As was reported earlier this week by the Hollywood trades, 3rd Rock From the Sun alum Kristen Johnson is — as she told EW just yesterday — "99.9 percent" locked for the pilot of Fox’s remake of the British cult hit Absolutely Fabulous. And here’s just a little bit of back-patting for us here at EW: "The funniest thing is, EW is how I found out about Absolutely Fabulous," she says. Supposedly, Johnston read about the plans for the remake in the pages of our dear little magazine. Score one for us! Because, the general consensus is that she’s perfect for the project. Glad we could help.
But anyway, I had the opportunity to catch up with her earlier this week, and she dished about why she’s getting back into regular TV (provided Fox picks up the pilot, once it’s made) and her role as Patsy. Originally, there was a report that she would be playing the role of boozy fashion publicist Edina, but Revolutionary Road’s Kathryn Hahn will actually fill that spot, while Johnston will play best friend Patsy. About the casting mix-up, she says, "Have they seen me?" Exactly. She’s no Eddie, but definitely a Patsy.
You might realize that besides a few stints on shows like ER and Sex and the City, Johnston hasn’t really done much TV since her long-running stint as the alien Sally on 3rd Rock From the Sun ended in 2001. But after shooting a guest spot as a neurotic friend to Julia Louis-Dreyfus on CBS’s The New Adventures of Old Christine (which airs Feb. 18), Johnston realized it was time for her return to the small screen. "I hadn’t been on a sitcom set since 3rd Rock, so cable leads and network run-throughs, it was like, what?" she says, referring to shooting Old Christine. "It was the funnest. I thought, “Oh f—, this is where I need to be.” But is she ready for the grind that comes with a weekly series? "Oh yeah, I’m ready," she adds. "You know what I’m ready for? The money." Totally blunt and real! That’s the Johnston we all know and love.
More scoop from Johnston, after the jump.
Johnston also revealed more about her character and the script,which has been modified quite a lot (with the help of exec producer andstar-of-the-original Jennifer Saunders) for American audiences. "Ithink they captured the exact amount of sweetie-darling," she says. "Imean, it’s a totally different element, it’s atotally different show. We don’t smoke, we are hungover all the time,we chew Nicorette, we’re trying to be more PC, but I think it reallyworks. It’s one of those scripts that’s like my favorite kind becauseon paper you’re like, Oh, this is funny, but when you read it outloud with two actresses, it’s, like, the funniest s— ever."
Of course, I had to bring up a similar Australian-to-American remake from this past season, NBC’s critically derided remake Kath & Kim, that sort of bombed creatively (but inexplicably lives on…) and asked if she’s worried that’ll happen with this beloved series. She says: "Itcould be a stink-bomb, I don’t know. But I would rather go down with agreat effort instead of something that’s like, Oh, this is definitelygonna get picked up. But I think because of this reading, and the whole network was thereand everyone was there and flipped, never have I heard or seen anythinglike it." And then she adds this fun little tidbit: "I shouldn’t say this to you but, like, literally the head ofthe network" — that’d be Fox’s Kevin Reilly — "hugged us all, left the room, and came back in two minutesand was like, ‘Let’s make the pilot.’" Ah, the power of a television executive.
One one final note on the Johnston front — and just one more reason tolove this woman and her impending comeback — I mentioned that her role in the recently released Bride Wars was the only redeeming thing about the movie. Her response? "Oh God, wasn’t that awful?" She was speaking of the flick as a whole, of course. Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Comments (1-30) of 43 Add your comment
AB FAB is one of those shows that you should just leave alone! Saunders and Lumly cannot be COPIED…
just my opinion…
daveedt
They’re trying to make Ab Fab more PC??? Well what’s the point of that?
Though I do love Kristen Johnston
It’s a tragedy that FPX is getting this kind of comedy. It won’t last a full year.
i am a little worried about the show, but great exclusive with kristen, Tanner. She’s outrageous. The perfect Patsy if you ask me.
A no-smoking, “more PC” ABFAB? That just doesnt sound right to me. Patsy isnt Patsy unless she has a drink and one hand and a cigarette in the other.
It obviously won’t be as good as the original, but I’m still curious to see it. “we’re trying to be more PC” But WHY?
I am suddenly a whole lot more interested in this show. I love Kristen Johnston. I imagine she’ll bring a great touch of crass to Patsy.
EW should run spell check on the Headline:”Absolutley” Fabulous..?
Kristen Johnson AND Kathryn Hahn on one show. Sign me up as a viewer right now!
hmm not sure about this. The whole point of Ab Fab and what made it so great was the fact that it wasn’t PC!
i’ll watch but i doubt it will compare to the original
Well, the “we’re trying to be more PC” comment has me worried, but I think I’ll watch. When I first read Johnston would play Edina, my first thought was “What bad casting!” She would be perfect for Patsy so I’m glad to hear that. I don’t know know much about Kathryn Hahn, but based on her IMdB picture she looks a lot like a younger Jennifer Saunders.
didn’t america already rip off Ab/Fab, it was called Sybill. Never was a really big fan of it since I can’t stand Sybill Shepard and it never really went way out there like Ab/Fab. I love Johnston, so I will definately give this a chance, but can anything compare to the original in how ground breaking and gut busting-ly funny it was. It took me a couple of years just to figure out what everyone was saying, but it was well worth it.
As a huge AbFab fan, I think it’s just one of those things that cannot be recreated or adapted elsewhere. I think if they had just made the current show without calling it an AbFab remake, it might stand a better chance. However, I’ll be comparing it to the original now that they’ve said it.
If they can pull it off like the original, it just might work, after The Office is a huge success!
NO WAY!
Erik, they actually did , 2 actually. The CBS sitcoms “Cybill” and “High Society” were clearly inspired by Ab Fab.
Ever since her guest appearance on Sex and the City, I thought she’d be perfect if they ever did an Ab Fab remake. Can’t wait.
NOOOOOOOOOOOO! NO NO NO! In only ONE instance has a British remake ever actually worked (The Office) and even then it only worked when it went off in its own direction, rather than completely deriving its dialogue and situations from its British forefather. Americans just don’t have the British sense of comedic timing. They go for looks rather than ability. This will suck.
Being PC totally ruins the show. Why do they think Americans can’t handle British humor? Horrible idea. Juts like The Office, Coupling… just give us our original shows! Best thing Showtime did was show the original Secret Diary of a Call Girl without remaking it because Billie Piper IS great. Oh and in FOX it won’t even last 13 episodes. FOX hates comedies. Did we not learn with Arrested Development?
Why, oh why can’t they give us Kirsten Johnston and Kirstie Alley as Patsy and Edina?
Totally Bad Idea!!! Don’t Mess Up A Classic British Sitcom!!
There can only be one Patsy – Joanna Lumley. This is going to be horrible.
La Lumley is a living legend over in England with the same National Treasure status as Judi Dench and Helen Mirren. Bad idea !
I will give this a chance but I highly doubt a watered down remake will be successful. Americans just don’t enjoy comedy unless it is of the unintelligent toilet variety (et al will ferrell movies)… no smoking? BAH — get over it… people smoke and it is one of the funniest things about the original… let americans have their drab comedies, and those of us with intelligence can find out non PC fun elsewhere.
Yeah…I’ll be sticking with the original. Thanks anyway!
No, No, Noooo!!!
Everys series the Americans have re-made has been watered-down, sentimentalised and castrated,
All in the family”…a neutered “”Till Death Us Do Part”.
“Sanford and Son” … the unfunny remake of the fierce “Steptoe and Son”
“Kath and Kim” the very funny Aussie series becomes a stink-bomb.
…and now a politically correct, sweetened-up “AbFab” …UGH!
PS: I can’t wait for the remake of Fawlty Towers, with Basil Fawlty as a kinda sweet, kinda kooky, kinda loveable sort of guy. Give me a break!
I’ll give it a shot since Jennifer Saunders herself is involved, but I’m not going to hold my breath for a hit. Remakes do work on occasion (The Office, Sanford and Son, Life on Mars, Antiques Roadshow, Dear John, American Idol, Hell’s Kitchen, Too Close for Comfort, Three’s Company, Queer as Folk, Dancing with the Stars, etc.–all based on British shows and all did well enough), but more often than not, they’re disasters.
I LOVE Jennifer and even have been watching Vivienne Vyle, but this? NO. Watered down Ab Fab, it’s unnatural and unholy. But we all know who the real fans are and which is the real series in the end is.
They’ve been tossing around the possibility of doing a remake of AbFab for YEARS now. Roseanne was interested for a while. Jean Smart did that quasi-remake called “High Society” that went nowhere fast. About the best approximation was “Cybil”, which is still a lot of fun to watch in repeats.
But a genuine American version? Puh-LEEZE. The most refreshing thing about the original AbFab was how deleriously ANTI-Politically Correct it was, so when Kristen Johnston (who I ADORED in “3rd Rock”) says, “We don’t smoke, we are hungover all the time, we chew Nicorette, we’re trying to be more PC,” I’m thinking I’ll be terribly, terribly disappointed.
Remember when they tried doing an American version of “Coupling”??? Remember what a BOTCH that was?
Fair warning.