Interviews with Tom Green and Rip Torn of "Freddy Got Fingered"
"The "New York Times" once wrote an article on me saying that I was the 'kingship of comedy,' and that comedic roles fit me like 'my own black boots,'" Torn said. "I'm at home with comedy and was a fan of Tom's from his show, so I knew I had to have this part."
Green admitted that he was skeptical though to hire such a veteran actor for the part, no matter how often Torn proved himself for the part.
"I was a little intimidated by him at first," Green said. "I didn't know what to expect. When he came in with a bunch of rolled up socks stuffed down his pants though my interest in him grew."
"Tom told me that we would be doing our own stunts and I could tell he was skeptical of my capability in doing so," Torn said. "I told him to push me. He hesitated but when I yelled at him to do it he did. I flipped my body backwards, tucked my head in, and took the fall. I then jumped back up and told Tom I would give that to him twenty more times in a row."
"I never had a stunt man on my show. I consider myself to be a physical comedian and expected the same of my actors in the film," Green said of telling Torn he had to do his own stunt work. "It's our responsibility. There's always the pressure to have a stunt man do your work, but I feel that you can fall funny or you can fall less funny, so I wanted everyone to do their own falls."
While Green was impressed with Torn's physical capabilities, he still wasn't convinced that Torn was right for the part. Torn then told Green that they would Indian Wrestle for it-- if Torn won twice he got the part, if not he didn't. Needless to say, Torn beat Green, but Green didn't tell him right away if he had the part for sure.
"I left the audition wondering what I just did and if it was for anything," Torn laughed.
When Torn did hear back from Green, Torn remembers that Green was still a bit skeptical about giving him the part.
"He told me there would be a scene where I would have to bare my ass and asked if I was comfortable with that." Torn recalled. "I had bared much more than that in the '70s
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