JAMES LIPTON: Hello, and welcome to “Inside the Actors Studio,” I’m James Lipton. Tonight’s guest has made us look at ourselves, laugh at ourselves, and marvel at the intuitive nature of his craft in the film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Please welcome, actor, military tactician, and revered member of Mon Calamari’s ruling council, Admiral Ackbar.
ADMIRAL ACKBAR: I welcome the invitation, though I suspect it’s a trap. [audience laughs] I’m not joking.
LIPTON: Admiral… [long wistful pause] What is your full name?
ACKBAR: Admiral Archie Andrews Ackbar.
LIPTON: What is your favorite word?
ACKBAR: “Trap.”
LIPTON: What is your least favorite word?
ACKBAR: “Trap.”
LIPTON: How do you approach the craft of “acting”?
ACKBAR: It is a very complicated process… very hard to explain… perhaps the clip I’ve brought will shed some light on the subject.
LIPTON: A stunning insight. Please, can we view this clip?
LIPTON: Bravo… simply, bravo. I touch my forehead with eyes cast downward in hallowed reverence. One final question: If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
ACKBAR: [long pause] “It’s a trap.”
I fell off my chair laughing. Seriously. Can I sue the Hump? This should come with a “wear your seatbelt” warning. “It’s a trap”. Priceless.