Q&A Alan Alda

By Barbara Kiviat

Alan Alda plays a Senator on NBC's The West Wing starting Dec. 8 and in The Aviator, a movie about industrialist and film mogul Howard Hughes, in theaters Dec. 17.

Should I call you Senator? No, I just play one on TV. And in the movies.

The Senator you play in The Aviator, Owen Brewster--how would you characterize him?

Ruthless. He has no ruth whatsoever.

How does that compare with your character on The West Wing, Senator Vinick?

He's completely different. He's a guy of principle. And he's trying to be President. This guy's first name, by the way, is Arnold, so I think he has a good chance.

Have you ever considered running for office yourself?

No, no, no. I'd rather do good in the world.

You're fabulous in Manhattan Murder Mystery. Do you and Woody Allen hang out?

No. I don't think he hangs out with anybody. He's a quiet guy. That's O.K. Whenever he slips something out under the door, it's very interesting.I had lunch with him once. He ate soup.

What kind?

Don't know. His head was bent down so far I couldn't see into the bowl.

So, what's the weirdest place you've been identified as Hawkeye Pierce?

The White House. I was moving down a reception line and [the Prime Minister of] Singapore grabbed my hand and looked down the line about 30 feet to his wife and yelled, "Hey, honey, look, it's the M*A*S*H guy!" It's a damn good thing I wasn't chewing gum.