The David Letterman Show
Airdate: 6/24/94
As Charlotte in "Wolf"
DL: Welcome to the show and bless you for coming.
KN: Thank you. Thank you for having me.
DL: How’s your summer going so far?
KN: Summer so far? I’m in the park. I have a 23-month old son.
DL: Well congratulations to you.
KN: Thank you. I scrape the sand off grapes.
DL: Because he drops the grapes and then you’ve got to clean them up
before he eats them. Doesn’t that just exhaust you like to have a 2-year old kid?
Doesn’t that just wear you down? It’s constant activity, isn’t it?
KN: It’s constant activity. The thing they don’t tell you is
how BORING it is.
(Audience laughs.)
DL: Really? (DL laughs.)
KN: I mean overall it’s extremely exciting. It’s the only
important thing I’ve ever had to do and everything but minute to minute it gives you
a brain hemorrhage it’s so boring. (All the parents in the audience laugh.) I mean
it’s just, it’s painful, those trucks…back and forth…I mean this
winter was murder. You couldn’t get out. If you can get him out he can bore other
people. Inside it’s just me.
DL: Well let’s go to another topic here because it may be that
you’re just having a rough time here.
KN: No, I love him. He’s very, very nice but…(attention
diverted) Angel? Which is the cameraman named angel?
DL: He’s right here. (pointing to appropriate cameraman)
KN: You know your son Gabriel and my son are in the same music class
together? (camerman affirms) Yes, he has a son Gabe as well.
DL: Do you find your child… that activity boring?
KN: His son isn’t nearly as boring.
Camerman: No, my son runs me out of energy.
KN: Yes, but you’re never home! You’re not doing those trucks.
(demonstrates back and forth toy truck motion) They’re not home all day! On Saturday
you stay home and do the trucks! (Audience laughs)
DL: OK Kate, now let’s go on to something else because….
KN: OK.
DL: Anyway congratulations on the success of the film ("WOLF").
This must be very exciting for you. This is one of those werewolf deals, right?
KN: Yes.
DL: Jack Nicholson gets bitten by a wolf and then turns into a wolf.
KN: I don’t know what I’m supposed to say because I’m not
supposed to give anything away.
DL: Really? What do you mean?
KN: Well I don’t know.
DL: Well you spilled your guts about the kid. What’s the deal about
the movie?
KN: I know but they don’t care, but they’ve got so many
millions of dollars in the movie.
DL: It’s doing very well.
KN: It’s making money.
DL: Did you enjoy your time spent with Jack Nicholson?
KN: Yes I did.
DL: He’s an odd guy. He’s an original isn’t he?
KN: He’s a good kisser. (Audience woo-woos.)
DL: Really?
KN: He is. I got to kiss him and I , you know most of the time you pay no
attention. It’s your job, you kiss him and you go home.
DL: You hear that Paul? (KN giggles)
Paul: I understand it.
KN: You know the feeling.
Paul: Of course, it’s just professionalism.
DL: By the way Paul’s Canadian you know.
KN: Hunter Bay, Ontario. I know that.
Paul: That’s me, and you’re from where?
KN: London, Ontario.
DL: Oh, very close then.
Paul: Very close then.
KN: The Forest City.
Paul: The Forest City.
KN: Hi Dad!
Paul: I’m from the lake (head).
KN: The lake up there. Whatever lake it is and…(Audience laughs.)
I’ve got to talk about the movie. No…..it’s a very nice lake.
Paul: Lake Superior.
KN: It’s a superior lake! So Jack…not a good
kisser, a SUPERLATIVE kisser. (Audience woo woos.)
DL: Wow!
KN: No, I’m speaking of a, I’m speaking, (very dramatic) when
you kiss Jack and…..I want the women to listen to this. When you kiss him, you
understand the meaning of stardom. It’s like….
DL: I don’t know. It sounds to me Kate like maybe there’s
trouble at home. (audience laughs)
KN: No, no , no. I mean I’m bored and everything but…
DL: Alright, alright, I tapped into something here.
KN: No, but it’s true! It’s really true!
DL: Does your, now does your husband get jealous of the fact that as part
of your job, you’re kissing Jack Nicholson?
KN: He’d be a fool to be jealous of that. I mean there’s so
much, there’s so much that’s more difficult about being married to me than that.
(Audience laughs.)
DL: That’s way down on the list!
KN: Oh yeah, you don’t have to complain about that. There’s
much easier things. No, I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t listen to that, no.
DL: And do you, are you spending your summer, do you have time off now?
You and the family travelling a bit?
KN: No, we don’t travel. You don’t travel for fun with a child
that small. (Audience laughs.)
DL: I see.
KN: This is terrible. I’ve given up my life for this boy and
I’m making it sound like I didn’t want to.
DL: Well but you know it’s the greatest joy of human existence and
therefore also obviously the greatest responsibility.
KN: No it is a harder job than any other. There’s no job harder.
That’s why everybody wants to get out of doing it. (Audience laughs.)
DL: Right, right.
KN: It’s true, but you know what I have to say. Almost 2 years of
being a mother and you know we’ve got to be nicer to mothers. We’ve got to be
more respectful because it’s a most incredibly hard job.
DL: Yeah but you’re doing alright. You’re making out with Jack
Nicholson. (Audience laughs.)
KN: Yeah, that’s true.
DL: Kind of a little bonus for you.
KN: It is a bonus.
DL: Kate, hang on a second. We’re going to go to a commercial and
we’ll be right back here with Kate Nelligan ladies and gentlemen.
<Commercial Break>
DL: Kate, you’re charming and delightful as always. My best to
your son. Congratulations again on the film and we hope to see you in the future. Have a
great summer by the way.
