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TV Guide Online: Tonight we are chatting with Ben Browder from the popular Sci-Fi Channel series Farscape. Welcome Ben! Thanks for joining us tonight!

Ben Browder: Thanks for having me! Hi to everyone back stateside. Glad to be here... Let the questioning begin!

Question: Still the obligatory first

Question: Are there any similarities between you and John Crichton?

Ben Browder: Absolutely none... I'm a 5'2"... heavy-set and swarthy...But the Creature Shop does a great job with my prosthetics, so I come off really well as John. Little known fact, my makeup takes longer than anyone else's...LOL!!! Seriously, other than being Southern, not a whole lot. But we do look alike... LOL

Question: Hi, Ben! We're hearing quite a bit about this famous episode 7 that was just filmed. Can you say anything about it to add to our growing curiosity?

Ben Browder: LOL!!! Episode #7 is fantastic, superb, stupendous... Claudia Black is the BOMB in Episode #7. The writing staff, Naran Shankar and the director Tony Pils, the camera dept... everyone did a stupendous job. And we've only seen the rough cut. But, as you can tell, we can't wait to see the final version. Unfortunately, I'm not in it...LOL!!

Question: Ben: Gigi told us to ask you about the nickname "Pip". So what is the origin of that name you gave Chiana?

Ben Browder: It just came out one day. I looked at her and just said "Pip!" There was another nickname scripted, but I just looked at her and said "Pip." And it's her.

Question: What was your favorite character besides Crichton to play?

Ben Browder: Sam on Party of Five, because it was such a fantastic environment to work with. And who can complain about spending their days holding Neve Campbell's hand...? LOL. They're just wonderful people over there and very talented. From an acting standpoint, the most fun I've fun playing a role would be Leontes in The Winter's Tale.

Question: So how do you feel about being turned into an action figure?

Ben Browder: Stock question... stock answer...I just want the "Kung-Fu Grip"... LOL, and a place in the box next to Barbie! LOL

Question: What or who inspired you to start acting?

Ben Browder: That's a serious question... the serious answer...It was the girls. It was theater girls. Heck, I went and married one! No complaints. I wish I had a deeper answer like I was going to illuminate society with my brilliance, but...Next question...

Question: Hi Ben. What was it like playing opposite your wife in "Bone to be Wild" and will she be a semi-regular on the show now that she's with Scorpy?

Ben Browder: I hear that she is coming back. David Kemper has promised her, and if he doesn't make good on that promise, he'll have to live in fear... My wife is a tremendous talent, a fantastic actress, and drop-dead gorgeous. I love working with her. It had been... nine years since we had last worked together. For her to come on the set knowing the show and knowing everyone who works on the show and turn in the wonderful performance that she did is a credit to her talent.

Question: What can we expect from John in the upcoming season?

Ben Browder: LOL!!! John's in the second season?? LOL. I wish I could tell you, but I can't. :(

Question: Hi Ben! (Fellow North Carolinian here) Love your work on Farscape. I was wondering if you had any influence on the various pop-culture references and off-color-but hilarious- remarks your character makes?

Ben Browder: Yes, it's true. I improv some of the pop culture references. But, kudos to the writing staff. They set me up in interesting situations that allow me to do that. Also, the writing staff is responsible for a number of those pop culture references.. Particularly the ones that don't work...LOL!! No... wait! They're brilliant!! I improv nothing!!! LOL.

Question: My brother is into Nascar, and I was wondering how your family did last year in the Busch series? How do you think they will do this year?

Ben Browder: Can't talk about last year much. For this year, last I heard they're anticipating running 10 races in the Busch series. This last weekend they tested at Daytona, and out of the 33 cars,were 5th fastest. So, I'm very excited for them. Now all they have to do is get Rygel on the hood of the car...or possibly an in-car image of Pilot on the dashboard. LOL.

Question: How well do you get along with your co-stars?

Ben Browder: Thanks for the opportunity to rave...I loooooove my co-stars. Claudia Black IS truly a goddess. We have an easy rapport. And she always delivers the goods. Anthony Simcoe is my trouble-shooting guru. Virginia Hey and Gigi are absolute dolls. And the puppeteers, well... They're just strange. LOL. But fantastic at being strange!! :)

Question: Ben -- working on any movies in the near future.

Ben Browder: Too busy right now. But, I'm fielding offers. Any offers? :)

Question: What is your favorite episode? Past present future...and if it has happened why?

Ben Browder: Absolute favorite for Season One is #19, "Nerve." Why? One word...Chair. Or rather... three words, the COMFY chair.

Question: All the other Farscape guests have been asked this.... are you going to make it to a convention sometime soon?!

Ben Browder: I barely have time to make it to the grocery store... Hopefully, one day. Just not this week.

Question: What would you say to a young person getting into acting?

Ben Browder: The same thing that was said to me..."Don't." LOL. The truth is, if there's something else that you want to do, "Do that" is responsible advice. But, I love it, and can't imagine doing anything else. And if you feel that way about it, then you have to do it. And if you're looking for advice... Work! Work as often as you can.

Question: Is there a particular aspect of the Crichton character you're interested in fleshing out or revealing that you haven't had the chance to as yet?

Ben Browder: Well, we know almost nothing of Crichton's back story. In his own way, he's more of an enigma than the rest of the cast. The writers keep threatening to give out back story details, but they tend to be the lurid kind of details you can't put on TV. :) But, David Kemper and Rockne O'Bannon and our fantastic gang of writers have a beat on John which I'm sure they'll let me know about one day. I trust, as usual, that it will be an interesting take.

TV Guide Online: Thanks Ben, for talking with us tonight! We had a great time and hope you can come back very soon!

Ben Browder: Run... run... RUN to the TV set, turn on Sci-Fi...Enjoy our season finale! I'd like to thank everyone for coming to ask questions. And I want you to know that the online community has been fantastic for us down here in Australia and we look forward to hearing from them again! Thanks so much and enjoy!