Wayne Keating: Mr. O'Hurley, many people remember you as J. Peterman, Elaine's eccentric, larger than life boss from the Seinfeld TV series. What were some of the challenges in bringing a fictional character to life? Because of you, many people associate your character with the J. Peterman catalog.
John O' Hurley: I'll tell you something that'll surprise you. I actually bought the company a couple of years back. I got together with gentleman who owns the company and became his partner.
WK: Wow! So J. Peterman is actually part of The J. Peterman Company?
JOH: That's correct! I truly enjoyed that role. It really gave me the ability to stretch my comedic legs. The great thing about Seinfeld was that the show could really support these larger than life characters. It was a great experience for me.
WK: Mr. O'Hurley, thank you for taking some time out of your busy schedule to talk with me. You have a new book out that is on NY Times Bestsellers List. Can you tell me a little about the book?
JOH: Certainly, Wayne. The book is called "It's Okay to Miss the Bed on the First Jump and Other Life Lessons I've Learned from Dogs." The book is a celebration of how dogs have affected me throughout my life. I do motivational speeches around the country, and I started thinking about some different ways to distill my thoughts, and I thought, why not look at it from the perspective of dogs?
WK: Can you give an example of that?
JOH: Sure. One chapter in the book is titled "Every Fifteen Minutes Is a Brand New Day." Dogs live in the present. They give a hundred percent of their attention to whoever they are with at the moment. They are not looking past your shoulder to see someone else. Dogs only know "now" or "never," enabling them to really focus on the present. I really think that the burden of time is one of the most difficult things that we face as human beings. Surely, if we could focus more on what's going on in our lives at the moment instead of what is to come, we would probably be a lot happier altogether.
WK: It makes sense. I take it you are a dog person?
JOH: I have two dogs: Scoshi, a Maltese, and Betty, a half-lab, half-dachsund mix.
WK: You are an extremely versatile performer. From Dancing With the Stars to Family Feud, you have a very varied career. How do you see yourself?
JOH: I've never been one to orchestrate my career. I measure my career by looking over my shoulder and seeing the body of work behind me. Who would've known Dancing With the Stars or Seinfeld would have been so big for me? I let opportunities speak for me, and it satisfies my intellectual curiosity. I enjoy doing what I do. I made a promise to myself a long time ago that whatever I can imagine is what I should be doing. I often say that what we daydream about is what we should be doing. Last year, I wrote my first book of piano compositions that was very well received and reached #13 on Billboard. You truly have to create your own opportunities.
WK: What's next for you?
JOH: I have a new show on NBC based on Kids Say the Darndest Things. I will continue to host Family Feud next season. After that, I will probably head back to Broadway in the spring. I have a longstanding invitation to play Billy Flynn in Chicago.
WK: Mr. O'Hurley, thank you for your time.
JOH: Thank you, Wayne, and take care.
