“7 Questions” With David Alan Basche of TV Land’s “The Exes”

As the fastidious Stuart on TV Land’s hit sitcom The Exes, David Alan Basche gets to tap into his inner neat freak and serve as a nice counterpoint to his roommates, the energetic lothario Phil (Donald Faison) and formidable layabout Haskell (Wayne Knight). Having just started its third season, the comedy about three divorced men thrown together in an apartment owned by their divorce lawyer, Holly (Kristen Johnston), who happens to live across the hall, The Exes has proven to be a worthy addition to its stars lengthy resumes.

This week’s holiday episode — airing at 10:30pm Wednesday on TV Land — finds Holly persuading the crew to give up their Christmas plans and spend time together, only to have  her ditch them when she meets a hot stranger. Later this season, Leah Remini (The King of Queens) will take on a recurring role as Stuart’s recently divorced sister.

The always-game Basche took some time to answer our “7 Questions”:

David Alan Basche The Exes TV Land
Credt: JSquared Photography

1) You’re at a magazine rack and can only pick three titles. Which ones do you choose?
Dwell, GQ, Parenting

2) Your DVR will only carry three shows. Besides The Exes, which ones would you want?
Orange Is the New Black, Homeland, Chopped

3) What has been your strangest fan encounter?
A fan once stopped me outside a theatre and gave me as a gift a signed photograph of Sir Laurence Olivier. It was strange, but nice, too.

4) Tell me about a time when you were starstruck.
When I met Bono at the Cannes Film festival while I was there for the film United 93, he said to me, “That’s a great film, brother. Thank you for your courage in making it.” I plotzed.

5) What are three things you must have in your fridge or pantry?
Truffle oil, Annie’s Rice Mac-N-Cheese, BLACK CAT PROJECT Classic Espresso

6) Your character, Stuart, obviously has some parallels with Felix Unger. Is that where you started with him, and how have you tried to put your stamp on the role?
I’m a huge fan of The Odd Couple, yes, and any comparisons to Tony Randall and or Jack Lemmon are completely welcome. I kind of try to channel those guys, and then add my own neuroses, too.

7) Has playing such a neat freak for three seasons rubbed off on you?
Um, actually, I was type cast a bit. I have to admit: I have been known to be obsessively neat and like things arranged “just so.” It makes it easy to laugh at Stuart and it’s easy for me to portray that side of him. Oh, and please make sure the text in this article is all in the same font and both margins are justified. Thanks.

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