Television is a funny business. Literally.
Who would have thought that you could take an overweight action star/director from Hong Kong and team him with an African-American former talk-show host and end up with something as entertaining as "Martial Law?"The teaming of Sammo Hung and Arsenio Hall defies all description. And the two, whose backgrounds couldn't be more different, bonded almost on sight.
"First time, we meet together," Hung said in his limited (but improving) English. "Then we talked. Then I show him my bottom."
How's that again?
"Yeah," Hall said. "I met him and we were together 10 minutes and he said, 'This tough show, really tough show.' And he stood up and pulled down his pants and showed me a big bruise right here.
"And, I'm like, 'Wow!' And we've been together ever since."
But they weren't together when the show premiered on CBS last fall. (It airs Saturdays at 8 p.m. on Ch. 2.) Hall, who flopped in a sitcom after success as a late-night talk-show host, was brought in to bolster a show that had already gotten off to a strong start.
Actually, Hall had shot another pilot for Twentieth Television and CBS. The network liked Hall, but they didn't like the show -- but both the studio and the network worked to convince him to take a shot at "Martial Law," showing him the series' pilot.
"And (Hung) is beating the (crud) out of a guy with a chalk eraser. You know, you don't forget a moment like that," Hall said. "And I'm, like, 'Kids are going to eat this up. I like this!' And I watched the whole thing."
Hung wasn't exactly familiar with Hall, either. He didn't know the name and he'd never seen his talk show, but Hung did recognize Hall from his role in the movie "Coming to America."
"Of course, I like it," Hung said. "I like everybody that joined the show, you know. I love the show. It's not only me. They have a lot of stuff, a lot of, what is it?"
"Other actors," Hall said.
In "Martial Law," Hung plays a legendary cop from Shanghai who joins the LAPD. He's teamed with Hall, who plays a fast-talking former police publicity man.
The team includes Louis Mandylor as a fellow cop, Tom Wright as their boss and Kelly Hu as another former Chinese cop who joins the force.
"We're like a slapstick 'Mission: Impossible.' It's a great team, and (Hung) is Mr. Phelps," Hall said.
The episodes are generally light-hearted fun, full of action sequences highlighted by the amazingly acrobatic moves of the rather rotund Hung.
Since Hall came aboard, the show has revolved around his relationship with Hung. And it's a relationship they've forged offscreen as well.
"We sit in the car a lot, being towed places to do scenes," Hall said. "And I know more about him than I really want to."
"Remember, I teach you how to sing the opera?" Hung said.
"Oh, yeah, I'm learning Chinese songs," Hall said. "And I'm trying to teach him stuff from when I was young" -- he added, breaking into a refrain of "Jungle Boogie" and starting to dance as Hung joined in.
"You know, we have a lot of fun," Hall said. "And sometimes he'll do something that blows you away. Like, one day he's sitting there and he (starts singing) 'Bye, bye, Miss America Pie.' I'm, like, where the (heck) did you get that song from, man?!' "
"I learned from Peking Opera school," Hung deadpanned.
And, while he's no Sammo Hung, Arsenio Hall has gotten in his share of action sequences.
"He do very well," Hung said.
Hall demured. "Byron Allen does my stunts," he joked.
Actually, Hall said his co-star has taught him a lot about being an action star.
"I don't know how he knows this stuff, but he said, 'I show you how to take a gun to the back of the head,' " he said. "Oh, that's great. Wish I was on 'Leno' right now. Much less pressure.
"But no, I've learned a lot from him. And I'm doing all right."
Hung and director/executive producer Stanley Tong certainly know what they're doing -- they've got more experience with action films than just about anybody.
"It's amazing. I'm amazed by the organization that Stanley and (executive producer) Carlton (Cuse) and Sammo have assembled," Hall said. "Because to watch them put it all together is unbelievable."
As for the fight scenes, a lot of time and effort go into them.
"Basically, it does just take time," Hall said. "It's like a dance. And you take the time and you really prepare, so everything is safe. We had a scene the other day with a lion. And those kinds of things are the same way. . . . Because the wrong dance step and the lion has your (butt)."
Hung isn't the only one on the set of "Martial Law" doing action sequences, but then Hall isn't the only funny member of the cast.
"The first day Arsenio showed up on the set (he) was a little nervous," Cuse said. "And Sammo said, 'Are you nervous?'
"And Arsenio said, 'Yeah, I'm nervous.'
"And Sammo said, 'Why? We're doing this in English.' "