EXCLUSIVE! LITO interviews Bobby Ray Shafer!
Thursday, April 10th, as you know, is the long-awaited premiere of The Office’s new episode “Dinner Party”. But what you may not know is that it’s also Bobby Ray Shafer’s 50th birthday! He was kind enough to grant me an interview.
Donna: April 10th is not only the premiere of the long awaited Office episode, “Dinner Party”, but it is also a very big milestone in your personal life, your 50th birthday. How do you plan to celebrate?
Bobby: My idea of celebrating these days is having a baked potato with extra sour cream, so I’ll treat myself to one of those and watch ‘DINNER PARTY’ and be ecstatic like everyone else to see the Dunder-Mifflin gang back at it. As for the personal milestone, I think all the decade-birthday-numbers have more significance because I think as a rule we tend to stop and take a more detailed personal inventory and assessment; and so for me, now, just being BOB VANCE, VANCE REFRIGERATION is such a fun ride I don’t mind the passing of time at all. But boy, does it go FAST.
Donna: Can you tell me anything about what we can expect from Bob Vance and his lovely wife Phyllis for the remaining episodes of Season 4? Any tid-bits that you are allowed to share with the fans?
Bobby: No. But from the personal archive, Mr. & Mrs. Vance were pleased that ‘PHYLLIS’S WEDDING’ was chosen as one of the TV 
Guide’s Top TV Moments of 2007 and that Director Ken Whittingham won the NAACP Award with the episode. We also celebrated our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY during the strike and we are still-and-forever on our honeymoon. (that’s what she said.)
Donna: Your fans will be thrilled to hear that you have three new movies scheduled for release this year; ‘DARK HONEYMOON’, ‘STILETTO’, and ‘THAT’S AMORE!’. Is there anything you would like to share with us about these films?
Bobby: In these films I play a Sheriff, an Aryan Brotherhood Meth Dealer/Rapist, and a beer league softball player so there’s a nice little variety of character-hood. I’ve seen ‘STILETTO’ and it’s with Tom Berenger and Michael Blehn and it’s quite good and pulpy gangster film.
Donna: I notice that both ‘STILETTO’ and ‘DARK HONEYMOON’ are drama/thrillers. How does performing in that genre differ from filming a comedy like ‘THE OFFICE’? Which do you prefer?
Bobby: As any method-trained actor will tell you (for hours on end) the craft is the same regardless of the genre and the method of capturing it. The thespian must, therefore, be concerned only with character, place, and time. That said, the dark side; DEATH, BLOOD, FIGHTS, GUNS, etc. is very demanding because of the intensity required for weapons and combat. I die a gruesome death in ‘STILETTO’ and as they zipped me up in the body bag I remember thinking: I MISS CREED! Which you know is a sure sign of deep trouble. As to my preference, I can only say one thing: BOB VANCE, VANCE REFRIGERATION.
Donna: The fans were thrilled to see you at the Office Convention. If there is another convention, do you plan on attending? And, in your opinion, is there any particular event you would love to see repeated at this years convention?
Bobby: The Office Convention was magic. I love Scranton. I hope we do it again and I know one thing for sure; “Ain’t no party like a 
Scranton party, cause a Scarnton party don’t stop.”
But every time I think we won’t top something, we do, so…
I will say if you’re a true Office fan you’d be silly to miss the next one. (pictured left, Bobby gives the fans some love at the Blogger’s Breakfast).
I would also like to take this opportunity to add that there has been much speculation and negativity and hand-wringing regarding the SPINOFF. Fear not the spinoff. Mr. Daniels & Co. now have an hour of time to tell the story. I’m betting on them. Everyone else should too. And keep it cool.
BRS ~ BV-VR
I would like to say thank you so much to Bobby for taking the time to answer my questions. And of course, a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you from all your fans at LITO. If you want to hear more about Bobby, you can check out his MySpace page HERE. ~Donna
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April 9th, 2008 09:00
Donna,
Excellent interview. Bobby Ray is a class act. My B-day is the 20th and I still have yet to find the celebrity that I share my birthday with. All the April b-days are always a few days off. Oh well, there goes another one.
Happy 50th Bobby Ray - Here’s to 50 more!
April 9th, 2008 11:37
That was a really fun interview! Thanks, Donna. MY birthday is April 26th, and in honor of BV/VR, I will also celebrate with a baked potato. (I don’t like sour cream, though, which is probably TMI.)
HDF, don’t fret. I found your celebrity. You share your birthday with Carmen Electra. Somehow, I know Michael Scott would be excited about that.
April 9th, 2008 14:26
Thanks Bob. Michael Scott would definitely be excited about that. However, he’ll have to settle for sharing his birthday with Eva Longoria. I think Carmen Electra was mentioned in an Office sketch that aired during the NBC Prime-Time Preview 2 yrs. ago. I believe it was the sketch that was introducing 30 Rock as a new show. I can’t believe what an Office geek I am to remember that.
I am really happy to have a celebrity b-day twin since the only other person in history that I know of who was born on April 20th is more infamous than famous and that’s Hitler.
It’s cool that your b-day is April 26th. That must be the reason we get along so well and share the same sense of humor; we’re born under the same sign.
April 9th, 2008 14:53
Hey HDF, I also share an important milestone with Carmen Electra. She and I share the same wedding anniversay, day and year! Of course, it was her ill-fated wedding with Dennis Rodman. ha ha I’m happy to say my union is faring much better!
Bobby Ray Shafer is just the best! He truly loves being Bob Vance, and it shows. I remember him from the convention. He had lost his voice and still did his best to reach out to all the fans and be a part of every bit of the fun. I would love it if the Office-spin off included him somehow.
April 9th, 2008 15:33
Bobby Ray Shafer is ANOTHER humble, likable, down-to-Earth actor from the coolest ensemble ever put together for a TV show. The Office casting director has really weeded out the divas and the prima donnas.
Which reminds me, DONNA, rumor has it your next interview is with Carmen Electra. What’s up with that?
April 9th, 2008 15:43
Ha Ha, Dennis Rodman. I suppose it’s difficult to stay married to someone who likes to dye his hair pink, wear high heeled boots and feathered boas.
I prefer to remember him as somewhat normal when he was playing for the Detroit Pistons in their glory years of back-to-back world championships - 89 & 90. Life was so much simpler then.
Donna - be sure to ask Carmen Electra what life was like with Dennis when you interview her.
April 9th, 2008 18:54
This is such a wonderful visitation with Bobby Ray!
I always enjoy his repartee.
It’s always great to find his exchanges with the Dunderheads because he is so generous and very comical. It’s always great to catch up on what Bob’s up to. I’m so glad to hear from him!
You are so awesome Donna for giving us this exchange. I didn’t see his Birthday pop up on my Myspace Birthday Alert….so your Birthday HEADS-UP is so AWESOME of you to do. I will alert the Dunderheads to send Bob some Birthday lovin’! And I will link my blog to your LITO Bobby Ray Interview!
TOMORROW’S THE BIG BIG OFFICE RETURN!!!!!!!
YEEEEEEEEEEE!!
Can’t wait!
Hugs!
~ Bobblehead Gary!
April 9th, 2008 19:46
Yes HDF, it is difficult to stay married to someone with pink hair, high-heeled boots and feather boas…oh sorry! you meant Dennis Rodman?! I thought you meant…oh never mind! lol
And yes Bob, I will be doing my best to interview Carmen Electra. I will get right on that (that’s what she said) as soon as she joins the cast of The Office. Oh wait, we already have Elizabeth the Stripper so…not much hope for Carmen. lol
Bobblehead Gary, you ROCK. I love the icon you made for Bobby Ray. Super-Genius.
April 9th, 2008 21:20
Bobby Ray Shafer is seriously one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. I’ve followed his work for years and am so happy he’s getting all this richly deserved attention for his role on The Office but I don’t think Bob Vance appears often enough. I really hope the spin-off revolves around Vance Refrigeration.
Happy 50th, Bobby Ray!!!
April 10th, 2008 05:57
Great job Donna! Thank you for this great interview! Happy Birthday Bobby Ray!!!!!
April 10th, 2008 10:15
THE OFFICE COMES BACK TONIGHT!!!!!
April 10th, 2008 19:23
Outstanding interview Donna! You’re so well informed on all things Bobby Ray….great questions! Looking forward to reading more interviews by you!
April 12th, 2008 06:45
It gets me so excited about the new episodes! Great interview, do you do that as a living? If not you should. As for Bobby Ray, I don’t like any movies with violence so I’ll stick to my image of him as Bob Vance anyway. And, did you see Leatherheads yet?
April 12th, 2008 13:53
I agree, Jennifer P. I don’t want to watch Bobby Ray Shafer die a gruesome death and be zipped in a body bag in “Stiletto.” I prefer him alive and well, as Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration!
April 13th, 2008 13:39
Ha, ha! Yes, Jennifer P. I DID see “Leatherheads”, and my only questions is, where was the shower scene?! lol
April 19th, 2008 04:57
50 years old wow still looking good and i bet you can still play basketball