Go Away With … Bob Saget

By Jae-Ha Kim
Tribune Content Agency
June 24, 2014

Actor Bob Saget is best known for his work on the ’80s sitcom “Full House” and as the host of “America’s Funniest Home Videos.”

But the comic also has a cult following of fans that enjoy his off-color stand-up routines. Saget, 58, is also an author who writes about his life in the book, “Dirty Daddy: The Chronicles of a Family Man Turned Filthy Comedian” (It Books, $26.99).

A resident of Los Angeles, the entertainer describes himself as a Twitter-head, who may be found on Twitter.

Q. What is your favorite vacation destination?

A. I like tropical places. Waterfalls, ferns, gullies — anywhere, in fact, that looks like a scene from “FernGully: The Last Rainforest.” I enjoy the ocean, beach and suntan lotion with a SPF factor over 50. I’d recommended going there with someone who doesn’t complain about the tropics. Make sure the person you’re going with — even if it’s your partner of five to 10 years — just adores the tropics. I’ve always liked Hawaii a lot. With my kids, in relationships … I always loved Hawaii ‘cause it’s a dry, yet moist heat. I’ve always liked the combination of things dry yet moist.

Q. What untapped destination should people know about?

A. Wow, that’s a tough one. Untapped means people haven’t been there. I guess Johnny Depp’s (Caribbean) island (Little Hall’s Pond Cay), but I wouldn’t wanna go there because I don’t know him. It’d be super creepy and probably close to impossible for me to just show up there. I did enjoy going to Bora Bora a couple years ago, but that’s far from untapped. I do look forward to escaping to an untapped little island one day with someone special who is also relatively untapped.

Q. What was the first trip you took as a child?

A. I traveled so little as a child. One of my favorites was just a road trip with my dad, Ben, who drove us a mere two hours from Norfolk to Richmond, Virginia. I think I was nine. It was a business trip for him. The special part of it was getting a crazy good deli sandwich in Richmond. Just him and me eating hardcore deli. I’ve always been like that with my own kids. Sometimes the best trip is the smallest and most economical trip that just happened, and you got to spend special time with your dad, or your mom, or your caretaker, if you’re getting up there in years.

Q. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your travels?

A. To be in the moment. Kind of what I strive to do if I’m at home not even going anywhere. But one of the things that’s so wonderful, as I’ve been fortunate enough to travel, is it’s a reboot of your life. A good trip away has allowed me to step back just when things seem to reach a boiling point and take in completely different surroundings. That inherently gives you a mark in time and a disconnect from the same patterns that can sometimes lead to futility. Sorry, I got a little heavy with that one.

Q. Where are your favorite weekend getaways?

A. From Los Angeles, I’ve always loved anything in Northern California. Big Sur always centers me. I’ve always enjoyed going there alone. Not always by choice. But it’s a great alone place for anyone, also romantic as hell. And ironically I have spent some time in hell. That’s a really hot getaway, which is maybe why I also have a thing for Palm Springs. Maybe it’s the old love of the Rat Pack in me. I also always loved Laguna. That’s a great go-to weekend getaway, alone, with kids or possibly even with a nice romantic lady, as long as she doesn’t bring her parents.

Q. What are your five favorite cities?

A. Uh, this is so easy. Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Philly and L.A., because it is home. I also like Dayton, Ohio, because no one’s ever said that in print, so I thought I’d give them a little boost. They’re not in most people’s top five. If you live in Canton, Ohio, Dayton is number two.

Q. Where have you traveled to that most reminded you of home?

A. Well I’ve had a few homes. Philly is where I was born and later graduated college from. Norfolk, Virginia, is where I lived from like four to 14, so my puberty was left in that town. But since L.A. is home, I’d say San Francisco reminds me of home, because it’s what L.A. would be if it was done better and it wasn’t just all about people trying to make it in show business. Oh, I forgot to mention Boston and Washington, D.C., because I just love those towns for multiple reasons. Performing comedy in both those cities is very meaningful to me.

Q. When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?

A. Bathing suits, flip-flops and a muumuu. Gotta look like I fit in when visiting Hawaii. Don’t wanna be the laughing stock of the luau.

Q. What are your favorite restaurants?

A. In-and-Out, any of the half a dozen Italian restaurants in New York that are each so good they are indefinable. A few local spots near my house in L.A. that just feel like home to me. Like they’re my kitchen, because I’m just too lazy to cook that well or have that many people over, or get a liquor license. I like a good steak place like Gibson’s in Chicago and a great sushi restaurant like Morimoto in New York City.

Q. What is your best and/or worst vacation memory?

A. Best would be a trip with some dear friends to St. Barts in the Caribbean. Worst would be another trip to St. Barts, because the house we stayed in had cats in it so I was on Benadryl the whole time trying to fight the allergy they invoke in me. A good dream vacation memory for me has no cats in it. And the relationship is on the way up, not at its end of days. Unless Australia is overrun with cats right now, this could be the week where great memories may be created.

Q. Where is the most romantic destination?

A. My jacuzzi. It’s a wet heat.

Q. If you’ve ever gone away for the holidays, which was the best trip?

A. Tropical places in a relationship. Cabo is really fun. But I think my fondest memories that fortunately never fades is over the many years of my daughters’ childhoods in Hawaii over Christmas-time. We had a lot of fun together and with family friends. I look forward to doing something none of us expect one day with my daughters, because we all have such a deep respect and admiration for each other. That’s the great thing about having a good relationship with your kids. You can go on vacation with them and not worry about the possibility of breaking up with them after you get home.

Q. Have you traveled to a place that stood out so much that you felt compelled to incorporate it into your work?

A. I’m doing it actually as you’re asking me these questions. I’m on a work trip at this moment in Australia. My book, “Dirty Daddy” came out a (little while ago) and is in sync with a stand-up tour I’m doing around the country. Never been here and Australia is as beautiful as everyone has told me it would be. I look forward to coming back to it and unincorporating work mode so I can take in on holiday: the outback, the amazing beaches and a perhaps a fun romantic vacation with a lady who may even be a nice person. And we check out the island and laugh and play and make love in the sand. TMI. It’s a dry yet moist heat, though it’s tough to get sand out of those nooks and crannies after rolling around like hedonists.

Q. What would be your dream trip?

A. To be in a healthy and romantic relationship and just go anywhere whenever we wanted whenever we decided to change venues: Paris, Barcelona, an island in Greece, Fiji and somehow end in Camden, N.J. at the end, so I’d have immediate appreciation of how astonishingly beautiful those romantic places in the world are.

Q. What are your favorite hotels?

A. Ones that don’t tell anyone I’m staying there until I’m long gone. And ones that the people who work there are treated well by their management so it trickles down to everyone there. When I travel for work, I usually see how far the gig is from a Four Seasons or a Ritz. I am a spoiled beeatch, but I work hard for my money so you better treat me right. Sorry, Donna Summer.

Q. What kind of research do you do before you go away on a trip?

A. First, I see if there’s anyone I could go with. Pretty much after that I know what my creature comforts are so I just try to tee up a trip that gives me the least amount to think about. It’s nice if it’s a place that has a good spa and good restaurants, but honestly, it all comes down to the bed. A great bed equals a great trip. And a nice robe and a super clean room that doesn’t smell of cigarette smoke or Febreze. 

Q. What is your guilty pleasure when you’re on the road?

A. At the end of the day, especially if I just did stand-up, I love a cold martini. I call it the Jewish James Bond, because it’s not just shaken and not stirred, it’s bruised, a little dirty and olives, possibly blue cheese. As I describe it the order just doesn’t end) and maybe a hamburger no bun or a filet. Not floating in the martini. It’s on a plate and everything. Maybe on some greens. Kind of slows me down at the end of a highly energized day. Or if I’m a lightweight guy wannabe that night, a shrimp cocktail and a Pinot noir could put me down.

Q. Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?

A. Bangkok. Just because I wanted to see it in print.

© 2014 JAE-HA KIM
DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.