One on One: Biff Yeager - podcast episode cover

One on One: Biff Yeager

Nov 03, 202215 min
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Episode description

Biff Yeager aka Tom is revealing the part he originally auditioned for…and it actually makes perfect sense.

Does he use real power tools?

Plus, why he almost couldn’t deliver his lines and Lauren Graham is to blame!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

Speaker 1

I Am all In Less, I Am all in with Scott Pattison and I Heart Radio podcast. Hey Everybody, We're gonna sit down and talk with Biff Yeager. He played character of Tom and Stars Hollows contractor, frequently featured when there is construction or renovation around town. He first appears as a head contractor on the Habitat for Humanity Project

Rory assists for extra curricular application points. Biff Yeager portrays Tom the contractor in Gilmore Girls for thirteen episode first appearance, season two, episode two, Hammerson Vale's last appearance season six, episode three, The Ungraduate. Let me tell you a little bit about Biff. Yeager's appeared in such TV shows as

Star Trek, Next Generation, The Wonder Years, Scrubs. He played Lieutenant Commander Argyle in Star Trek The Next Generation, That Jim Teacher in Seinfeld, maintenance worker George and Parks and Recreations, Bob and Bunheads and Tom local contractor Gilmore Girls. Here's his film credits Ready Batman Returns, Black Samurai, Ripo Man, Prime Risk Girls, Just Want to Have Fun, Savage Dawn, Sid and Nancy Straight to Hell Walker Bonzai Runner Edward Scissorhand.

Have you heard that movie Edward Scissor Hands? Another you headless body on the top of spar best men, Paris White Oleander. Let's bring him in, my friend, if Yeagerif, how are you? How you been? What have you been up to? My friend? Not a whole bunch? How about you? Oh man? A whole bunch enough for both of us? I guess I don't know. I'm so we know he has Tom the contractor. You just appeared in this week's episode working at the Dragonfly in tell us how you

got cast in the park? Well, originally I I read for Taylor's role. That was the first year and uh, I didn't work out. I didn't get it, which I'm very happy with because I don't think anyone could have done it better than Taylor. And then the following year they called me back for Tom for that. The one little thing with I guess when when Rory was building a house, building a house for habitat Um and from

that they called me back. Something about about that episode was though they wouldn't let me use the power saw at that new and even when I did use it for Taylor's thing, I screwed it up and jammed the wood. So that was smart. That was smart. So you came in season two? Were you aware of the show before you came in? Had you seen the show? Yeah? I saw a few episodes. My daughter started watching it a lot. Um and what is the What do you think of the show? And that was cute? I think it was

a great Uh. I mean, I've waked all the episodes now, all seven years, and I think it's just a fun show for family, for mother and daughter especially. So so tell what were your in initial impressions of your first day on set? What what do you still remember about it? What can you tell us? Well? I said that the incident with the saw as a matter of fact, when I was using the hands so many So you're surrounded by all of these electric fighting personalities, people filled with

charismon talent, and you remember the saw. Is that what you're telling us? Okay? That was so awkward because further on the hands, they wouldn't let Laurie Rory stand near me. While I was probably a good idea. That was so well, that's good. So listen. Uh so many Gilmore fans of all ages, Hum, do they all remember you as Biff? When did they stop you wherever you are in the street and say not too many. Um. As a matter of fact, some people when when they follow me on Twitter,

some people just follow me for whatever reason. And I asked me with the fans of the show and to say, yeah, who did you play? After reminding them, and then they said, oh, yes, yes, yes, yes I remember. I loved your character. I would have I would have thought they would remember your your voice. If they didn't recognize you, they'd remember your people do. But some of them don't, you know. Some of them

just I don't know. They just there's so many shows on the air and they watched this one and they watch other ones and confused characters. Uh. Some people remember me from Star Treks, some from Gilmore Girls. You know, it's from all of it. I had one. I walked into a comedy review one time with a friend of mine and as I was signing in, the woman behind the desk said, I remember you. You were in the U. C. L A film years ago of a film that of little note. I would imagine, Well, yeah, except that I

met my wife in the film. That's there you go. So that's that's a that's a big note. H Good for you, Um, so, where do you think Tom would be today? Today? He'd probably be on a deserted island building a little tiki shack. Sounds good, Tom. So. He was on for thirteen episodes throughout the series, and it was a part of a day in the life during the summer episode or a year in the life. Um, how is it going back to stars Hollow after nine years?

I really enjoyed it. I don't know if you if you know, but I did bun Heads a couple episodes of that in between. So I saw a lot of the same people and um, and I met Uh. Now I'm going to embarrass myself. I can't remember her name. That the woman that started Bunnetts. What was her name? Do you remember her name? Sutton Foster? Yes? Right? And and her and uh and uh Lauren was standing together. Wow, my memory is really compet It's a good thing. I

don't have to memorize too many lines. But anyhow, her and Lauren were standing together and I went up and I hugged them both. I said, my two famous uh leading ladies, and they looked at me as if who are you? Oh man? Um? But it was fun. I enjoyed coming back on a year in the life. That was really fun. I did enjoy that. Right. Have you seen the show lately? How long has it been since you've actually seen I think a year or two ago.

I went through all seven years watching them all. Hum. So, do you recall a scene or a contracting job that Tom did that was your particular favorite. I think one of them was. I have a couple, I guess, but the one of the main ones was when we were Lauren and I were talking side by side about renovating the stable for the end to the horses or something like that, and we had a long time between tastes, of course, staying together, and I looked at it and it just struck me at that time. And I knew

her eyes were very blue, but I struck me. I said, God, You've got the most beautiful blue eyes. And I don't know if it embarrassed or what, but that that that moment really struck me. That be very distracting, very distract I used to look off to the side so I could remember my lines, you know, otherwise, you know, my brain would turn into top yoka um. And I wasn't that far off, you know, to begin with um. So You've worked on some really really iconic TV series and films.

Do you have a favorite role that you've played. Gee, I don't think so. I mean I always enjoy something new, you know. Um, thinking back, I'm trying to think. I know Gum Girls was well. Yeah, Unfortunately your credits are pretty sparse. Let me just read off a few of them. Um, Batman, Returns, Black Samurai, Ripo Man, Prime Risk Girls, Just want to have fun, Savaged on side, Nancy Straight to Hell, Walker,

Bonsai Runner Edwards, Scissor Hands, who's heard of that? Another You Headless body in a topless bar, best Man, Paris and White, Oleander, um Any Plus Star Trek, the Next Generation, Seinfeld, Parks and Recreation bunn Heads as you've mentioned, and obviously Gilmore Girls. So you're really haven't done that much, Tom, I really have poor guy More going. Yeah. Yeah, you really got to get it together? Man? So what did

do you have a favorite memory from any of those? Actually, my favorites are are some of the directors I worked with. Uh again, the memory goes to hell that Tapioca is working there. Burton, I really enjoyed working with him. I did I think three shows with him, and and um repot Man who who directed report? I don't know. I know Burton did Scissor Hands in Batman returns right. Yeah, it'll come to me after a while. I'll blurt it out as we talk. How is he How is he

different from other directors? Very laid back. Um, I didn't really push too much on on demanding and things. You kind of let the actors do what they wanted, h which is fun. I mean, he didn't if if it was going off, he'd certainly try to straighten them out, but he let them give them their head to do what they what they felt the character needed, you know,

which I enjoy I like doing that. And let me ask you, what is your favorite memory of Gilmore Girl, the one that really really sticks with you being on that show, That the one experience. Well, I don't know if it's a favorite or not, but during the opening of the in I do remember this one was a little embarrassing to me. But I was supposed to be a little tipsy, a little drunk, and we did that take about fifteen or twenty times, and I just didn't

get what amy Amy isn't it okay? Really? There? I don't think she was too happy with with what we finally had, and I was I was really kind of uh felt Disaplin pointed in myself and not fulfilling that one thing that you wanted. You had to play a drunk scene as Tim. Yeah, yeah, I was at the first time. I was in a suit in the opening of the inn. Oh right, they throw a party, So that really stuck out in my mind because I was

disappointed in myself. Um, as actors tend to do when they don't just don't get that little thing that the directors right, right, right, when in all probable ability, you probably got it four takes before, right, and they're just I don't know, we we at least we put it in the can. One way, you get it in the can. And yeah, you know you're try not to think about it afterwards. Just let it go. Yeah, all right, we are going to play Tom I'm sorry. I see you're

so good. I called you by your character name. Uh, We're gonna play a little little game called rapid Fire. Oh okay, you ready stop thinking of her blue eyes? Stop it? Do you not think of Lauren Graham's blue eyes staring back at you? Don't do it. It's gonna be a big distraction. Okay, all right? How many cups of coffee do you have per day? Four or five? How many blue eyes does Lauren Graham have? Three? Are your team Logan, Team Jasser, team Dean? What color are

Lauren Graham's eyes? Purple blue? Of course beautifully blue? What would you order it? Luke's Diner coffee? Coffee and decided? Blue eyes? Uh? Would you rather go on a road trip with Taylor or machine l the show? Finish the lyric and where you lead? I will follow dot dot dot for a beer anywhere, No, anywhere that there's blue eyes waiting to stare back at me. Jackson's Vegetables or

Suki's Baked Goods, Baked Goods. There you go. Would you rather listen to Drella's harp or the Troubadours cover songs? M hmm? What vocabulary words did Liza Wheel teach you on set? Hell? I don't Silton prep or stars hollow? Hi? Uhh? There you go, Tom, It's been a blast, my friend. Hey everybody, and don't forget Follow us on Instagram at I Am all In podcast and email us at Gilmore

at I heart radio dot com. Oh you Gilmore fans, If you're looking for the best cup of coffee in the world, go to my website for my company, scott ep dot com s c O T. T y P dot com, scott ep dot com Grade one Specialty Coffee. Yeah.

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