ET: Can you do a little R.J. for us?

Rob: What did R.J. say? (in Robert Wagner's voice) You know I'd like to, but it's very early in the morning. The mojo isn't happening.

ET: A lot of people do impersonations of people or what not. How do you ever say to yourself, "You know what, I'm going to do Robert Wagner?

Rob: Which is what I like about it. What makes it fun for me is that nobody imitated him, to my knowledge anyway. And it's not like you can put your finger on what it is about him, but yet it works. And you know if someone has a very dynamic, particular, specific way of carrying themselves, I'm a sponge. If I'm around that person, I pick up their mannerisms. I just picked up little things from him.

ET: On the set did you guys talk to one another as R.J.?

Rob: I was terrified to do that. He's one of the greatest guys. And he's been a friend of mine for many years. You never know how people are going to take it. It is the sincerest form of flattery, but still, to actually do R.J. when he's right there is a little disconcerting!

ET: Now, I guess it is great to be part of something like Austin Powers. I mean, the first one obviously took off and this ones going to do the same. I guess it's more than just your good friend saying, "Hey, have a part in this movie." This is a big deal!

Rob: You know what? The movie is a very big deal. And to be able to support Mike at such a big time for him... to be able to support a friend, it's a great thing. You know this is Hollywood! This just simply isn't done. Your agent calls an agent, somebody negotiates, and there's posturing. To be able to have a relationship with someone as talented as Mike, where he gives me an opportunity to be funny and to do things nobody else would ever dream of having me do is great. Then in turn, I get to help him in anyway I can. It's great and I'm grateful for it.

Rob:Hilarious. He is hilarious. And you know what? As much as I like Austin Powers, my favorite character has been Dr. Evil. Dr. Evil kills me. Dr. Evil is obsessed with Jerry McGuire. It's the funniest thing I've ever seen in my life. Just killer!

ET: Think about all the gags in this movie. I said to Mike, "Do you think of this stuff before hand? You must ad-lib because it's hard to think that somebody back there is writing all this stuff down."

Rob: You know, Mike is really sort of fifty-fifty. Stuff that seems so inspired, like Bohemian Rhapsody and Wayne's World in the script always was there, always as funny. Austin Powers too, the sequence where he picks up the big globe and smacks it off of my head, that's an idea he and I had on the set. We were bored, and were bouncing it back and forth and I said let's do a Great Santini thing. And it sort of grew from there. So it's fun to be able to be on a set where you can run with your inspiration.

ET: It's funny when you watch the movie, you just see two hours of these constant gags and you're like, "My God, how do they come up with this stuff?"

Rob: He's a scientist man. He's a comic scientist.

ET: If you were to put yourself back in the sixties, would you display any Austin characteristics? Any of the lines, the mojo, just the sheer sexiness? Do you think you can take yourself back?

Rob: I would have my chest waxed, first of all.

Rob: He's like wearing a dead marsupial on his chest! But other than that, I think Austin's got it going on. I really do like the vaguely Partridge Family outfit that he wears. Am I the only one?

ET: Crushed velvet.

Rob: Yeah, David Cassidy.

ET: And the beetle -- it's somewhat like the Partridge bus, only smaller.

Rob: That's right. See, it all comes back to television with Mike.

ET: All those influences as a youngster. Hey, your series got picked up. You've got to be excited about that!

Rob: I'm really excited. It's going to be on Wednesday nights at nine o'clock on NBC right before Law and Order. It's called The West Wing and it's about the staff that runs the White House. When I read it, I said, "Wow, a political thing." And it moved me so much. I'm one of those people that really wants to believe. I'm one of those people that wanted to believe in Camelot. And that's where this show took me. I'm as proud of it as anything I've done. And it makes me laugh as well. I just hope people like it.

Rob: You know what? It does and doesn't. Here's the thing. It actually keeps me closer because as a movie actor, often times your in "Sri Srilanka" for sixteen weeks. My kids are coming to an age where they can't come out of school. So, I specifically was looking for something like this. I was hoping I could find the right material so I didn't have to pull my kids out of school all the time. I'm hoping it will actually make my life more stable.

ET: What kind of role do you have in the show? Maybe you can give a little insight as to the character you play and what not. What's he all about?

Rob: I play Sam Seaborn. He is the Harvard educated, number one speech writer for the President. He is incredibly dedicated to doing good things for people and has all of the best intentions. He's also a human. He's like a normal guy. So you know, he has guy issues and guy problems and is very funny.

ET: Hey, you're pretty fortunate. Play golf, get a movie role. Congratulations! Seriously, you did a great of a job and it's really funny.

Rob: Thanks! I had the best time!