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Interview with a ‘serial killer’

I have just gotten an advance look at Episode 15 of the latest season of "CSI" courtesy of AXN's Gayle Tan who had arranged for an Indonesian writer and me to interview Bill Irwin by phone. 61-year-old Irwin plays Nate Haskell, a serial killer who is a recurring character in the series. He's the nemesis of Dr. Raymond Langston, a CSI operative played by Lawrence Fishburne. When Season 10 ended, Langston was fighting for his life after being stabbed by Haskell. Nate is one nasty dude and Irwin portrays him as a scheming, remorseless monster.

In the same episode that I previewed, an important role is played by a recent Manila visitor, Justin Bieber, who proves that he can act as well as sing. This is actually his second appearance. His character first surfaced in the first episode of the current season. He plays Jason McCann, the brother of a bombing suspect. Is he a good guy or a kontrabida? I'm not saying. You'll have to watch "CSI" on Wednesday, June 8 at 10 p.m. on AXN (Channel 49 on Sky Cable).

Back to the subject of our interview. I checked out his bio on the web and discovered his impressive resumé. After obtaining a theater arts degree in 1973, he also studied at the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Clown College and graduated in 1974. He helped found the Pickle Family Circus in San Francisco, California where he performed as a clown. Not the usual route a performer would take to jumpstart a career in show business.

When I asked Irwin about this, he chuckled and said, "I've always been fascinated with clowns. It enabled me to relate directly with my audience. I was able to discover what made children laugh."

Irwin left the circus in 1979 to pursue a career in theater but his love for clowning never died. He would conceptualize clowning-inspired productions that were favorably received by the theater world. One of his favorites was "Mr. Fox: A Rumination(2004)" that took years to complete. It is based on the life of George Washington Lafayette, a 19th century clown.

Much of clowning involves pantomime so he was able to land the part of Mr. Noodle on "Sesame Street" in 1998. His talent as a mime shone on the kiddie show and his character stayed on for 11 years. Hopefully, young fans of Mr. Noodle will not see his performance as a serial killer because he is really creepy in the episode that I watched.

In 1984, Irwin received the prestigious McArthur Fellowship "genius grant" which is given to "talented individuals who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction." He was one of 25 fellows who received cash prizes between $175,000 to $300,000 payable over a period of five years. Irwin was cited for his achievements as a "clown, writer and performing artist."

One does not apply for this grant. People are nominated by a board that recommends awardees to a selection committee composed of 12 people. Their identities are not disclosed by the MacArthur Foundation. When he got a message on the answering machine, he ignored it. "I thought my friends were playing a prank on me," he recalls. Only after two days did he return the call and receive the good news. "It was exhilarating. I told myself that I didn't have to go to too many auditions anymore. I could actually afford health insurance, which is quite expensive in the US."

More recognition would come after that for his work in theater, movies and television. Irwin was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts Choreographer's Fellowship in 1981 and 1983. In 1992, he won an OBIE, the Off-Broadway Theater Award, for his performance in "Texts for Nothing." In 2005, he won the Tony for Best Actor for his performance as George in a restaging of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" In 2008, he was nominated as best supporting actor by the Chicago Film Critics for his role in "Rachel Getting Married" which starred Anne Hathaway.

The awards mean a lot to him but he says after the celebration, one still has to work the next day and earn a living. That means reporting for work on the set of "CSI" to make life miserable for the good guys. Irwin says that a clown and a serial share one quality. "They're both intense. characters." With his "intense" performance on "CSI" do we expect him to come out in more episodes on Season 11? Abangan!