GGACP Rewind: Episode #61: Michael Oliver

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

From the studio that brought you WandaVision. I was an Avenger, but I'm not a hero anymore.

On October 14th, the Vision returns for the final chapter of the groundbreaking trilogy.

SPEAKER_2 (0:12)

That family wasn't real.

Michael Oliver (0:13)

You sure about that?

SPEAKER_1 (0:14)

I had a father called Vision.

SPEAKER_4 (0:15)

How is this possible?

SPEAKER_1 (0:18)

Don't miss the two-episode premiere of Marvel Television's Vision Quest.

Nothing bonds a family together quite like mortal jeopardy. Streaming October 14th, only on Disney+.

SPEAKER_5 (0:30)

At ZocDoc, we know you care about your health. You wouldn't do that early morning cardio if you didn't. So the fact that your annual physical is overdue just shows how hard it can be to get seen by a doctor. Sorry, that doctor's not in network.

Michael Oliver (0:43)

Press 1 for more options.

SPEAKER_5 (0:45)

You've reached us outside normal business hours.

SPEAKER_2 (0:47)

The next availability is in three months.

SPEAKER_5 (0:49)

But ZocDoc makes finding the right doctor easy. Download the app and search by specialty, insurance, and availability. Read real patient reviews, then book instantly. ZocDoc, ready to be seen?

Gilbert Gottfried (1:22)

Hi, this is Gilbert Gottfried, and this is Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast. I'm here with my co-host, Frank Santopadre. You know, I've appeared in a couple of movies, and a few of them have actually become what they call cult movies. And two of those that are major in the cult movie title are Problem Child and Problem Child 2

And the actual Problem Child was played by a very young actor named Michael Oliver. I wanted Michael to come on the show and talk about those old days, but he blew me off.

And I thought, did the kid from Problem Child won't talk to me? What the hell's the matter with him? But I shamed him into doing it. So today, on the show, my former co-star and friend, Michael Oliver.

Hi, this is Gilbert Gottfried, and this is Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast. I'm here with my co-host, Frank Santopadre. And you know, just about every day, someone will come up to me and they'll say, Oh, I, you know what picture I loved when I was a kid? Problem Child 1 and Problem Child 2 And then the next thing they always ask me is, What if it happened to that kid that played Junior? Well, wonder no more, because we have him with us right now. My old co-star from Problem Child 1 and 2, Junior Healy himself, Michael Oliver. Michael, hello.

Michael Oliver (3:20)

Top of the day to you, sir.

Frank Santopadre (3:23)

Michael, thanks for doing the show, we appreciate it.

Michael Oliver (3:26)

Oh, it's a pleasure. It's, it's exciting. I mean, I haven't spoken to this guy, well, at any length since, how long has it been Gilbert, 1991?

Gilbert Gottfried (3:35)

Yeah, it was, this is very weird. I was on Dr. Drew's radio show.

Frank Santopadre (3:42)

Oh, Love Lies.

Gilbert Gottfried (3:43)

Yeah. I guess I was talking about premature ejaculation or something. And, and I get a call from an adult and this adult voice says, Hi, this is Michael Oliver from Problem Child.

Frank Santopadre (4:00)

I love it.

Gilbert Gottfried (4:02)

And I was like, go ahead.

Michael Oliver (4:05)

Oh, I just, I had to make the call. I mean, like I said, I hadn't seen, spoken to, heard from you in well over a decade, maybe two. Thought, hell, give them a call. See if I get through. And lucky enough, I did.

SPEAKER_1 (4:19)

Awesome.

Frank Santopadre (4:19)

Did you tell them when you called, this is Michael Oliver from Gilbert's Old Co-Star put me through?

Michael Oliver (4:24)

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_1 (4:26)

Funny enough.

Michael Oliver (4:26)

I mean, to what I understand, people trying to call in to that show, like nobody ever gets through. So I guess it was fortuitous, but I was able to. That's great.

Gilbert Gottfried (4:39)

Now, can we get first of all, to how you got the part in Problem Child?

Michael Oliver (4:47)

Oh man, I got lucky.

Gilbert Gottfried (4:49)

Yeah.

Michael Oliver (4:49)

That's really all it comes down to. I mean, okay, so, I don't know, a couple hundred auditions when I was a kid just kind of raised into it, landed a spot for a Chevron commercial, and the casting agent who was casting Problem Child at the time, Valerie McCaffrey, saw the commercial called the ad agency, tracked me down a couple of weeks later, it was contract.

Gilbert Gottfried (5:20)

Yeah, and I remember you, oh, go ahead.

Michael Oliver (5:24)

Oh, but basically it was, she had been trying to cast it for a while, was unsuccessful with it, and I guess I had a look.