People's Champ
Sports Illustrated:Are you sick yet of hearing "Whammy"?
David Koechner: It would be so much worse if it didn't happen. Adam McKay, the director, told me during the first one, "I hope you don't mind people yelling 'Whammy!' at you for the rest of your life." And I thought, How fortunate would I be if this movie is successful enough that people would do that?
SI:Did you have anything to do with coming up with the catchphrase?
DK: It was scripted. Everyone thinks the movies aren't even scripted. In the first film, we'd always improvise after we shot the scene three or four times and we knew we had it. And Adam would say, "O.K., let's let the squirrel out of the bag." And I remember thinking, We can't beat these jokes. Sometimes what you'll see is a hybrid of the line.
SI:Are you a sports fan?
DK: I don't go deep, deep, but I'm a fan.
SI:Favorite team?
DK: Kansas City Chiefs. And we're having a great year. I got to go back and beat the war drum for the home opener, and that was a kick in the pants.
SI:Is Champ based on anyone?
DK: It's all about the script. I didn't necessarily have to think I have to base this on anybody. He's got his own demons, so I focused on his foibles and flaws.
SI:Were you much of an athlete?
DK: I played with great mediocrity. I played football in high school, a little baseball.
SI:Is there a sports role you're dying to play?
DK: You know, I was a coach in the movie called The Comebacks, which was a parody of sports movies. [Long pause.] People enjoy it on cable. But is there a sports role I'd like to play? I guess Michael Jordan.
SI:How would you play him?
DK: Like Mike. I'd study the tapes. I'd be an older Michael Jordan, I guess. You know what, screw it. I'd like to play a young Michael Jordan, all the way from childhood through the NBA.
SI:Interesting.
DK: That or Doug Williams.
Anchorman 2 opens on Dec. 25.
SIGN OF THE APOCALYPSE
A pet bunny was decapitated in Sweden in what is thought to be part of an escalating feud between two figure skating clubs.
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GEMMA LAMANA/PARAMOUNT PICTURES (KOECHNER)
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IMAGE SOURCE/GETTY IMAGES (BUNNY)