Alex on Craig Ferguson Sept 7th - REBROADCAST 9/14

[darkstarrising]

Red, thanks for the link

Fleur - don't feel bad - I set everything up to record, then turned the cable box off, all I got was a lot of black screen

All I can say was that was different - two streams of consciousness trying to out do each other.

Amazing that that was the first I'd heard of the botulism, but that would explain a lot (the appearance, the dropping out of sight for a while).

Really surprised that with Whiteout just days away, not a mention of it, nor of BUP, with only a nod toward 3R.

I guess when you go on Ferguson, you really don't know what to expect.

And like Alex, I wonder what was in Craig's mug.

[darkstarrising]

One other question I forgot to ask....the citizenship thing seemed weird.

I know that a person can have dual UK and US citizenship, but can Australians have dual citizenship with other countries?

[wpgrace]

One other question I forgot to ask....the citizenship thing seemed weird.

I know that a person can have dual UK and US citizenship, but can Australians have dual citizenship with other countries?

I dunno how the citizenship thing works, as I was born with it... (as was the Prezident, btw... ).

However, if you do not pursue citizenship and just keep with the visa thing, you DO have to remember not to forget to update... if you're late, they will send you home.

A teacher at my kid's school, who'd been here forever, was sent packing (back to France... why did he want to NOT live in France??? Had he never read My Life in Provence???) last year and it took him several weeks to then get thru the channels and get his visa renewed, and thus be allowed back in. Now I would guess, in Hollywood, that Alex would have some pull that a school teacher didn't, but still... if he's gonna be here for the long run, it is probably the safest route. And apparently he thinks the taxes are worse if you're not a citizen... I have no idea... but

[redwinter101]

The interview is now on YouTube in HD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIW3KRT_Jbc

Red

[VAsusieQ18]

WARNING - SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC: Re the citizenship question, yes you can have dual citizenship. But I would imagine Alex is paying taxes out of the a$$, but is not benefitting as he is not allowed to claim any tax writeoffs, not being a U.S. citizen. On the other hand, some of the money he earns would not be subject to IRS taxation. Just depends on how he writes it up during tax season. Most people here in the U.S. from another country find it easier to use the services of a tax attorney cuz the tax law in this area is difficult to understand and confusing as hell. With regards to his visa, he's here on a work visa, which is usually good for 1 to 7 years, depending on how its set-up. He also has to have a sponsor. Not sure how that stuff works for actors. Getting into the country is probably still a bit of a hazzle for him as he's here on a work visa from another country. So he's subject to immigration searches and waiting in long U.S. Customs' lines. But where he to apply for U.S. citizenship, on average its takes at least 5 years for all that paperwork to make its way through the system. Sometimes as long as 7 years, as there's a finite number that are approved per year. If the quota is met for any given year, his petition would be pushed back to the following year.



I now return you to your regularly scheduled drooling.

[francis]

Thank God for Youtube and the people uploading it!
Alex certainly took the lead, but at the end of the interview I had the feeling they both didn't know how to get to some other topic after so much sillyness, without exceeding the timeframe, so it was a bit awkward.
Botulism is something really serious, so I guess that's why he wasn't anywhere in that time. It could have killed his career, too, because he surely couldn't audition for a long time. Maybe he was home with his mum who cooked for him.
He was gorgeous, and so silly with Craig, really not intimidated like last time he was there. He rocked!

[darkstarrising]

grace - For the wine, cheese and the gorgeous scenery, I'd take it....getting things fixed, that's another issue.

susie - thanks - I think Alex said he has a 3 year work visa, but he keeps forgetting about the citizenship thing. He seemed a little annoyed actually with something like 'what's that matter?' And your right, the tax code here is hideously convoluted.

[redwinter101]

If you think the US tax code is complex, let me tell you French bureaucracy is (justifiably) legendary - they've turned it into an art form. 40% of the workforce work for the government. That should tell you all you need to know.

Red

[darkstarrising]

If you think the US tax code is complex, let me tell you French bureaucracy is (justifiably) legendary - they've turned it into an art form. 40% of the workforce work for the government. That should tell you all you need to know.

Red

It does....back to the interview....I know these interviews are incredibly brief (5 minutes give or take), and there's usually some good natured banter before they get serious - in last night's interview, the banter was more disjointed statements and they never seemed to get beyond this.....

I also found it telling that Alex brought up the botulism he suffered....other than explaining his thin appearance, was there anything else he was trying to say?

[wpgrace]

I dunno, Dark... man of mystery... and taxes...

And thanks, Susan, for the little info break... you are SO convenient to have around!

[allegrita]

Just watched it, thanks for the HQ link!

He is such a goof! He forgot everything he was supposed to talk about; his "people" (assuming he has "people" must all be gnashing their teeth--but no one can keep their head on straight with Craig F. interviewing them, and he obviously had a great time!
And ohhhh, he's just.... so... lovable.

ETA: Susie, thanks for the tax info, and I don't think it was off topic at all. Besides, it was fascinating.

[Lilly]

I also found it telling that Alex brought up the botulism he suffered....other than explaining his thin appearance, was there anything else he was trying to say?

I'm thinking that it's almost a rule of thumb that guests are expected to share some sort of anecdote -- amusing, embarassing, life-threatening -- on these late night shows.

The other possibility is that it was a way for him to let folks know he had been ill without sounding too self-indulgent on his blog. A lot of people have commented (at least on MySpace) that he was looking too thin. This was a way to set their minds at ease, perhaps.

[Phoenix]

One other question I forgot to ask....the citizenship thing seemed weird.

I know that a person can have dual UK and US citizenship, but can Australians have dual citizenship with other countries?

DSR, it was only in the last couple of years that Australia relaxed its rules re: citizenship. Prior to that, if an Australian born citizen applied for the citizenship of any other country - regardless of whether they were successful or not - they could have their Australian citizenship revoked.

And due to our outrageous laws, there are children who were born on Australian soil, but their parents were foreigners, (such as asylum seekers), and the children are denied Australian citizenship.

[helloeeze]

Was he referring to going to Mexico immediately after Moonlight's cancellation? Or did he go more recently? That would explain his thin-ness now. But after he went in May of 2008 he wasn't thin. Remember the pic with the German fan, which was in August or so of 2008? He wasn't thin then. One never knows how seriously to take Alex especially when he is trying to tell funny stories on a talk show.

[Albra]

OK, I'm chatting with MyImmortal, who is 3 hours ahead of me in Toronto. I'm putting this behind spoiler tags in case the West Coasters don't want to know...

Spoiler:

At the beginning of the segment, they showed the Three Rivers clip where he's telling the basketball player that he should take his second chance at life. Craig made a joke about the hokey piano music that plays during that scene.

He also mentioned that the last time Alex was on his show, it was when Alex was doing the vampire show. And after the show was canceled, he thought it was all over for Alex. Alex said, it almost WAS over--because he got food poisoning when he went to Mexico after Moonlight was canceled. (Poor guy--he must have felt like everything was conspiring against him!)
He said he was in the jungle climbing pyramids and that sort of thing, and there was a guy selling some meat dish, which he ate...and he got really sick.

He says he's 6'1" (but it depends on if he's slouching). Hmm. Stand up, Alex!

He also said he'd love to skydive, but he's not allowed. Craig made a joke about "they don't allow that in Australia?" And Alex laughed and said, no, the show won't let him do it.

He and Craig talked about Labo(u)r Day, and about US citizenship. Alex asked Craig if you get a tax break if you're a citizen--because he pays a lot of taxes. He said that he wants to become a citizen, but he hasn't gotten around to the paperwork yet. He just keeps renewing a US Visa for 3 years at a time. (I'll help coach you for the test, Alex!)

He told Craig that he'd just been to Lake Arrowhead (here in the Southern California mountains), and he was interested in the fact that tap water up there is actually lake water. Then he asked Craig what Craig had in his coffee mug, and Craig said, Lake Arrowhead water. Alex said something like, "Now people are going to start sending you bottles of Lake Arrowhead water." Craig said, "You're presuming that people in Lake Arrowhead watch this show."

Anyhow, I haven't seen it, so this is third-hand, but I thought I'd share...

Allegrita
thank you very much for scharing
It really help me understand what they was talking about