"Inside Night Court: Nyambi Nyambi Reveals Insights into His Character Wyatt"

[00:00:00] .

[00:00:09] Yeah, I'm be uh thank you for joining me today in Pop Culture Unplugged.

[00:00:13] I'm glad to be here very happy to.

[00:00:15] Scientists are friends we see you as widespread on season two of night core but

[00:00:20] In a way you're no straights at a comedy I remember you from Mike and Molly and that was one of my favorite shows watching for a few years and I

[00:00:26] It's been a few years now since off the air.

[00:00:31] Yeah, true true.

[00:00:31] It still airs it still does its thing.

[00:00:33] Yeah, yeah.

[00:00:34] What was it?

[00:00:35] Do you miss it?

[00:00:36] Oh, I do I do miss it.

[00:00:38] I miss um the cast I mean such an incredible family you know most McCarthy Billy Gardell.

[00:00:45] Reno Wilson's Lucy Kurtz, Ronnie Reed, you know Lou Mistillo just so many play Katie Mixon.

[00:00:52] Um David Higgins just so many great people.

[00:00:55] I miss that you know working with those guys and

[00:00:59] And the great James Burrows was awesome and so I'm really happy to be back on a on a sitcom

[00:01:07] You belong in a sitcom you got that feeling like when you see you on there like you like you fit right in there

[00:01:12] Oh, thank you man.

[00:01:13] Thank you.

[00:01:14] It's fun.

[00:01:15] I grew up on sitcoms you know

[00:01:18] Martin was my show growing up

[00:01:20] loved watching

[00:01:21] San Francisco's sun growing up night court was one of those shows in rotation that I was watching the Cosby show

[00:01:28] I mean, I grew up on sitcoms and so it's in my blood

[00:01:32] There

[00:01:33] So we'll jump at the night court if you bit us but I was doing some research on you and I need to know that you're a big basketball fan, huh?

[00:01:39] I am I am.

[00:01:41] I am a huge basketball fan.

[00:01:42] I mean, I always thought that basketball was going to be my way you know so at some point

[00:01:49] I thought that I would have this you know career whether it be in the NBA or

[00:01:53] Overseas

[00:01:55] Then eventually I coach

[00:01:57] But then I'd always been acting at the same time

[00:01:59] but then when basketball

[00:02:02] Turned out to be something that wasn't my path

[00:02:07] Acting the arts was right there the whole time and

[00:02:11] So yeah, but basketball is my passion. It's my it's my second love my second month

[00:02:14] I got to know now with March madness right around the court. Did you get a chance to play in March madness with Bucknell?

[00:02:19] Yeah, no man we lost in the championship game

[00:02:22] You lost to

[00:02:24] One year we lost to I want to say we lost to

[00:02:27] Lafayette one year

[00:02:30] And then and then maybe another

[00:02:33] But yeah, it was that was

[00:02:36] And in one of those games we were up with five minutes to go and so we're celebrating thing

[00:02:39] And we're gonna go to the dance and then it's never happened

[00:02:42] Yeah, who do you think he's gonna take it this year?

[00:02:45] You come looks like the team you know you know looks really good

[00:02:48] Houston, you know, I love what kelvin Samson is doing over there at Houston

[00:02:52] So I mean those are my two favorites right now

[00:02:56] Yeah, I mean, I live in Massachusetts

[00:02:57] But we always rooted for you mass back in the day and now you cons right next door and for me

[00:03:02] It's kind of like the Yankees. I don't want it to win it

[00:03:03] But they're gonna win it probably yeah, you know those markets can be days. That's right. Oh, yeah

[00:03:08] You remember those yeah, those were the good days the good old days the old days

[00:03:13] So yeah, let's jump into tonight called my friend now

[00:03:15] How does it feel to step into a sitcom like this from like you know

[00:03:19] It's original one was like you know rich legacy there

[00:03:21] How did it feel like jump right into this now joining season two?

[00:03:24] It was uh

[00:03:26] Why an undertaking um, you know

[00:03:29] The original show was just masterful

[00:03:31] Well, what they were

[00:03:33] You know but like

[00:03:35] The great thing about about going back and watching the those nine seasons the original those first three seasons

[00:03:41] They were trying to find their voice right and then um and then the season four through six

[00:03:48] There was that sweet pocket of like emmies emmies emmies emmies and then of course seven through nine

[00:03:53] You know, it's like you know, hey we'll pay you to come back. Are you sure? Yeah, look at this money. So oh okay. Yeah, we'll come back

[00:03:59] Um, but um it seems like you know

[00:04:02] I think with this show the same thing we're trying to you know find our legs and I think with each episode to get funnier and funnier and

[00:04:08] To join the cast in the second season. It's just this well-loyal machine that you know

[00:04:13] All you have to do is come in and play have fun

[00:04:16] Now was this was this an audition process to come into show or you know somebody in the back area and like hey

[00:04:22] We got a part for you want you to come in? I think it was one of those things where I think

[00:04:27] because of the work I've done on

[00:04:31] You know on mike and molly and then the work I did on the good fight

[00:04:34] Uh, they had a role that they were like hey we think the ambie would be perfect for this

[00:04:39] So we you know had a meeting with Johnler cat

[00:04:43] um

[00:04:43] let's rouse Winston rouse and

[00:04:46] And uh

[00:04:47] Dan Rubin and we talked about an hour just you know getting to know each other and you know seeing if this was the right fit and

[00:04:55] um

[00:04:55] That was great. We just had fun and then they're like hey if this is something you want to you know figure out

[00:05:00] Let's see what happens

[00:05:02] So you know started off as a guest star to see if this would be something that would work

[00:05:05] So really the audition was the

[00:05:07] The time as a guest star

[00:05:10] But I think we knew pretty quickly that um, this was this was this was gonna be a long term

[00:05:17] What uh what was the description we were giving for Wyatt?

[00:05:20] Uh the description you know what's so funny they were still trying to figure it out but um

[00:05:26] I know at the time

[00:05:27] There were all they knew was that he was divorced with two kids

[00:05:32] Um, and you know, they were trying to bring in uh the element of fatherhood

[00:05:37] Into into the mix and um then beyond that they weren't sure so then

[00:05:42] By the time when the strike was over they had time with that think about it

[00:05:46] We actually sat down and for that table read it was like this is a guy who's done it all who seen it all then it all

[00:05:53] Um and is willing to do anything for his kids

[00:05:58] Uh to um, you know make them the uh the best that they can be

[00:06:02] um or at least

[00:06:04] Look like I'm the best that I can be

[00:06:06] Did you did you get a chance to like collaborate with the writers of the or the producers about like put your own spin on this character also

[00:06:13] Well, yeah, you know, it's so funny is that um

[00:06:16] What they've done over the course of the uh the uh, I guess it's 11 episodes of shot now

[00:06:23] Uh, and it's off of everything that I've been doing based off what they've been doing

[00:06:27] Because you know, I'm the type guy with everything that they've written out

[00:06:30] I write out everything just the facts and then from that I start like you know creating

[00:06:35] You know so many different things off of just a single line and um, you know

[00:06:40] Uh, like i'm like okay this guy's done so many things. He's a hummingbird. He's always on the move

[00:06:44] So it's always you know always always always moving always that has something to do here

[00:06:48] Okay, if he's a hummingbird. He eats a lot

[00:06:50] You know, he's a lot because uh, he's gotta keep up his energy. He's like the flash. He's got to he's gotta eat a lot

[00:06:54] you know, so um

[00:06:56] so uh

[00:06:57] You know and then whenever somebody says I know a guy. I know a guy

[00:07:00] You know, oh yeah, yeah, I know a guy. I'm the guy

[00:07:03] I'm the guy because I'm the guy who's done everything. So it's um

[00:07:06] It's been I think uh based off of um what they've written and then um

[00:07:11] What I've been playing and how I've been interpreting it and making it funny then they're like oh shoot

[00:07:16] We didn't know that was funny. Let's play to that. And so it's been like, you know a collaboration in that way

[00:07:21] Now you mentioned you watched

[00:07:23] what's that

[00:07:24] I'm never i'm never like uh no one actually

[00:07:27] I feel like my character would do such and such

[00:07:29] I'm more the the guy who's like oh is that what you think the character is okay? Let's um

[00:07:33] Like play with that and see where that goes and um, I play a 100%

[00:07:38] And if it dies they know that it died because um you didn't work as as far as uh as an idea um

[00:07:46] But not because of how I played it

[00:07:48] Because I'm gonna give them so many different options. So many different ways to play

[00:07:52] So did you when you mentioned earlier about going back like you grew up watching the original night core and you went back

[00:07:57] Did you go back to watch certain episodes so so you could play the clerk different than the other previous people we've had?

[00:08:03] Well, you know, what's interesting

[00:08:04] So um I went back and watched it all in succession. So um so for the better part

[00:08:11] So season two on is all you know Charles Robinson playing you know as Mac and um

[00:08:17] So I felt like

[00:08:19] This is an nostalgia show in some ways, you know

[00:08:21] You bring it back because we love the original and I felt like it's important to bring a little some elements of Mac into the character

[00:08:29] So whether it be a sweater

[00:08:31] um you know and

[00:08:34] And sometimes it's the joy I get out of um

[00:08:39] Uh, the pain somebody else feels once in a while. Let me do that

[00:08:43] But I'm not this but that's that's where I think um and I mean Mac had joy when it came to the pain of

[00:08:51] Of Dan feeling

[00:08:55] Right so um so sometimes I may play that but I played that more out of

[00:09:01] um

[00:09:02] out of

[00:09:05] Maybe getting Dan back in some way but never but but in the end at the end of the day I feel like

[00:09:12] um, I just want not only

[00:09:15] Uh Dan but everyone to love me, you know

[00:09:18] um

[00:09:19] In spite of themselves

[00:09:22] But that being said one of the fun things that I found out about my character as we were building it is that how much I love drama

[00:09:28] And so stirring the pot. So I think that's where a little bit of Mac can come in as in terms of stirring the pot

[00:09:35] um

[00:09:37] So yeah, that's the you know, it's a way of bringing so I wanted to be sort of be a bridge from Mac into this new world

[00:09:44] As Wyatt

[00:09:46] Because Mac is married yet he was married to a quanley

[00:09:49] Got a he had a whole like you know

[00:09:52] uh relationship there. I'm divorced

[00:09:54] The two kids you know trying to figure it out. You made it in half kids. So eventually they

[00:10:00] If it later on so then see so there's already differences between the two right and if the thing is about nightcourt

[00:10:06] You know, it's got a blend of comedy and heart also like how do you balance your performance like uh

[00:10:11] In certain scenes with Wyatt interacts with the other characters also how do you balance that?

[00:10:15] Well um for me number one is always try to play the scene in a grounded way

[00:10:21] uh because I feel like um if you start with the truth

[00:10:27] um and then from their stretch it

[00:10:30] I think that all the audience will go with you the audience will you know they like they'll believe anything

[00:10:35] Because it's grounded in some sense of truth. So I think that's the way at least I approach

[00:10:43] You know the heart and then of course the funny um

[00:10:47] I love I love when

[00:10:49] You know you

[00:10:52] I love when you sort of

[00:10:56] Surprise an audience not only um surprise, you know the other characters in that you're playing with but um

[00:11:02] You know, so you surprised the audience with uh where you take it where it's just like oh shoot. I can see that coming

[00:11:07] Um, I didn't see him going there um and then in the same way being surprising myself and how I listen and I think that's um

[00:11:16] That really the truth in listening

[00:11:20] Um is where I think people

[00:11:23] As an audience sort of connected with you

[00:11:26] You know as far as the heart and then of course, you know the funny because it's just like oh, oh, I heard that too

[00:11:31] Uh, it's hilarious, you know, oh shoot. I heard that too. It's weird

[00:11:35] There's a lot of weird cases a lot of weird weirdness and

[00:11:40] If you don't if if you're not listening the audience

[00:11:44] Can see you not pick up on it and so then they sort of like, uh, you know

[00:11:49] We just sort of watch like this, you know

[00:11:52] But when you they see you sort of take in how odd everything is around

[00:11:57] They sort of watch through your eyes as far as how weird the world you're living in really is and we are living in a weird world right now

[00:12:04] It's human beings. So

[00:12:07] So

[00:12:08] Joining season two now being part of this cast uh, how do they like to fellow cast members help you settle then to this world

[00:12:14] You know, uh, they you know like um, I mean India. I saw on the picket line so immediately

[00:12:22] You know she was like I hear you joining us, you know come let's have the dinner and actually lunch

[00:12:27] You know have a bunch of my mom and you know bring up the speed um sat down with um

[00:12:33] Melissa and and Winston that had breakfast with them

[00:12:36] Uh, and I mean literally everyone was so so like accommodating and and

[00:12:42] nice and kind and

[00:12:45] I kept asking why

[00:12:48] um but uh

[00:12:50] But uh no they were all amazing they were a lot of like all great and and it's just a beautiful like I could just come in and just be myself

[00:12:57] You know and then really that's all I wanted to be I just wanted to come in and be myself

[00:13:00] um

[00:13:01] Brie bring um this thing that I like to bring is where I want to be the person who's in front of me. I want to be there

[00:13:10] um

[00:13:11] I want to be at least the one spark of joy that they had that day if it nothing else

[00:13:17] I was that for them

[00:13:18] So I try to bring that to the set and so that was the energy that I bring or at least that I tried to bring to any set that I'm on my

[00:13:25] I could mowly the good fight and of course now uh night court

[00:13:30] What what could you tease us about uh why uh upcoming storylines can you give us a little tease

[00:13:35] I mean the the cool one that was great was uh of course uh everything happened with Melissa for maro this past episode

[00:13:43] uh

[00:13:43] But then you know there's some like a tease uh a little bit of um

[00:13:49] of uh

[00:13:52] There's more there's more stuff about in terms of like kids wants and me you know um um

[00:13:58] um

[00:14:00] He's just a guy he's just a guy that wants love man at the end of the day he wants to be loved

[00:14:07] and um

[00:14:10] And uh yeah, I mean I mean of course there's some some you know craziness. I give a a great toast at

[00:14:18] At an event um that um I hope the uh the audience finds really funny

[00:14:25] If we see a season three is there somebody in the cast that you kind of hope to have a little more of a storyline with or more scenes with and you had any get a chance to

[00:14:33] um

[00:14:35] You know, I've had a joe I have a lot of joy working um with uh

[00:14:40] With each one um the credo was what you know the very first uh

[00:14:45] episode I did a lot of really fun stuff with her and she was uh fun to work with um

[00:14:50] I think the the person who haven't done um a ton of stuff with would be india

[00:14:55] Her character of Olivia

[00:14:57] um

[00:14:58] But you know, I don't know i'll we'll see because uh you know, I know a lot of people have asked it though. There would be any sort of um

[00:15:06] Uh love interest of some kind um whether with um

[00:15:11] With uh

[00:15:12] With Abby who's also been looking you know, I've been looking

[00:15:16] Uh, sorry when i say i mean white um and then um

[00:15:20] I know Olivia's been looking

[00:15:23] The only one really that um like

[00:15:26] Good is gurgs because gurgs you know um has that relationship with the juke

[00:15:33] Um

[00:15:34] When we uh we may meet soon um and then um

[00:15:40] And then uh Dan feeling is sort of like you know, I've i've had my love and i'm

[00:15:46] good uh so yeah, so

[00:15:49] So possibly maybe a love thing you know that that would be interesting

[00:15:54] I don't know i don't know and then flowbird there's a guy uh Gary Anthony Williams who is amazing

[00:15:59] I love working with him i got to work with him in this last episode

[00:16:02] And uh any chance i get to work with him um i mean i think he's one of the funniest people on the planet

[00:16:07] Uh he it's like if you but you you ever get a chance to see him do improv

[00:16:12] The man is like top-notch genius improviser

[00:16:17] I put him and Melissa McCarthy like and like

[00:16:21] Like that when it comes to improvising

[00:16:24] So what what's next for you now? Any other projects you'd like to tell us about or you got coming up

[00:16:29] Uh next for me is um home

[00:16:33] uh home resting

[00:16:36] Taking uh time with you

[00:16:39] But yeah, but uh i'm hoping you know uh and get back into sketching

[00:16:43] Yeah, get back into developing some of the projects that uh we have in its infant stage

[00:16:49] Uh we have a couple of other projects that are further along but not ready to be announced um

[00:16:53] But um

[00:16:55] Yeah, I'm hoping to

[00:16:57] continue to work with the idea that a season three will hopefully be coming

[00:17:03] Uh

[00:17:05] Well, yeah, that's uh but it's gonna be a lot you know rest

[00:17:08] Maybe you can work on your collection back there. I see you guys

[00:17:12] I just got back there

[00:17:14] Got a few things just a few uh you may not know so like for me the collection goes all the way up to the top

[00:17:19] So up there is um is all DC so uh Batman

[00:17:25] Justice Lee that man in his um his uh rogue of the villains

[00:17:30] The of course all of this all the way across is heman master's universe with Chira then um all this is uh X-Men

[00:17:37] The animated series down below is teen eight-minute tutorials because I'm a huge uh turtles fan on that side because you can't see

[00:17:45] Uh it's all Star Wars. I got Thundercats Thundercats Thundercats. Oh and then I got um uh the Avengers

[00:17:53] uh what else?

[00:17:55] Got all the uh and then some more uh Marvel stuff so a lot of a lot of cool stuff

[00:18:00] Voltron Voltron sitting right here in front of me

[00:18:03] Yeah, I gotta put you on the spot then if there's one project you could work on naming all those with you. Would you jump on?

[00:18:09] Oh X-Men

[00:18:10] I'm a big yeah, yeah X-Men would be great because I mean Batman uh who is probably my favorite

[00:18:18] um has been done so much and

[00:18:20] uh

[00:18:22] And I guess X-Men uh to a degree but um I feel like there's um

[00:18:27] uh

[00:18:29] Like

[00:18:31] There hasn't been a stamp in put on X-Men, you know in a way like for like the character bishop because like bishop would be a dope character to play an X-Men

[00:18:39] um and then at the DC world John Stewart will be awesome to play

[00:18:43] Uh or even um

[00:18:45] Martian Manhunter who have voiced

[00:18:47] Um would be great to play live action

[00:18:50] um

[00:18:51] So and then in um a live action he-man if it ever happened I would love to play manifaces

[00:18:58] He's the greatest actor in all of eternity so I'd love to play him. Don't ask three faces, but somebody's the greatest

[00:19:05] Uh, so yeah, so yeah

[00:19:08] But um that but X-Men I feel because uh the X-Men X-Men animated series was such a dope series for me

[00:19:14] Um, I still have that theme song on my head right now

[00:19:17] and

[00:19:18] and

[00:19:19] Do you ever go back and watch it on Disney Plus? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'll go back. Yeah

[00:19:24] Um the one character that I'm missing that I'd love for them to make as a because I collect the one fourth scale statues

[00:19:30] um

[00:19:31] Is jubilee

[00:19:33] jubilee would be because she's the first one you the first X-Men yeah

[00:19:36] You meet you start X-Men at the time but like you meet first before she comes to next month

[00:19:41] Easy easy. All right. That's was great. Uh, let's we gotta get you back out

[00:19:45] We had continued down this conversation more projects hopefully night court season three

[00:19:49] No doubt it cannot wait I cannot wait thank you