Eddie Griffin: Bring On the Funk

Funny man Eddie Griffin was a riot in The New Guy and his stand up act is still wowing the club crowds. Now he goes for a blast to the past as '70s agent Undercover Brother. When we talked with him in L.A. he was never quiet! He did most of his act for us in between questions. Press members were given a cute keychain with Eddie's Undercover Bro likeness. He spied mine and picked it up.. "That doesn't look like me! It's cute though."

Teenhollywood: Did you watch the blaxploitation movies of the 70s?

Eddie: Yeah. We used to go to the drive in theater where you sneak in the trunk so you don't have to pay. We'd go in and the porno's playing on that theater over there so you really want the seat in the back seat so you can glance over now and then. But your momma's looking in the rear view mirror, saying Boy, you better turn your head this way.

Teenhollywood: How much improvising were you able to do?

Eddie: Quite a lot. Malcolm (Lee the director) was real cool about letting me, Chris and Dave Chappelle go. We come from a comedy standup background and rather than handcuffing us, he would be like "gimme one like it's written," and then let us go off. That's a good way to work with a standup because you might get magic.

Teenhollywood: Were you familiar with animated version on the net?

Eddie: Yes. I'd be sitting at home cracking up. You download and save it and email it to all your friends. I was a huge fan of UB, but I didn't know they were going to do a movie. Rarely do you get a script when you're sitting at home that makes you laugh out loud.

Teenhollywood: What was your favorite scene?

Eddie: I really liked the physical stuff. I don't know if you caught it but I was giving an ode to Bruce Lee. I wanted to give him props because he was another one of my '70s heroes and he really set off that martial arts thing. Since that was part of UB's character, he settled all of his issues with martial arts rather than coming in with guns and whatnot. My favorite scene was when me and Chris Kattan are doing the fight scene to the tune Beat It. That is sick. That was just a fun day. Running, jumping, kicking. You just get to go to 110. Another fun scene was when me and Aujanue are in bed. I messed up that on purpose at least 17 times just so I could stay in the bed a little more with her sexy self. Lord have mercy.

Teenhollywood: Talk about your leading ladies.

Eddie: Aunjanue is elegant. She has class and is a very intelligent young lady, quietly powerful. She looks at you with those eyes. They just get you in line. And Denise what can you say? The girl just walks around and the parade starts. Everybody's trying to be Charlie Sheen. When she stepped on the set you can tell how the camera crew and the sound men had a whole different act on.

Teenhollywood: Have you always been this introverted?

Eddie: (laugs) Yes. I'm really introverted in real life. You'd never know. My mother said I was always a quick study and a loudmouth. I started walking at six months. I never crawled. My mother said I was an arrogant little xxxx. She said "I know you're not going to bow down in life." She put me by the table and I'd look up at her like, "You want to come get me woman?"

Teenhollywood: Are you going to do a concert video?

Eddie: Just shot it six weeks ago. It'll be in theaters in August. It's called Eddie Griffin:It's a Family Affair. Took it from the Sly & the Family Stone song. We use as the backdrop music for it.

Teenhollywood: What's your favorite '70s song?

Eddie: That is a tough question. It's either Maggot Brain, by Parliament Funkadelic or All Along the Watchtower, 1970, Jimi Hendrix. Or Earth, Wind & Fire, that whole album. Confunction and The Gap Band, you can't leave out Charlie Wilson because every modern R&B male singer is copying and doing an impersonation of Charlie. It's all good!

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Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.