I am Bronson Pinchot from Historic Architecture -- "The Bronson Pinchot Project on DIY" -- to the most obscure Balki trivia -- to anything else from the Langoliers to what have you. But please no questions about Rampart. (That is where I draw the ...

Dear Balki,

Has it ever bothered you that despite Eddie Murphy being the star, your performance in 'Beverly Hills Cop' is the funniest part of the movie?

No, seriously. Serge is one of the funniest things I've ever seen. You were awesome.

Thank you so much.

I enjoyed your catchphrase: "Did I do that?"

Um....I think that may have been Urkel from Family Matters. But I'll pass it along if I ever meet him.

sometimes you gotta look at usernames on reddit

How true...how true.

Listen, Bronson- wait, may I call you "Bronson?"

I friggin' loved your show as a kid. I always wanted Balki to be my friend instead of Larry because I thought he was to mean to you, and living in Chicago made that possibility seem completely reasonable.

Anyway, thanks for making my childhood Friday nights tolerable before the introduction of booze in my life.

PS, I am going to preemptively say "hello" to you on behalf of all my gal pals who are not Redditors. We have fond memories of the show.

I want first place again, let me nudge away booze. B

Dear Mr. Pinchot,

I used to watch Perfect Strangers with my father every Friday night as a child. Perfect Strangers was his favorite show. Thinking about that show always brings back memories of the time and love my father invested in raising me. He now struggles with dementia. Thanks for being part of my childhood and giving me those memories.

Wow, give him my love. I'm thrilled to have been part of your childhood. Thank you for writing.

Ok, just because, here is a compilation of of Bronson's Risky Business scenes made by a random fan 4 years ago on Youtube. Give the man some love - while casting Tom Cruise was good, the casting of Bronson as the straight man Barry was sublime.

And here is a video of his first episode of his new show on DIY, since he is doing the exact opposite of a Rampart promotion. That is why he deserves some real promotion. This should even be reposted to /r/diy/

EDIT: I was always called the Curtis Armstrong character, dammit. Notice my username, even - I look like "Miles" in Risky Business. Even in the completely unrelated Revenge of the Nerds movies, yes I was that friend who looked like Booger. We have the same face. He should have changed his face, why did I get stuck with that? Now, I keep a beard, even though short and trimmed, just because.

Wow, this is quite a lot to reflect on.Thanks

You've done a great AMA - you deserve some well earned promotion because of it. I'll do my part. I'm an avid DIY'r too, so is my wife.

I could use a new bathroom remodel, message me when it's convenient for you, thanks. Before Tuesday, though.

Just kidding, you're a fun talent and I'm glad to see you have some current work to make some money from. Everyone has bills, and I am glad that you have a sense of humor about it all, and seem like a normal everyday person during your show.

EDIT: I don't mean to seem insulting in the "current work" comment, but we all have bills, no matter what we do. Who turns down more money? Ever? Me either.

Well, exactly. Couldn't have said it better myself. Plus, I'm awfully good at remodeling, if I must say so myself.

can you still do the dance of joy?

I did it when my guys hooked up my generator and it worked. In the snow, mind you.

Elliott Blitzer from True Romance was a nice surprise. How did you keep a straight face playing him?

I never had a problem keeping a straight face in the movie, because I had it in my head that he was headed for a dark end. In the original version, his head came off in the shootout. Tony Scott told me after seeing rushes that I had made him too sympathetic for that, but I still was concentrating on the dark stuff.

He definitely was too sympathetic - that character really made the whole film for me! (The scene in the convertible did it for me - I remember nearly crying I was laughing so hard that first time I watched it) I came specifically because of my love for True Romance. It's one of my favorite movies of all time.

The kids movies you’ve been in were quite a departure from films like True Romance – do you prefer the children’s movies? Or do you approach your humor the same way in all genres?

I would rather do things like true romance where the humor simply emanates from the character's sense of the absurd. Overt comedies always force one to FIND the absurd everywhere, and I don't care for that so much.

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Wow. B

Bronson Pinchot does a cool AMA and answers nearly every question, and is gracious and positive throughout.

Mr. Pinchot, if you ever meet Louis C.K., tell him you win.

Louis C. K.? What does Louis win?

Why isn't Perfect Strangers found in syndication anywhere? Can you make that happen? I'd be much obliged. Please and Thank you. edit: spelling (found)

I should think you'd have better luck than I. You and your friends. Write away....B

What are the residuals like on that after all this time? Is it still a nice chunk of change, or is it one of those things where they cut you a quarterly check for $6.32, minus tax?

I got a check a few years ago for 12 cents. Not kidding.

While we may not pay you, we still love you. I remember TGIF fondly. Not so much Larry though. Larry, he's out. You're still OK though. If you ever get lonely in your old age, I'm sure at least 2000 of us would buy you a beer. You could divide us up on your fridays and we'd all promise not to talk about perfect strangers. We'd ask you about other things, like did you see the drink specials, or how's things going. I'm pretty sure you're over all the perfect strangers shit by now is why. But ya, nuff said.

Thank you. I'm proud of Perfect Strangers and enjoy the memories.

Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit. I've been on reddit for a year, and this is the first time I've ever been star struck.

You are awesome. Perfect Strangers was absolutely my favorite sitcom during my formative years. Thank you a thousand times over for your work on that show.

Oh, my pleasure. It was awfully fun to do, you know.

I can only imagine the actual fun of filming a sitcom, honestly. It's one of those things where, no matter how many behind-the-scenes things you see, you can never truly know what the day to day experience is like.

I'm gratified to see this many people saying how much they loved Perfect Strangers, honestly. I know a following on reddit hardly translates into a global movement or anything, but for your sake I hope someone in charge of syndication (or - be still my heart - movies) is seeing this and considering pushing Perfect Strangers back into the limelight. It's hard to believe it's been gone almost 20 years.

We had an immense amount of fun working out the physical bits. We really did.

I believe it. My theater experience was about as low-rung as it gets, but I always had the most fun with physical stuff. I don't have any specific memories to support this conclusion, but I think that you had a significant impact on my desire to learn to be the object of physical comedy.

I like it. I was just telling someone today, that I was rehearsing a comic duet with Carol Burnett once, and she said, "Where do you come up with this stuff? It's really funny." And I said, "Don't you recognize it? I got it from watching you when I was a kid." It was fun.

Were you giddy to even have the opportunity to admit something like that to Carol Burnettt? I think that would be my reaction. Actually, my reaction would probably be stunned silence and awe, but later on the way home I'd be giddy.

Hanging out with Carol is like sitting in the sun. You just melt every second and her eyes are like little skies, blue with golden spots.

Excellent description. I'm going to tell my mother you said that. She got me watching Carol Burnett and I got her watching you, so I think she'll get a kick out of it.

Tell Mom hi from me.

Perfect Strangers movie?

With what, me as my own grandfather? I'm 52!

Heck yes. Shia Labeouf as Larry, Danny Pudi as Balki, and Bronson as Balki's father. I'd totally watch that!

They'd have to pay me in historic architectural salvage.

time fucking flies

right? Day-um

Not sure if this will make you feel better, but you're one of my earliest memories. Perfect Strangers, and that show where the mannequins came to life.

That's nice to know.

I just want you to know that when I was little, my sister and I loved watching "Perfect Strangers" every Friday. We had a bunch of rabbits as pets, and we were such big fans that one of them was named "Pinchot" in your honor. However, since we were from Alabama, nobody knew how to pronounce it, so we said it "pin-kot" (actually more like "peein'-kot"). Just thought you should know.

Epilogue: Pinchot the rabbit was eaten by a beagle. The end.

Hilarious!

Wow, this must be kismet. I was literally watching After Hours last night and now, here you are, doing an AMA!

I was scouring your IMDB trying to think of a good question to ask you, and I was shocked---SHOCKED---to discover that you guest-starred as a voice actor on tons of animated stuff that I grew up on, including The Wild Thornberrys, Hey Arnold!, The Angry Beavers, AAAH Real Monsters etc etc.

I guess that isn't really a question, but I just had to say something! I'm a bit of a voice-over nerd, so I'm just surprised this bit of trivia escaped me. Kudos on the excellent work over the years!

Thank you kindly. You can search me on audible.com as I have done dozens of cool audiobooks, actually. B

you were fucking amazing in beverly hills cop III. "we're working on reducing my body fat, but it's hard because i keep sneaking away to have a goat cheese...i dont care, i wear suits!"

Damn, that is kind of funny.

I re-watched it the day before yesterday, actually, and you really did steal the show in every scene you were in.

Blush.

A chance to give a heartfelt thanks to a far too often underrated actor (you have the rare gift of perfect comedic timing you know...) who was always a pleasant surprise in everything I have ever seen him in...doesn't come by very often so...

Thanks for entertaining me good sir.

You deserve every happiness. I look forward to Kung Fu and Titties, but really doesn't everyone?

THis is a pretty delightful comment, very cute. Thanks for the smiles, B

Here's a three-parter. You can answer all, or choose at your leisure. It's all good.

1) Are there any film or television roles you've had to turn down in the past that you look back on and regret?

2) Sadly, I seem to have missed your 80s SNL hosting stint. Any memories of that night?

3) What is currently your favorite television program, if any?

1. I was quasi-offered the part that French Stewart got in THIRD ROCK. The jury's out on whether that was a bad idea or not.
2. I remember crying, all by myself backstage, as they played the intro music because I was so under-rehearsed.
3. A guy that worked for me, who I treated like a surrogate son, stole my TV set. I haven't replaced it yet. I watch a few minutes of Toddlers and Tiaras from time to time on the computer---guilty pleasure.

a) How long has the TV been gone? b) How can Reddit help you get it back?

I first noticed it like 18 months ago. And perhaps it's good riddance. To both the thief and the TV.

Your Random Roles at the AV Club (http://www.avclub.com/articles/bronson-pinchot,34310/) was probably my favourite one, you are FEARLESS! How much trouble did you get in for that?

A lot. My Mom called and said, "STOP." I did.

Just wanted to say you were great in The Langoliers every situation in life is relatable to that mini series in one way or another. Were those real Langoliers?

Yeah, they were real, all right. In that alternate universe all the scary things are badly animated Pac-Men. :-)

I have to know this, I had a huge discussion regarding Surreal Life recently(the shit you argue about when you're drunk, haha) and I was wondering, who would you rather have sex with, Omarosa's beef curtains, or Janice Dickinson's nasty clam chowder smelling sinkhole? Also, how much cocaine did you do during the 80's? sincerely, your number one fan(no shit)

I have never done cocaine or any other drug, and have never been drunk. True story. Janice Dickinson's sinkhole is too horrific to even contemplate, and Omarosa's beef curtains would seem to have a good chance at flexibility.

Weird I had this idea you spent time snorting BALKI written in cocaine.

Nope. Never even seen the stuff. Or any other recreational drug.

You don't have to lie to us, although we appreciate the effort. Any star in the 80s has had to have seen coke lined up in a bathroom here and there. We don't hate you for it. It was the 80s.

I appreciate your sentiment. But, as it happens, I didn't come in contact with it.

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Why thank you. We were just improvising.

Was the entire seen improvised where Axel is waiting for Jennie ?

Yes. XOXOXOXO B

I hate to ask but was the surreal life on vh1 your personal and career low? It just seems you're so much more sane than the people on that.

Yes, of course it was. It was horrific. I don't know what got into me. And I was sick for weeks afterward. Thank you for reminding me.

I sold cell phones once. You wanna feel low, go sell cell phones.

I hope things are better now.

Infinitely.

Fantastic.

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There were several very special ones. Balki gets his heart broken, Balki's grandmother dies, they take Balki's dog away. Once or twice a year they made me cry, and it really bummed me out, cuz I never faked it.

I don't really have a question but I wanted you to know that Second Sight is one of my top 5 happy movies. Always perks me up. So thank you.

No, the pleasure is all mine.

Let me preface by saying I'm a big fan, but I'm surprised no one has mentioned a delicious bit of 80's cheese known as 'Second Sight Detective Agency'. I have a lot of nostalgia for this silly movie. Was it fun to work on?

It wasn't really that fun to work on. For one thing, we had no script, nor any way of making the script better, because there was a writer's strike. And, being quite young, I mistakenly thought that since I was playing a psychic, I had to be "method" and keep my mind clear by staying on my own all the time.

What was it like being on Step by Step? Does Patrick Duffy smell good?

Patrick Duffy is one of the most fun-loving and delightful people I've worked with. I did not sniff him.

Whatcha thinkin' bout?

Complex carbs. I've been on a diet for ten weeks.

Wanted to add, Thx for making me laugh during a period in my life where laughter was few and far between.

Ah, that is wonderful to hear; the best compliment ever. And you are welcome.

I very much enjoyed your voice acting in Blood Oath. How much work is involved in reading for audio books? Fun? Tedious? A combination thereof?

It's super fun and very very demanding.

Sometimes do you just get a feeling that you need some kind of change?

No matter what the odds are this time....

NOTHING's GONNA STAND IN OUR WAY!

But seriously, I loved that show growing up and want to thank you for making yourself available.

You are most welcome. :=)

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Slightly offensive ones get slightly less offensive when you pretend a really good friend just had a moment of indelicacy.

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I am really happy that it kind of made your day. It's nice.

I am a huge fan of what I have seen so far on DIY, and growing up I loved Perfect Strangers!

What I really want to know is how long you have been working on/perfecting/learning techniques and picking out salvage and turning it into something beautiful like I see on "The Bronson Pinchot Project?"

Twelve years really intensely, and twenty-five before that.

Which do you like better, Kung-Fu or Titties?

Also you where awesome in True Romance!

I think both the titties and Kung Fu in "Kung Fu and Titties" are of the...um...amateur variety. But still, they were all quite sweet. Thanks for your compliment on T. R.

How come this hasn't picked up steam?! C'mon, people.

Anyway, nice to meet you, Bronson.

What inspired you to get into acting? Did you have a hard time getting into it? Was there any resistance or ridicule from family and/or friends? What did they do, if anything?

I had no choice, I was driven to try it. No one discouraged me, my family are the greatest cheerleaders of all time, and I love them to pieces. Funny, too, all of them

Have you been told that in your more youthfull years, that you and Manu Ginobli look strikingly similar?

Never heard of Manu Ginobli. Is it a goodlooking entity?

what's your favourite movie/tv show/reality show? i grew up on perfect strangers so thank you(for babysitting me)

The Wizard of Oz and The Bronson Pinchot Project, if I am to be honest.

I just sold my house in Las Vegas, where i lived for 8 years, on Pinchot street. It drove me nuts that nobody--NOBODY--knew how to pronounce it. I used your name as my reference point, "PIN-choe", but 90% of people said "PIN-chot." Drove me batty.

No question therein, I'm just looking for sympathy. Pinchot high five?

Massive Pinchot high-five, plus fist bump & sparkles.

I don't know what to ask you, but to this day I still love quoting you from Beverly Hills Cop.

ACK-WELL!?! ACK-WELL FOLEY!?!?

Always cracks me up. So thanks for the laughs.

You're welcome!

Bronson, I hate to admit this is the first I'm hearing about "The Bronson Pinchot Project". I know I could google it to learn more, but I'd love to hear more about it from you.

Go to Bronsonpinchot.us because if a picture is worth a thousand words, there are several thousand there. I cannot begin to describe it adequately. I'm doing what I've done for years, and they film it. Not flipping houses, but rethinking them using only architectural salvage from before 1850.

Goddamnit, I'm probably too late.

I watched Beverly Hills Cop last night and annoyed my girlfriend by saying your lines with you. I also pulled out my Perfect Strangers s1 & 2 DVDs to watch this week. It's like poorly timed karma that I find your AMA the morning after.

Are you going to be in the SF Bay Area anytime in the foreseeable future? I want to give you a hug for being so awesome.

I don't have a trip planned to SF but I'll take the hug telepathically. Also who said the AMA was over? Did I miss something?

You did a few episodes of Young And The Restless back in 2008. How tough was it to memorize your lines in the short time-span soap opera actors are usually given?

Yes, it was difficult. Oddly, I had the same dialog coach as on the pilot of Perfect Strangers....wack? Or What?

What was the strangest thing that happened on The Surreal Life?

Janice was in the bathroom naked

I literally just screamed with joy. OH MY GOODNESS.

Did you accept your role in the Langoliers right away, or did you need some convincing.

Especially after doing Balki, were you concerned that fans would hate your performance in the Langoliers ?

Because it still scares the crap outta me, especially since Perfect Strangers was the first TV show I ever watched.

I didn't think about it.....just did it. No one was bothered by it

I just wanted to say a massive THANK YOU to you, Mark Linn-Baker and the rest of the cast of Perfect Strangers for the memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I LOVED THAT SHOW.

Well, day-um. Thank you from all of us.

What was it like working with george hearn and carol burnett. Putting it together FTW

They were Gods of professionalism, warmth, creativity, and support. Truly GODS. I mean that from the heart.

I have to admit, you've had me since Risky Business and Beverly Hills Cop.

Thanks for the entertainment since then, as well!

EDIT: What was funny, I started writing a smarmy post that your name was similar to...and realized, oh shit, it is the same guy.

Wow. Thanks. B

I just rewatched the first episodes of Perfect Strangers a couple months ago. How was Mark Linn-Baker ever supposed to come across as a 23-year old in that show? He was actually 32 at the time. I thought he was closer to 40.

We did our best. I thought he was wonderful.

Mr. Pinchot, I was a pretty big Perfect Strangers fan as a kid. Were there any improvised elements to Balki which became a reoccurring thing as the show progressed?

Any injuries resulting from the Dance of Joy?

All the physicality was improvised, and all the Myposian was my own. And on the "Assertive Training" episode, I broke my front tooth on Mark's forehead.

Wow, awesome to find you here!

I have to admit I liked Perfect Strangers when I was young, and you were great as the good-natured foreign dork.

But then I got older and saw you in Beverly Hills Cop and True Romance- classic!

"You want me to suck his dick?"

"Hi my name is Elliot and I'm with the Cub Scouts of America and we're selling uncut cocaine to get to the jamboree."

I don't have any questions at the moment, but just wanted to say thank you and I hope you continue to give us some great characters.

I'll do my best. By the way, Sol Rubinek was truly on the phone with me, and I truly couldn't understand what he was saying, and I ad-libbed "you want me to suck his dick" because that's what it sounded like he'd said with static. B

Q: True Romance, as fun making as watching? Also, sorry everyone still yells "looks its Balki!"

[edit: fixed capitalization]

True Romance was a blast. I was sure it was the direction my career would take. Balki stuff doesn't bother me at all. It's fun.

What do you think of sitcoms today?

It seems like there are only a couple of good ones and nothing today compares to your show or your era.

And what did you think of Seinfeld? Personally I feel like I lived in crazy land. I felt it was the most overrated show ever and no one wanted to admit it. I don't think I ever even laughed out loud watching it. Perfect Strangers destroys everyday of the week

My ex-girlfriend thought Seinfeld was the living end, so I dislike it on principal.

Growing up, I knew you from Perfect Strangers, from the Beverly Hills Cop movies, and from Blame it on the Bellboy (which I just watched again about a week ago) - three roles defined in part by "funny accents and language confusion."

Did you worry at the time like this might lead to you being typecast? Looking back, do you think it impacted your career?

EDIT: Also, thank you for taking the time to do this for us!

I don't look back so much. Much better to live in the present, don't you find?

What did you think of the visual effects at the end of "The Langoliers"? I watch pretty much any Stephen King, but felt the end maybe deserved a bit better. I assume there were budget constraints, as well.

I glimpsed them and ran and hid. They were atrocious. Budget constraints no doubt, but ugh.

Glad it wasn't just me.

No, indeed. It is the gift that keeps on taking.

Has there come a point where you start to hate being recognized by those character roles you did? Or do you just come to accept that kind of thing and keep signing autographs for "Balki."

I just accept and roll with it.

Bronson, I just want to tell you that Perfect Strangers was one of my favorite shows when I was small, and as a result anytime you made a cameo in films and TV throughout the years I would perk right up. It's awesome that you're still going strong! DO you know if your show is available to watch online? My wife and I don't have cable. Thank you for never "getting out of the country".

I think you can find some episodes linked via Bronsonpinchot.org

Did you have an actor who really inspired you to become an actor yourself, i. e. someone you watched and said "that looks like a good job to have"? Who do you feel were your greatest influences on your acting style?

You won't believe me, but James Mason, Spencer Tracy, Charles Laughton.

Hi Bronson! Big fan.

Can you talk a little about your experience at Yale? How well did it prepare you for your career?

How long have you been interested in interior design/architecture? How exactly did that lead to your tv show?

You've been very candid in interviews in the past. Has the reaction to those interviews caused you to second guess or self edit yourself in a way that you wouldn't have prior to that reaction?

It was great; it didn't, except by teaching me to act; all my life; they came and found me; I really was a little wild in some of my early interviews...too much so.

I loved watching perfect strangers every week! Just had to get that out. What is the single biggest/worst/costly renovation mistake you have ever made?

I did quite a lot in Malibu that was very costly, cuz I was a TV star and didn't shop for alternate quotes. :-)

Would you like a limon twist for your espresso?

Also,

Where the hell is Mipos?

No, and it's imaginary.

Don't really have a question but just wanted to say hi!

How----deeeeeeee!

I can die happy now!!!!! I watched you every week as balki and even though you've done amazing things since then, I always think "oh I love him. He's balki" whenever I see you. I would imagine that it gets annoying. Sorry!

Love never gets annoying, I assure you. Thanks for taking a moment to say hey. :-)

What do you feel is your greatest achievement as an actor?

Well, I would normally say Autolycus in the New York Shakespeare Festival production of The Winter's Tale. Then again, I was in an airport once when another actor got off a plane and the guy next to me nudged me and said, "Look, Balki! It's Gregory Hines!" Which means Balki counted as a person, which is getting up there with 'as good as it gets.' Just saying.

That brought a smile to my face, Thanks Bronson!

You are most welcome. B

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I hope not. I mean, it's hard to imagine. I'd settle for the small screen, frankly. B

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Jennifer, couple months ago, and emails today. Mary Anne, twenty years ago, on the last night of Perfect Strangers. But apparently she is putting together a reunion appearance (not on film) and I will see here there. My mom runs into her at the grocery store.