Home Business ® Magazine (HBM): What’s your home studio like, in terms of layout, décor, and equipment?

     John C. McGinley (JCM): I built it when I was out of work about 10 years ago. I went down to Sam’s-U-Rent and I got a pneumatic drill, a wheelbarrow, a pick, and a shovel. I dug out the bottom of the house and created a rehearsal space which is about 250 square feet. It’s a big, empty loft-like space and there’s just a camera in it with a TV play-back.

HBM: What type of work do you perform there?

JCM: After getting the lines in my head, I go down there and get in front of the camera and just start doing it over and over and watching what I’ve done on play-back. It’s almost like a basketball player practicing free throws. When I get to the set, it’s not unfamiliar at all when somebody calls “Action!” and the words are about to spew out of my mouth.

 HBM: What is the extent of your involvement with the National Down Syndrome Society?

JCM: I’m the chairman of the “Buddy Walk,” which is a day of empowerment and inclusion that we have almost 300 times in the month of October throughout the United States. We raise money and awareness, and hope to elevate different caregivers by handing out information at kiosks.

HBM: What inspired you to write the book, The Untalkative Bunny?

JCM: This publisher called me up — I think because they saw me talking about the Buddy Walk on “The Today Show” and on “Conan.” I think they thought, “If this guy can talk about Down Syndrome and special needs in kind of an eloquent and user-friendly way, maybe he could run with this idea.”

            They had an animated character called the “Untalkative Bunny,” which could only communicate non-verbally. So I took that and made it into a book about listening. If you could just listen 5 percent better, you’d move forward infinitely.

HBM: How has your experience over the past six years been working on “Scrubs”?

JCM: The greatest thing about “Scrubs,” to be honest with you, is that it has kept me here in Los Angeles so that I can be with Max non-stop. I cannot imagine if I had to chase movies around the planet and relocate every four months, which is what it takes to shoot a movie. I don’t think I would have done it, so I would have been here unemployed.

 HBM: What movies have you been working on recently?

 JCM: I had one gig that just came out, “Wild Hogs” — it did $38 million the first weekend. I also have one coming out with Ice Cube in April. So now I’m just going to do films that open over $30 million! I’m kidding!

            “Wild Hogs” was just off the chart, and I’m even more proud of “Are We Done Yet?” Ice Cube relocates his family from Portland to the suburbs, and he moves to the smallest town on the planet. Every time he picks up the phone to call somebody to come out to the house, I show up with a different hat on – being everything from a contractor to the town inspector to the birthing instructor to the dog trainer. It’s the greatest role I’ve ever played.

 HBM: What lies ahead in your future?

JCM: I’m getting married in April, and then I’m taking my fiancé-then-wife to Italy for a couple of weeks. We’re going to Tuscany and rent a villa, and then God-willing, we’re going to have some more kids and get this thing going. HBM