July 24, 2005
Highlights from the Chat with Debra Christofferson

debrachristofferson: Hi everyone!

debrachristofferson: How's everyone this evening?

BensBritches: May I just say that you, Debra, looked stunning in that red dress tonight!

debrachristofferson: Thanks!

debrachristofferson: Who's talking about a younger Lodz?

Michelle: did we see a younger lodz?

FanofBN: during the war?

BensBritches: In Ben's dream thingy in the mine...

Doodlebugsmom: well, he looked a bit younger in the war scene.

BensBritches: And he had eyes!!!!!!!!!

debrachristofferson: I believe there's a flashback when Ben is in the cave and he happens upon a younger, seeing Lodz. Was that in tonight's episode?

BensBritches: Yeah, Debra, that scene was in tonights episode,,,Pick a Number

debrachristofferson: Oh boy, that was two years ago!

shuksan: Debra... when you go over the hill with Lodz to take him to wait for Ben's vision... and you are talking about buying some Chinese Red Lipstick when you get to Odessa... what else did you say after you take the pebble from your shoe? I never caught it.

debrachristofferson: Hmmm, I believe I said something like "And I still gotta mend Gekko's diaper."

shuksan: Remember, we keep rewatching those DVD's. Love your work, BTW.

kath_in_Minneapolis: wow, I have seen you in other stuff, you were great

NewGrr: Were? She still is!

debrachristofferson: Thanks for the kudos, all. I really appreciate them!

BensBritches: Oh, I missed the diaper line

CBFCBeth: I imagine sewing around that little tail would be a
challenge. :)

debrachristofferson: It was one of my fav lines.

debrachristofferson: Just an aside...we shot a scene where Lila and Lodz approach the opening of the cave, then Lodz sends Lila home, telling her to watch for snakes. It was a cute little scene and I'm sorry it got cut.

kath_in_Minneapolis: I am a total geek and dork when I am "near" someone who's work I am a big fan of - you should see me when I meet a favorite writer or special education researcher or teacher of mine - el dorko

debrachristofferson: Hey, Kath -- thanks, and no need to be
starstruck. I'm just regular folk...heck, I once lived in Mpls, too!

kath_in_Minneapolis: no way - did you work at the Guthrie?

debrachristofferson: And no, I didnt' work at the Guthrie.

kath_in_Minneapolis: well, they lost out on your talent

kath_in_Minneapolis: where did you live or do here, if you don't mind me asking

debrachristofferson: I lived near the Guthrie, in fact!

kath_in_Minneapolis: you know it's moving, right?

kath_in_Minneapolis: across the river - big, big, big deal here- the old one will be a parking lot

debrachristofferson: No, didn't know the Guthrie was moving.

kath_in_Minneapolis: how long and when did you live in Mpls? you're not from here, are you?

debrachristofferson: I lived there a couple of years many years ago.

BensBritches: So, Debra... was there an opening to the cave?

debrachristofferson: Gee, I'm pretty sure there was. It was set up with timbers etc, as if it were, although I don't think there really was a hole in the hill where we shot.

BensBritches: Because a lot of us have debated if Ben was supposed to be passed out in front of it the whole time

debrachristofferson: Well, I'm not sure about Ben just being passed out. Because Lodz walked up to the mine, I guess there was one.

Michelle: bens, i kinda think he was in that place between sleep and awake

Michelle: where he was walking around, whatnot, but he was kind of dreaming

Michelle: if that makes sense at all

BensBritches: Well the whole thing could have been another baggage trailer thing

BensBritches: All set up by Management or Scudder or someone we haven't met yet

debrachristofferson: Might have been a baggage trailer thing, except for Lodz waiting....

BensBritches: This is what is so great about Carnivale! No one really knows the answers!!!!!!!!

debrachristofferson: Yeah, BensBritches. Not even the cast!

kath_in_Minneapolis: I have to tell you, you have one of the best drawls I have ever heard - sounds 100% natural

debrachristofferson: Thanks re the drawl. It just seemed like
Lila.... Originally she was supposed to be from Iowa and put on airs, so I faked the accent. Eventually Dan Knauf made her Southern.

k8tea: I always pictured Lila coming from New Orleans

debrachristofferson: Funny you should say New Orleans, cuz that's what I was going for.

kath_in_Minneapolis: as I "age", i tend to be a little
claustrophobic at times, so it was hard for me to watch

debrachristofferson: I'm so claustrophobic I can hardly watch cave scenes and tunnel scenes are the worst!

RugNut: heheheh.........debra, you did a great job, because there were a couple of times that i was pretty mad at Lila

debrachristofferson: Glad you were mad -- then I was doing my job!

kath_in_Minneapolis: yeah, I never felt sorry for your character, as she was so comfortable and beautiful, even if she had to put curlers in her beard.

debrachristofferson: Never felt sorry for her? Even when Lodz beat her?

shuksan: I loved your face as you sucked on the hookah. Pure extasy.

debrachristofferson: That darn hookah was a pain in the ass. I couldn't really suck out of it because it was filled with incense for the smoke. We had to fake a pipe with a cigarette attached and I had to suck like hell. And I HATE cigarettes!

BensBritches: Well, my favorite Lila line was "when you get tired of Grandma..."

debrachristofferson: Oh, gosh, the Grandma line. Yeah, in the cast readthru everyone groaned. I adore Adrienne, so it was hard to say.

CBFCBeth: the old fashioned ladies pot party with the gals from the Daily brothers circus was a hoot -- all gossiping about the fake bearded lady!

debrachristofferson: The pot scene was fun. I know the woman who played Dolly the Fat Lady, so we had a great time. I had to ask for advice on how to smoke in that scene~!

shuksan: So what was it like to be dancing sexxy with Charlie Lewis?

CBFCBeth: I loved the gossip, and SO offended about the faker

debrachristofferson: The actor who played Charlie was a sweetie. We had lots of laughs.

shuksan: The scene looked like a lot of fun for everyone.

debrachristofferson: I think that was my favorite episode -- as most all of the cast got to be together in it.

debrachristofferson: No, I take that back, my second fav. My fav was when Lila tried to take over the carnivale!

CBFCBeth: she and Burley shoulda gotten together

CBFCBeth: they had the same attitude at that point

debrachristofferson: She and Burley were originally going to get together and start a conspiracy. Just didn't work out. Scott MacDonald's a dear friend and we had a great time working together.

Doodlebugsmom: speaking of Burley, was that him in babylon and pick a number?

debrachristofferson: He worked through both seasons.

Doodlebugsmom: i thought it looked like him, but i didn't notice his teeth looking so big and white.

shuksan: The miracle of closeups.

debrachristofferson: White teeth -- the hazards 21st Century
Hollywood. We all should have had bad teeth.

BensBritches: So, did Burley cause the Ferris Wheel collapse?

debrachristofferson: No, it wasn't Burley. Okay, pop quiz. Who caused the collapse?

CBFCBeth: Jonesy

shuksan: Stroud.

debrachristofferson: No, not Jonesy.

SoooNoir: stroud

Diane: Osgood

debrachristofferson: Yes, Prize to SoooNoir!

CBFCBeth: did they cut it? Or did they want to keep it a question?

debrachristofferson: Wow, if you're asking if they cut it, I guess they did and I didn't notice.

debrachristofferson: I recall that Stroud was hanging around the ferris wheel while Jonesy was drinking. Am I wrong?

CBFCBeth: yes, and he was telling him an ugly story

Michelle: yeah debra, that's when he told the story of the girl
dying at a different carnivale

CBFCBeth: right, we never actually saw him do anything to the wheel though

debrachristofferson: So I guess it was implied. Or perhaps in the original script that was rewritten before we shot it.

CBFCBeth: we find out later that there was wood for metal

debrachristofferson: I'm almost positive that no one from the
carnivale would have done something as stupid and as dangerous as that.

BensBritches: Well that is ONE mystery solved

debrachristofferson: I'll have to watch again. It's all a blur....

CBFCBeth: but they left it for the audience to kinda wonder, I think

FanofBN: Kinda like the whole show, Beth

debrachristofferson: Good one, FanoBN

k8tea: I love the way you can work a fan. It's like a third hand or eyebrow giving axtra punctuation

debrachristofferson: The fan came about cuz it was over a hundred degrees and I was dyin' in a corset. I asked for a fan so DEBRA could stay cool!

shuksan: Debra... you sure got to wear the best costumes. Loved your oppulent wardrobe in this series.

debrachristofferson: My wardrobe was marvelous! The second season I got the most fantastic dresses. The 30's are my favorite fashion period and I was in heaven! I especially loved my second season show dress!!

shuksan: With or without the shawl?

debrachristofferson: The black shawl?

debrachristofferson: The burgundy/rose dress that I wore with the black shawl was my second season show dress.

CarnivaleAddict: i'd have to say you def had the best wardrobe of the troupe

debrachristofferson: Do you know that Lila was the carnivale
seamstress. So of course she'd have the best clothes!

CarnivaleMuse: One thing I'd always wondered - did Lila have her own trailer, or did she share Lodz, and not have a trailer herself?

debrachristofferson: Lila had a trailer in the pilot (where Ben
crashed), but it somehow disappeared between the pilot and the second episode. In the second season she had a tent, so I guess she shared Lodz' trailer first season.

CBFCBeth: who was the cage for? was that for Gecko?

debrachristofferson: Yes, the cage was for Gecko's act.

CBFCBeth: Oh hey, I wanna do this officially soon, but while you;re all here -- THANKS to Ben's Britches for donating the two Scholarship Memberships to CarnyCon!

debrachristofferson: Wow, thanks so much, Ben's Britches. Very generous of you!

CarnivaleMuse: Lila was the seamstress - was she also the costume designer?

Diane: DEbra, I know this is a geeky question, but is Patrick Bachau nearly as charmming as he seems?

debrachristofferson: First, yes, I considered her also the costume designer, although each act would have had their say.

debrachristofferson: Second question, yes, Patrick is quite charming.

shuksan: Debra... so who would Lila have prefered to carry on with... Lodz or Charlie?

debrachristofferson: Brother Justin.

debrachristofferson: Oops, I mean Clancy!!

FanofBN: Way to go, Debra

Michelle: debra, i second that!

LadyRavven: hehe..that doesnt suprise me at all..lol

debrachristofferson: Ha ha, ha!

debrachristofferson: Or, in her own group, first season at least, she'd have liked a try at Ben. Jonesy was appealing, too, though, I must say!

CarnivaleMuse: Would BJ have sent Lila to the 'funny farm' the next day?

debrachristofferson: I think Miss Lila could have satisfied BJ in a way that he wouldn't have needed to work his mojo on her. It could have been an interesting match! Except that Lila wasn't evil. She wasn't bad...she was just drawn that way.

kath_in_Minneapolis: debra - if there is/was to be a 3rd season, I was hoping that you would get a bigger part of the show - even though you were detrimental to begin with

Michelle: detrimental?

kath_in_Minneapolis: I used the wrong word, sorry, didn't mean detrimental in the way you are reading it - meant, to write significant\

debrachristofferson: I'd have liked more screen time, too. Of
course, what actor wouldn't!

RugNut: you can have all the screen time you want on my TV debra

debrachristofferson: Thansk, RugNuf.

LadyRavven: i think lila was sort of like the thorn that makes
people pay attention to how beautiful the rose is because of the pain ya had to go through to pick it :)

debrachristofferson: Nice, LadyRawen!

CarnivaleMuse: Lila was the only character who had the chops to 'go the distance' with BJ.

BensBritches: I'd love to see Lila and Iris battle it out for
Justin!!!!!!!!!

debrachristofferson: I like to think of Lila as "God" in the big
picture sense. Ben was "good" and BJ "evil" avatars and "God" oversaw the whole thing, stirring up the pot every now and then just to see what would happen.

kath_in_Minneapolis: debra, what kinds of thing are you working on now?

debrachristofferson: I just did a commercial for Southwest Air and am auditioning for tv and films.

kath_in_Minneapolis: i think she was a good "eyes and ear" of what was going on

LadyRavven: i dunno, I think Lila stuck out at everyone becasue she was a bit lost...and once Lodz was gone..it ogt wose becasue as bad as he was to her..he was all she had..and now she was totally alone and being lied to and she knew it.

debrachristofferson: She really did love Lodz and no one would give her a straight answer. So she wanted justice. Not revenge, justice.

CBFCBeth: thought it was very ballsy of Lila to actually go marching into Management's trailer that way

BensBritches: And she deseved answers too

debrachristofferson: Ballsy, heck she was scared witless. But with the whole carnivale watching, she had to. She wanted answers and that was the only place she thought she could get them.

CBFCBeth: It seemed a little out of place for Gabe to be the one to break the lock though. ALways thought it shoulda been Burley who did that.

debrachristofferson: Yeah, Beth. I agree. G'night!

debrachristofferson: Listen, folks I gotta go, too. Been great
chatting with you all. I'll be back!

debrachristofferson Logs Out

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