Using my post reality TV show fame to run around the benefit circuit is something that has brought me great joy over the past few years. I have been lucky enough to be in circles that I only dreamed about, and to rub shoulders with some amazing people. And no matter where I went, those shoulders always seemed to belong to Scott Wolf. I’m sure he thought I was stalking him because of my small obsession with Party Of Five, but after we spoke it was clear that we’re just two dudes who share the same passion to help others less fortunate then ourselves.
Most recently, we spent a week together on The Great Walk To Beijing, where we hiked a portion of the Great Wall Of China to help raise money and awareness for Olivia Newton-John’s new cancer center in Australia. Not only was this an amazing trip that opened my eyes to another culture, but it gave me the chance to bond with Scott and his wife Kelley. One night in Mongolia after an 8-hour trek, we set up our tents, ate barbecued rams head, drank warm rice wine and sang Grease songs at a campfire with Olivia herself. It was very surreal.
In the ever-rising tide of celebrity do-gooders, Scott and Kelley are the real deal. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak to Scott about the work he’s doing and it just so happens that the hit TV series V, in which he stars as television anchorman Chad Decker returns to ABC tonight (Tuesday) at 10 p.m. EST.
Ethan: The first four episodes of V were a huge success, how does it feel to be part of a hit show again?
Scott: It’s been pretty great, although we have to wait and see how we do when we get back on the air with new episodes. It’s really fun being part of a show that has people excited. I have been really lucky to be part of a few shows that have gotten an intense reaction from the audience, but this one seems to have more potential than anything I have done before.
Ethan: Do you believe in aliens?
Scott: I don’t not believe in them, especially because they might be reading this.
Ethan: If they do exist, do you think they would all be as good looking as the cast of V?
Scott: I would hope so. Frankly, if an alien population showed up on Earth, offering healthcare for every human and wicked cool technology, and looking like Morena Baccarin [Anna] and her crew, I’m pretty sure they would have the run of the place.
Ethan: You play a newscaster in V. Did you have to research this role and did you look to other people in the news industry for inspiration?
Scott: I would say that Chad Decker is loosely based on a number of news personalities that I have watched. He seems to have a lot of Anderson Cooper in him, in that he thrives on his ability to connect with the audience like a friend. Chad may not have the work ethic or moral compass that Mr. Cooper has, but he thinks a lot of himself and his place in the news world.
Ethan: You have played many different roles in your career, and now it’s the role of a husband and a father to a baby boy. What’s that been like?
Scott: Truly the greatest thing I have ever experienced. Nothing even comes close. I suppose finding my wife Kelley and getting married to her is right up there. Jackson just turned 1, and it was such an amazing year. I have learned so much from him, which you don’t necessarily expect. I think the greatest thing is how a child can bring a sense of magic and wonder back into your life. Things as simple as fingers and light and doors, which we barely think about anymore, are brand new to him. So in a way, if you pay attention, you have your eyes opened again to how amazing the simplest things are.
Ethan: You have been involved for a long time with The Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and The Lost Boys. Why was it important for you to get involved?
Scott: First, it is the right thing to do. If you are lucky enough to be living a privileged life, you should use that place to help those who are less fortunate is some way. Second, it has always been a great balance for me. I feel lucky to be doing something with my life that pays me well and that I would pay to do. Don’t tell the network that! So for me, using that to help other people who aren’t so lucky has made the whole thing make sense to me.
Ethan: You have been doing some incredible work with Feeding America. What is it about this particular organization that’s so important to you?
Scott: I was completely bowled over by the numbers of hungry people, especially children, in the United States. 1 in 4 children in this country live in a food insecure home. That means, that day to day, they aren’t sure if there will be enough to eat. To me that was dumbfounding. Those numbers sound like you are talking about a third world country, not the most abundant country on the planet. This is simply not acceptable. I am committed, as is Kelley, to doing our part to help ensure that these hungry children are not ignored. Feeding America is an incredible organization and they have a network of more that 200 food banks nationwide. They feed 25 million people per year and they are on the front lines of the effort to feed America’s hungry. There are a number of actors/musicians and other artists on their Entertainment Council, of which I am honored to be a member.
Ethan: Do you think celebrities have a role to play in making the world a better place?
Scott: I do. They have a voice because what they do is public. So they have an opportunity to advance causes and needs in a way that most people can’t. That does not mean that every celebrity has to do something, but I feel strongly that they have a role in making the world a better place if they choose to take it on.
Ethan: What about the environment? With all the travel you do for work, do you think about ways to offset your carbon footprint? Does having a child make you think about his future and what kind of world you’ll be leaving him?
Scott: Having a son has definitely made me think a lot more about the world we are going to be handing him. We do our best to be green. We are far from perfect, but we do a lot, and we do more all the time. A hybrid car is our next step; next time we are buying one. If anyone from Toyota is reading this, we love the Prius!
Photo by Kristin Dos Santos via Wikimedia Commons, photo courtesy of Ethan Zohn.