Hyperkinetic Singer, known for the first two X-Men movies and the upcoming Superman Returns, also directed the pilot episode and helped shaped the show's visual style, with its rapid walk-or-limp-and-talk scenes. “This was like The West Wing in a hospital. It has that energy and pace,” he said. “It was almost a throwback to working on The Usual Suspects, working with these actors and this dialogue.”
Jacobs indicated that they brought the idea for the show to FOX because of their desire to work with then-entertainment president Gail Berman. “You end up with a marriage out of a blind date,” said Attanasio, Jacobs' husband. “You don't know what network would be the best, yet it's one of the most important decisions you can make.”
Jacobs mentioned that when they sold the show to FOX, House was supposed to be in a wheelchair. “FOX, to their credit, changed it,” said Shore. “I will never again thank a network for changing a character.”
They pondered a scar, then “Gail said canes are sexy,” Jacobs said to some laughter and comments of “well, they are now” from the audience, before she added that Laurie uses the cane like a superhero, not only as an extension of his hands to open doors and grab items, but throwing and twirling it dramatically to punctuate a scene.
She also explained how the disability contributes to his psychology. “He's hiding. He doesn't want to see patients, but he also doesn't want them to see him.”
“If he was just a healthy, good-looking guy, we wouldn't be able to do as many things with him,” Shore explained, causing reluctant sex symbol Laurie to wonder if he'd intended a comma between "healthy" and "good-looking" in that sentence or not.
Congregating a Cast
Early on, the moderator asked what attracted the actors to the show. “It's going to be a boring answer,” Leonard warned when it was his turn. “It was a great script, great writing.”
“I don't find this boring,” Shore countered.
“The stupidity is astounding in this town,” Leonard said to the LA audience about the quality of scripts he tended to see, before explaining his attraction to the role of House's only friend, Wilson, and invoking an Odd Couple comparison. “I like being the guy who isn't the guy but that the guy counts on. Plus I've wanted to be Tony Randall all my life.”
Article comments
1 - Joanie
Congrats! This article has been placed on Advance.net
2 - Cathy Fornabaio
To Diane Kristine-
Loved your article- have a question about it if you don't mind. You wrote... When an audience member who suffers from vasculitis and runs a
vasculitis foundation asked why they'd chosen that disease as the possible diagnosis that seems to pop up in every episode.......
I was inquiring on who you speak of. I have written in many time about the vasculitic disease- Behcet's disease. This very rare disease has come up many times on HOUSE. I have written in about it many times as well. I was inquiring so as to get connected with this person as we seem to be working towards the same goal. Would it be possible to give this person my contact info? Thank you so much for your help.
Sincerly,
Cathy Fornabaio
President American Behcet's Disease Association
3 - Diane Kristine
Sorry, Cathy, I have no idea what her name was or the specific name of her organization, though it's possible it was simply called the Vasculitis Foundation. I didn't speak to her directly - she mentioned all that as a prelude to her question about why they chose vasculitis.
And I think (besides that they're "doing God's work") the answer is that they didn't really chose it. It just pops up because the medical cases are always rare with a variety of symptoms, and vasculitis is rare with a wide variety of possible symptoms, so it ends up fitting as a possibility in many of their endless differential diagnoses.
In answer to her question, David Shore was clear that any awareness the show brings to the disease was completely unintentional, but obviously nice if it happens, and that it's the work of foundations like the questioner's that do the good work that should be recognized. So he could be serious too - I just pointed out the funny.