The Todd Song was originally intended to appear on the Scrubs related website, thetoddtime.com, but it was nixed at the last minute by Business Standards and Practices. So here it is for you…
HighFive
The Todd Song now on iTunes and Rhapsody
The Todd Video on the web
The Todd song Video is also available at:robertmaschio.com funny or dieEnjoy.
Hello world!
Robert Maschio is an actor best known for the character of The Todd on the NBC Comedy Scrubs. His Comedy Rap Debut “The Todd Song” Premieres on iTunes and many other places on November 27th.
High Five to Supporting to Supporting Players on Scrubs – New York Post
Supporting ‘Scrubs’: High-Fives to The Todd, The Janitor and Luckless Ted
Fred Topel
Special to Hollywood.com
As the medical comedy Scrubs enters its final season, it promises to tie up the remaining threads for its lead characters. However, one thing that has kept devoted Scrubs fans tuning in for the past six years is the show’s cast of supporting characters. Creator Bill Lawrence likens them to The Simpsons, whose Disco Stu or Comic Book Guy can appear for one joke in an episode, yet have entire backstories defining them.
Meet three of Scrubs standout characters. If you’re just tuning into Scrubs’ seventh and final season, here are three funny guys who deserve as much attention as Zach Braff and co. If you’re a longtime fan, find out the secrets of these top-tier second bananas.
The Todd
The Todd (Robert Maschio) is a surgeon who always pops up to add a perverted comment the end of an otherwise innocent scene. “”This is what I’ve always said about this character so it’s so clear for me to play,”” explained Maschio. “”He thinks he’s God’s gift to women wherever he goes. He thinks he’s the life of the party wherever he goes. He has no understanding of how other people see him. Those are the three qualities that I always remind myself when I’m playing a scene. Total enthusiasm, total like ‘I’m here!’ and just a complete lack of awareness. Those are the qualities I feel he has and those are quite simple and easy and clear for me to play at this point.””
Maschio stays in character in between takes, so co-stars believe he is not acting at all. Actually, Maschio thinks very deeply about this one-note character. “”I did standup for a good six years in New York and I really thought very specifically about how to present the male point of view on stage in an inoffensive way without being completely sexist. Although on this show, I’ve totally gone over the line, I feel like I’ve really thought long and hard about what that line is. I feel like there’s got to be a way to present the male point of view without being an asshole on the one hand, or being kind of effeminate or emasculated on the other hand. If you look at TV, you don’t see just regular guys. They’re either total dumb jocks or kind of girly men in a way.””
Off the set of Scrubs, it seems like Zach Braff has the most game of any cast member. Always seen or rumored to be dating various starlets, Maschio analyzed The Zach’s game.
“”Don’t get me in trouble here. Well, he’s a very charismatic, likeable, talented young man in the prime of his life. He’s single, he’s got everything going for him right now. That’s all I can say about Zach. I feel like that movie that he made, Garden State, really spoke to a generation of people, that feeling of I’m in my 20s now and this is what life is. I feel like it tapped into something, so all those girls by the way, from ages of like let’s say 20-30, when I meet those women on the street, they always want to know what Zach’s really like. The guys want to high five me. Women want to know what he’s like.””
The Todd has become a real icon in the medical community around the world. “”I get free medical any time I’m in Peru. In the spring I’m going to the Surgical Society of Ireland and I’m going to be speaking at their commencement day. These are real surgeons. They want The Todd to speak at their ceremony. It’s amazing.””
He has a high five for every situation. High fiving another surgeon in mid-operation without ever touching hands is a sterile five. Even getting slapped in the face is a face five. Maschio agreed to come up with some high fives for some real life situations. All of these are true.
1) An exclusive interview with The Todd: “”That’s a mano a mano five!””
2) Attending a topless porn star bowling event for charity: “”Bouncing betties five!””
3) Going to karaoke and singing both parts of a duet: “”It’s all about me five!””
4) A psychic said I would quit journalism and sell memorabilia: “”Stroking you five!””
5) Using The Secret with successful results: “”Crazy interview five!””
About Robert Maschio
The answer to the first question everybody wants to know about Robert is:
Virgo.
…August 25th for those who’d like to send a gift.
Robert was born in the old country. Brooklyn.
He grew up in the suburbs in Syosset, Long Island. The accent sometimes becomes noticeable after several margheritas…particularly when he says words like salsa, chocolate, coffee talk…awesome.
Robert graduated from Columbia University, the prestigious Ivy League College in NYC. There, he learned many important things. Freshman year Robert learned how to drink beer out of a funnel. Sophomore year he learned how to make a bong out of a shampoo bottle. Junior year, Robert studied abroad – she didn’t like that he called her that. Senior year Robert started doing musical theater. He appeared in such plays as Pippin, Anything Goes, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. And thus, for a short period of time, Robert was gay. (A joke, Robert is not gay, although if he were, he would surely consider doing a one man show about it). On a serious note, while in college Robert did learn all about Herodotus, Thucydides and Chlamydia.
After college, Robert enrolled in the 2 year acting program at the renowned
Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. He studied acting with the legendary Sanford Meisner. Sandy was legendary, primarily because he developed a cult following of acting teachers who went on to teach his “Meisner technique” and make a living off his name for the last 50 years. Neat trick.
Following the Playhouse, Robert began his theatre career in NYC. He appeared in plays at the Synchronicity Space, the Actor’s Studio and the American Place Theatre. Needless to say, Robert was making some big bank!
During this time, Robert began writing and performing stand up comedy. The first joke he ever told (on stage):”
“My dad was from that generation that worked really hard so their kids would have a better life. I just don’t think he realized how expensive that would be…(chuckles) Sometimes I’d see him working around the house, lifting heavy things, and I’d think, I’ve got to get him a weight belt so he doesn’t hurt his back…(laughs) My Dad felt bad that I wasn’t making any money, so he offered me 10 bucks to cut the lawn. I told him, Dad, I’m an adult, for that, I have to get at least 15…(bigger laughs and an applause break) Thank you.”
Soon Robert was performing regularly at Stand Up New York, the Comic Strip and the Boston Comedy Club in the Village. His success in the stand up world began to pay dividends and Robert’s acting career began to flourish as well. Commercial auditions began pouring in. Robert even auditioned to be the spokesperson for Metamucil. The company felt he had that “it quality” they were looking for. Ultimately however, he did not get the job. A blessing in disguise, otherwise every time Robert walked down the street, people would look at him and think of sh*t…
Robert’s proud accomplishments during his years in New York City include Slab Boys, directed by Elizabeth Greenberg at Theatre 3, and The Glass Menagerie, directed by Wynn Handman at the American Place Theatre. For 3 consecutive years, Robert also performed in the Toyota Comedy Festival as part of the “Comics Who Should Have Their Own Sitcom Night.” His agents continue to follow up and gather feedback from those nights…
By 2000, Robert began making guest appearances on various TV shows including Spin City and Bram and Alice, before landing a part on the NBC comedy Scrubs in 2001. For the last 4 seasons, Robert has played “The Todd” on that show.
In the end, my friends, you simply have to do what you love and the
money will follow…that’s why I’m (Robert is) a hooker.
Thank you for visiting this website.
Interview with Robert Maschio IGN.com
Rob Maschio Press | IGN.com 05/09/06
Interview: The Cast and Crew of Scrubs
Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke and others wax poetic about working on the funniest medical show on television (and now on DVD).
by Todd Gilchrist
May 9, 2006 – To commemorate the release of the Scrubs Season Three DVD set, Buena Vista Home Entertainment coordinated a red carpet event and wrap party for the cast and crew of the acclaimed show in Las Vegas, NV on April 27. Since we’re dedicated members of the journalistic community, and our readers simply wouldn’t survive without a cross-section of comments from various collaborators and colleagues of the show, IGN DVD bravely ventured into Sin City to cover the event and, if possible, discern a few secrets about the show’s past, present and future…
Robert Maschio (“The Todd”)
IGN: So what is up with The Todd? Is he gay? Is he straight?
Robert Maschio: I think he’s not homosexual. He’s not bisexual. He’s try-sexual. He’ll try anyone. I think “The Todd” would go for the hot girl at the party first, and then as the night goes on, if I may say, he may go for the fat girl, and then when he strikes out there, he’s gonna go with the dude who’s been eyeing him all night. Just take him home and say, “Just finish that off. As long as I don’t touch your ears, it’s not gay.” That’s how I take it. He’s a hedonist. He’s a sensualist. He’s addicted to pleasures of the flesh. How ’bout that? Is that a good answer?
IGN: I’m from IGN…
Maschio: Are you enjoying the blog? And I have started to make video blogs instead, because people are responding to it. I get a lot of mail off of the blogs; they find my website and they email me and say how much they like the blog, so I think I’m going to try to keep doing it. In other words, I’m going to try to continue to provide you with free content.
IGN: You will slowly take over IGN.
Maschio: I don’t know. Sure – why not?
IGN: We can just call it Todd.com.
Maschio: Todd has a very cultlike following, and people love it. there’s no limit to how far I can go with the stuff I write, so it’s really fun and I enjoy doing it.
IGN: Have you ever actually had success in real life with a Todd line?
Maschio: Never. No. The guy’s out of control. It’s way too much bravado, self-assuredness, and it’s overbearing, I would say.
IGN: Do they give you the chance to make up your own?
Maschio: Absolutely. There’s a lot of one-liners, like sometimes we’ll just do a series, and I’ll do 5 different variations on the line that they recommend, which is great. I mean, if I was in a scene, you can’t improvise that way, but if you just come in for the blow, I can totally do that. And they just pick the best one in editing.
IGN: Is it difficult to do just the drive-by one-liner, because your whole performance is in that one moment?
Maschio: I know, I know. Tell me about it. It’s tricky. They make fun of me on the set, the other actors, because I’m literally always in the corner rehearsing my one line. And I won’t talk to any of them. I just want to come in and nail it. Hopefully, I do.
IGN: Are you going to try any tonight at the parties?
Maschio: Yes. I’m gonna go crazy tonight. I’m gonna tell everybody, “I’m not at all like my character, with one exception: both Robert Maschio and The Todd are hung like a hog.” And I think that’s going to be my opening.
IGN: That’s a strong opening.
Maschio: Yeah. And then I’m gonna whip it out, and that’s gonna be my “closing”.
IGN: What is your all-time favorite moment in television history?
Maschio: On All in the Family, when Meathead and Gloria move away. That moment for me, I’ll never forget that moment.
Syosset Jericho Tribune Profile of RObert Maschio
Rob Maschio Press | Syosset Jericho Tribune 04/21/06
Syosset Grad Maschio Wraps up Fifth Season in Hit Comedy Scrubs
Robert Maschio as The Todd.
By Denise Nash
When Rob Maschio graduated from Syosset High School in the late 1980s, his career goals included pre-med, pre-law and possibly even politics. At that time, he never pictured himself living in LA and acting – as he is now in NBC’s hit comedy Scrubs.
After high school, Maschio went to Columbia University in New York City and got involved with the film school there and started doing plays. He befriended Danny Futterman, who recently wrote the film Capote, during a freshman literature and humanities class.
“It was a very dry class and I was a comedic guy,” said Maschio during a recent interview with Syosset Jericho Tribune. “Danny thought I was funny and encouraged me to join his acting club, the Columbia Players.”
Maschio was hesitant to join, but was convinced when Futterman told him there were 28 girls and only three guys involved in the group.
“I am not a mathematician, but I figured maybe I should follow-up with this acting thing,” joked Maschio.
To further enhance his interest in acting, during his senior year of college, Maschio was dating then fellow student Lauren Graham, who now plays the mom on WB’s Gilmore Girls.
“She was so funny and quick-witted and she was very encouraging,” said Maschio. “She pushed me to pursue comedy and theater because it seemed to be something I was good at. That is how I got started.”
After Columbia, Maschio went to the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater, a two-year classical acting conservatory in New York. “I became a triple threat – I was singing, acting and dancing,” said Maschio. “It was a very old-fashioned approach to making a living as an actor as it was more geared toward Broadway.”
After the two years at the Neighborhood Playhouse School, Maschio stayed in Manhattan, did plays and was also writing comedy. He started to appear in comedy clubs at night and carried on the busy lifestyle of theater during the day and comedy at night for six years. He was also auditioning for television shows at that time, but found that most of the sitcom work was in Los Angeles.
He eventually went to LA to try to make a living. In 1993, he auditioned for a play written by Bill Lawrence, who is the creator of Scrubs. “The play was a success and it really highlighted Bill’s great talents as he was unknown at the time,” said Maschio. “I was back in New York in eight months because I was broke and had no idea how the game worked.”
A few years later Lawrence created a show called Spin City, which shot in New York and he gave Maschio some guest roles on the show and the two continued a friendship as well as a working relationship.
When Scrubs came up five years later, Lawrence called Maschio and said he had a great part for him, but he had to move back to LA. Maschio took him up on the offer and made the bicoastal move.
“A year later, Scrubs made it onto the air and I have been playing The Todd ever since,” said Maschio, who still lives in LA.
Maschio plays Todd Quinlan, more commonly known as “The Todd” on the comedy Scrubs, which airs on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on NBC. Maschio describes his character as a sexually charged, high-fiving, frat-boy surgeon who thinks he is the life of the party wherever he goes and he really had no understanding how other people see him. “He is a bit of an exhibitionist,” said Maschio.
Maschio’s character Todd’s sexuality has been an ongoing joke on the show. Since the first season, The Todd operates with so much bravado when it comes to the ladies. “There is the story-line that maybe I am over-compensating for the fact that I am gay, since my character has never been seen with a girl,” said Maschio, who said that viewers should tune in this Tuesday, April 25 because The Todd’s true sexuality will be revealed.
Maschio gave us the scoop on the show: “The girls on the show get me to admit that The Todd is gay. I think it is interesting because you never see a guys-guy who is gay. There is a very funny twist at the end of the episode where viewers will be left wondering – is he gay?” Maschio loves the character he plays on Scrubs as he gets to do things he would never do in real life. “I play such a silly character and it is so much fun. Everything I would never do in everyday life I get to do on the show,” said Maschio.
Maschio said that the fifth season of Scrubs is almost done shooting and they are hoping that it is picked up for a sixth season. In explaining the shooting schedule for Scrubs, Maschio said that an episode takes five days to shoot with 12-14 hours days. The show is shot like a film, a single camera comedy with no audience, on a set in North Hollywood. The set was previously North Hollywood Hospital.
Between shootings, Maschio works out and said he does everything he can to keep himself in top shape, as he doesn’t want to endure the scrutiny of the tabloids. He also does a lot of writing in his spare time and said he would one day like to write for a television sitcom. Since Scrubs will not starting filming season 6 until August, if it gets picked up again, Maschio said he will be auditioning for films this summer and maybe spend some time in New York City.
Some of Maschio’s favorite moments on the show, aside from working with a great cast and crew, are working with the many guest actors who have appeared on Scrubs. He has worked with Dick Van Dyke, Tom Cavanaugh, Heather Locklear, Michael J. Fox and Heather Graham, to name a few.
Although Maschio lives in LA, his family is still in Syosset and Maschio’s mom Patricia Maschio is the vice president of the Syosset School District’s Board of Education.
The upcoming episode of Scrubs that features The Todd is called “My Lunch” and it is scheduled to air on Tuesday, April 25 at 9 p.m. Maschio also encourages people to visit his site http://www.robertmaschio.com which has more information about him as well as a way to contact him as he loves getting fan mail, especially from old friends in Syosset.
The Boston Herald Review of Robert Maschio
Rob Maschio Press | The Boston Herald 04/23/06
The Insider:Robert Maschio
Name: Robert Maschio
Character: The hilariously sex-obsessed surgeon The Todd on “Scrubs” (Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on WHDH, Ch. 7).
Hometown: Syosset, Long Island
Where you’ve seen him before: Maschio popped up this season as a member of the jury on “Veronica Mars.”
Fun fact: He plays in the NBA Entertainment League (www.nba.com/ nbae) with co-star Donald Faison (Turk) and “Las Vegas” stars Josh Duhamel and James Lesure. This year they made it to the semifinals before losing in triple overtime to Jamie Foxx’s team.
Why he became an actor: As a college student at Columbia University, it was classmate Dan Futterman (“Judging Amy”) who convinced him to take up acting. “Danny said, `You’re so funny. You should join the Columbia players.’ And I was hemming and hawing, and he said, `Rob, there’s 28 women and three guys in the theater company.’ And I thought, `I’m not a mathematician, but I like those odds.”
How he became The Todd: When he first moved to Los Angeles, he was cast in a play written by Bill Lawrence. When Lawrence created “Scrubs,” he called up Maschio and said, “There’s a character I think you’d be great at playing.” “It was a one-line part in the pilot,” Maschio said. “It was serendipitous. I was so lucky.”
On the inspiration for The Todd: “I really kind of developed this Todd character through my stand-up routine. I would just give up some nights and go, `You know I’m just a guy. I have simple thoughts, itty bitty guy thoughts. “Showgirls” was my “Schindler’s List.” ‘ I would just rip on that. That’s kind of what I draw on little bit for this character. I grew up as a jock. I knew a lot of those jocky frat boys.”
Where you’ll see him in five years: Co-writing the next great sitcom with buddy Lawrence.
Fourth Bananas – Christian Science Monitor – Robert Maschio
Rob Maschio Press | Christian Science Monitor
Fourth bananas
NEW YORK – I think, as this holiday season arrives, that it is incumbent upon each and every one of us to remember those who often go unremembered, unmentioned, and ungifted at this time.
No, not the poor; if our current administration can do such a good job of leaving behind children and families below the poverty line, we can certainly do the same thing. (Unlike the administration, though, I only advise forgetting about the poor for the length of time it takes you to read the column; there are plenty of opportunities to donate your time and money around the holidays, and apparently there’s this thing called the Internet that might help you find the one that appeals most to your particular interests.) I’m talking, of course, about the third and fourth bananas.
You may be unfamiliar with the term, because, to the best of my knowledge, I’ve just invented it. Everyone knows what the beloved “second banana” is; the figure on a show, usually a comedy or a talk show, who provides the necessary assistance and the support for the star to shine, and who often gain fame and respect in their own right. Paul Shaffer, Andy Richter, Ed McMahon, Harvey Korman – you know the list.
But the people I want to honor today don’t, by virtue of limited screen time but not of limited talent, rise to the level of household names. (Except, I guess, in their own households, and those of their friends and family.) But we love them, and the shows they’re on are better for their being on them. They truly are the living proof of the old maxim that there are no small parts, only small actors. They probably won’t make the big money, and they will never get nominated for awards (for these roles, at least). But they steal the show every time they appear on camera, and I find myself, at least, hoping to see more and more of them.
Thanks to imdb.com for some of the help tracking down the names of these unsung heroes and heroines. Let’s raise a glass of eggnog or dedicate an extra spin of the dreidel to:
1. Robert Maschio (plays “The Todd” on Scrubs). An insult to surgical residents everywhere, the incredibly dimwitted, sexually obsessed, constantly high-fiving The Todd (as he refers to himself) is a moron. But he’s a moron with soul.
2. Melanie Lynskey (plays Rose on Two and a Half Men.) Sure, she’s a stalker who had a one-night stand with Charlie Sheen and now hangs around the place. But you think it’s easy to be both creepy and charming at the same time? You try it and see how quickly you get maced.
3. Sean Gunn (plyas “Kirk” on Gilmore Girls). Gunn has, in recent seasons, been elevated to a main player, but he still (and I mean this in the best possible way) has that fourth banana feel: skulking around the outside of the show’s main plots, he comes in to add his normal dash of crazy to the proceedings. Whenever he appears onscreen, you just know you’re in for it.
4. “Comic Book Guy, Bumblebee Man, Disco Stu, etc., etc.” (The Simpsons). Sure, they’re fictional, and you might hold that against them, but it’s the holidays – let’s give them a break. The Simpsons are well known to have the best collection of fourth bananas in television history. Everyone has their favorite one, and claims that theirs is by far the best. They’re all right.
5. Chris Pratt (plays “Bright” on Everwood). There are actually several underutilized and underappreciated actors on Everwood — another who comes to mind is Nora Zehetner, who plays the deceased Colin’s sister — but I have to give Bright the trophy this time for the way in which he has managed to naturally transform his character from jerk to complicated jerk with redeeming qualities over the course of the year. It’s hard to be the inarticulate one in a show that’s so intelligent, and Pratt pulls it off nicely.
6. Don Stark (plays “Mr. Pinciotti” on That ’70s Show). In a cast that may actually be the strongest ensemble cast in a network comedy today (although this season has been a little weaker than past years), most of the main characters do the comedic heavy lifting and share screen time equally, and so they don’t qualify for this category. (Sadly, they seem to rarely be considered by Emmy voters, perhaps for the same reason: Topher Grace, Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Wilmer Veldarrama, and Mila Kunis are some of the best comic actors working today.) But the writers have used Stark to show off all the things about the ’70s that look particularly idiotic today – the white afros, the leisure suits, and far, far, worse – and he deserves recognition for submitting to this.
7. Rachel Cronin (plays “Shirley” on Ed). If you don’t know Shirley, you kind of have to see her. The constant owl-like stare. The adoption of the non-sequitur as a prime conversational technique. The elevation of the triple-take into a fine art. We all love Shirley, though we’re also a little bit afraid of her at the same time.
8. Troy Evans (plays “Frank Martin,” or “The guy who works the front desk at the ER who’s very grouchy and generally doesn’t have a good thing to say about anybody, but who seems to be exactly the kind of guy who should be at the ER and give the main characters just that little extra kick in the teeth to make their already excruciatingly hard jobs just that little bit harder.”) Self-explanatory. (And an honorary shout out to all the actors who play nurses and support staff on ER, who do their jobs year after year, and are always referred to as ‘guest stars.’ At some point, you’d hope someone would invite them to feel more at home.)
9. Mindy Clarke, (plays “Julie Cooper” on The O.C.) How do you think it must feel to be the one person on one of the hottest shows on television that absolutely nobody likes? Who has to play fake and smarmy because that’s who her character is, and who gets all the fake-sounding lines because she’s a fake-sounding person? Her character’s going to get a lump of coal in her Christmas stocking, but let’s give her something nicer for the holidays, shall we?
10. Paris Hilton (The Simple Life). This poor girl languishes in obscurity. No one has ever heard of her, or her television program. The media has ignored her, and particularly the paparazzi. Perhaps she could come up with some way to get her name out there. I don’t have much hope for its success, though.
So there you are – kudos to all of you. We wish you well. May you rise to third or second banana in 2004.
Robert Maschio 