By
Vanessa Francis
Arizona Daily Wildcat
"Ladies Man" star Tim Meadows discusses film, sketch
After nine seasons as a cast member on "Saturday Night Live," actor/comedian Tim Meadows stars in the big-screen adaptation of his "SNL" skit, "The Ladies Man."
The idea for the Ladies Man came about after "SNL" creative minds decided to create a character to give advice on "love and all things involved with love," Meadows said.
Meadows added more to the character's persona, by developing a unique voice and a name, Leon Phelps.
"The voice is actually a crank-phone-call voice I developed to amuse my wife and myself," he said. "I used to use it when ordering take-out food, or calling radio stations."
Over the years, many of Hollywood's most popular actresses have appeared alongside Meadows since the skit's 1997 debut with guest actress Julianna Margulies.
Meadows said his favorite guest on the skit is supermodel Stephanie Seymour.
"She was great, she really nailed the jokes and understood them," Meadows said. "She wasn't supposed to be in the skit originally, and had only one time to rehearse it ... it was blocked when the audience was arriving, and she just knocked it out of the park during the show."
Other actresses like Cameron Diaz and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky - whom Meadows said was a good sport and a "very nice girl" - have also appeared in the skit.
"It was a skit which really made people tune in and watch ... I had no input on the (Lewinsky) script and it was only one ("Ladies Man") sketch out of many which have been done," he said.
The character of Phelps is by no means a reflection of Meadows previous or current lifestyle, Meadows said.
"I had one girlfriend in high school, and she dumped me. My romantic life has had its times of ups and downs," he said. "I remember when I was young having asking my sister is I was handsome - I am certainly no Denzel (Washington)."
The biggest difference between the movie and the skit is the inclusion of love scenes between Meadows and various co-stars, including "Saved By the Bell" alum Tiffani Thiessen.
"It was really hard in a way - no pun intended," he said. "I just really wanted to act really well and keep the scenes funny."
Meadows, along with "SNL" producer Lorne Michaels, had a hand in casting and the hiring of the crew.
"It was my idea to have Billy Dee Williams in the film, and I hired the director Reginald Hudlin," he said.
Meadows' current project is co-starring with Michael Richards' on the NBC sitcom "The Michael Richards Show."
"The Ladies Man" opened nationwide last week.
