Source: ESPN.com:
Page 2 staff
Date: June, 2001 (approximately)
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Bradley Whitford makes his wife cry during their tennis matches.
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Bradley Whitford is the ultimate politcal
gamesman as Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman on NBC's "The
West Wing." But his game of choice off-camera is tennis.
He and his wife, Jane Kaczmarek of "Malcolm
in the Middle," are the spokesteam for USA Tennis Month,
which ended May 31.
So, Page 2 asked Whitford 10 burning questions that others
wouldn't dare to ask.
1. Bjorn Borg or John McEnroe?
Whitford: Oh, wow. Those were the matches I was really
into -- I was playing high school tennis at that time. Back
then, I liked Borg. He wasn't a crybaby when he lost. McEnroe
was a spoiled little rich kid. I love McEnroe now, though.
That was when he was young. He's ripened well, like a fine
wine.
2. Who were you rooting for when Billie Jean King played
Bobby Riggs?
Whitford: Billie Jean King. I thought Riggs was an
obnoxious guy. I always liked her. And chicks rule.
2a. Why is women's tennis better to watch than men's right
now?
Whitford: Short skirts. Case closed. Next question?
3. What happens when you and your wife play each other in
tennis?
Whitford: I can usually beat her, but
she does strange things. She'll start crying in
the middle of a game. Technically, I can beat her,
but she usually throws some weird emotional mojo
that gets me off my game. She's a terrifying player.
4. Who's more dysfunctional, the U.S. government
or the "Malcolm in the Middle" house?
Whitford: The U.S. government. They have
no Lois (played by his wife).
4a. Which show, "Malcolm" or "West
Wing," would you watch if they were on at
the same time?
Whitford: "Malcolm." I can connect
to it a little more. My 1-year-old and 3-year-old
aren't into big policy decisions. They can't really
appreciate "West Wing."
5. Why is zero called love?
Whitford: Because love means never having
to say you're a zero.
6. Would tennis make more sense if it had
an easier to understand system of scoring?
Whitford: I don't think it's that complicated,
really. Anybody who can dial a telephone can master
tennis scoring in about 15 minutes.
7. Should the people at Wimbledon loosen
up?
Whitford: Yeah, I think all of England
should loosen up. I think England is a big
mess. They're very snobby. They have a queen.
It's absurd. Although I do like Tony Blair.
And if any English people want to argue about
this, I'm ready.
7a. What's tougher, getting elected or
winning Wimbledon?
Whitford: Getting elected. Because
the rules of the game aren't as easily defined.
8. Which superpower would you rather have,
the strength of 100 men, the ability to fly,
or the ability to be invisible?
Whitford: The ability to fly. I always dream
about that.
9. What's a more impeachable sin, hiding
MS or having an affair with an intern?
Whitford: Hiding MS, because it has a direct impact on how that person
serves. Whereas having an affair with an intern is just an incredibly stupid
thing to do.
10. Who's the best athlete on your show?
Whitford: Richard Schiff (who plays Toby Ziegler).
He's a really good baseball player. It's surprising because he looks exhausted.
10a. Which athlete would make the best president?
Whitford: Well, Tiger Woods broke the SAG strike, so he's
out. (Several minutes of thinking). I'll go with Cal Ripken.
He's steady, he focuses on his job, and he's a good guy.
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