You recognize Patrick Fabian from ... well everything.The actor has appeared on 'Bones,' 'The Mentalist, 'Big Love,' 'CSI: NY' and much more on the big and small screens.
Oh, and don't forget 'Saved by the Bell: The College Years.'
"You know what, if I get in a bad car crash today, Variety will report that Professor Lasky from 'Saved by the Bell' has met his early demise," Fabian tells PopEater with a chuckle. "That 'Saved by the Bell' has been running nonstop for 15 years."
And if you see him on the street and address him as Lasky, he doesn't mind. "Anyone who recognizes the fact that I've been working and stuff like that. Rarely do I get, 'Hey Lasky, you're an a**hole.' It's usually people who are fondly remembering their own youth. So I have no problems with that whatsoever."
Fabian, who stars in CMT's new series 'Working Class,' chatted with us about his new gig, what it was like working with Ed Asner and one "smart little show" called 'Veronica Mars.'
Tell me about 'Working Class.'
[It's] a classic sitcom in the vein of 'Cheers' and 'Roseanne' and 'Everybody Loves Raymond.' It's funny for the whole family. It stars Melissa Peterman, the funniest girl in television, and TV legend Ed Asner and myself. It's a half-hour sitcom, telling the tale of Carli, who is played by Peterman, who is trying to make her life better for her and her kids. I play her boss, and I'm from the rich side of the tracks. Her and I find each other rather interesting -- sort of a Sam and Diane kind of relationship so far. We are not from the same ilk, but we like each other very much, so we'll see where the relationship goes.
So there may be a little bit of romance?
There might be some kissing, that's all I'm saying.
What drew you to the role?
I worked with Melissa before on an episode of 'Reba,' Reba McEntire's show, about four or five years ago. I played the role of Reverand Yummy Pants. So she had this show lined up and she called me up and thought I would be perfect for the role of her boss, which is a compliment anytime someone calls you up and says, "Hey, we need the role of a handsome rich guy." I was like, "All right, I'll play that if I can." And I got to get involved with CMT, and they are great people over there, and once Ed Asner was signed on, we had a really solid cast. I love sitcoms; sitcoms are funny. I love Melissa because she's funny. I got to work and work is a real hoot and holler, a really good time. I think that all comes off on-screen.
Speaking of Ed Asner, what was it like working with him?
A little intimidating at first; he's Ed Asner for Christ's sake. In the end, yes, he is intimidating because he's Ed Anser, but he's intimidating because he's so good. He knows what he's doing. He's a real pro. There's a reason that he's been lauded as much as he has. However, I will say this, and he'll punch me if he reads this, he's an absolute teddy bear. He's a total softie on the inside. He's very curmudgeony and he's got that whole thing down -- in the end, it comes from a big heart inside, that's what I think.
What has been your favorite experience working on this show?
We shot it in three days, which is the first time that episodes have been shot in three days. It makes the working conditions very frantic. If you don't have people that are good and good to get along with, it could be a hideous work situation. Instead, it was really fun. Melissa really set the tone of the show and made everybody laugh all the time. She had such a positive energy. She carried the weight of the show on her. It was kind of amazing. We had mud wrestling and karaoke nights during shooting. She kept it fun.
You had mud wrestling on the show -- or off the set?
There was a mud-wrestling episode. Actually, my wife played the woman who mud-wrestles Melissa. And afterward, Melissa mud-wrestled anybody for $20, which she donated to charity. She raised over $400 that night.
You've been in everything. Is there a role you're most recognized for?
You know what, if I get in a bad car crash today, Variety will report that Professor Lasky from 'Saved by the Bell' has met his early demise. I hope not, but without a doubt, that 'Saved by the Bell' has been running nonstop for 15 years since we did it. So there's a real base out there that knows me as Professor Lasky, especially. I tend to think that that's a show that hits kids in high school, when they are sitting with a bag of potato chips before and after school sort of doing nothing. So I get recognized for Professor Lasky a lot. Also with 'The Last Exorcism,' you know the movie that came out last year, I'm getting a lot more heat for that as well. And then weirdly enough, I did some stuff for Disney, and there's a whole sect of 8-to-12-year-old girls who know me as Thantos. I kind of cover the gamut.
You really have. You've got adults, teens, tweens and horror fanatics.
It's funny because in aiports and fast food joints, it's almost always 'Saved by the Bell' because that's that pocket of kids, working those jobs, who all of the sudden look at me and they go "Hey." I'm like, "Right. I kissed Kelly Kapowski. You're gosh darn right."
Is it annoying at all? Do people call you Professor Lasky?
They do, absolutely, because that's how they know me. They're like, "Hey Lasky," and I'm like, "All right, whatever." No, it's a real compliment, are you kidding me? Anyone who recognizes the fact that I've been working and stuff like that. Rarely do I get, "Hey Lasky, you're an a**hole." It's usually people who are fondly remembering their own youth. So I have no problems with that whatsoever.
I have to say, I really liked you in 'Veronica Mars,' too.
You know? That's that other thing. I know it wasn't a giant hit, but it certainly has a fanbase. And that was really fun to work on as well. Kristen Bell was totally cool. What I loved about her, as a pretty, smart, intelligent girl, she was willing to play kind of a dick. You know? That was the great thing about her. She was pretty and smart, and she was kind of a dick to people on the show, character-wise. That was really nice. That was true to form. That was a smart little show.
It was great. I'm sorry it's gone.
I am too. There was talk of making a movie of it at some point, but I think the further those things move away, the harder it is.
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