Good Girls Dont - Claudia Lonow
by Daniel Robert Epstein for SuicideGirls (http://suicidegirls.com/)

Believe me I was surprised when we were approached to interview Claudia Lonow because her new TV show, Good Girls Don't, is on Oprah’s Oxygen network. We’ve been turned down for interviews from the FX Network and TBS so I didn’t think another cable network that features advertising would be interested. But Lonow has created a very edgy show in Good Girls Don't.

Marjorie [Bree Turner] tells her friend Jane [Joy Gohring] to loosen up after a bad breakup and Jane goes up out and starts slutting it up. The show has already been on the air for a few weeks and is receiving some rave reviews with people comparing it to Friends and Sex in the City.

Check out the website for Good Girls Don't...

Daniel Robert Epstein: Was this show always meant to go on Oxygen?

Claudia Lonow: Yes, it was created for the Oxygen channel.

DRE: It doesn’t seem like they are being strict at all in terms of content and raciness.

CL: They’re not being very strict. We had a couple of jokes that I thought they would never let on. But I decided to leave them in the script so we could see if they even notice it. There were a lot of things that got by that I was totally expecting them to make us take out.

DRE: I read that Oxygen is describing it as Sex in the City but it doesn’t seem like that show at all.

CL: I guess people at networks compare things to other successful shows because they want it to be as successful. I certainly didn’t start out to make Sex in the City because that’s already been on TV [laughs].

DRE: I saw that Timothy Busfield [formerly of thirtysomething] directed the first episode.

CL: Yes, it was very hard to not call him Elliot. I knew him because he directed some episodes of Rude Awakening.

DRE: Is he going to be doing more?

CL: He is great to work with but since he directed Rude Awakening he’s kind of skyrocketed into the outer reaches of TV directing and producing. I would like him to, but I don’t know if he would be available because we’re not paying top dollar.

DRE: Originally the show was going to be called “My Best Friend is a Big Fat Slut.” Why the name change?

CL: That happened because the network didn’t feel that they would be able to sell advertising time with that name. I fought as hard as I could for it. Then they latched on to the title “Good Girls Don’t” which I thought was kind of misleading because the show is kind of the opposite of that but they wouldn’t come off it.

DRE: Does Joy Gohring mind being referred to as a big fat slut?

CL: Not at all. She’s a comedian, a comic actress and very comfortable with herself. All of the actors in the show are pretty close to the characters. She doesn’t care. She is who she is and that’s a very attractive slightly pudgy girl. She will walk around with no clothes on because she doesn’t give a shit.

DRE: If the show gets picked up will it be in her contract to not get skinnier?

CL: We don’t think she will. I don’t think it’s possible for her to get any skinner. It’s not like she spends every other hour at the gym. I don’t think she has any desire to be anything other than herself, which is refreshing especially in Hollywood.

DRE: There are a lot of drug references on the show and in the second episode they smoke a joint.

CL: Yeah and the character of Davis is a pot dealer.

DRE: I think I missed that.

CL: Well we don’t talk too much about their jobs but it becomes apparent later.

DRE: Were the drug references ever an issue?

CL: It was a little bit of an issue because of the amount of references We had it right at the beginning and everyone was doing it so that was an issue for Oxygen. We were so surprised that what we were able to keep any of it that I wasn’t too combatative about it like “Let’s have them smoke pot all the time, every second.” There is more drinking and smoking pot in the show than anything I’ve seen which I think is realistic to young people.

DRE: Is Lizzie [Nichole Hiltz] friends with the two main female characters?

CL: She sort of glommed onto their group, which we address in subsequent episodes. She used to be Davis’ girlfriend and now they can’t get rid of her. They don’t like her that much.

DRE: Did you know Danny Masterson and that’s how he ended up on that one episode?

CL: Carsey-Werner-Mandabach who makes the show also makes That 70’s Show.

DRE: Is he a real sexaholic?

CL: No, but I thought he had a great sense of humor about himself.

DRE: What are the expectations for Good Girls Don’t? Because Oxygen seems to really be pushing it.

CL: They like the show a lot, it’s a fun show to make and we’ve gotten great reviews. It’s already been sold in England, Canada, Latin America and New Zealand. I don’t know what’s going to happen but I think they’d like to pick up the show.

DRE: When do you find out if they renew it?

CL: I don’t know. That’s up to them.

DRE: Are you conscious of doing this trailblazing TV show?

CL: Everybody has one thing they are able to do and this is it for me. It stirred up some controversy because the New York Times wrote us up as being the death knell for feminism. Which I was surprised about but I’m always surprised when people take offense to things. It’s a comedy. It’s not really saying anything but it is about young people sowing their oats and if you can’t make mistakes at that point in your life then what’s the point.

DRE: Do you see it as a feminist show?

CL: I don’t know if the show has any political ethos. I am a feminist but I don’t know if the characters think about it.

DRE: Was Joy’s buttcheek hanging out in the first episode done on purpose?

CL: Joy did that. That’s what I mean, she’s very free with her body and she has no inhibitions, which is perfect for SuicideGirls.

DRE: I wouldn’t have expected Oxygen to have anything to do with SuicideGirls.

CL: That was me. I was the one who knew about the website and I figured they might like the show because it’s about young women who are having a good time. They also don’t take themselves too seriously.

DRE: I read that you were a bit a slutty at one point.

CL: Kind of? One point? [laughs]

Hopefully it never has to end. The previous show I did for Showtime, Rude Awakening, was a lot more autobiographical. This is more of a derivation of that. I have a good time though.

DRE: The odd thing is you let that be publicly known. You're cool with that?

CL: Yes, I don’t think there is anything to be ashamed of. I’m not hooking. But life is short.

DRE: I read you used to be an epic drinker.

CL: Yes I did. I’m more restrained than I was because I have to make a living but I was a party girl.

DRE: Is that the norm in Hollywood?

CL: That’s the norm around a certain group of people here. I’m sort of a reformed party girl but I still hang around people who self medicate on a regular basis.

DRE: What’s it like working with Andy Dick on Less than Perfect?

CL: He’s very professional and he shows up to work on time. That’s all you need to know when you work with him, who cares what he does when he goes home.

DRE: You started out as an actress.

CL: Yes I was on Knot’s Landing and my stepfather is one of the owners of The Improv, my mom is a comic and my brother, Michael Rapaport, is an actor and was a comic. I grew up in show business.

DRE: How did you avoid holding up a 7-11 like everyone else?

CL: I didn’t have the energy for it. I didn’t have to. After my stint on television I cleaned up my act. But I knew all these people like Dana Plato. I saw them at industry things then later on the former child star television circuit. I’ve done all of those shows.

DRE: When is there going to be a pierced and tattooed person on Good Girls Don’t?

CL: I would love that. We got to get on that. I would like Jane to try to get on SuicideGirls and be turned down.

DRE: Have you ever thought about an entire show centered about young Goths or punks?

CL: I think that’s a great area to explore. I have a lot of irons in the fire so I could go make one tomorrow.

by Daniel Robert Epstein

SG Username: AndersWolleck

web address: http://suicidegirls.com/interviews/Good+Girls+Dont+-+Claudia+Lonow/