Martin Sheen on Regis and Kelly Wed. October 9, 2002
 
Regis: These people think you are the president. oh boy
Kelly : Now martin, I don't think real president get cheers like that.
Regis: This is like unanimous some people think you are the president.
Martin: As long as I don't.
 
(laughs)
 
Regis: What a responsibility to play the president of the United States.
Martin: Well, you know it's Aaron Sorkins creation. I'm one of 10.
Regis: Congratulations on show winning the emmy.
Martin: Congratulations on Notre Dame.
Regis: What a season we are having.
Martin: We are hopeless Notre Dame fans. Now we have something to cheer about.
Regis: I noticed you have worked Notre Dame into many WW episodes.
Martin: I wonder how that happens.
Kelly: Now wait a minute. Why don't you -- Regis took Larry King to a game. Why don't you take Martin?
Regis: Well I'd love too.
Martin: I've never been to a game at Notre Dame stadium.
Regis: You've been to Notre Dame?
Martin: Oh yeah. I've been to Notre Dame.
Kelly: Do you have a private plane?
Martin: Oh no. (chuckles) The other day I was in the airport. Someone passed me by and said "Good morning Mr. President is Air Force One in the shop?"
 
(laughs)

 
Regis: Did you smack'em?
Martin: No, ... he didn't give me a chance. He said it as he passed by.
Regis: Isn't it wonderful at this point in your career. Here you are - everybody loves this show.
Martin: No, not everybody but enough people.
Kelly: No everybody.
Martin: You know last time I was on the show I was sang with the Irish Tenors on St. Patrick's day.
Regis: Yeah, we couldn't stop you, we said "Please Martin no." He said "I'm the president. I'll sing when I want. "
Martin: Well I'm gonna say I saw the show  and I'm not going to sing again.
Kelly: You know that Martin is celebrating his 41 wedding anniversary.
 
(Applause)
 
Kelly: Where you 19 when you got married?
Martin: I was 21. It's December. 23.
Kelly: You gonna do a big thing.
Martin: Well I don't know you just reminded me. Last year was our 40th anniversary and we decided to get as many couples we new that were married to the same spouse for over 25 years. We had about 7. One of them was Don Delouise (sp?) and his wife, uh carol. So I was asking carol "how long you been married?" She said "35 years." I asked Don what it was like being married to carol for 35 years and he said, "enough is enough."
 
(Laughs)
 
Regis: What a nice way to spend your anniversary.
Martin: We renewed our vows too.
Regis: You did, were you nervous.
Martin: (tries to answer but laughs)
Kelly: Yeah, what if it doesn't work out.
Martin: No I think our marriage is a foregone conclusion.
Regis: You know it wasn't until after, that the staff research Martin's career that --
Martin: uh-oh
Regis: That I didn't know this part in particular..
Martin: This isn't going to surface during the campaign.
 
(laughs)

Regis: No no no, you audition for the role of Michael Corleony in the god father.
Martin: Yeah I did, a lot of us did.
Regis: Yeah sure I'll bet. But with this Irish face, I mean it's one thing for Robert Duvall to be the counsellor. But how could you be Brando's kid?
Martin: At the time I was doing the show in Los Angeles and I had very long hair and a very long moustache. Francis asked me to come audition. I could do it: One, I couldn't shave, and I couldn't get to New York. An earthquake hit LA and they stopped shooting and I went to New York. There is footage of me with this long hair and big moustache in a US army uniform.
Regis: It didn't work.
Martin: No it didn't work. I told Francis it was ludicrous not to use  Al Pacino,  would be like benching DiMaggio. It'd be a crime. he said yeah I know that  but the studio made me audition anyway.
 
(Commercial)
 
Regis: We're here with Martin Sheen and his big movie career. Who incidentally has a big movie coming out this December called Catch Me If You Can. What a cast: Tom Hanks, yourself, Leonardo DiCapprio, Steven Spielberg.
Martin: He's the star.
Regis: You've work with some great directors.
Martin: I've never worked with someone who I haven't instantly adored. If you walked on the set, and didn't know what he looked like you wouldn't know who the director was. It's because he's so low key. He treats everyone the same. The cast and crew adore him easily and they'll do anything for him.
Regis: Lets talk about the West Wing. You know what bothers me?
Martin: What?
Regis: You didn't win the Emmy. I mean Marty...
Martin: Well we didn't win MVP but we won the game. Honestly I was so thrilled for Michael. It changed his life, he almost fainted. That man was struggling and just getting to this time in his life, it was so gratifying.
Kelly: Look, he's actually holding his hands like the president. (points to his hands. The camera comes in) 
Regis: He thinks he's the president. It's gotten to Marty Sheen's head.
Martin: (Laughs) I don't know what else to do with them. It's this chair, they just come together.
Regis: How would you describe the character of this president.
Martin: It's a parallel universe, it's not the real deal but we try to reflect a very progressive liberal administration. So the character, of Bartlet, if you can perceive of such a thing is the amalgamation of three presidents. John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.
Regis: So you use the qualities of these three men in your portrayal?
Martin: Yeah there are elements of these three men present in Bartlet.
Regis: And have you ever talked to these men.-- I don't mean Kennedy.
 
(Laughs)
Regis: Come on now, come on. What does Clinton say about it.
Martin: Well I was at a fundraiser and he saw me and the crowd. He said (imitating Clinton, very well I may add) "Thank God there are no term limits on Martin Sheen."
 
(laughs)
 
Kelly: That was good.
Martin: I'm seeing him this afternoon there is a fundraiser for the League of Conservation of Voters.
Kelly: You see that, not only do they get a past president, they get a man they want to be the current president.
Regis: What'd she say?
Kelly: Listen I knew what I meant.
Regis: Here's a scene now between President Bartlet and the new secretary, played by Lilly Tomlin.

(College Kids: Final show down with bartlet and fidderer about the arsenic.)
 
Regis: Marty I love the sound of your voice. When you were narrating Apocalypse Now. It was NARRATION! Just wanted to tell you that, I don't know why.
Kelly: You just wanted to get that out.
Regis: Yeah. The west wing airs tonight.......