Episode 116 – Beaming Down the Laughs: A Wild Ride with "3rd Rock from the Sun" Star French Stewart
04/21/25 • 30 min
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any funnier, French Stewart returns for Part 2 of his epic conversation with Tony Miros on Hollywood Obsessed—and this time, the stories are even wilder, weirder, and more wonderful than ever!
French dishes out laugh-out-loud tales from behind the scenes of “3rd Rock from the Sun”—including moments with the hysterical Wayne Knight, the time pro-wrestler Chyna played his love interest, and working with the brilliant Jan Hooks, whom he absolutely adored. Oh, and yes—he hilariously recalls that Thanksgiving episode... you know, the one where he ends up with a turkey carcass on his head.
You’ll also hear what it was like to shoot an episode in the nude (yep), to play scenes with the always-legendary William Shatner as the Big Giant Head, and to juggle guest spots on both “Seinfeld” and “The Larry Sanders Show”—on the same day! Only in Hollywood, folks.
But the fun doesn’t stop there...French talks about life after Harry Solomon: starring in “McHale’s Navy “ with legends like Ernest Borgnine, Tom Arnold, Tim Curry, and Bruce Campbell—plus Ernest’s epic old-Hollywood tales and that time Dean Stockwell disappeared for a month (spoiler: golf was involved).
From voicing Icarus on Disney’s “Hercules,” to wreaking havoc as a passive-aggressive genie on “Charmed,” to “Love Stinks” shenanigans in Vegas with Bridgette Wilson (and an unexpected cameo from NBC president Warren Littlefield!), French proves he’s done it all.
He shares the joy of reuniting with Kristen Johnston on “Mom”, playing the delightfully chaotic Chef Rudy with Anna Faris, Allison Janney, and Mimi Kennedy. And yes—8 seasons of pure sitcom gold!
He also dives into more recent roles, including his dark turn as a villain on Will Trent, his... let's say “deadpan” experience playing a corpse, and portraying the not-so-nice dad Robert Trevino in the poignant new indie film “Bob Trevino Likes It,” starring Barbie Ferreira and directed by Tracie Laymon—a role that came into his life in a beautifully unexpected way.
This episode is a goldmine of laughs, heart, and jaw-dropping stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Don’t miss it!
FRENCH STEWART
Stewart studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and toured in regional theatre for seven years before breaking into television with the role of Razor Dee, a spaced-out DJ on the final season of “The New WKRP in Cincinnati” in 1992. In 1996, he was cast on “3rd Rock from the Sun,” which lasted for six seasons,.
Stewart's major film credits include “Stargate” (1994) as Lieutenant Louis Ferretti, “Leaving Las Vegas” (1995), “The Poison Tasters” (1995), “Magic Island” (1995) “Glory Daze” (1996), “McHale's Navy” (1997), “Love Stinks” (1999), “Clockstoppers (2002) as Earl Doppler, and “Wedding Daze” (2004) as Nathan Bennett IV.
Since 3rd Rock ended in 2001, Stewart has appeared in a number of minor roles, mainly in situation comedies such as “Just Shoot Me!,” “Becker,” “The Drew Carey Show,” “Less than Perfect” and “That '70s Show.” He also starred in the WB show “Charmed” as a genie at the end of season 2, “NCIS.”
In 2013, he joined the CBS series “Mom” as series regular playing ‘Chef Rudy.’ He has also guest-starred on the TV show “The Middle” as Principal Cameron (2013 to May 13, 2015). He recently guest starred on a three-episode arc of the police drama “Will Trenton” and is currently starring in the heartwarming indie film “Bob Trevino Likes It” alongside John Leguizamo and Barbie Ferreira.
Official Website For “Bob Trevino Likes It” - https://www.bobtrevinolikesit.com
The Official Hollywood Obsessed Website - https://www.hollywoodobsessedthepodcast.com/
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any funnier, French Stewart returns for Part 2 of his epic conversation with Tony Miros on Hollywood Obsessed—and this time, the stories are even wilder, weirder, and more wonderful than ever!
French dishes out laugh-out-loud tales from behind the scenes of “3rd Rock from the Sun”—including moments with the hysterical Wayne Knight, the time pro-wrestler Chyna played his love interest, and working with the brilliant Jan Hooks, whom he absolutely adored. Oh, and yes—he hilariously recalls that Thanksgiving episode... you know, the one where he ends up with a turkey carcass on his head.
You’ll also hear what it was like to shoot an episode in the nude (yep), to play scenes with the always-legendary William Shatner as the Big Giant Head, and to juggle guest spots on both “Seinfeld” and “The Larry Sanders Show”—on the same day! Only in Hollywood, folks.
But the fun doesn’t stop there...French talks about life after Harry Solomon: starring in “McHale’s Navy “ with legends like Ernest Borgnine, Tom Arnold, Tim Curry, and Bruce Campbell—plus Ernest’s epic old-Hollywood tales and that time Dean Stockwell disappeared for a month (spoiler: golf was involved).
From voicing Icarus on Disney’s “Hercules,” to wreaking havoc as a passive-aggressive genie on “Charmed,” to “Love Stinks” shenanigans in Vegas with Bridgette Wilson (and an unexpected cameo from NBC president Warren Littlefield!), French proves he’s done it all.
He shares the joy of reuniting with Kristen Johnston on “Mom”, playing the delightfully chaotic Chef Rudy with Anna Faris, Allison Janney, and Mimi Kennedy. And yes—8 seasons of pure sitcom gold!
He also dives into more recent roles, including his dark turn as a villain on Will Trent, his... let's say “deadpan” experience playing a corpse, and portraying the not-so-nice dad Robert Trevino in the poignant new indie film “Bob Trevino Likes It,” starring Barbie Ferreira and directed by Tracie Laymon—a role that came into his life in a beautifully unexpected way.
This episode is a goldmine of laughs, heart, and jaw-dropping stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Don’t miss it!
FRENCH STEWART
Stewart studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and toured in regional theatre for seven years before breaking into television with the role of Razor Dee, a spaced-out DJ on the final season of “The New WKRP in Cincinnati” in 1992. In 1996, he was cast on “3rd Rock from the Sun,” which lasted for six seasons,.
Stewart's major film credits include “Stargate” (1994) as Lieutenant Louis Ferretti, “Leaving Las Vegas” (1995), “The Poison Tasters” (1995), “Magic Island” (1995) “Glory Daze” (1996), “McHale's Navy” (1997), “Love Stinks” (1999), “Clockstoppers (2002) as Earl Doppler, and “Wedding Daze” (2004) as Nathan Bennett IV.
Since 3rd Rock ended in 2001, Stewart has appeared in a number of minor roles, mainly in situation comedies such as “Just Shoot Me!,” “Becker,” “The Drew Carey Show,” “Less than Perfect” and “That '70s Show.” He also starred in the WB show “Charmed” as a genie at the end of season 2, “NCIS.”
In 2013, he joined the CBS series “Mom” as series regular playing ‘Chef Rudy.’ He has also guest-starred on the TV show “The Middle” as Principal Cameron (2013 to May 13, 2015). He recently guest starred on a three-episode arc of the police drama “Will Trenton” and is currently starring in the heartwarming indie film “Bob Trevino Likes It” alongside John Leguizamo and Barbie Ferreira.
Official Website For “Bob Trevino Likes It” - https://www.bobtrevinolikesit.com
The Official Hollywood Obsessed Website - https://www.hollywoodobsessedthepodcast.com/
Previous Episode
Episode 115 – Beaming Down the Laughs: A Wild Ride with "3rd Rock from the Sun" Star French Stewart
Hold onto your antennas! In this hilarious and heartfelt new episode of Hollywood Obsessed, host Tony Miros welcomes the wonderfully quirky and endlessly talented French Stewart—the unforgettable Harry Solomon from the iconic sitcom “3rd Rock from the Sun!”
French dives into his journey from a small-town kid in New Mexico to becoming one of TV’s most beloved oddballs. He shares how a random nudge from his mom landed him in college, how he fell in love with comedy thanks to Steve Martin and Monty Python, and how a hilariously unexpected gig on “The New WKRP in Cincinnati “ helped him get noticed (plus lunches by the Gilligan’s Island lagoon—yes, really).
From big-screen blockbusters like “Stargate” with Kurt Russell to indie darlings like “Bob Trevino Likes It “(in theaters now, co-starring John Leguizamo and Barbie Ferreira), French recounts the highs, the surprises, and the downright absurd moments of his career. He spills on early Hollywood encounters with then-unknowns like Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Brendan Fraser, and what it was like learning the ropes from Alyssa Milano.
Of course, we dive deep into “3rd Rock from the Sun:” how he landed the role of Harry, why the producers told him to “just play him stupid,” and how he invented Harry’s signature squint and stiff-armed “antenna pose” to receive messages from the Big Giant Head. From hilarious on-set pranks (like a staged fight between William Shatner and John Lithgow!) to the physical comedy that once left him with a concussion—French dishes on all the behind-the-scenes madness.
He also opens up about working with comedy legends like Jane Curtin, reuniting with her on “Queen Bee”s alongside icons like James Caan, Ann-Margret, Christopher Lloyd, and Ellen Burstyn. And yes, he was starstruck by Ann-Margret zooming around on her motorcycle in her 80s.
This episode is packed with laughs, inspiration, and a whole lotta heart. Don’t miss the second half of the interview for even more outrageous stories and wise words from this uniquely talented TV treasure. Get ready to laugh your face off!
FRENCH STEWART
Stewart studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He toured in regional theatre for seven years before breaking into television with the role of Razor Dee, a spaced-out DJ on the final season of “The New WKRP in Cincinnati” in 1992. In 1996, he was cast on “3rd Rock from the Sun,” which lasted for six seasons. During 3rd Rock's height of popularity, he appeared in numerous commercials and as a spokesperson for the beverage Clamato.
Stewart's major film credits include “Stargate” (1994) as Lieutenant Louis Ferretti, “Leaving Las Vegas” (1995), “The Poison Tasters” (1995), “Magic Island” (1995) “Glory Daze” (1996), “McHale's Navy” (1997), “Love Stinks” (1999), “Clockstoppers (2002) as Earl Doppler, and “Wedding Daze” (2004) as Nathan Bennett IV.
Stewart has appeared in a number of minor roles, mainly in situation comedies such as “Just Shoot Me!,” “Becker,” “The Drew Carey Show,” “Less than Perfect” and “That '70s Show.” He also starred in the WB show “Charmed” as a genie at the end of season 2, “NCIS.”
In 2013, he joined the CBS series “Mom” as series regular playing ‘Chef Rudy.’ He has also guest-starred on the TV show “The Middle” as Principal Cameron (2013 to May 13, 2015). He recently guest starred on a three-episode arc of the police drama “Will Trenton” and is currently starring in the heartwarming indie film “Bob Trevino Likes It” alongside John Leguizamo and Barbie Ferreira.
Official Website For “Bob Trevino Likes It” - https://www.bobtrevinolikesit.com
The Official Hollywood Obsessed Website - https://www.hollywoodobsessedthepodcast.com/
Follow the Official Hollywood Obsessed Facebook Page – HOLLYWOOD OBSESSED PODCAST
Follow our Instagram -
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/hollywood-obsessed-485484/episode-116-beaming-down-the-laughs-a-wild-ride-with-3rd-rock-from-the-89797942"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to episode 116 – beaming down the laughs: a wild ride with "3rd rock from the sun" star french stewart on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy