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Concierge Comedy with Christine Ebersole of Royal Pains
by Troy Rogers
 Although
Christine Ebersole has enjoyed a successful Tony
Award winning career on the Broadway stage along
with her many roles on the big screen, her comedic
sensibilities are a perfect fit to play an eccentric
socialite in the Hamptons on the new USA Network
series, Royal Pains, about a recently unemployed
New York City surgeon turned reluctant concierge
doctor.
You see, Ebersole was once a Weekend Update regular on Saturday Night Live back in the early '80s during the SNL era of Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo, which, for those who weren't born or don't remember, explains why her quirky character in the Royal Pains pilot only enhanced the comedy of the cast, which includes Mark Feuerstein, Paulo Costanzo, Reshma Shetty, and Jill Casey.
With Royal Pains now in full medical swing on Thursday nights at 10pm on USA Network, we made time for a concierge conference call to get the latest Royal Pains scoop from the colorful Christine Ebersole as she settles into her high society recurring role in the Hamptons in a mink coat.
THE DEADBOLT: Do you have any experience dealing with concierges doctors?
 CHRISTINE
EBERSOLE: No, but I can say that, you know,
because I’m 56. When I was in the 50’s, that’s
when doctors made house calls. Doctors did make
house calls back then. You didn’t have to be
rich to get them either. So, in a way, this
is sort of like the old days, but now it’s just
only afforded to the rich. But you also have
to remember that Hank Lawson is a very sort
of reluctant to be a concierge doctor because
his job is to really service the people. I mean
all people, not just rich people, so that’s
why he’s sort of reluctant. But that’s what
I think is great about the series, is that it
also shows you his humanity in terms of those
people that can’t afford that kind of thing.
He serves them as well.
THE DEADBOLT: You mentioned that your character is going to be having a "bark mitzvah" for your dog ...
EBERSOLE: I know. It’s so funny. It’s such a great episode. And the dogs are so cute in their little yarmulka’s.
THE DEADBOLT: So I guess you could say she’s a little bit eccentric.
 EBERSOLE:
She’s very eccentric, yes.
THE DEADBOLT: I also thought that your singing tribute to Bush on the Colbert Report was really funny.
EBERSOLE: Thank you.
THE DEADBOLT: Is there any chance we’ll see you singing on Royal Pains?
EBERSOLE:[laughs] Well, put in the order. I’d love to. Are you kidding?
Other Conference Call Highlights:
Christine Ebersole on
how she got the role of Ms. Newberg:
"Well, I was offered the role. I didn’t have to audition, which is always nice. And what drew me to the role is, I think she’s a very outspoken and kind of larger than life character, and gets to play somebody rich. That’s always fun, and the great thing about doing the show is the locations that we get to visit are really just extraordinary. I get to see all these beautiful things, and to be a part of a comedy and to be working with the people that I’m working with is just a really rarified air, so it didn’t take much convincing. When I read the script, I saw that it was such an intelligent, funny script, and with really well developed characters, and so it was kind of an easy decision."
Ebersole on where she
draws inspiration from for the character:
 "Well,
I think there are people in life that are sort
of wealthy, eccentric, that you sort of draw
from your imagination, and I think that’s really
kind of what acting really is. It’s imagination,
and I can certainly draw on a couple of people
that I know personally that I won’t mention
any names, but people that are very wealthy,
and sort of eccentric. And I think money allows
that sort of eccentricity because you can do
things that other people normally can’t do,
like have a bark mitzvah for your dog and have
hundreds of people come over, and sit poolside,
and have the rabbi read from the Torah. So,
yes, I think it’s from life. It’s just sort
of drawing from life and my imagination."
Christine Ebersole on
balancing her schedule between Royal Pains and
Broadway:
"Well, it’s pretty intense because I think really pretty much for the last month, I’ve been working literally seven days a week, so my next day off is June 22nd, which is my daughter’s 13th birthday, so I’m really looking forward to that. But when I haven’t been doing Royal Pains on my day off, and then also too, where I go do the show at night, finish around 10:30, and then go to the hotel. Get there by 11:00, and then get picked up at 6:00 to be taken out to Long Island to work all day, and then come back in and do the show at night. So it’s been pretty intense. But all great stuff, so I’m very, very grateful that I’m able to participate in these different venues, but it doesn’t come without its challenges."
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