I'm Scott Thompson of the Kids in the Hall Larry Sanders and NBC's Hannibal AMA!

I spent the year of my life after high school doing nothing but getting stoned and watching Kids in the Hall. A decade later I am unemployable and have contributed nothing to society. Don't you think that is at least a little bit your fault?

A little but not the important part. Now get off your ass and get a job. It's four o'clock in the afternoon for Christ's sake.

Hi Scott, I don't really have a question but I wanted to thank you (and the rest of TKITH) for not only making a straight rural Ontario kid laugh his ass off, but open my mind to the existence and acceptance of all kinds of people in this world.

My wife and I are both big fans and we were excited to see Buddy Cole on Colbert!

Thank you. Of course by all kinds you mean people from the big city.

What's up your craw?

This question.

how on Earth is this not the most upvoted comment

Because you're wearing clothes. Ask your next question nude?

I just wanted to say that when the KITH episodes were originally airing on CBS, I was growing up queer in the fundamentalist town of Homewood, AL, and that seeing you on those episodes was a real life line for me. Being pre-internet, you were literally the only proof I had that there were other people in the world such as myself and that a world outside of Homewood might really exist (that is, an outside world that wasn't exactly like the world I was already living in). You made a huge impact in my life and I have always felt that you did a huge service with your work. To the extent that I have a question, I know that you received some criticism from people in the gay community, but do you hear people telling you how much good you did, too? (Thank you, and I love you. <3 )

Yes I do hear that as well. In fact I rarely hear negative comments any more, at least to my face but that's my own fault for reading comment threads. Thankfully today is a much more accepting and tolerant world and the war in the trenches isn't so bloody.

If I fund your Kickstarter, can I touch Bellini and have some fish?

Yes, you can even touch him with a fish.

I have to go guys. This has been a real blast. Sorry to all those I didn't get to but I'll do this again as soon as they'll let me. Goodbye.

I don't really have a question, but I loved you on KITH as Buddy Cole. That skit always had me in stitches. And you were always the prettiest lady on KITH.

You went too far with the prettiest lady comment. I would go with hottest.

I'm really enjoying this season of Hannibal. The Sassy Science team is the highlight for me, and I hope all of its members will survive until the next one. knock on wood

Was there any death tableau that made you lose your appetite?

Yes the one that was cut, episode four, where Molly Shannon played a demented Wendy figure to a group of homicidal lost boys. It was a charred child. That one hurt.

Don't have much of a question, but wanted to express my sincere appreciation, as a gay man who was always interested in becoming a comedian, you had a huge influence on my coming out as well as my sense of humour. Thank you!

I'm glad I had an impact. That's always been my main goal. Good luck.

How did you end up doing Buddy Cole on Colbert? Did they approach you, or vice versa? And what was the process of generating ideas and material for each segment? Would love to know how that whole collaboration worked.

(PS - loved the Brain Candy reading at TO Sketchfest! )

I approached them in August. I had been reading about what had been happening in Russia and I wanted to do something and then I though, 'Buddy is the answer.' So I had my manager call a few people and the Colbert people responded immediately. It was a joyful collaboration.

Two questions: 1. Are there any KITH sketches that you guys wrote during the original run of the show that was cut from the finished episode but you still love and wish could have made it to air? 2. What foods consist of your ideal meal?

Thank you!

Yes, one called Baskets by me and Kevin. We were reporters with enormous genitals who worked for a newspaper that was only concerned with issues affecting the big packages community. It took place at a press conference. Bruce was the politician, Dave was his saxophone playing wife and Mark was Peter Allan the Australian singer/songwriter for some reason. Chicken Chicken Chicken

When do you start filming "Francesca Fiore" the movie? (I can dream, right?)

It's being filmed right now in dreamtime. I hear it's a huge hit.

How was it being in Sochi for the Olympics? The police confronting you and your team looking pretty frightening.

It was an amazing experience. I guess it was frightening but I had such a great team with me including two body guards that I was never afraid. I knew we were okay when I made the main cop smile.

How'd you wind up on Hannibal?

I auditioned. I don't even think I nailed it or anything. I had totally forgotten about it when they called months later. I just think that Bryan Fuller saw my name on the tape and went, I like that guy. He had been a junior writer on Voyager when I did it and as I said earlier it was a wonderful experience.

You were in a pretty amusing episode of Star Trek Voyager. Did you enjoy being on that show?

It was the most fun I had guesting on an American television show ever with the exception of Conan of course.

I grew up watching Brain Candy on HBO when my parents were not around. I love this movie, it has such a creepy vibe to it, and your crazy character was my favorite. I constantly think of this movie when I dance to disco music. Here is my question, it just seems to me that you guys had to cut a lot out of the movie to achieve and R rating, is this true? If so can you explain which scenes

Well we had to change the entire ending. In fact we just staged a reading of Brain Candy last week in Toronto and then later we screened the original ending. The scene in the film that sunk us at Paramount was Cancer Boy. We refused to cut him and so they cut our entire budget for press and effectively killed the film.

Saw a very old picture of KITH recently, I think it was your first photoshoot or something. My question is, how was it working with Kevin's jewfro? Seems intimidating.

It was very frightening because the rest of us all hated both jews and blacks. Kevin was the first octaroon any of us had ever worked with. Once he lost the weight it seemed to make it better. We had only two things to hate and then when we found out he wasn't Jewish we were even more relieved.

Just wanted to say that I'm a huge fan. You and Dave made KITH for me. The Queen, Buddy, and this skit.......Gold! Honeeeeeeeeeeeey! Honeeeeeeeey! is how I get my SO's attention. Question for you......Did you get the inspiration for Buddy from someone you knew or?

Yes I did. He was a guy I dated who died of AIDS very early on. He was hilarious charismatic and very effeminate but powerful. I started to imitate him after he died when Paul Bellini bought his first video camera. His name was Carole Beauchamp. It was his line, 'I may have been born yesterday but I still went shopping,' that started it all.

Was it your amazing acting ability that discouraged them from making you 'Hannibal' because they felt you would make the rest of the cast look bad?

That's exactly true. The moment i read for Jimmy the casting director turned to Bryan Fuller and said, 'We have our Hannibal' and Bryan said, 'But we already have an offer out to Mads Mikkelsen' and I said, 'Look, guys, let me be Jimmy. I have so many other things on the go. I don't have time to star in your little show but I do need some walking around change. ' You'll notice Jimmy never appeared once with Hannibal last season. They were afraid the audience would go, "Wait, that guy should be Hannibal." This year they figure everyone has gotten used to Mads and so we can be on screen together.

Hello! I grew up on reruns of KITH, I feel like it had a really positive impact on my world views and sense of humor, so thank you for all of that. I think seeing aliens question the meaning of anal probing and existence at the age of 11 made life easier to handle somehow.

Question – you all often portrayed women and have talked about how the joke never ended with “har har, man in a dress” or “women, am I right guys?” and you guys did it with aplomb. It was really refreshing to see comedy that wasn’t super rooted in alpha male sensibilities, but I feel like there’s less of that going on today despite all the other movements forward we’ve made in that area. Do you think it would be easier or harder to pull off the same content on TV today?

Thanks again, excited for more Husk!

Yes. I think it is harder today because there are so many more female comedians playing actual female characters and trans issues have become so politicized. That being said, there is room for all. Personally I don't see any problem with anyone playing anyone.

Hi! I loved the Kids in the Hall!

I've read that you were all offered spots on Saturday Night Live by Lorne Michaels, but that only Mark McKinney accepted. Is this true and why did you decline?

Is there any chance that the reunion at the Toronto Sketch Fest might lead to a North American tour or a new series?

No, I was never offered anything on SNL. However, I still intend to host it. Yes, there is a chance of a new tour or at least a bunch of one offs.

No question, just a kudos on Mrs. Hurdicure. You were wonderful.

Oh dear, you're too kind. That calls for a cup of tea.

In Kindergarten I was scolded by my teacher (who called my parents) because I was the only kid who didn't answer "Power Rangers" when we went around said what our favorite TV show was - mine was Kids in the Hall, and to this day it is still one of my favorite shows.

Will you guys ever do another American tour again? Work on new material?

How embarassing for you. My favourite show is the 'Power Rangers.' We hope to tour very soon and yes we are working on new material. In fact we will be in Austin and Dallas for a few test shows between the 23rd and the 26th. It's all new.

Wow. This has been fun. I've been trying to answer everyone but I don't think that's possible so I'm going to just answer certain ones for the next half hour and then I have to go.

I have to admit, going into Hannibal not knowing anything about the series prior, I was quite surprised to see you in the cast! (That's not a bad thing, btw.)

Is there any pressure on you, as the man with the comedy background, to provide some levity behind the scenes or during breaks? And if you're not the funniest person on set, who is?

Not really. Everyone likes to fool around in this group. Mads and Hugh are particularly loose. I am not the funniest man on the set. I am just the loudest. That's always been my tactic.

Hi Scott. Will/Does Kids ever re air?,

Born in 1980, I grew up watching your show and it made the weirdest kid. Thanks.

Weird kids change the world.

Love you Scott! Larry Sanders is one of my all time favorite shows. Could you share some thoughts about working with Jeffrey Tambor and Gary Shandling?

They were both great to work with and for. I just saw Jeffrey about a month ago on the plane coming back from New York where I had just appeared on Colbert. We hadn't seen each other in years but we had a great talk. Gary, whom I have not seen since I filmed some stuff for the dvd release about ten years ago, was an amazing boss. He was constantly trying to make things better. and didnt care where it came from. He was also very kind and generous with his time. A real class act and oh yeah, a comedy genius.

Is Hugh Dancy as pretty in real life?

No comment. Hugh is less pretty and more handsome. He's also seventy five per cent more British and eighty three per cent funnier than he has a right to be.

Does Gillian Anderson like Kids in the Hall? PLEASE SAY YES

I have no idea. I've never met the woman.

Scott, my life changed for the better the day I saw my first episode of KITH. Thank you so much for all of the laughs.

I'm curious about how it was working in a comedy group that consisted of two pairings. What with Bruce and Mark having worked together previously, and Dave and Kevin having worked together previously, did you ever feel like a third or fifth wheel? Like you had to fight to be a part of certain skits? Did it ever cause any strife, or did they just embrace the awesomeness that is you?

I prefer to call myself the bridge although that means there is a lot of walking all over you. Luckily I come from a family of five boys so I knew how to fight. It was a big struggle at the beginning. I was introduced through Mark and they all resisted until I won them over one at a time although I think I got Dave and Kevin at the same time.

I love your character on Hannibal! How do you feel Bryan Fuller & the other writers have done fleshing out a character that really didn't get a lot of page time in the book?

Also, Hugh and Mads got t-shirt designs with their faces on it on ShirtPunch.com...Where are the #TeamSassyScience t-shirts?!

<3 Love your work. Excited for tonight's episode!

I absolutely agree. It is a huge oversight with the t'shirts although I think a line of lab equipment would be nice. I think a Jimmy Price beaker would be a big seller. Tonight is a doozy.

Brain Candy still remains one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. The "coming out" musical sequence was just incredible. What was the biggest difference between making the show and making the movie? Any interesting tales from the set?

The difference was making the tv show was by and large fun. Making the film was a trial except between action and cut. For example Dave and I were not speaking and yet we completely rewrote the Wally/Shrink scene on the way to the set in the van without actually addressing each other. That's family. No matter what we do we just can't kill it.

Hi Scott!! I'm a big, big fan of the Scott Free podcast. It's so wonderful! I noticed it doesn't have much in the way of visual branding, though. I'm a Toronto-based graphic designer & illustrator and I wanted to ask you: do you need some? I want to help! <3

Thank you and yes we do. This is the email of my producer Jeff Goodes. jeffgoodes@gmail.com

I loved your first graphic novel and think it's very cool that you're giving it away for free online. Are you a fan of graphic novels? Are there any comics you currently read?

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I am giving it away because I am almost finished the second one and I'm doing a kickstarter for it so that I can get it published. We figure in order to want the second one you have to read the first one. The truth is I will keep writing this saga until it is done with me. My favourite comics as a kid were The Silver Surfer, Metal Men, Fantastic Four, The Sub Mariner, Aquaman, Richie Rich, Little Lotta, Hot Stuff and Classics Illustrated. Now you know how old I am.

How did your battle with cancer change your life?

It made me much more appreciative of how little time we have on this earth.

What tips would you give to aspiring actors?

Get a thick skin and wear it every day and when it wears out get another until someone notices. Do everything possible relating to performing and don't take any job that you like too much or make too much money because it might take you away from your true love. And of course, you need luck.

Best places to eat in LA/Canada?

I'm no foodie so here are a couple of modest joints I love.

LA Fatburger is the best burger joint in the world.
Toronto Ginger on Yonge for regular Vietnamese comfort food.

So...are you always going to make sure to get a stool sample from now on?

I'm so glad you brought that up. I had been going on about it to the team throughout the investigation but as usual they all thought, 'Oh it's just Jimmy and his scat talk.' 'Nuff said.

Ahhh! I love and miss KITH so much. I don't even know what to ask!

... how big was the biggest crouton you ever saw?

Also, if you had to get knuckle tattoos, what would you get?

I'd probably tattoo lots of thick coarse black hair on them or croutons.

Hi Scott! Big fan. Love kids in the hall since I was 13 years old. A couple of questions for you man. First What made you and the troupe decide to tour once again and how does it feel to revisit your characters after such a long hiatus?

We love performing together live more than any other form of performing. The characters are never too far from me. That could be taken as how wonderful or how sad.

Hi Scott.

I went with my Family to see you guys live in Montreal in the mid 90's. Bruce actually grabbed my little brother (He must have been 6 or 7) and brought him on stage and swung him around.

Just wanted to say that you guys were way better than SNL or MAD TV could ever be!

So how's your little brother today? Most of the kids Bruce swings around on stage suffer debilitating side affects for years.

Who would you say was the funniest member of the Kids in the Hall crew was?

In case this is a crew member fishing for a compliment I'm going to say 'You.'

The only reason I started watching Hannibal is because I heard Scott Thompson shows up in it. So, I don't have a question, but there's that.

There is that and now there is this.

Hi Scott!

I asked Hugh Dancy on his AMA on what you're like off-camera and he said that you come alive when it comes to modern dance, which he says it's the "love of your life". Is that true?

Also, I saw the episode of KITH when Buddy burns his bar and you burn the childhood photo of Kurt Cobain. What led to that decision to burn the photo?

Hugh Dancy is a lying sack of shit. It's he who is the modern dancer. I have always been the classical type. Rigid and Formal and a slave to Austrian choreography which is not just marching. I always felt KITH were like Nirvana in terms of comedy to our generation so I wanted us to die together.

Hi Scott! First I'd just like to say that as a gay teenager your very own Buddy Cole really helped me to come to terms with myself and appreciate the LGBT community.

Will the KITH be returning anytime soon? Oh, and of all the sketches you've been in, which is your favourite?

Thank you. We won't be on TV soon but we will be live soon. We are in Austin and Dallas in April. I have no favourite children but 'Comfortable' is pretty damn close. That's the one where I eat Kevin out. There's other stuff but I choose to focus on that.

Thanks for doing this AMA! I used to watch Kids in the Hall on repeat in my childhood. It twisted me in all the right ways.

My question is, what's Buddy Cole up to right now? Has he received new found admiration after his appearance on the Colbert Report?

He has. Right now he is mulling over offers. Mostly he's mulling over why there have been no offers so he's decided to mull over ideas. He has one and he hopes Hollywood likes it because it's only going to change everything.

Hi Scott. Big fan! Any interest in doing more Buddy Cole segments for Colbert?

It was great to see Buddy interacting with people!

I would love it but it's up to them. It was fun to have Buddy out in the world. It's certainly made me think re. future Buddy endeavours.

Do you ever get grossed out when reading the Hannibal scripts/while on set?

Not really. I am officially dead inside.

If you or Buddy could have dinner with anyone in history, real or fictional, alive or dead, who would it be? (of course if it is Buddy - where and what would he wear?)

That's a good one. It's too bad they have to have dinner. I think it would be Vladimir Putin so that Buddy could talk some sense into him and then later bang the hell out of him. What can I say, ruthless power turns Buddy on but he uses his sexual insatiability for good. Besides they used to know each other during Buddy's days as an international spy when Vladimir was know as Vlad the Impaled.

What TV show was your favorite growing up?

As a little boy I would say Beverly Hillbilly's, Green Acres, Land of the Giants, Johnny Quest, Lost in Space and others. I loved science fiction and comedy.

Hi! Fan of KITH, you guys are all hilarious. What is Kevin McDonald like and will there be any more KITH stuff in the future?

Kevin is a carbon based organism just like everybody else. There is always KITH stuff. We will be in Austin and Dallas in April.

Hi Scott, thanks for doing this AMA! What's the proudest moment of your entire career?

It hasn't happened yet.

Hey there, love your work. Any chance of us ever getting a Kids In The Hall reunion? I promise to not squish your head if you say yes!

We are always reunoning. We just did a live reading of Brain Candy last week and will be in Dallas and Austin in April. We are hoping to do something a little more permanent soon. Of course by that I mean build a concrete storm shelter.

I'd love advice, any advice you have, for doing stand-up. I'm so fucking scared to go on stage - but it's a dream I've thought about forever and making people laugh is truly my favorite thing to do, but the fear!

A few years ago I saw you and Kevin McDonald perform stand-up in Detroit - I loved it and really appreciated how friendly you were to speak with after the show. I actually had volume one of Husk in the car...but I forgot it! I <3 Danny. Always was one of my favorite KITH characters, and in some way even tho I'm a 29 year old chick, I find his presence so soothing, so calming, as if there was a portal to another universe, I'd find it inside Danny somewhere.

There is a portal to that place. That's why I write these books. It's where I'd like to live. I am writing a second part to HUSK. There is a link up top to the kickstarter which I'm doing to raise money to publish it. Danny is the perfect Daddy. For Gods sakes all it takes is two little b's and Danny is Daddy.

You made Canada seem cool, and for that I thank you. Also, what ever came of your one man show about the Husseins?

Funny that you mention that. I am thinking of redoing it with a greater focus on the visionary dream and it's affects on my life. I was working on it last night.

Oh my goodness, so exciting!

Do you have a favorite character out of all the ones you portrayed on Kids In The Hall?

My boyfriend and I are huge fans - thank you for being such an awesome person!

I love Buddy, Fran, Francesca and Danny. There are others but i find I do those the most.

Hey Scott! What's your favorite part about shooting Hannibal? Love the show!

My favourite part would have to be the free lunch. You have no idea how helpful that is. And if I remember I can always pack some away in a takeout container for later so basically an entire days worth of food is taken care of. I hate to crow but it's a sweet life.

Hi, Scott! Big fan of yours and of KitH. I have Buddy Babylon and volume 1 of Husk. Looking forward to seeing you in Austin next month! What are you most looking forward to about it?

The lake.

hi scott! just wondering, who is your favorite fictional character?

Huckleberry Finn.

I heard you died of AIDS. (or was it cancer) :)

It was boredom.

Hey. Big fan! Love Kids in the Hall and have seen Brain Candy literally dozens of times (gets funnier every time! I rented it from Blockbuster and then they went belly up so it's mine now. All mine!!!!). I also think Hannibal is a great show! You have been out for a long time and it has long been a big part of your comedy. How do you feel changes in perception of the LGBT community over the last several decades, whether positive or negative, has affected your approach to comedy and what changes in public reception of your comedy have you noted?

It's because vastly easier to be out in the public eye and to deal with such subject matter. I am very grateful for that.

Any chance of a Buddy Babylon sequel? Buddy Babylon II, Buddy Babylon Strikes Again, or whatever all those unauthorized Hollywood Babylon sequels were titled.

I would love it. After all Buddy was only forty at the end of the first book which is less than a quarter of his expected lifespan.

What was your favourite scene to play in the Hannibal series?

It's the one in tonight's episode where Jack, Zeller and I go to Amanda Plummer's house. She was wild. You never knew what she was going to do. I loved it.

How did you come up with the idea to turn your Danny Husk character into an entire graphic novel? Do you act out scenes or responses he might say while you come up with the story?

I wanted to do something that would combine my two greatest loves, comedy and fantasy. I was tired of being typecast as gay and so I thought Danny is who no one thinks I can be so I will be him. I also knew that I was going to throw everything at this character and he had to just shrug it off and go 'next.' The story is constantly coming to me. It has been fourteen years now since I started telling it and I suspect it will never end. This is only the second of three and maybe more graphic novels.