Buffyfest Interviews "Buffy" Star Nicholas Brendon

Who ever knew the day would come that we would interview live and in person, core Scoob himself, Nicholas Brendon (not to mention the fabulous Anthony Stewart Head). Are Alyson Hannigan and Sarah Michelle Gellar around the corner? We'll just have to wait and see.

In the meantime, two of us here at Buffyfest had the extreme pleasure of catching up with Nick, talking about everything from tattoos, dating fans, Buffy Season 8 and who knows what the hell else? It's Nick Brendon. Nothing is off limits here. Let's go!

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Buffyfest: What have you been doing in New York?

Nicholas Brendon: I have been meeting fans and pimping myself.

Buffyfest: Had any good interactions? Set up any interesting projects?

NB: You know, I love meeting fans. It's nice to make physical contact. Not with my penis. You just can't.

Buffyfest: Tom Lenk told us a story where he dated a Buffy fan and he was like, "How can you compete with a picture of a younger version of yourself that's on the wall?"

NB: Yeah, I know it's weird. I've never dated a fan before. You don't know who exactly they like, you know what I mean?

Buffyfest: Could even be your brother!

NB: It could be. I tend to kind of have a line.

Buffyfest: Well the internet exists now so you can't just say, "That happened and it's done" because all of the sudden someone's writing a thing online about you.

NB: It's true. I mean a lots changed since I started acting to where we are now. There's no privacy.

Buffyfest: So have you had any interesting interactions?

NB: You mean with my penis?

Buffyfest: With the fans. With your penis, if you like.

NB: I've had some interesting ones. Kind of some people who have some space issues. And some gropers.

Buffyfest: We noticed that at the panel.

NB: They've all been great. I had a dinner last night with the fans. I usually do a meet and greet and it wasn't a big turn out. It was actually really nice. Usually get like forty people. I can't do more than forty because I just don't. I want people to get their monies worth. This time it was like twelve people just all sitting around a table talking and it was really nice.

Buffyfest: I want to talk about Criminal Minds. You mentioned that you've got an episode coming up next Wednesday. Can you tell us a little bit about it?

NB: My part on it is integral because he's adorable, but it's not integral to the plot. It's more of the relationship between Garcia and Kevin Lynch. I pop up and I keep things light.

Buffyfest: Have you heard anything about the spin off? She (Garcia) is going to be on both shows.

NB: I know. It's very strange. I don't know what's going on, I just know that I'm still on the show so when they call, I answer. I'm like a fireman.

Buffyfest: My girlfriend loves Criminal Minds and she wants you to be on all the time. Who should she be writing to?

NB: CBS.

Buffyfest: Alright. I will tell her to do it. Switching to Buffy. So we're in Season 8. What do you think is Xander's motivation for staying with Buffy when he could easily walk away?

NB: I would imagine that it's probably loyalty. I think Xander is a very, very loyal creature.

Buffyfest: What do you think are Xander's lowest and highest moments?

NB: Ever? Did he ever have a high moment? You know? It was a lot of Zeppo, you know? It was kind of like, even when he felt he had a high moment, he'd drop even lower. I think the highest moment and the lowest moment are all encapsulated in "The Zeppo". Having sex with Faith and then getting his ass handed to him. And also finding himself. I think that's why people like that one so much.

Buffyfest: What was it like to play the scene of leaving Anya at the altar?

NB: It was rough only because that rain that was outside was freezing!

Buffyfest: Did you guys doing anything specific, you and Emma Caulfield, to prepare for that emotional scene?

NB: No. I mean, I’m doing a show right now, Private Practice, and there was a thing where the characters, they reunite so they make sure that the actors didn’t see each other for 6-7 days. Personally, I don’t get that. It's like, what are we portraying here and I’ll try and do my best.

Buffyfest: It’s the Ian Mckellen style of acting. I just pretend I’m a wizard and it’s done.

NB: Exactly. Right.

Buffyfest: Here’s a ridiculous hypothetical question. If it’s Cordy at the end of the aisle, do you think Xander would have still walked away?

NB: I think, yeah. I think he would have walked away from any relationship. I think even if Buffy was at the end of the aisle he would have walked away.

Buffyfest: What do you think is the best relationship he had with anybody as far as the women he had interaction with – Cordy, Anya, Buffy, Willow.

NB: I think probably, at the end of the day, it’s Buffy. You know, the other ones, both Cordy and Anya were very dysfunctional which, um, kinda really mirrors my life, tragically.

Buffyfest: All of our lives (laughter).

NB: I'll work on that. Holla!

(Tara) I think we’re done with Buffy, right? (Dan) No, we have one more. (Tara) Oh! I missed my mark.

Buffyfest: So, this is a comic question. We’re going to feed you a little information and you’re going to tell us what you think. We found out at the end, 2nd to last issue, that someone who’s close to Buffy is going to betray her. Do you think Xander would ever under any circumstances betray her?

NB: I don’t think Xander would betray her.

Buffyfest: Okay, then he’s not the betrayer!

Buffyfest: I noticed your tattoo during the panel.

NB: The "Surfing Jesus”?

Buffyfest:Yeah, can you tell me about it?

NB: Yeah, I was at the dog park with my dog Steve and I had an idea if Jesus could walk on water, but not in Indonesia, he needs a surf board. So, I went to this tattoo artist that I worked with before and I said, “Hey, I want to do a tattoo with surfing Jesus,” and he had a 6 week wait and he was like, “I love it. Come back in three hours and I’ll sketch it out.” 'Cause he wanted to put it in his book.

Buffyfest: Do you have any other tattoos?

NB: My four brothers. I got two and two. The angels represent the boys and that’s just surfing Jesus.

Buffyfest: Now, do you mind if we take a picture of that surfing Jesus later?

NB: Take a picture. Take away.

Buffyfest: Fabulous. Love it. Okay, so Robot, Ninja and Gay Guy.

NB: Yup

Buffyfest: They just started fundraising for their second season.

NB: Yup!

Buffyfest: Any chance you’ll be back as that nosy neighbor?

NB: The idea is that I will be back. I love Fripper. (mimicking his character) "Fripper! Fripper! I'm Fripper! Whatcha got in there, huh?"

Buffyfest: He’s always my favorite character in any of those old like '60s…

NB: Oh, absolutely.

Buffyfest: Your webcomic Very Bad Koalas. You spoke about it during the panel, but can you tell us any more about it?

NB: It’s every Wednesday. It’s basically about these Koalas who essentially wake up in jail and then are busted out. Next Wednesday, it’s kinda like “More to be revealed”. It’s basically like these koalas have a very long rap list and basically on their rap list, they’ve done none of these things. In their travels, they’re going to “Out There” which is the land owned by the devil and on the way in there, they’re going to commit all these crimes that they were accused of indirectly.

Buffyfest: How did the project get set up?

NB: Steve Loder and I, I’m doing an animated series, possibly for Disney called Zubo. They’re testing it right now and um, so we met and I have ideas and he has ideas and he's like, "Why don't we just partner up?" And so we kinda just amalgamated and came up with Very Bad Koalas. We have the first year written out and I mean it's like you know, everything's been kind of outlined and then I think we're on episode 17 right now. All the scripts are done for the first 17 and I think the first 14 are drawn out. So we're 14 episodes ahead which is amazing.

Buffyfest: Has writing always been a passion of yours?

NB: I love writing, you know. It's hard. I just write shit down that...that's why I like writing poetry because it's, it's quick. You know? I'm not great with the patience thing. Not now in my life. It's just kind of like, yeah.

Buffyfest: Every time I see a writer it's like every day they're like, "I wrote X number of words today" and I could never.

NB: I immensely respect them, though.

Buffyfest: So, Emma Caulfield also has a web comic...

NB: Yes!

Buffyfest: Contropussy.

NB: Contropussy!

Buffyfest: Do you think there's any chance for a crossover between the koalas and the kittens?

NB: No, but we're gonna have...one of the nemeses on, the nemesi, on Very Bad Koalas is gonna be um...Pretty Bad Beavers. They're gonna come up upon a couple of beavers that are some chicks.

Buffyfest: Nice.

NB: But you know, we'll see. Cause we're already outlined out for the first season. I mean, and then what we're gonna do after, I don't know. We might make it into a cartoon. Let's see what happens.

Buffyfest: Would you be voice acting that?

NB: You know, I could. But I didn't write it for me, with me in mind. But I probably will, yeah. I'm not sure which one I would play.

Buffyfest: Is there anything else that's going on? You mentioned that you have that potential cartoon for Disney Channel...

NB: Yeah that one we're finding out..'cause it was fast tracked at Disney. And they tested it last week in England and stuff and in Europe. So, you know. All indications are pointing to it's gonna go. But...

Buffyfest: And you're writing that as well?

NB: No, I play a Robot Dog. (says in Robot Dog voice) "I'm Robot Dog!"

Buffyfest: That was like you're Normal Voice in the beginning!

NB: Yes.

Buffyfest: Are you excited about seeing your former cast mates in New England? When was the last time you saw some of those people?

NB: I saw James in Chicago but no, the main people, I haven't seen them in a long time. It's pretty nice, I haven't seen Charisma in years.

Buffyfest: Are you excited about it?

NB: Absolutely.

Buffyfest: That's awesome. Alright!

NB: Thank you so much guys!

Buffyfest: Thank you, man.