* * * * * * * * * * ERIC
BRUSKOTTER * * * * * * * * * *
Erika: When I first met Eric, he smiled big and said to me,
"Would you like to hear a funny story?" And it sounded so much
like his character Baker that I was totally distracted by that and
didn't pay close enough attention to the story, so Eric had to tell it
to me twice!
For "Battling Baker Brothers," they were originally going
to get him to play both parts, of Karl and Scott Baker. Karl was asking
for top dollar from his agent to do the part, and the ToD people weren't
gonna go for that, so Eric got Karl's agent on the phone and said,
"Just get him to take whatever he can." Whatever they offer,
just take it. And that's how Karl got the part, otherwise it would have
been Eric doing both parts, talking to himself. And I guess fighting
with himself, too. LOL
He told me he and Karl's rapport in "Battling Baker
Brothers" was pretty much how it is in real life, and that their
characters were a lot like themselves, "except we're not as dumb as
them."
Sheila: Eric told me his brother, Karl Bruskotter, doesn't act
any more. He told me he worked for the County (?) Sheila: Eric is a big cuddly teddy bear.
Erika: Yeah, and he likes to make you laugh.
Sheila: Eric's wife was really lovely and very friendly.
Erika: And their baby boy has a very strong grip. Ernie danced
with him and at the end, the baby would not let go. He just kept
squeezing Ernie's fingers and laughing. Baby had the most fabulous time
dancing with Ernie. LOL
Pen: Eric, as far as talking to me went, didn't have much to
say. I asked him questions about what he's working on and he told me he
had done the season premiere of "24". He was in the first 2
shows and that he was good in them. He really liked talking about his
son, Reiland (he told me how to spell his name), he is nuts about that
baby.
Sheila: Eric's wife is involved in a company which makes
magnetic jewellery. She was wearing a bracelet with magnets, it was
really pretty. When I showed her my magnetic, rather tarnished,
bracelet, she gave me all the website details, and as she was writing
her name, she said, "That's what happens when you marry a German,
you get a long name."
Erika: At one point early on, Eric asked us if we had taken a
walk around the convention and who else we were here to see. And I was
like, "Psssh, we don't even know who else is here--we came
for this (Tour of Duty)!" And I think Eric was frankly
stunned. I think he was floored that we came from all over the world
just for Tour of Duty.
Lindy: This guy, imo, hasn't changed all that much over the
years. At least in looks, anyway Erika: Yeah, I wish I had the chance to talk more with Eric
and it's too bad we didn't get to spend more time with him. This may
sound silly, but for me it was a left-to-right thing. LOL The guys each
had designated sections at the table and it went Steve, then Joshua,
then Terry, then Eric. And I think people just naturally like to start
from the left (I do, anyway), and Steve and Josh had so many photos and
were such great storytellers--as all these guys were--that by the time
we talked with Steve, and then with Joshua, it'd be, like, three hours
since we walked in. And by the time we talked with Terry and got to
Eric, it'd be, like, time to go home. LOL
But I would have loved to chat more with Eric. I, too, wanted to know
if he was ever a vegetarian or ever considered trying to be a
vegetarian, and how he got to be so big. What was his workout regimen?
LOL I wanted to know if he remembered scenes like the ones with Kady
Tran (the Crying Woman) in "Battling Baker Brothers" because
those were so funny! And I wanted to know if he watched ToD after he
left the show, and what it was like coming back to film his appearance
in "The Ties That Bind." And that's just the tip of the
iceberg! Maybe another time...
Lindy: Eric and Terry seemed to have a great rapport between
them. I caught them a few times, whenever there was a lull in the fan
line, eating pizza, razzin each other, pushing and shoving each other
around. Erika: Yeah, I remember reading it somewhere on one of the ToD
sites... Erika: We were actually going to ask Eric to do that to Terry
for us. Not drop him on his head, of course. Just pick him up by the
ankles. I'm not sure they would've agreed to it, but Eric just reaching
for Terry's ankles could have been a great photo op. LOL
Erika: I forgot exactly how it came up in conversation, but I
asked him if he surfed. He doesn't. He said he's tried it a few times,
but he's not really into it.
He's still blonde and he's still big. LOL
From my observations, he's quite similar in nature to his Scott Baker
character.
He appeared very laid back and relaxed. A really happy and easy going
type of person.
Somewhat brighter intellectually, LOL and understandably, more mature
than the skateboarding protein-conscious Californian.
Id describe Eric as a gentle giant with a heart of gold.
He was so nice to talk to. An extremely polite man. You could ask him
just about any question and I'm sure he would have answered it.
And it was clear he was very proud of his work on Tour of duty
He was happy to sign autographs and didn't mind having his photo taken
one bit.
When I went up to have my photo taken with him I suggested he stay
seated LOL.
because even seated, he was almost taller than me, LOL.
And he chuckled at that.
Then he said "How about we both stand next to each other, and I'll
just kinda squat down low for ya?"
And I thought that was really sweet.
After the photo was taken, he introduced us all to his family??? OMG???
Did we feel privileged?
As not many actors will do that. They like to keep their private lives,
private.
Tami his wife, was simply gorgeous. Just a beautiful beautiful person.
And his son Reiland was absolutely adorable.
Talk about the perfect little family?
Little Reiland is so socially interactive for such a young child.
I guess that comes with being a celebrity baby?
He was giggling non stop as his daddy flew him through the air like an
aeroplane straight towards me. LMAO.
And the kid had a fascination for peoples hair LOL.
I know this, as he grabbed some of my hair in his hand during that game
of aeroplanes, and tugged quite hard, LOL. And I tell you what... It
almost bought tears to my eyes LOL
Eric apologized.. explaining his son didn't know his own strength yet
LOL.
No need to apologize, I told him. He's just a baby.
I had such a heap of questions I wanted to ask Eric. and in fact all the
guys.
But I just never got the time.
I was curious to know what tricks Eric and his twin brother pulled on
friends and family when they were kids.
I wanted to know if Eric is a vegetarian?
And wanted to know what was his favourite TOD episode was? Did he ever
get Terry back for the mud sliming incident?
Did he and his brother really lift that army truck on Baker Brothers? Or
was their a hidden winch attached making it look like they lifted it?
LOL
How many takes were needed to film that skateboard scene?
And of course we all wanna know how he got to be so damn big in real
life, LOL.
GOSH??? So many questions
Honestly? They were like a couple of big kids.
Terry kept whackin Eric upside of the head all the time LOL.
And Eric just took it. Never retaliating.
And I thought careful Terry.... or Eric's gonna drop you on your ass LOL.
Speaking of dropping Terry on his ass???
I recall a story Terry told once, about how Eric one day picked him up
by the ankles, one handed, if you don't mind... and threatened to drop
him on his head. LOL. I don't know if he actually did drop Terry? Or if
he only threatened to LOL.
Does anybody recall this story?
Lindy: Now that would have been a sight to behold? As Terry's a
pretty big guy his own self LOL.
And it wouldn't have been an easy task to lift him upside down single
handed.