Charles Esten Looks Back on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 06-15-2013, 01:31 AM

Memories From the Set: "Nashville's" Charles Esten Recalls His Stint on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"
by Kimberly Roots
June 14, 2013

Who knew all it would take was a five o’clock shadow and a low-slung guitar to take Charles Esten from “Hey, it’s that guy!” to “Ooh, it’s that guy!”?

In his one season as "Nashville‘s" soulful, sometimes sober Deacon Claybourne, Esten has earned heaps of acclaim and bunches of fans. But the breakout role is hardly his first. Or second. Or 20th.

In fact, Esten has worked steadily since 1993, often on TV’s biggest hits but almost never for more than a handful of episodes.

“I got these small roles on great, iconic shows that let me get my feet wet, let me learn so much,” he recalls, laughing. “I was in over my head in every single one of them, but somehow I got the role and didn’t ruin it too badly.”

At TVLine’s request, Esten offered up behind-the-scenes insights on several of his pre-"Nashville" performances.

"Whose Line Is It Anyway?":

Esten spent six years making it up on the fly on the American version of the British improv comedy show, hosted by Drew Carey. “Those Whose Line years... Those are purely happy places,” he says fondly. “Talk about a universe away from Deacon!”

However, he admits, he wasn't always as reverential about Hoedowns and Scenes From a Hat. “I'm gonna be honest, there were times where, because I wanted to be an actor, I sort of did disrespect it in my own mind.”

A fan encounter changed that. “I remember meeting a woman whose mother had passed, and she said for the last year, she couldn't really do anything. All they would do as a family was watch Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and they'd all just bust a gut laughing. And I was suddenly ashamed of my take of what the show was. And I haven't forgotten that ever since.”

If you watch a few of Esten's "Whose Line" episodes, you'll realize that he sings a lot. ” Yeah, that's the one thread… to what I'm doing now,” he says with a laugh.

“It struck me more than once that in the history of the world, I lived in the 20 years when you could make a bunch of money making up songs off the top of your head.”

http://tvline.com/2013/06/14/charles..._esten_cheers/

06-15-2013, 01:31 AM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,039	Charles Esten Looks Back on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" *Memories From the Set: "Nashville's" Charles Esten Recalls His Stint on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"* by Kimberly Roots June 14, 2013 Who knew all it would take was a five o’clock shadow and a low-slung guitar to take Charles Esten from “Hey, it’s that guy!” to “Ooh, it’s that guy!”? In his one season as "Nashville‘s" soulful, sometimes sober Deacon Claybourne, Esten has earned heaps of acclaim and bunches of fans. But the breakout role is hardly his first. Or second. Or 20th. In fact, Esten has worked steadily since 1993, often on TV’s biggest hits but almost never for more than a handful of episodes. “I got these small roles on great, iconic shows that let me get my feet wet, let me learn so much,” he recalls, laughing. “I was in over my head in every single one of them, but somehow I got the role and didn’t ruin it too badly.” At TVLine’s request, Esten offered up behind-the-scenes insights on several of his pre-"Nashville" performances. *"Whose Line Is It Anyway?":* Esten spent six years making it up on the fly on the American version of the British improv comedy show, hosted by Drew Carey. “Those Whose Line years... Those are purely happy places,” he says fondly. “Talk about a universe away from Deacon!” However, he admits, he wasn't always as reverential about Hoedowns and Scenes From a Hat. “I'm gonna be honest, there were times where, because I wanted to be an actor, I sort of did disrespect it in my own mind.” A fan encounter changed that. “I remember meeting a woman whose mother had passed, and she said for the last year, she couldn't really do anything. All they would do as a family was watch Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and they'd all just bust a gut laughing. And I was suddenly ashamed of my take of what the show was. And I haven't forgotten that ever since.” If you watch a few of Esten's "Whose Line" episodes, you'll realize that he sings a lot. ” Yeah, that's the one thread… to what I'm doing now,” he says with a laugh. “It struck me more than once that in the history of the world, I lived in the 20 years when you could make a bunch of money making up songs off the top of your head.” http://tvline.com/2013/06/14/charles..._esten_cheers/ Attached Images