(He also shined in Conan OBrien and Robert Smigels 1991 NBC comedy pilotLookwell.)
Hes gone, says Callaghan, but we can still enjoy his tremendous work for a while longer.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How much of a shock was Adams death to everyone atFamily Guy?
FOX
I understand that his battle with leukemia wasnt very long.STEVE CALLAGHAN:It came as a complete shock.
If I get emotional in this conversation, I apologize.
So it was very shocking, and it wasnt that long ago… that he was here.
FOX
We will miss him a lot.
But well just miss having his presence here in the office.
There are not enough positive adjectives in the language to use to describe Adam West.
Hes just such a wonderful, sweet, hilarious, kind guy.
And I [said], Oh, he could be funny.
What would the mayors name be or what would the character be?
And he said, No, just Adam West.
Like, hes the mayor of the town.
I laughed and I thought, Well, I dont get it.
We all just really laughed and sparked to that idea.
Because almost everything that comes out of that guys mouth is a joke.
And its pretty remarkable, even on a show like ours.
Even Peter Griffin has to have a fair number of straight lines.
What was a recording session with him like?
I was a huge, huge fan ofBatmanwhen I was growing up.
They would show reruns after school when I would get home.
Not on Halloween, mind you, just on a regular Thursday.
And I always loved recording him.
He always had such a blast and was very game for anything, which was so nice.
We would put anything in front of him.
Wanna take a gander at some Adam West penis?
And hes like, Okay, Ill do it.
He just was such a good sport.
The one other thing that I definitely, definitely felt from him was such appreciation.
He was so happy and thankful to be a part ofFamily Guy.
He was very appreciative for that…
I think he really loved being part of the show as much as we loved having him.
When we had our 100th episode [party], we invited him and all the cast.
I believe he lived, at the time, in Idaho.
And he wasnt going to make it to the party.
So, instead, he RSVP-ed by sending us a handwritten fax to our office.
[Retrieves the RSVP fax.]
Its dated Oct. 25, 2007.
It says, To Sethmaster and gang, Congratulations on your 100th birthday.
You just dont look it.
Id like to be there, but Im in the far mountains of Idaho trying to emulateInto the Wild.
There in spirit, Mayor West.
It was full of jokes and good humor and congratulations.
It just makes me smile when I look at it.
Was there ever any discussion of whether or not you should run these episodes?No.
Hes such an integral part of the series that it never even occurred to us to take that out.
I would almost feel like that was somehow not properly honoring him.
I think the proper way to honor him is to keep the character in the show.
I [wouldnt] even consider having someone come in and attempt to imitate his voice.
Sometimes, after someone passes away, some of the jokes dont seem appropriate anymore.
Its just him being his regular silly, goofy self.
How will you address his death on the show?
We havent really even had a full conversation about it.
He just seems so irreplaceable.
I dont know who could fill those shoes.
Its been a little too painful for us really get too deep into that conversation just yet.
It does not go well.
And how much well miss him, everyone here atFamily Guy.
You cant fill it.You really cant.
But hes as funny in these upcoming episodes as hes been.
I love that character so much because he could just be this fun-loving crazy guy.
Season 15 ofFamily Guydebuts Oct. 1.
