Kelsey Grammer 'rehabilitating heart '

[Brian Damage]

Kelsey Grammer, 53, is most famous for playing Dr Frasier Crane in Cheers and Frasier. He has been married three times. He and current wife Camille have two young children and homes in Malibu, New York, Colorado and Hawaii – where he had a heart attack in May this year. Grammer plays US president Andrew Boone in Swing Vote, out today.

Why did you want to play the US president?
Because of the scene where he goes to a Native American reservation and takes some sort of controlled substance. As a result he’s visited by an elephant and finds his heart again. That’s what made me want to do it and it’s not in the final movie. I hope it’s on the DVD.

Your president isn’t made to look like a total idiot, as is Hollywood’s usual way.
Yes, the tendency is definitely to lampoon. There are buffoonish elements in him certainly but he’s just trying to do his job well.

Your rival candidate for president is played by Dennis Hopper. Aren’t you good friends?
Dennis and I are buddies, yes. We’ve known each other for several years. I'm a huge fan of his. We met through a mutual friend who’s a photographic artist and the three of us just sit around talking garbage.

You’re one of Hollywood’s few Republicans. How is it to be in the minority?
I’m a McCain guy. Hollywood loves to get all riled up but that’s not my nature. I don’t get radical. I’m a guy who lives in the middle and that’s where I think McCain is. Change is inevitable and, although I don’t believe in change for change’s sake, I believe in focus. McCain has proven he has focus, is credible and has an ethical uprightness.

Have you ever thought about running for public office?
I have but my devotion to my family, my wife and to their privacy has over-ruled that desire. My privacy isn’t an issue but it’s become a very mean world. The internet has not made the world a better place, it’s made it a meaner place.

The heartbeat of society is focused on what gossip’s on the internet and that heartbeat is a cruel one at this point

You’re not a big fan of the paparazzi videographers swarming around Hollywood?
It’s gone past the desire to know and become the desire to destroy, to ridicule and to demean. The heartbeat of society is focused on what gossip’s on the internet and that heartbeat is a cruel one at this point. Hopefully somebody can shift that perspective, but I don’t know how.

Have any of those camera guys tried to provoke you?
Yes but I’m pretty level-headed so, no matter how much I’m provoked, I’m rarely moved to anger. If I’m ever moved to action, no one will know about it.

You had a heart attack in May. Have you changed your life as a result?
I’m trying to rehabilitate my heart so I have to chill out a bit. A long run working on any one project isn’t on the cards for some time but shooting on set for a month or two might be just the ticket. There are a couple of scripts I’m looking at producing which would be fun.

Has the heart attack changed your perspective on life?
Fortunately, my perspective was always pretty life-oriented. I love life, this just brought that home. There are some adjustments to make. The heart attack wasn’t anticipated. I had gained a little bit of weight and had started an ‘I’m going to lose all my weight in one day’ exercise programme. That wasn’t wise. There are actual steps I can take to fix things, so it’s not that bad. My doctor said: ‘You’re not dying of cancer, you don’t have a brain tumour, this is going to get better.’ His bedside manner was pretty funny. Each day’s a little more precious. The moments with my family are more valuable. It’s a reminder I need to enjoy my life more and that’s a good thing.

What haven’t you done you’d still like to?
I have a fantasy about travelling around the world with my family. I want to get a giant boat and live on it. It’s not really within my reach but it’s not impossible so I’ve dedicated myself to that vision. I still want to get a music degree and I may start that this year.

Maybe you can get a job as a musician afterwards?
I’ve always been a musician, I’ve just never explored it as a career and I don’t intend to. It’s just something I love and I desire more knowledge of. My quest now is for greater knowledge, greater realisation and understanding.

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