behind the scenes that have been there just as long as we have, which is really what the family is. There’s so many people involved and everyone only sees the five people but they’re all there on the set. They’re just outside the lens and I always kind of forget that people don’t know who they are also because very close with all those people.
Eden Sher: Yes, exactly. We spend more time with all of them — not just with the cast, but with all of those people then with our own family.
Mynda B: Thank you so much.
Charlie McDermott: You’re welcome. No problem.
Operator: The next question comes from Brian. Brian, the floor is yours.
Brian G: Hi, guys. It’s Brian.
Charlie McDermott: Yes.
Brian G: My question is working, what it’s been like for you guys working five years with Patty Heaton and Neil Flynn, what you’ve learned from them and how it’s been.
Charlie McDermott: An honor.
Eden Sher: Really a — the cheesy and true answer, a privilege. Not everyone gets their first big sort of ongoing acting experience to be with such welcoming and kind, and the opposite of — because actors are all kind of, I would say, I’m just going to make this blanket generalization, kind of crazy people.
Charlie McDermott: Wacky, yes.
Eden Sher: What.
Charlie McDermott: Wackadoo, wackadoo.
Eden Sher: Totally wackadoo. And they’re always there are two sides to being wackadoo. There’s either the kooky, hilarious, just kind but just out of — outlandish kook. And then there’s sometimes, I don’t know, maybe — because I have debilitating insecurity as well. I’m constantly in search of external validation. So if there are some actors who maybe have also that fear, that insecurity, maybe it’s possible to take it out on other people. And it’s just been so the opposite of that. I’m just in awe of how humble and talented everyone, Patty and Neil really are.
Brian G: Awesome. Thank you so much.
Charlie McDermott: You’re welcome.
Eden Sher: Yes.
Operator: The next question comes from Jennifer. Jennifer, the floor is yours.
Jennifer B: Hi, guys. The one thing that always strikes me about your show is that I feel like it’s the most realistic family show on the air. You kind of talked a little bit earlier about how it’s hard to see sort of what people relate to and what they don’t. But I feel like it’s less glossy, it’s a little more messy. What do you guys think is — that your show does well, the family dynamics and family like that other shows maybe don’t touch on?
Charlie McDermott: I mean it shows that everyone in the family is crazy and there’s no real — the family has a lot of problems but it’s basically because of everybody. There’s no one character that’s the saving grace. Everyone is pretty insane in their own way and they always have to come together to fix a problem. It’s not like one person hands out a rulebook and then they all follow it and then it works out. I guess. I don’t know. Is that right?
Eden Sher: Yes, no, and that’s sort of like another version of what I was thinking of why it seems real is that — yes, there’s not one whatever and that’s sort of because there are a lot of — there’s a formula for a sitcom. There’s an established formula that is to be followed. But while totally sticking to that formula or tradition, because I don’t want to give it a negative connotation, it still flips these tropes on its head. It’s like every time there’s going to be that — I feel like there’s going to be, oh, the classic, oh (inaudible) dynamic. It’s not what it is at all but it’s also very honest together. There’s no (inaudible).
That’s what it is, I think. The honesty part is that we’re literally honest to each other. Mike is not shy about saying to Brick, you’re not my favorite kid or you’re really weird, you’re super weird, like I can’t relate to you and just like he tells Sue, she’s like come see my volleyball practice and he’s like, that doesn’t interest me, or Patty, whatever, (inaudible) and how they’re tired of talking to each other.
Jennifer B: Yes. Cool. Thanks.
Charlie McDermott: Second is, hashtag, second is.
Operator: Your next question is from Ashley. Ashley, the floor is yours. Ashley, if your phone —
Ashley S: Hey, guys. Yes, sorry, I was just — I was thinking earlier and I wanted to, especially for people that have been following The Middle and watched it for a while, you mentioned earlier the refrigerator, and the hallway, and how that’s kind of the secret annex almost. What are kind of three — what are a few secrets or things that we don’t know about The Middle, whether it be about the set, or about the story? What are some things that we really don’t know?
Charlie McDermott: The ceilings are made of fabric.
Ashley S: The what are?
Charlie McDermott: The ceilings are all fabric, the white ceilings. It’s just cloth.
Eden Sher: The walls are completely movable.
Charlie McDermott: Yes, you could punch a hole through the walls without even really trying that hard. They’re so thin.
Ashley S: And then you cover it with (inaudible).
Charlie McDermott: (Inaudible) doghouse. I’m sorry?
Ashley S: And then you cover it with a poster, like Sue’s room.
Charlie McDermott: Exactly, yes. They actually had to — what’s funny is they actually had to, when they put the hole in that wall, they had to add a wall behind it to make it dimensional. Because if you just poked a hole through the wall you’d just see wires and the soundstage, and crafty. They actually had to build a box behind it to make it look like it was a real wall.
I mean there’s some fun little — like the fact that if you look at the exterior house, wait, what’s the — what’s with the windows?
Eden Sher: I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m not —
Charlie McDermott: Like where the garage is placed on the exterior, the garage is — never mind. I don’t know. This is going to get too technical.
Eden Sher: Charlie knows more than me. My secret goes way — that was awesome. I was just going to say that we burp so much.
Charlie McDermott: Wait, what? You burp so much?
Eden Sher: Yes, I think this is maybe the belchiest set in Hollywood.
Charlie McDermott: Yes, I used to not do that. I used to not do that stuff. Then I got — yes, Patty and Eden are the biggest burpers and just being around them it caught on and I started doing it without realizing it. And my mom, when I was home, was like, Charlie, what, I hope you don’t do that on the set. I hope you don’t do that there. I was like mom, Patty and Eden do it constantly. She was like, they do not, don’t say that. I was like, no, they do. They do it more than anybody. She’s like, no, no, no, no, that’s not true. She was appalled. She was like, no, that can’t be, that can’t be true. It was like in Rosemary’s Baby when she’s like this is no dream. This is real.
Ashley S: And then what are you guys most looking forward to for your charcters in the future? What are you excited about for Axl? Not that you necessarily know with the writers and everything, but what are you excited to see?
Charlie McDermott: I hope Axl gets drafted into the army or something and gets sent to war. That would be a fun little side project, Axl in a trench calling home, I love you guys. No, I love you. Because every third episode would be a war scene.
Eden Sher: That’d be a fabulous twist, just an unexpected, The Middle does war.
Charlie McDermott: Becomes like a fighter pilot or a parachute troop. In reality though, I’m looking forward to him going to college again next year. The college stuff is fun. Sorry, Eden. You can go now.
Eden Sher: No, no, no, yours was way more important. Mine’s just, mine’s super predictable. Mine’s just I’m really excited for, one day, if it happens, Sue to get her braces off.
Charlie McDermott: Never.
Eden Sher: And I really do, I have no idea if that — I actually have no idea if that’s going to be a reality or not.
Charlie McDermott: You’ll get your braces off when I get a haircut, never.
Eden Sher: Solid point.
Charlie McDermott: Never.
Ashley S: Great. Thank you.
Operator: The final question is from Sabrina. Sabrina, the floor is yours.
Sabrina B: Hi, is it me again?
Charlie McDermott: It is.
Operator: The floor is yours.
Sabrina B: Oh, sorry. Sorry, I missed you last time, Eden, so I hopped back in the queue.
Eden Sher: Oh, good.
Sabrina B: I wanted to ask you, Sue has tried out for so many things over the years. Is there a particularly memorable tryout scene that sticks out or one that was physically demanding?
Eden Sher: Yes, a lot of them. Many, many, many of them.
Charlie McDermott: Volleyball though, probably.
Eden Sher: Volleyball, I had to take lessons.
Charlie McDermott: Wouldn’t volleyball be the hardest?
Eden Sher: Maybe volleyball just because actually shooting that I had a broken foot. So it was kind of (inaudible). Yes, it was actually physically taxing. But still that season one with the cross country, that was genuinely hard. It looks hard and it was really hard. There was no faking it. It was like I had to get rained on, and mud splashed in my face, and be tripping, and on crutches, and actually trying to traverse the mud and it was physically difficult. Also, the (inaudible).
Eden Sher: Totally did not make out whatever was just said.
Charlie McDermott: What happened?
Sabrina B: Thank you guys so much.
Eden Sher: Thank you.
Charlie McDermott: What happened?
Operator: At this time, there are no further questions.
Bryan deCastro: If there are no more questions, we can conclude the call.
Operator: Okay, certainly. So at this time, this concludes today’s teleconference. We appreciate your participation. You may now disconnect your line at this time.
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Tune into The Middle on ABC, Wednesdays at 8/7c and Hallmark Channel weeknights at 8/7c.
Transcript: ©2014 The Hallmark Channel. All Rights Reserved.
Photos: ©2014 ABC Media. All Rights Reserved.
Judy Manning
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