Nicholas Brendon at nickbrendon.com: The official Web site

Teen People
December 1998/January 1999
By Nicholas Brendon, as told to Jennifer Graham

Can’t get enough of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Nicholas Brendon? Let him introduce you to his identical twin.

Last fourth of July, a busful of teenagers stopped at an In-N-Out Burger in Bakersfield, Calif., thought they spotted me. Psyched to meet Xander Harris from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, one girl ventured over to request autographs for herself and her friends.

“Actually, I’m not Nicholas,” the guy replied. “I’m his twin brother.”

Angered by what they thought was an attempt to blow them off – to them, the guy was obviously Xander – the group erupted, throwing French fries at him. He was forced to get in his car and leave.

The punch line here? The guy really is my identical twin brother, Kelly. People get us confused all the time. In fact, ever since I began playing Buffy’s wisecracking cohort two years ago, Kelly gets recognized as me more than I do. (This is probably because I grow a goatee whenever I’m not working, whereas he’s always clean-shaven). Occasionally, when a starstruck fan approaches him, Kelly pretends that he’s me just to brighten her day. But 60 teenagers at the same time? That’s where he draws the line.

Kelly and I talk about these bizarre moments – and everything else on our minds – all the time. He’s been my best friend ever since we shared our mom’s belly 27 years ago. Take, for example, his providing me much-needed encouragement after my first, not-so-great day on the Buffy set.

It was 100 degrees, I was incredibly nervous (this was my first real acting job) and I wouldn’t drink water for fear of having to use the bathroom while shooting. Worst of all, I didn’t know how to read a call sheet, the schedule that lists the order in which scenes are filmed. During lunch, I suddenly discovered that I had to shoot a dialogue-heavy scene with Sarah Michelle Gellar that afternoon – and I hadn’t even looked at the script! When I got in front of the cameras – dehydrated, hot and flustered – I passed out. It was completely humiliating. So I called Kelly.

“Nick, you’re gonna have more days to prove yourself,” he said. Somehow, his stating the obvious really helped me feel better. Why? Because it came from him.

double trouble

Of course, being a twin can sometimes spoil the party – literally. We grew up in Los Angeles, where our parents – Bob, a car dealer, and Kathy, a talent agent – would throw us joint birthday bashes. Since Kelly is older than me by three minutes, he always got his cake and “Happy Birthday” song first. Mine would come just minutes later, but by then our friends were already eating his cake. They weren’t into my cake.

But in the style department, it was Kelly who drew the short straw. Back in grammar school, my mother dressed us in matching shirts, pants and sweaters. Mine were always blue, and his were always … brown and yellow. While I was sporting the cool color around kindergarten, he was nicknamed “Brownie.”

Despite my fashion superiority, Kelly and I weren’t all that different as kids. But upon entering Chatsworth High School everything changed. You think Xander hates high school? Well I redefined teenage angst. While Kelly went to parties and out on dates, I remained girlfriendless all four years and had acne, braces (he also had braces) and worst of all, a stutter.

Although I was fine speaking around Kelly or our younger brothers (Christian, now 16, and Kyle, now 14), sometimes at school I’d feel the stutter coming on, and I’d keep quiet to prevent mortification. Dialing information once, I tried to ask for the Foot Locker store in Canoga Park. But I kept saying, “C-C-C…” Kelly grabbed the phone and shouted, “Canoga Park! Foot Locker!” I finally got over my stutter after high school, once I realized that my insecurity was causing it and I learned to slow down my speech.

My haven during those dreaded years was the baseball diamond. As a starting player on the nation’s top-ranked high school team in 1988, my junior year, I was dead serious about playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers. But I had to abandon that dream when I hurt my arm a year or so after graduation.

Instead, I started to think about acting – as did Kelly. But knowing we’d be competing for the same parts, he graciously stepped aside and let me take a crack at it first. My mom helped me land some early auditions, while I worked various side jobs: electrician’s assistant, sitcom production assistant, waiter. In the meantime, Kelly worked steadily in production, designing sets for TV shows (he learned on the job). I got a few commercials – among them Clearasil, Burger King and Sprite – but soon became frustrated. I decided to give college a try and even considered going to medical school. Ultimately, when I was 25, I quit school, returned to acting and landed my role on Buffy.

Buffy started out like MTV’s The Real World: The WB put six strangers (Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan, Charisma Carpenter, David Boreanaz, Anthony Stewart Head and me) together and sent us off for four months of rehearsing and filming. And it worked. We all got along, and it translated into a successful show. Kelly was obviously happy for me, but I felt as if I was leaving him out. So I helped him get a job working on the Buffy set. However, it eventually only made things awkward between us. It seemed so sadistic for me to be in my trailer running lines with David Boreanaz while my brother would walk by hauling an 80-pound tree.

But lately the circumstances have changed. Kelly has decided to pursue his original goal of acting, and he’s been getting great feedback from casting directors at his auditions. I feel better knowing that it’s only a matter of time before he’s in a movie or a television show.

brotherly love

As Kelly and I grow older, we realize how special our relationship is. There’s this unexplained twin phenomenon that even we can’t understand. For example, we’ll be driving together, and out of nowhere we’ll start singing the same song (usually an obscure one, like Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”) at the same time. Weirder still is a recurring dream we both have. One day about four months ago, I mentioned, “I had this dream last night.”

“About an elephant?” he asked.

“Yes,” I answered. “Did you move up really close to the elephant and feel really peaceful the closer you got to it?”

Yes, he did – and that revelation made us both feel a little bit uneasy. I was like, “Hey, get out of my head! It’s my dream!”

But the Unsolved Mysteries aspect of our connection is nothing compared to the emotional bond we share. I’ll never forget what he did when we were 21, after my first breakup with a girl I loved. (I’m a long-term relationship guy, which makes endings especially hard.) Kelly came over to my place that day, picked me up, and we drove to Lake Arrowhead, one-and-a-half hours east of L.A. This Garth Brooks song came on the radio, and I just started bawling. Without a word, Kelly reached over and held my hand. He didn’t have to say anything – I already knew what he meant: No matter what, he’d always be there for me. And vice versa.

Deseret News
By Scott D. Pierce

Nicholas Brendon is a lucky man. Two years after deciding to make acting his career, and with a skimpy (and highly exaggerated) resume, he landed a role on the TV series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” And, while few expected either “Buffy” or the fledgling WB to survive, the show is a hit and an important building block for the network.

“Things are so perfect right now in terms of the show that it blows my mind away. It’s like, how did I get that lucky?” Brendon said during a recent visit to Utah. “I believe in a higher power, therefore, it had to happen for a reason. But it’s like, ‘Wow!’”

Not only does Brendon have second billing on the coolest show on television (right behind Buffy herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar), but playing Buffy’s sidekick, Xander Harris, has had some unexpected benefits. Sure, there’s money and the fame, but how about those Web sites expressing undying love for both Xander and Nicholas? “It’s weird, man,” Brendon said.

“Buffy” is one of the biggest surprises on TV in years. Based on a rather dopey movie, the series is smart, funny and - most surprisingly - realistic. Well, not the parts full of vampires and other monsters, but the teen angst of the high school-age characters certainly rings true.

And Brendon has been allowed more than a bit of freedom in his role. He doesn’t rewrite dialogue, but he has switched it around a bit at times. Executive producer Joss Whedon and the directors sometimes take his suggestions on various aspects of the show. And they allow him to do his own stunts.

That started as a bit of an accident - he was supposed to slide down some stairs but his padding stuck, so he did a backward roll. And then there was the first time he did a fire scene, not knowing in advance he’d be covered in slimy aloe vera one cold morning at 4 a.m.

“Had I known what that entailed, I probably would have said, `Let the stunt guy do it,’ ” he said. “I’ve also made Xander very physical. I’ve made Xander fall down a lot.” (Not that it has always worked out as planned - like the time he broke his elbow.)

And aspects of Nicholas have been worked into the character of Xander. “Somehow I’ve made him dance. There’s actually a Xander dance club on the Internet. I just started doing my wacky dances and they wrote it in. And Joss told me not to work out anymore because he didn’t think Xander would have a good body. But I did, so now at least five times a year my shirt comes off.”

What makes this somewhat surprising is that, basically, “Buffy” is Brendon’s first real acting gig. His official bio says he “has an impressive list of credits in television, film and theater.” But he doesn’t. “My whole resume is pretty much a lie,” he said. “I did one day on `Young and the Restless’ and then, of course, I put on my resume `recurring’ because it looks better. And now I’ve gone from that to being a regular. So it’s out of control. So this is pretty much the first thing that I’ve done.”

Which is not to say that he isn’t perfect for the role of Xander. He’s bright, funny and charming, translating his real-life quick wit onto the screen. Xander started out as sort of an awkward class clown, but he’s much more than that after two seasons - and he says the kinds of things we all wish we could have thought of when we were in high school.

And high school is “still a fresh, horrifying memory for me,” Brendon said. “I wanted to be like Xander and just say things. I got into acting because I had a stutter. I couldn’t talk to people in high school - I was very shy and had an acne problem.”

But one day he was in the back yard of his mother’s house “talking to God” about what he should do with his life and decided to go into acting.

“I did a lot of tongue twisters and started taking acting classes, which was a nightmare,” Brendon said. “A few years later I had (the stuttering) under control. That’s what I’m most proud of.”

Of course, he didn’t become an actor overnight. Along the way he was an electrician’s assistant, a plumber’s assistant, a production assistant, a script delivery boy, a receptionist at a talent agency and a pre-med student. And, off and on for seven years, a waiter.

“I was just trying to find myself. Tragically, not. But finally, I did,” he said. And, when he booked the part of Xander, things weren’t exactly going well. The Los Angeles native was living in a little apartment in Sherman Oaks, but he had to hand over his stereo as collateral because he couldn’t pay the rent. Fortunately (sort of) the building had been damaged by the North-ridge earthquake and nine of the 12 units had been condemned. “They weren’t exactly beating down my door to rent the place,” Brendon said.

“I was having to scrounge nickels and dimes under my bed in order to buy a burrito. My girlfriend had just left me for my best friend . . . I was working as a waiter and I’d start to cry. I’d go outside and start bawling, then pull myself together and go back.”

But he maintains that the bad times have made him appreciate the good times - and have prepared him for any trouble that might be down the road. “Sure, things are going well right now and it’s easier to be well-adjusted when things are going well. When things aren’t going so well, maybe I won’t be so enlightened. But it happens. It’s happened before and it will happen again.”

And he’s still unjaded enough to be excited about the whole thing - and sometimes a bit taken aback. Like the first time he was ever asked for his autograph. “The first time I did it I was shaking,” Brendon said. “My voice started to crack, I started to sweat. Because I forgot that I was on TV. That was a hard thing to get used to.” Or the first “Buffy” reruns aired. “This is my first show and it’s, like, every time it’s on you get paid,” he said. “How cool is that?”

YM Magazine

born: April 12, 1971

sign: Aries

home base: Los Angeles

you’ve seen him: On Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Buffy’s wisecracking bud, Xander.

So is it Nick? Nicky? What? “In the business, I use Nicholas. It’s like, Hey — respect me. But Nicky is more fitting, ’cause I’m a casual guy.”

Okay, Nicky, what tunes do you groove to? “I’m on a huge classical kick. And I love jazz.”

So Mr. Class Act, got a girlfriend type? “I look for a girl with a sense of humor and strong hands for giving backrubs. Strange as it sounds, looks don’t matter to me.”

What do you do on a date? “I like having a Snapple and a nice conversation with a girl.”

Should she make the first move? “Hey, as long as the move’s being made, I don’t care who makes it.”

How did you meet your gf? “At a pick-up softball game in the park. She was the pitcher, and I was the shortstop.”

Where you always so cute? “No way. In junior high, when my gawky stage hit, it hit hard. I had acne and stuttered. To cope, I worked out.”

What was your first acting job? “A Clearasil commercial — not that it was acting.”

Had any Say Anything scenes? “Last season, when we were filming the hyena episode of Buffy, Alyson Hannigan [Willow] pulled down my pants. Everything came down, even my boxers. There were about 40 extras around, and I was naked.”

EOnline

This week, Nicholas Brendon — a.k.a. Xander — was live with Wanda. Read on to see what he had to say about real-life vampires, real-life love and his really big private part.

Hi everyone. We’ve all been waiting for this “guest spot” for some time, so without further ado … heeere’s Nicholas!

From Mary98: Will Xander and Willow ever get together?
You just keep watching, because I can’t talk about that.

From willowxnb: Nicholas, do you know how hot you are?
Well, about 98.7, I think, but I’m running a bit of a fever right now, so I’m 99.

From HoneyNut3: Do you really have a twin brother, and does he look exactly like you? Is there really a picture of both of you on the net?
Yes. Yes. No.

From missbuffysummers: Is there really a Buffy soundtrack coming out?
That’s actually out of my department. They don’t keep me abreast of subjects like that.

From ben: Do you really like Charisma Carpenter?
I like her. But do I like like her? I don’t think my girlfriend would be very happy. But we pass notes at work, since we’re in high school and all.

From zak_z: If you could write a storyline for Xander, what would it be?
I would probably be the dictator of Cuba and smoke cigars, because that’s power, baby. Xander needs more power.

From Cat: Is there any chance your brother Kelly might appear on Buffy? It would be a great opportunity to get into an evil-twin premise! Does he act? I’m a triplet, and I’d probably break out in giggles trying to do anything serious with my brother and sister.
I’ve just broken out in giggles reading that whole thing. We’ve talked about it, but there’s nothing set in stone.

From vision_skater: Nick, have you and your twin ever pulled the ol’ switcheroo?
No, we actually have compassion for people.

From missbuffysummers: Do you have any pets?
Yes. I have a dog named Zoey that I rescued from Hollywood High, where kids were feeding him gum.

From Cathy: How do you like being compared to Matthew Perry of Friends?
I don’t know. I just do what I do. I like to give people big guffaws.

From claire_s: What would you change about Xander?
I would probably give him more chest hair.

From Erin: Do you have a younger brother, about age 12, who looks like you?
I have two younger brothers, 15 and 13. I would say there are some similarities. They’re adorable. They’re gorgeous.

From rbsayre: Happy Birthday next week! Any plans for the hiatus? Like maybe a film?
For film work, as of right now, no. Right now, I’m moving and making personal changes.

From packh8r: What position did you play in baseball before your injury? I play first base.
Right field.

From vision_skater: Whaddaya think of Dawson’s Creek?
I think those kids are very attractive and talented.

From alienx: Are you as funny as Xander?
You tell me … of course, I am — dammit.

From slayer_fan_1: Nick, what’s your favorite line so far on the show?
“My Uncle Rory was the stodgiest taxidermist by day, but by night it was booze, whores and fur flying.” “Were there whores?” Buffy asks. And I say, “No, give it time.”

From Rick_b_Sayre: Will you be working on any big-screen projects when Buffy goes on hiatus? I can just see you in a Kevin Smith movie!
I could see me in one of those, too. My only big-screen project is that me and my girlfriend are going to buy a 53-inch TV and make some home movies.

From julia_slayer: What is it like to work with Sarah Michelle Gellar?
I have never met a more professional person in my life.

From Joe: What is the schedule for filming a Buffy episode, from when you first get a script to rehearsal time and filming?
Eight-day shoots. We get the script right after we finish the one we’re currently on. So, there’s no rehearsal time. This isn’t a high school play, people. This is the big time.

From bigbadbabs: Hey, just wondering what color your speedo is in the upcoming episode “Go Fish.”
It’s burgundy.

From sunrise84: What kind of music do you listen to?
Classical, jazz, blues, and the whole modern shit. I also like country. Horribly eclectic. You know, even Barry Manilow and Neil Diamond.

From Little_Willow: If you could be one person, living or dead, for one day, who would you be and why?
Napoleon … or Billy Barty — to have a shorter perspective on the world.

From mod427: Are you in a relationship with anyone?
Yes. Her name is Wendy.

From Stelllaaa: If you were to be cast in Scream 3, would you want to: (a) get killed; (b) save the day; or (c) the ever-popular be the psychotic killer?
I wish I had seen the first two Screams now. How about: (d) the ever-popular extra?

From trigger7: Nick, does [Buffy creator Joss Whedon] allow you any input into the Xander’s personal quirks?
I’ve brought kind of the wacky dancing to it. Then I just deliver my lines. I have my own style.

From Paula: How was the wrap party for Buffy? Do you have a funny story you can tell us? I LOVE YOU BUNCHES!!
It was one of those “you had to be there” things, but Wendy and I did a little Spanish dance number.

From golden_dust: Who are you close with on the set?
My two best friends are Tony [Head] and David [Boreanaz] — Giles and Angel.

From trigger7: Isn’t it true you are the real genius of the show and Joss is only your puppet?
Yeah. I’m the puppeteer — I pull the strings.

From missbuffysummers: What do you and the cast do together when you’re not filming?
Masturbate. You mean together? Oh, never mind. Typically, we’ll just all hang out and drink wine. Just cook and chill. Know what I’m saying?

From crazycatt: Have you seen Sarah’s tattoo?
Yes, I have. And it gave me a chubby. What kind of a question is that??

From auburntigerette: Are you into the “cool” scene, or do you still hang with your regular friends?
Hey, man, my regular friends were always cool.

From willowxnb: Are you planning to go to different places to sign autographs?
I’ve not been asked. But if I am asked, I would love to.

From heather16: What made you become an actor?
I failed at everything else in life.

From sedevilgirl: What was your most embarrassing moment ever?
Being born is weird. You’re covered in blood. They spank you. It’s a weird way to see your mom for the first time. It was so traumatic and embarrassing I have to confer with my counselor once this is done.

From vision_skater: What’s your take on the Spice Girls?
Are they still around? I think they’re spicy, and I think they’re kind of old. I guess they’re old-spicy.

From holly5: Do you always get told that you’re soooo cute?
Yeah, actually, I’ve had to stop leaving the house, because that many affirmations per day…

From lady_of_the_lake: Do you get very involved in any practical joking on the set?
It’s a weird set. Our days are so busy the set doesn’t lend itself to practical jokes because we have to stay on schedule. But on Tony’s (Giles) last shot on his last day, I did throw a whipped-cream pie in his face. And he had an audition right after.

From missbuffysummers: If you could meet any five people living or dead, who would they be?
I’ve met Billy Wilder. Jack Lemmon, I would want to meet. Lee Harvey Oswald to get to the bottom of all that. Jesus Christo. And probably Billy Barty.

From bonbonn: It says in your bio you played a role on The Young & the Restless. Who did you play and when?
It’s a lie. I had nothing on my résumé before Buffy. I was an under-five guy (as in lines). No, I played a college guy who was a big fan of Michael Damian.

From myrtle_fargate: Is there going to be a spinoff of Buffy. If so, who will it focus on?
I can’t answer that. But I think if you thought hard enough, you could imagine who it would focus on. Not that there is. But if I were a creative exec…

From aqua518: Are the hours on Buffy hard to manage? How does it affect your life?
Typically, it just affects my menstruation cycle. Other than that, it’s fine.

From jessiel: What was it like doing those WB dubba dance commercials? It looked like a lot of fun. Xander rocks!
Embarrassing!!

From hazbrown: What’s your favorite film?
Some Like It Hot — Jack Lemmon and Billy Wilder.

From jessiel: What’s your favorite baseball team? I heard you wanted to be a baseball player.
Los Angeles Dodgers. (Even though they’re 1-4 as we speak.)

From willow23: What is it like working with Alyson Hannigon (Willow)?
She’s lovely. We all work very hard and very long hours. Sometimes you have a tiff here or there, but all in all, we’re good friends.

From hazbrown: Why do you think the show has become such a cult fave?
Is it still technically a ‘cult’ fave? Or is it a ‘fave’ now? It’s original. Something new.

From green_crayon: Where are you from originally?
I’m from the San Fernando Valley, a town with no roots

From missbuffysummers: If you had to go on a date with one of the girls on Buffy, who would you pick?
Cordelia.

From eiregirl: Do you have a special arrangement with your girlfriend for when you have to kiss Charisma?
No, we have a special arrangement for when I’m screwing whores — so the Charisma thing is a piece of cake.

From abby7093: How has the show changed your life?
I screw my whores.

From shalazar: If you were to die on the show (à la Jenny Calendar), how would you choose to go?
I would love to be smothered in cleavage.

From latinghost: If you where a vampire, who would be your first victim?
Buffy, of course.

From willowxnb: When fans write to you, do you always respond? If so, or when you do, is it REALLY you?
Well, yes, it is. And I do read everything.

From ashleighv: What is the best thing about your girlfriend?
I don’t have enough time to fully answer that question.

From corin_li: Marry me.
Meet you at the Eiffel Tower in two years.

From buffygirl_iwbots: What is your fave thing about being on the show?
Getting paid to act.

From elmo102: What shows do you watch on television?
I watch Law & Order, The Simpsons and Seinfeld.

From clover21: Who would you like to guest star?
I would love to work with Tom Hanks, but it doesn’t have to be on the show.

From tanna9876: How did you prepare for the role of Xander?
That’s a hard question to answer, because I know him so well now. I learn my lines, and then I let instinct take over.

From golden_dust: What is your absolute favorite band?
Wow. If I could only listen to one band, it would be Louie Armstrong.

From shalazar: It seems in the episode “Passion,” as if Xander and Giles finally found common ground. Do you see any uniting qualities between their characters?
Not at all.

From bsloan9281: What is your favorite episode of Buffy?
Probably, “The Pack” or “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.”

From aqua518: Is it true you’re in a relationship with one of the 90210 cast members?
Stop reading TV Guide! They said I was kissing a 90210 cast member. I’d like to know which one, so I can fully enjoy it.

From buffy0615: What do you look for in a friend?
Someone with a lot of cash and a wine cellar.

From technopagan: I’ve heard a lot about a “pantsing” incident involving you on the set. How did you feel standing in front of some of the most attractive women on TV with your pants down?
I’m pretty well endowed, so I wasn’t really worried. My penis covered my scrotum, so that was good.

From auburntigerette: What’s the one piece of advice you’ll take with you forever?
Probably from my mom: “Son, life’s a bitch, and so am I. Leave the house now!”

From angelita7: Do you have any words of inspiration for a future actress?
Have fun, and if you go out on an audition, don’t try to book it, just try to do a really good job.

From vision_skater: Do you watch yourself every Tuesday night?
When the episodes are original, yeah. I don’t watch because I like to watch myself — I actually like the show.

From aqua518: If you could pick one place to spend the rest of your life, where would it be?
Fresno, California.

From vision_skater: What were you like in high school?
Very shy. I didn’t talk to many people. I had a stutter and a mild case of acne — at least that’s what the dermatologist called it.

From stelllaaa: Besides the whore screwage, what are you most grateful for?
I’m grateful to have a job, and I’m grateful to have met the people I’ve met because of the show.

From monet_: What’s the first thing you liked about the role of Xander when you read the script?
I liked the fact that he uses his humor as a shield.

From titanic55: If you had to pick which Buffy to date, would it be Sarah Michelle Gellar or Kristy Swanson?
Sarah Michelle Gellar, of course. I think of Kristy more from The Program.

From berry_kix: Did you and David really go to a strip club and get spotted by a fan?
Yeah. It was a bikini club, and we went to get a beer. Some guy was getting a lap dance and actually pulled the girl off his lap and said, “Best show on TV,” and then went back to it.

From aqua518: Nick, do you believe in vampires and other dark forces?
Dark forces? I’d have to say yes. I don’t know if vampires exist, but I believe in dark forces.

From trigger7: Nick, X-Files or Seinfeld?
Seinfeld.

From angle_man: What was your first reaction when you found out Xander and Cordy were getting together?
Excitement. Charisma is beautiful. I get to cheat without cheatin’.

From d_haseltine: How do you (or whoever does it) fix your hair?
Grease. As much grease as possible.

From green_crayon: Who is the funniest person on the set?
Harvey the grip.

From williford: It seemed you enjoyed the water-hose scene in the episode “What’s My Line, Part 2″ a little too much. Did the director have to yell cut?
No, that was my choice to enjoy it all.

From quixani: Do you have any deformities you’d like to share with us?
No, all the X and Y chromosomes lined up when I was born. I do have a weird fondness for Lycra. I think that’s a defect though, rather than a deformity. I could smother myself in Lycra.

From sexykitty: How long do you work in a typical day?
Between 10 and 14 hours.

From aqua518: Nicholas, boxers or briefs?
Boxers. With hearts on them.

From areena: What is the youngest age you would date (just out of curiosity)?
It depends on the state I’m in and the laws of that state. And also, I guess, my state of mind.

From shleb: Do you ever bring your dog to the set?
Yes, I do. He just sleeps or watches Herbie the Love Bug on TV.

From deeplysad: In all of cinema or TV, what role would you most like to have played?
As a tear wells, Angel.

From c_johnson: Have you ever or met or wanted to meet Leonardo DiCaprio??
I like Leo. Nice guy. I met him on Growing Pains a long time ago.

From ashleighv: What is David like? If you were a guy, would you do him?
I am a guy, and I have done him.

From greengirl22: I have a picture of you framed on my desk at work, and I tell everyone you’re my out-of town fiancé. Is that okay with you?
Depends on where you live.

From trigger7: Any similarities between your high school life and Xander’s?
None at all. Not one. Actually, probably negative three.

From king_midas : How about giving us the scoop on future episodes?
I wear a Speedo.

From jennifer_hester: Do you all make suggestions as to what you would like to see happen on the show?
Oh yeah, we do. Are they listened to? No. Only because Joss’ ideas are better.

From missbuffysummers: How did you get picked to be on Buffy?
They just liked my work, and I told Joss I wanted to be his teddy bear.

From bonbonn: If you had a million dollars in your pocket and only 24 hours to spend it, what would you do?
I would probably buy 10 $100,000 candybars.

Hey, thanks everyone for coming, all, but I gotta get going. It was fun. I think my last online chat was a year ago. And as Brian Boitano would say, Byeeeeeeee.

TV Guide

Asked to describe his character, Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s pal Xander, Nicholas Brendon cracks wise: “Awkwardly ugly. Is ugly, so he has to use a sense of humor.”

After getting fired as a production assistant on Dave’s World (”I was just too damn attractive; they were threatened by me”), the 26-year-old actor has quickly made his mark on Buffy, which moves from Mondays to Tuesdays with this week’s two-part episode (WB, January 19-20). But will Xander and Buffy ever be more than just pals?

“Things are changing,” Brendon hints. “We’ll see what happens in terms of relationships.” For now, he’s enjoying Xander’s flirtation with catty Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter). Unlike his character, he says, “I just don’t have a crush on Sarah Michelle Gellar.”