Dourdan: I Know I'm Taking A Risk

[CSI Files]

It's time to move on.<p><I>CSI: Crime Scene Investigation</I>'s <font color=yellow>Gary Dourdan</font> (Warrick Brown) said his final farewell to the show in the season nine premiere, <A class="link" HREF="http://www.csifiles.com/episodes/csi/season9/for_warrick.shtml">"For Warrick"</a>. "Since I won't be coming back, they decided to give me an honourable death," he told the German magazine <I>TV Serien Highlights</i> while visiting Berlin. He explained that his character was shot, adding, "I'm not sure what's honourable about that, but this way, I'm lying in a pool of blood and everybody is upset."<p>Dourdan said his favorite moment during his run on <I>CSI</I> was working with <font color=yellow>Quentin Tarantino</font> on the season five finale, <A class="link" HREF="http://www.csifiles.com/episodes/csi/season5/grave_danger.shtml">"Grave Danger"</a>. Dourdan made suggestions for other celebrities that could appear on the show. One such big name was <font color=yellow>Stevie Wonder</font>, whom Dourdan knows very well. "He said he'd love to do a guest stint on <I>CSI</I>," Dourdan said. "So I asked the producers, but it didn't work out. Instead, we got <font color=yellow>Britney Spears</font>' idiotic ex-husband, <font color=yellow>Kevin Federline</font>. What kind of choice is that?" Dourdan said he was frustrated rather than angry. "After a while you give in and stop making suggestions," he said.<p>"After eight years of shooting non-stop, <I>CSI</I> has lost some steam," Dourdan explained. "You're in front of the camera for eight to 12 months, five to six days a week. Sometimes you're just waiting for little scenes, but you can't do anything else during that time. Much of the show is shot in studios, even though the audience doesn't see that, so you sit around and wait."<p>Dourdan will miss his <I>CSI</I> costars. "After eight years we became like a real family," he said. "I know that I'm taking a risk here. <I>CSI</I> was always a reliable source of income. I never had to worry about money. That part wasn't bad." However, the show will not last forever, and Dourdan felt it was time to do something else. He explained, "I want to put my career on a different track."<p>The original interview was from <I>TV Serien Highlights</i>. Thanks to <font color=yellow>valbz</font> from <A class="link" HREF="http://www.yourtaxdollarsatwork.org/">YTDAW</a> for the English translation, which was partially altered for this article. Any contextual errors are due to those alterations.<center></center>

 

[Faylinn]

Hopefully, my interpretation of the English translation of the interview wasn't totally off. This one was definitely a bit awkward. :lol:

(I couldn't find an official site for the magazine. Apparently my Google-Fu does not extend to German. )

Also, I'm amazed they didn't make it work out to have Stevie on the show. I mean seriously, Stevie Wonder. :wtf:

 

[mandy9578]

Hopefully, my interpretation of the English translation of the interview wasn't totally off. This one was definitely a bit awkward. :lol:

(I couldn't find an official site for the magazine. Apparently my Google-Fu does not extend to German. )

Haha, Fay you just crack me up! :guffaw:

Also, I'm amazed they didn't make it work out to have Stevie on the show. I mean seriously, Stevie Wonder. :wtf:

Kevin Federline subbing for Stevie Wonder? Seriously! I mean that casting stunt was horrible and like Nick I wanted to beat the crap out of the dumb@#@'s character. That was really bad.

Well, good luck to Gary Dourdan anyhow.

 

[Drumchik]

I really have to giggle at the fact Gary called him the "idiot ex-husband" That was hysterical.

 

[Finch]

He explained that his character was shot, adding, "I'm not sure what's honourable about that, but this way, I'm lying in a pool of blood and everybody is upset

:lol: I love that.

The interview sure was er, odd to say the least (nothing to do with how you wrote it up Fay ) but I have to hand it to Gary, he sure is candid. I don't know, I kind of liked Federline's performance in that episode--he was so...himself? Not sure if that's the word I'm looking for, heh.

 

[Dragonfly]

Also, I'm amazed they didn't make it work out to have Stevie on the show. I mean seriously, Stevie Wonder. :wtf:

No kidding. Stevie Wonder? Sooo much better than the "idiot ex-husband".

Interesting interview. I agree with Geni, he certainly is candid :lol:

 

[seahawk]

If any questions concerning language or translation remain, I might be able to help out.
I'm a native German speaker.

 

[Smokey]

Gee Gary...bitter much? :wtf: Seems to me there was an interview with him and George not long before all his trouble hit in which he had nothing but good things to say about the show and its future.

He makes it sound like it was his decision to leave, but I still wonder.

 

[Faylinn]

If any questions concerning language or translation remain, I might be able to help out.
I'm a native German speaker.

Thanks for the offer - unfortunately, I don't have access to the original interview.

 

[myfuturecsi]

Gee Gary...bitter much? :wtf: Seems to me there was an interview with him and George not long before all his trouble hit in which he had nothing but good things to say about the show and its future.

To play devil's advocate at that time he knew who was buttering his bread. One tends not to criticize their employer while on the payroll. Now that's he's gone, he's free to say what he wants, within reason. He doesn't want to get sued.

He makes it sound like it was his decision to leave, but I still wonder

It might have been a mutual decision. They wanted him to go, he wanted to go. I think he had good reasons to leave as he wasn't getting a fair amount of screentime. And they wanted him to go because he had issues.

I liked how Gary put it as I always said Warrick finally got a good storyline-his death!

 

[Drumchik]

I agree EdgarAllanPoe. I mean, look at Billy doing that article with Marg and admitting things about Catherine/Grissom and criticising GSR? He would never have done that a few years ago, but now he's almost done...

 

[Speedystokesgirl]

Well, Gary can say it was his decision to leave, but he was fired. He showed up late all the time, holding up production and then the drug issues. I'm talking about before his arrest.

Both sides said it was mutual or his decision to leave to save face.

Of course, we'll never know the whole truth, but a lot of the insiders say he was fired and I remember some article talking about him being late all the time, so who knows.

And the fact that he's bashing the show now, kind of shows he was fired. If it was his decision to leave, I don't think he would've been as harsh as he was or wouldn't have bashed it at all.

Yeah, I'd say he was bitter.

 

[vegaslights]

Oh Gary. Way to go out with a bang.

Oh I make myself giggle sometimes.

 

[Toots]

Sounds like sour grapes to me. Gary couldn't contain his bitter feelings. I'm sure he misses the cast and they miss him, but it sounds like his drug usage was seriously impeding his ability to act and show up for work.

Good luck to him finding good acting roles in the future, but I doubt he'll attain the fame he had while on CSI.

 

[myfuturecsi]

Sounds like sour grapes to me. Gary couldn't contain his bitter feelings. I'm sure he misses the cast and they miss him, but it sounds like his drug usage was seriously impeding his ability to act and show up for work.

Good luck to him finding good acting roles in the future, but I doubt he'll attain the fame he had while on CSI.

I wouldn't say that. He's a good actor. I think leaving was smart for him. If your character isn't getting a chance to shine why stay. I'd leave if I were him.