JACK BLACK: We did it very fast. It wasn’t a month. I think we took two months. Maybe just under two months. It was really fun.

Q: What about the props for this? Did you think about something off the street and add it or was it all Michel?

JACK BLACK: It was all Michel’s stuff. All of that, the costumes and stuff. I mean, he had help constructing, but they were all his sketches and his ideas, of course.

Q: What’s up with your music? Are you thinking of something else to do on stage?

JACK BLACK: Ah, yeah, we’re writing songs. We’ll see. We need a little more time. I’m thinking it’s going to be some time in the ‘tens [means 2010].

Q: Didn’t Tenacious D rock the WGA recently at the Reality Writer’s Rally?

JACK BLACK: Yeah. I think they tried to get Rage Against The Machine and they said ‘No.’ And then they called Bruce Springsteen and he said ‘No.’ And then they called ten other people and then they called Tenacious D and we said ‘Yes.’ I think that’s how it happened. Because we never back down from a challenge and it’s hard to say no when it’s a good cause. We like writers and we believe they should be compensated fairly. We like to save the day. We like to ride in and save the day and get all the credit for being good guys. [Laughs]

Q: How much fun did you have being a cartoon panda?

JACK BLACK: Cartoon panda was fun. I mean, it’s an easy gig in terms of not having to wake up at the crack [of dawn]. Not having to get into costumes or make up. You just go straight to the recording session at noon. Have some Koo Koo Roo chicken. Do a few hours of vocal work and then ‘see you in a month.’ And I’ll come back for another day. So you work like once a month for a few years.

Q: Did you act out any of the Kung Fu?

JACK BLACK: Yeah, I get really physical because they have cameras there, but they just use it as reference, not as motion capture. 

Q: So how do you think you look?

JACK BLACK: As a panda? Strong. Solid. Well built. [Laughter]

Q: How much of it have you seen?

JACK BLACK: I’ve seen like, I’d say 60% of it is done. The animation is still being tweaked. I’m going to do a little more vocal work tomorrow actually. If you want to come down, you can watch. 

Q: Have you heard the reaction from people seeing the bumpers telling moviegoers not to talk during the movie at AMC theaters? 

JACK BLACK: Oh, yeah.

Q: I was in a theater over the holidays and they totally reacted to it…

JACK BLACK: In a good way, like ‘Oh god! I’m not going to that movie.’ [Laughter] That’s a reaction as well.

Q: They laughed. They thought it was really funny.

JACK BLACK: That’s good. I have not heard any trickle down from that. But I remember at the time when they were like, ‘Will you do this?’ I was like, ‘I don’t like the idea, I don’t think it’s going to be good, but alright let’s do it.’ And then I did it and was like, ‘That was good. That was funny.’ I’m glad that you’ve heard people like it.

Q: Does your character have an accent?

JACK BLACK: No. I did do an accent in the last cartoon I did, but in this one, no.

Q: Who do you play in ‘Tropic Thunder’?

JACK BLACK: We are all playing actors going out to make a war movie, but then we get into weird trouble when we go out to Vietnam. We accidentally stumble into a different part of Asia. We go off the map and we trespass into a drug cartel’s territory and they are shooting at us for real, but we think it’s part of the movie, so we just keep on acting and shooting blanks. [Laughs.] I play kind of a Chris Farleyesque comedian who is trying to go for a stretch. For a real actiony and uh, yeah.

Q: Did you get the full safety pads for that movie?

JACK BLACK: Yes. It was much more, but that was like a real stunt movie with real stunts going on.

Q: Did you have your own stunt double?

JACK BLACK: Yes, I did. I did have a stunt double. He was great.

Q: You were so great in ‘Margot at the Wedding.’ Do you get offers for dramatic roles at all?

JACK BLACK: Thank you. I do get mostly comedy offers. And that’s fine with me.

Q: Do you want to do more dramatic parts at all?

JACK BLACK: No, not really.

Q: How do you pick your projects?

JACK BLACK: I like directors, you know? If there is a director with a vision and I like their work, that’s how I’ve been doing it. I’ve been lucky that I’ve been able to work with great people. Let’s see if that continues.

Q: So Harold Ramis was one of those also?

JACK BLACK: Yep. Yeah. He’s great. ‘Groundhog Day.’

Q: How do you choose a script? Does it have to be funny on the page? Is it something that appears as though it could be funny under the right circumstances?

JACK BLACK: I can’t be sure [Yawns loudly.] I’m sorry. It’s not your question. [Laughs.] You can never tell from just a script unless you respond to it. That’s the only thing you can do. And I respond to things, not just because they are funny, but because they move me in a way like this idea was interesting to me because it was saying, ‘Hey! These two guys, these two friends in this kind of rundown neighborhood get creative and find a way to escape their own dull existence’ and I responded to that neighborhood good vibes, honest kind of, I don’t like to say ‘feel good,’ because that sounds like studio executives saying ‘It really had heart.’ [Laughs] But I responded to it in an emotional way that I liked.

Q: This month is the Super Bowl. Do you get into it and have a big party?

JACK BLACK: I don’t throw a lot of parties. I would though, because I have a really good TV now. I did have people over. I had a small gathering for the big boxing match that happened. That was pretty fun. I am rooting for that team to go undefeated. New England. Did you watch that last game of the season? New England Patriots vs. – it was one of the greatest games of all time. I think it might have been the best football game of all time. It was like an orgasm that game, if you like football.

Q: You don’t want to see an upset then at the Super Bowl?

JACK BLACK: Ah, no. I root for the Michael Jordans. I want to be alive during the historical times. Listen, I know it’s gonna be great. If someone upsets them, it’s gonna make their career. It’s gonna make their whole thing come true and it’s sad that that’s how you have to get famous by spoiling a beautiful history.

Q: You recently became a father. I’m curious how it’s going?

JACK BLACK: So far, no screw-ups. So far, so good. He’s super cute. He’s a dance machine. He does scream when he doesn’t get what he wants. I think that’s normal, but I’ve learned some new techniques. Someone told me that you have to explain to them why they are not getting what they want. Even if he doesn’t speak language yet, he can tell that I’m trying to communicate and he respects me. He still cries, but he cries with less urgency and less protest.

Q: They say that you can tell them what’s happening and that helps.

JACK BLACK: I’m gonna try that. [Laughs] It was like this morning he was going through all those things in the drawer in the bathroom while I was getting ready brushing my teeth and he was trying to get the shaving cream, which I haven’t been using obviously, and I said, ‘No, no, no, close the drawer.’ And he went ‘Ahhhhhhh!’ And I said, ‘Sammy, I know you want to get the shaving cream and you’re upset because you can’t because you’re gonna make a mess and…’ and he’s going, ‘Ahhhhhhhh!’ Anyway.

Q: Are you going to raise him Jewish?

JACK BLACK: I don’t think we’re going to be real religious, but there is still time. I might change my mind at the last minute.  And go, ‘You’re Jewish!’ [Laughs]

Q: What has surprised you the most about fatherhood?

JACK BLACK: I am going to say the size of my – I didn’t know that I could feel so much for someone. I was surprised by my own awesome heart.

Q: Do you want him to follow in your footsteps?

JACK BLACK: I think he’s going to be in the arts. I do hope that he’s an artist of some kind. He doesn’t have to be an actor. I hope he does more than just act, because that’s a little easy. [Laughter]

Q: Do you do anything for Valentine’s Day?

JACK BLACK: Is that coming up? Yeah, only because I have to. [Laughs] It’s a pretty dumb thing. You should always be showing people that you love them. 

“Be Kind Rewind ” opens in theaters on February 22nd.

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