Does anyone here need to be told that I love Halloween? And is anyone surprised that I have two roughnecks dedicated to Halloween – one for decorations and one for costume pieces? So I am always happy to discover other Halloween lovers out there. I’ve just learned that The Blacklist’s James Spader is one of us! I’m thrilled, especially since I dressed up as his Steff character for a Halloween party one year (I was a part of a Pretty in Pink group costume). Although James still loves Halloween, his trick or treating days are numbered, given that his youngest child doesn’t need him to accompany him anymore. And poor James is “devastated.”
The whole clip is a delight but what he said about being abandoned is:
Do you like trick or treating?
I love Halloween, I’ve just been doing it for so long. I have a 30-year-old and an 11-year-old and a 26-year-old… last year, my youngest son said, “Papa, I don’t really need you to go trick or treating with me.” I was devastated, really.Had you already bought a costume for yourself?
Well, I’ve always had a costume around.The house?
Yeah, yeah. No, there’s always been dress-up corners in the houses.
OMG – I’ve never loved this man more! My new life goal is to end up in one of James Spader’s dress-up corners. In the neighborhood where I used to live, there were streets that closed themselves off and became block parties for trick or treating. The houses on those streets were fully decked out and the homeowners sat on their front steps, passing out candy, usually in costume. Remember, I lived in LA, so we’re talking set, costume, FX and makeup artists’ homes. Since we had such a street close to us, we’d always locked up our place and walked down to check it out. I honestly believe we would’ve have gone even if my kids didn’t. But I am not James Spader and nobody cares if I’m walking around with no kid. I’m sure someone would come up to James, ask for a selfie and then ask which were his kids. When James said, “they aren’t here,” TMZ’s lead-in story the next day is “Spader caught creeping on Halloween.”
Emotionally though, I don’t get it. My kids have both decided not to trick or treat this year, for the first time, and our neighbors told us our new neighborhood doesn’t see a lot of action. So we’re home, possibly passing out candy, if anyone comes by, and doing our own spooky thing come the 31st. And I don’t feel that bad about it.
We’ll still be in costume, of course.
It is well worth your time to watch the whole clip. James does a psychological deep-dive on what motivated him to egg some houses when he was a kid, only to *SPOILER* get busted at the very next house and have to go back and clean it up.
Photo credit: YouTube and WENN Photos
I have youtubed my way through this guys talk show interviews a few times… they are delightful. He is a very interesting guy, and this sounds totally like him.
My youngest is 13. He has no interest in trick or treating this year. I’m on the border of whether I should encourage him to go one more time or just let it go. Last year he and his friends did a theme but this year I haven’t heard anything. Plus, it’s supposed to rain. I am not a huge fan of Halloween, but for some reason this bums me out.
My will-turn-12 two days before Halloween-year-old was on the fence about ToT this year and I strongly encouraged him to go on the auspices of “you probably won’t regret going but you may regret NOT going” and so he’s going out. I think he’s going with all of his neighborhood friends, though, not with us. Fortunately, my younger one is only 7, so we’ve got a few more years of ToT ahead of us. I like going! The kids have a blast, it’s so cute to see all the neighborhood kids in their carefully chosen costumes, and candy! I also like being the parent who stays home to pass out candy, so I’ll flip my husband for who gets to do what. 🙂
James Spader may not be the young lion from Pretty in Pink anymore, but I’d still hit it like the fist of an angry god. He just oozes magnetism.
i’m dying laughing and agree. 100%. BDE to the max.
Get in line, grabbyhands. 😉
YES…gawd he just ooooozes sex
Like a screen door in a hurricane!
my stepson is 10, and he told us the other day that he thinks when he turns 13 he won’t want to go trick-or-treating anymore. that was the same age that his sister decided she wasn’t going either.
I’m not really sad about it, because the last few years he’s gone with his mom, so we sit on our porch and hand out candy. which is a lot more fun than wandering the neighborhood with him to be honest.
James I’ve loved you since I was pretty in pink.
I just realized that I’ve had a crush on this man consistently for 40 years!!
I’m almost as salty about James aging as I am about my own aging.
Best voice ever.
I didn’t think an interview about such a mundane subject could be THAT funny…but man, did I giggle! I’ve always loved Spader, and every terrible movie he made all through the 90s. He was sex on a stick (or whatever the hell that means), but I’ve never watched an interview. He’s delightful! Self-deprecating, so not like the characters he’s so known for!
My own son wanted to trick or treat forever if I’d have let him. But when he approached Halloween as a 15 year old 6’3” long haired giant, I put my foot down. I just couldn’t imagine how many houses and families he would have made uncomfortable as they assumed a grown man was taking part in a child’s pastime.
My mom’s birthday is Halloween. She had some wicked parties in the 70s.
Hope everyone’s is full of monster mash worthy memories!
I think 9th grade was the last year I went trick or treating and my costume was very half assed lol. By middle school I started feeling too old. But it’s a personal decision and I wouldn’t turn up my nose at a bunch of high schoolers turning up at my door in costume.
Agree, I always think it’s sweet they’re out having a good time being kids (and a safe choice as opposed to other stuff teenagers can get up to!) and I give them extra, extra candy. Even if they don’t have costumes. Because everybody likes free candy!!
I don’t know what this says about my boys or me, but they have never said they were too old for anything lol. They have many years between them, and the oldest still makes time for kid obssessions.
The youngest has only upped his game. His cosplay is serious business to him lol. He creates these digitized characters for online games and players. And when I think about it, he’s been penciling these drawings since preschool. Teachers would ask if I’m concerned about his drawings of soldiers, wars, games, etc. I had to explain I was aware and was constantly watching his interactions. I welcomed and appreciated the conversations. They actually helped me.
Everything I scrutinized and allowed him to pursue has evolved into him wanting to have costumes made from his drawings. His online game players have him design originals. So trick-or-treating time is paramount lol. And Santa Claus is real. Everyone here knows there are no presents if you don’t believe. 😋
One more thing, you have no idea how much candy three guys can amass. It’s Halloween scary.
I adore James Spader. He can´t do no wrong in my eyes.
I’m taking my 15 year old and his friend ToT this year but we are going to be doing it for Operation Gratitude, to donate candy for troop care boxes. They need community service for High School anyhow, so many benefits.
They went last year, but felt out of place, so I gave them a reason this year and they were relieved, I think, they could still dress up and have fun.
My work is also having a costume contest that day too.
We live in LA area too and I can attest that there are so many cool neighborhoods to go trick or treating in with all the talent out here.
He’s always been a favorite. And I have to say I do love his character in The Blacklist.
I bet he’s sexay beast one on one.
I loved his Alan Shore role, and he had good chemistry with William Shatner on Boston Legal. They had great Halloween party episodes, with the two of them dressed as flamingoes, and in drag. Boston Legal Bonuses: Candace Bergen, Betty White.
Wow I didn’t even know Spader has kids! This is a total surprise to me