Interview: Mark Hoppus – Talk Show Host, Musician, Illiterate?

Here’s some Mark Hoppus trivia for you.

If  you think you know Mark Hoppus, you’ll recall he started playing the bass at fifteen. If you really know Mark Hoppus, you’re aware he formed Blink-182 in 1992. If you live and breathe Mark Hoppus, then you can name every band, side project, album, clothing line – hell, you could probably name the episode of Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place he was on.

So Hoppus-Enthusiast, when Mark appeared on The Kevin & Bean Show this morning to talk about his new talk show A Different Spin, can you tell me how often he said he likes to sit down with a cup of coffee and discuss politics with his new best friend, Ryan Seacrest?

Never. The answer is never. God no. Trick question.

With Mark Hoppus’ new show airing tonight, Kevin decided to talk to the musician-turned-emcee and get the inside scoop on what we can expect.

Kevin: We have Mark Hoppus right now on the phone to talk about a new series that he is the host of… Hey Mark!

Mark: Hi! How’s it goin’?

Kevin: You’re the host of a TV show!

Mark: Can you imagine that?

Kevin: No!

Mark: I am, it’s true.

Kevin: How did it come about?

Mark: FUSE hit me up at the end of last year. They were talking about putting together a music based talk show. It sounded like something I would absolutely want to do. We’ve been working on it ever since. And now it premiers tonight!

Kevin: Who do you have on tonight? 

Mark: Oh you know, just my friend John Mayer. Neon Trees is performing.

Kevin: Wow! I thought you were gonna start with Blink, and then +44, then the Transplants, and then you’d be out. 

Mark: This week Travis, next week Tom!

[...] 

Kevin: What else is involved? There’s a half hour interview… then you tap dance for a while?

Mark: Half hour tap dancing then we close the show. Ha, no we have interviews, live performance, panel discussion where we sit around and talk about what’s going on in music, field pieces, bits and novelties and knickknacks. 

Kevin: You have knickknacks?

Mark: Absolutely. I have a knickknack collection.

Kevin: Who else do you have coming up?

Mark: We have Linkin Park on the second show with The National performing.

Kevin:  You’re not doing this live, are you?

Mark: Oh hell no. I’m no good at that- they have to stop tape so many times. I have to read from a teleprompter and I have no business doing that at all. As you guys know, I’m barely literate in the first place. And to read a teleprompter while doing that? I can barely read my kid a bedtime story.

[...] 

Mark: So no, it’s taped, which allows us to be ourselves a lot more which is really what we want to do with that show.

Kevin: Because you can edit it afterwards.

Mark: Yeah. It’s kinda like a Blink show, where if we mess up we want to make it part of the show. We don’t want to edit out all the warts.

[...] 

Kevin: Mark, we’re looking forward to seeing you at Epicenter.

Mark: Oh yeah! That little Epicenter show we’re playing!

Kevin: That little show on Saturday the 26^th with Rise Against, 30 Seconds to Mars, Bad Religion.

Mark: That marks the last live performance before we lock ourselves in the studio and come out with new music.

Kevin: Oh fantastic.

Mark: It’s for you guys because we love you.

[...] 

Kevin: Did I say Saturday? I meant Sunday.

Mark: We’re playing Sunday. You know, I can coach you through this stuff if you need it.

A Different Spin will air every Thursday on FUSE at 4PM Pacific/ 7PM Eastern