Today on CNN’s Reliable Sources, Sir Patrick Stewart OBE, Oscar-nominated and lead actor in the new Starz network sitcom, Blunt Talk, joined host Brian Stelter to discuss his new show, how Stewart prepared for his new role, whether Donald Trump would be welcomed for a cameo on Stewart’s new show, and if Stewart would like to become an actual cable news anchor someday.
Reliable Sources airs Sundays, 11 a.m. to noon (ET).
Video & Text highlights and a full transcript from the show are available below.
MANDATORY CREDIT for reference and usage: “CNN’s RELIABLE SOURCES”
VIDEO:
Sir Patrick Stewart playing a cable news host
TEXT HIGHLIGHTS:
Sir Patrick Stewart on his new Starz network sitcom, “Blunt Talk”: “…He [Stewart’s character, Walter Blunt] has been on the air for five years. And Walter wants to reinvigorate how he’s approaching this. He wants to establish a new relationship with his audience. He wants to change the world with his news program. And — but, in the meantime, he needs to get his personal life a little bit more organized and less — less chaotic.”
Stewart on how he prepared for his new role as a cable TV host: “I have been a news junkie all my life. …But I spent two days, one at The Daily Show and one with Rachel Maddow. …I learned very quickly how clever people – who work on those shows, how intellectually clever they are and how articulate. I sat in on production meetings at 9:00 in the morning, at the beginning of the day. “Tonight’s show, what is it going to be?” And there was never a silence, because the moment someone finished talking about a subject or pitching a subject, somebody else was in, or there would be three or four people with their ideas. So, I said to our team, whenever we are having our production meetings or discussions about what is going on, there should never be silence. …That was the first thing I got from it.”
Stewart on whether Donald Trump would be welcomed for a cameo appearance on Stewart’s new show on Starz network: “I would love to get Mr. Trump onto Blunt Talk. I think — I think Walter and Donald would hit it off really well.”
Stewart on if he would like to become a cable news anchor someday: “I would love to have a go. I would love to.”
FULL TRANSCRIPT:
THIS IS A RUSH FDCH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN HOST: From Network and Broadcast News, to one of my favorites, ABC’s Sports Night, and more recently HBO’s The Newsroom, film and television have always had a preoccupation with the person sitting in the big chair, both on and off camera.
And now there is a new entry to the genre, Blunt Talk. It’s a sitcom starring British actor, Sir Patrick Stewart debuting this weekend on Starz. Stewart plays Walter Blunt, a hard-drinking cable TV news host whose personal life is in chaos. I’m sure that’s entirely fictional right? Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, BLUNT TALK)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Mr. Blunt, I saw your show tonight.
PATRICK STEWART, ACTOR: Thank you. You may be the only one who did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STELTER: Now, Stewart is of course best known for his roles as Star Trek’s Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the X-Men mutant army chief, Charles Xavier. So, how did he prepare for this fictional newsroom role? I invited him to our real-life newsroom and found out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STELTER: In the first episode, your character, Walter Blunt, gets wasted, sings rap – I believe picks up a transgender prostitute, and ends up in jail, right?
PATRICK STEWART, ACTOR: And also drives his car while he’s underneath all these influences as well, yes.
STELTER: So, what does that say about the state of the news business? What are you trying to say about journalism?
STEWART: Well, you know, his numbers are slipping. This is something you wouldn’t understand, of course, or people here.
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: But the show is not doing quite as well. He has been on the air for five years. And Walter wants to reinvigorate how he’s approaching this. He wants to establish a new relationship with his audience. He wants to change the world with his news program. And — but, in the meantime, he needs to get his personal life a little bit more organized and less — less chaotic.
STELTER: This is very much a satire of the news business. How did you study? How did you prepare?
STEWART: I have been a news junkie all my life. I love the news. News and sport are my two primary preoccupations with television. But I spent two days, one at The Daily Show and one with Rachel Maddow.
STELTER: What did you learn from them, from Jon Stewart and from Maddow?
STEWART: I learned very quickly how clever people are – who work on those shows, how intellectually clever they are and how articulate. I sat in on production meetings at 9:00 in the morning, at the beginning of the day. “Tonight’s show, what is it going to be?” And there was never a silence, because the moment someone finished talking about a subject or pitching a subject, somebody else was in, or there would be three or four people with their ideas.
So, I said to our team, whenever we are having our production meetings or discussions about what is going on, there should never be silence. Always somebody has something they want to say that is really urgent and they want their voice to be heard. That was the first thing I got from it.
I have learned the techniques of teleprompt reading by watching real anchors and newsmen and presenters do it.
STELTER: Maybe I can learn from you. What did you learn about reading the teleprompter?
STEWART: The important thing is not to stay fixed, rigid, staring at it as though there is a poisonous snake in front of you…
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: …but to be relaxed and easy and look away…
(CROSSTALK)
STELTER: To try to be conversational.
STEWART: Yes, as though you’re just talking, but all the time, you have got an eye — you need to have an excellent relationship with the operator, who can speed up when you speed up and slow down when you slow down, so it appears as though, like now, that it is all spontaneous speech.
STELTER: If you were in character right now, what would you be — what would you be challenging me about? What kind of interviewer is Walter Blunt?
STEWART: Tell me, Brian…
STELTER: Maybe I shouldn’t have asked this.
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: Tell me, Brian, you have a very big election coming up in just over a year’s time. How do you think that election is going to go, and, most importantly, what impact is it going to have on the rest of the world?
STELTER: I’m trying to think of a way not to use the word Trump in my answer.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
STEWART: I would love to get Mr. Trump onto Blunt Talk. I think — I think Walter and Donald would hit it off really well.
STELTER: So, what do you think, Patrick Stewart, actual cable news anchor someday?
STEWART: I would love to have a go. I would love to.
STELTER: Thanks so much.
STEWART: Oh, thank you, Brian. Good talking to you again.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STELTER: Some blunt talk right there.
###END INTERVIEW###