AOL Live Chat: Cheri Oteri 11-23-99



TV Guide: Tonight we are chatting with Cheri Oteri from "Saturday Night Live" and "Just Shoot Me." Welcome, Cheri! Thanks for chatting with us tonight!

Cheri Oteri: This is pretty new for me, but I'm looking forward to it. Let's start.

Question: How old were you when you first started SNL? Did you feel you were under pressure?

Cheri Oteri: I didn't feel any pressure, because I couldn't believe I was there. It was like beyond my wildest dreams to be a cast member. People always ask me if I felt pressure to help make the show be somewhat of a success. I was just so amazed that I was there, I couldn't wait to get to work. If the audience received it well, that's all I cared about. I didn't see it as my job to do anything other than what my character does in performing and writing.

Question: Hi, Cheri... what is your favorite character to do? I wish I could meet you… I'll keep dreaming.

Cheri Oteri: I like the “Morning Latte” host and Colette Reardon, the woman hooked on prescription pills. It's not funny to say it, but let's just says she abuses them a little. The last time we did it there were pills everywhere.

Question: Who is your favorite SNL cast member of the ‘70s?

Cheri Oteri: I'd have to say Gilda Radner and Bill Murray. They made me laugh more than anyone. I loved their sense of humor and their characters, especially.

Question: Hey, Cheri. What can you tell us about your role in “Scary Movie”?

Cheri Oteri: It's a takeoff of the Courteney Cox role in “Scream.” If you think Courteney Cox was ambitious and a little nasty, wait till you see my character. It was really fun to do.

Question: Cheri, what female comics do you admire?

Cheri Oteri: I like on SNL Jan Hooks and Nora Dunn. I like Catherine O'Hara; I have watched “Waiting for Guffman” over and over and she just cracks me up. Tracey Ullman. There are a lot of women I admire their careers and achievements: Lucille Ball. I love the career that Madeline Kahn had in the Mel Brooks movies. Or Teri Garr at that time. They really wrote funny for them.

Question: Is there any truth to the rumor that Lorne Michaels is retiring SNL after the 30th season?

Cheri Oteri: That's the first I've heard it. I'll ask him when I get back.

Question: How is it like working with the rest of the cast?

Cheri Oteri: It's great. Most of us all came in together. The new guys I absolutely love. It's good because we all came in together and it's like we all entered first grade together. It was much easier, our timing. As far as the new people are concerned, I think we're all very nice to them, but it's easy to be because they are really terrific people. As hard as the show is, of how we have to work, we get along pretty well.

Question: Cheri, your name is the greatest. How did your parents come up with it?

Cheri Oteri: Well, my dad wanted to name me Cheri, but there was a problem with the Catholic church. So I was named Cheryl. Not that I've heard of St. Cheryl. They just started to call me Cheri from day one. I'm sure it will keep the Catholics happy. It didn't rhyme till I moved to LA. In Philly, it was pronounced Cheri O'Teari. It wasn't that much of a difference, so I didn't correct anyone since 1990.

Question: Cheri, I read that you want to be a singer; is that true?

Cheri Oteri: I always wanted to be a singer, but I didn't think my voice was quite good enough. I still fantasize about it. If I did try to sing, everyone would say, “Don't quit your comedy job.” Also, I was so interested in music, I got into the business. I was at A&M Records for four years in the promotions dept. I was in the Groundlings then, then eventually moved over full time. Once I got attention, I had to decide what job to take. I had a feeling deep down that I should take that chance.

Question: You are my absolute favorite actress! You are so awesome!! I was just wondering who did you look up to as a teenager or when you were just starting out?

Cheri Oteri: I grew up watching Woody Allen movies with my mom. I was exposed to his comedy records. Also Bill Cosby, Cheech and Chong. She got us a baby sitter so she could see "Up in Smoke." Also George Carlin. I used to listen to these records. I understood everything and I laughed. I was probably a little young to listen to these albums, but I noticed that my mom laughed so hard and I used to think my mom was stressed a lot. If something made her laugh, I totally paid attention. I guess those were my early influences. I knew all of their albums word for word. Sometimes she couldn't get a sitter, and we were little, and I remember seeing "Bananas," "Sleeper" and "Take the Money and Run." I remember laughing, and I enjoyed it so much.

Question: How did the Spartan cheerleaders come into existence?

Cheri Oteri: When Will and I first got the job at SNL, we all went to the stage to see what it would be like to be on the stage. We were improvising onstage. I was clapping and stomping, pretending we were serious. We started making each other laugh because we were doing it seriously. He said we should write a cheerleading scene. A few weeks later we sat down and wrote it that day.

Question: Who has been your favorite host to work with?

Cheri Oteri: That is the toughest question. I'm in my fifth year and there have been so many that I've enjoyed. There are some people I was so in awe of: Kevin Spacey, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore. I just love those people as actors. Then there are people I have so much fun with: Jim Carrey, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Murray. That was so cool. When we did “Morning Latte” together, I was so happy. I love that kind of cheeseball character he does, that kind of insincerely sincere. I'd have to say he was my biggest thrill to work with. Bill had just finished doing "Rushmore," and I saw it the Thursday night and then Friday I ran up to him and said, "You were great." He said, "What are you talking about?" I said, "'Rushmore.' I saw it." He was the biggest thrill to work with.

Cheri Oteri: Funny story: one night, myself and a writer got into an argument. This doesn't happen often. We were fried from three shows straight. The argument blew up into this loud, loud discussion. I walked out to my office and there was Bill. He heard everything, and I was so embarrassed. I was worried what he might think of me. I'm like, this never happens the whole time I'm on SNL. The next day during “Morning Latte,” I apologized to him. He told me the argument made him feel like he was home. He said he felt like he never left. It's like college. You're living with these people and it's bound to happen. He just made me feel so much better. He said, "Honey, don't worry about it." The writer and I write so much together now. It just goes to show you that you need to let things out to make things get better.

Question: OK! You are my idol! I was wondering what you like to do during the summer when SNL is on break. Your biggest fan ever, Lauren in Orlando.

Cheri Oteri: Lauren... in Orlando. It's very nice to talk to you. I'm very flattered that you're such a fan. I usually audition for films, and pretty much hang out with my friends. I'm very much a homebody... I don't have any exciting hobbies. Sometimes I'll do a show at the Groundling theater. I'll do improv, which is scary and fun. The show is very demanding and stressful, and you need three months to come down.

Question: Cheri, you are great in "Just Shoot Me." How did you end up doing that show?

Cheri Oteri: Well, two summers ago, I got a script sent to me and had no plans on doing a sitcom. I thought it was very funny and loved the character. I called my manager and told him I want to do this. He said, "You're kidding." I told him I wanted to do it, and I think I wanted to do it to see if I could do a part on sitcom. It was before "Just Shoot Me" got as big as it got. I figured if I suck, not that many people would see it. Them asking me to do it again, which airs this Thursday night -- I was so thrilled they asked me to come back as the same character.

Question: Will you be introducing new characters for the rest of the season?

Cheri Oteri: Well, I'm always trying to do new characters, but they don't always get on. I've written Colette Reardon so many times, but it's just hard getting characters to air. Then two weeks ago I did “Simmer down, now.” My friend and I would drive around in LA and he'd yell out, “Slow it down, now.” Then he'd say, “Simmer down, now.” Then I started saying it all the time. I wrote it with another writer two times, but it didn't get in. It's so silly, but it's just something that makes me laugh. My friend Kenny said, “I can't believe this thing I used to yell out the window is a national character on television.” Last week I did the last sketch with Roberta, who is a really bad storyteller. People know people like this. You have to be polite and listen. That was fun to be able to do.

Question: What was the biggest mistake you ever made on the set of any show you've made?

Cheri Oteri: I haven't done many shows except for SNL. The David Schwimmer show, my housecoat got caught and I said ****. I didn't get into trouble and I never did it again.

Question: What did you want to be when you were little?

Cheri Oteri: I wanted to be special, significant, and I just wanted to learn how to have confidence ‘cause I lacked it very much. As far as an occupation, a singer. I say significant because I felt insignificant as a kid. Sometimes I think it's important, because I know other people feel that way when they are growing up. You just have to keep working on yourself. Everyone is significant. Sometimes kids, that's not a given in their psyche. I think I say thank God I had my imagination. Not that I had the saddest childhood, but I felt lost. I always made people laugh. I realized that what was most important was feeling good about myself. I know that many kids don't feel good about themselves. That's why I mention it.

Cheri Oteri: I used to think there is a happy life out there, and I'm going to find it. I know it sounds cheesy. I used to make people laugh, but I didn't feel good inside. It was just a way of getting attention. My life's process has been to learn how to cure the things that made me funny in the first place while still trying to be funny. I'm not the type of person that is always "on." I don't do jokes. I'd like to think I'm pretty normal. I've been that way for a while, where I don't have the need to impress anyone. I'm not one of those comediennes that yuck it up all the time. Sometimes I'm even too serious and I think too much.

Question: Cheri, are you planning to leave SNL anytime soon? I hope not, you're great!

Cheri Oteri: Each summer at the end of the season, I try to sit back and I just want to trust that I'll know when the time is to go. I can't do that while I'm working. It varies week to week. In the summer I can really feel if the time is right. I'm pretty much going summer to summer now. My contract is up after this year. If I renegotiate or not, I won't know till the end of this season. But that you for the thoughtfulness.

TV Guide: Thanks, Cheri, for chatting! We had a great time and hope you can come back soon!

Cheri Oteri: Thank you so much for watching the show, and thank you so much for your questions. I'd like to do this again sometime. Watch "Just Shoot Me" this Thursday night.



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