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CNN Live Today

The Good-Bye Girls

Aired February 20, 2004 - 11:46   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: After this weekend, there is no more "sex and the City." The critically acclaimed HBO series about four Manhattan pals who hit the shops and the sack is ending a six-year run. Lots of social and sexual loose ends to tie up Sunday night.
Mario Cantone plays a best friend and wedding planner on "Sex and the City."

He joins us in New York to talk about the big finale, or as least much as he can tell us about the big finale. So why don't we start there. What can you tell us?

MARIO CANTONE, ACTOR: I can't tell you nothing. You know, people think I know what's going to happen, and I don't. I didn't get the whole script. I got my one scene in the last episode, and that was it. And I have no idea what the hell's going to happen. So don't ask me.

SAVIDGE: All right, that's the end of it. What does the end mean to you personally?

CANTONE: Well, personally, the end was very sad. My last shoot day was very emotional. You know, you don't know what's going to happen. I had a great time, and they were, like Tim Van Patten, who directed the episode, said that's a wrap for Mario, and the crew applauded, and I started to get very emotional. And they were like, say something. I couldn't. It was very emotional. It's sad. now I'm a has-been that never was.

SAVIDGE: Well, as we look at this show, and one of the things I find fascinating -- and it's coincidence, of course -- but the show is coming to an end right at a time when a nation when we're debating what is appropriate and not appropriate on television.

CANTONE: Yes, I know. But you know, it's HBO also. So what's appropriate on HBO is certainly not appropriate on the networks.

SAVIDGE: This was a show that sort of it got people talking, it got us getting into subject mat they're maybe we wouldn't normally delve into, because it was funny at same time.

CANTONE: Well, thank God. Thank God for HBO and thank God for shows like this.

SAVIDGE: Do you think there will be spin-offs? Do you think people will try to emulate, copy this? CANTONE: Yes. But if they're going on the networks, it will never be as good, and they'll never be able to do them in the way, I'm sure, the way the writer and director would really want to do them. You have to battle, you know, the networks to try to get it through. Not to say there's not some great shows on network, some incredible shows on network. But I think if you're talking about this kind of show, it's impossible to do on the network, you can't do it, Don't you think?

SAVIDGE: Talk of a movie. Have you heard this? What do you know about it?

CANTONE: I read about it. I haven't heard anything official. But if they do it, I hope I'm in it. I would love to do it. I hope to God there is one. That would be great.

SAVIDGE: I can't imagine it without you.

CANTONE: Well, I would love to do it. And you know, stories go on. No matter how it ends, it continues.

SAVIDGE: What was the mood like when you know it's the last season, does it change? Does every line become, well, I'm not going to say that again? And what was the atmosphere like?

CANTONE: You know, it -- like I said, I don't think it really affected me, and I don't think I felt the change until my last day. It has always been an incredibly professional, fun, lively set. We have a great time. It's amazing. I'm the luckiest man in the world. I don't have to go anywhere. I can stay in New York City. I don't like to travel and work. I like to travel and play. I don't like to travel and work. So I get to stay here, and I'm on the best show in television.

SAVIDGE: What were the relationships like on the set? People just cannot get enough.

CANTONE: No, everybody gets along pretty grandly. I work mostly with Kristin. And I always say she's very motherly. We do a lot of walk and talks. If I walk too fast, she pulls my arm back and says, slow down. She was always giving me a few good tips. And it was very emotional day for her, my last day, too. We had one shot where the camera was on me, it wasn't even on her, and she got all welled up, and I said, OK, don't do this, because I'm not supposed to cry in the scene, please. There was a lot of support. And whether it is their coverage or they're other side of the camera, they're there for you 100 percent.

And the best writers. Michael Patrick King wrote me this, and I go back 20 years with him. We did stand-up together at the Improv in New York. He wrote me an amazing part.

SAVIDGE: Well, we're going to have to run. Let me ask you, what's next for you? What are you going to do?

CANTONE: What's next for me? I just started rehearsals for a brand new Broadway show, my second one of the season. It's called "Assassins." It is directed by Steven Sondheim and John Wideman (ph). It's directed by Joe Mantelo (ph). Neal Patrick Harris, me, and a whole bunch of people. It is a brilliant dark musical drama/comedy that happened in '91, and they're reviving it for first time on Broadway.

SAVIDGE: All right, well, in the meantime, we have to say goodbye on Sunday night. We have to say goodbye right now. It's going to be tough for a lot of people, Mario.

CANTONE: I'll be home, drinking champagne, crying into my bubbles.

SAVIDGE: I'm sure you may be alone, but many others won't, and thank you very much. Good luck to you in the future.

CANTONE: Thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired February 20, 2004 - 11:46   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: After this weekend, there is no more "sex and the City." The critically acclaimed HBO series about four Manhattan pals who hit the shops and the sack is ending a six-year run. Lots of social and sexual loose ends to tie up Sunday night.
Mario Cantone plays a best friend and wedding planner on "Sex and the City."

He joins us in New York to talk about the big finale, or as least much as he can tell us about the big finale. So why don't we start there. What can you tell us?

MARIO CANTONE, ACTOR: I can't tell you nothing. You know, people think I know what's going to happen, and I don't. I didn't get the whole script. I got my one scene in the last episode, and that was it. And I have no idea what the hell's going to happen. So don't ask me.

SAVIDGE: All right, that's the end of it. What does the end mean to you personally?

CANTONE: Well, personally, the end was very sad. My last shoot day was very emotional. You know, you don't know what's going to happen. I had a great time, and they were, like Tim Van Patten, who directed the episode, said that's a wrap for Mario, and the crew applauded, and I started to get very emotional. And they were like, say something. I couldn't. It was very emotional. It's sad. now I'm a has-been that never was.

SAVIDGE: Well, as we look at this show, and one of the things I find fascinating -- and it's coincidence, of course -- but the show is coming to an end right at a time when a nation when we're debating what is appropriate and not appropriate on television.

CANTONE: Yes, I know. But you know, it's HBO also. So what's appropriate on HBO is certainly not appropriate on the networks.

SAVIDGE: This was a show that sort of it got people talking, it got us getting into subject mat they're maybe we wouldn't normally delve into, because it was funny at same time.

CANTONE: Well, thank God. Thank God for HBO and thank God for shows like this.

SAVIDGE: Do you think there will be spin-offs? Do you think people will try to emulate, copy this? CANTONE: Yes. But if they're going on the networks, it will never be as good, and they'll never be able to do them in the way, I'm sure, the way the writer and director would really want to do them. You have to battle, you know, the networks to try to get it through. Not to say there's not some great shows on network, some incredible shows on network. But I think if you're talking about this kind of show, it's impossible to do on the network, you can't do it, Don't you think?

SAVIDGE: Talk of a movie. Have you heard this? What do you know about it?

CANTONE: I read about it. I haven't heard anything official. But if they do it, I hope I'm in it. I would love to do it. I hope to God there is one. That would be great.

SAVIDGE: I can't imagine it without you.

CANTONE: Well, I would love to do it. And you know, stories go on. No matter how it ends, it continues.

SAVIDGE: What was the mood like when you know it's the last season, does it change? Does every line become, well, I'm not going to say that again? And what was the atmosphere like?

CANTONE: You know, it -- like I said, I don't think it really affected me, and I don't think I felt the change until my last day. It has always been an incredibly professional, fun, lively set. We have a great time. It's amazing. I'm the luckiest man in the world. I don't have to go anywhere. I can stay in New York City. I don't like to travel and work. I like to travel and play. I don't like to travel and work. So I get to stay here, and I'm on the best show in television.

SAVIDGE: What were the relationships like on the set? People just cannot get enough.

CANTONE: No, everybody gets along pretty grandly. I work mostly with Kristin. And I always say she's very motherly. We do a lot of walk and talks. If I walk too fast, she pulls my arm back and says, slow down. She was always giving me a few good tips. And it was very emotional day for her, my last day, too. We had one shot where the camera was on me, it wasn't even on her, and she got all welled up, and I said, OK, don't do this, because I'm not supposed to cry in the scene, please. There was a lot of support. And whether it is their coverage or they're other side of the camera, they're there for you 100 percent.

And the best writers. Michael Patrick King wrote me this, and I go back 20 years with him. We did stand-up together at the Improv in New York. He wrote me an amazing part.

SAVIDGE: Well, we're going to have to run. Let me ask you, what's next for you? What are you going to do?

CANTONE: What's next for me? I just started rehearsals for a brand new Broadway show, my second one of the season. It's called "Assassins." It is directed by Steven Sondheim and John Wideman (ph). It's directed by Joe Mantelo (ph). Neal Patrick Harris, me, and a whole bunch of people. It is a brilliant dark musical drama/comedy that happened in '91, and they're reviving it for first time on Broadway.

SAVIDGE: All right, well, in the meantime, we have to say goodbye on Sunday night. We have to say goodbye right now. It's going to be tough for a lot of people, Mario.

CANTONE: I'll be home, drinking champagne, crying into my bubbles.

SAVIDGE: I'm sure you may be alone, but many others won't, and thank you very much. Good luck to you in the future.

CANTONE: Thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com