As COUGAR TOWN continues to embrace all the wild and adventurous spirits residing in Gulf Haven, including the newest Cul-De-Sac Crew member Tom – Jules Cobb’s (Courteney Cox) ever-present friendly neighbor, the latest addition is Tom’s girlfriend, portrayed by the vivacious Ali Wentworth. In a recent press call, Ali candidly shared the inspiration behind her eye-popping role and whether fans will be seeing more of her in the future.
In your words how do you describe your character appearing in tonight’s COUGAR TOWN episode “I Should Have Known It”?
ALI: I play a gold-digging hussy. She read like somebody who was going after this guy for his money, but it is COUGAR TOWN, so I played her like something out of HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA. I had lots of extensions in my hair and lots of tan and boobs up to my chin because I figured, if you’re a gold-digger, you got to kind of “juj” it up a little, and I also wanted to just have fun — and it was fun.
How do you research a role like that or do you even research something like that?
ALI: I don’t research it because I like to use my fantasy life. You know that the show takes place in Florida, so what would a 40-year-old Floridian woman, gold-digger look like and act like? Then I just play that. This is my version. Somebody else would do a different version, but this is how I would do it. I mean any of the HOUSEWIVES, or whatever, gives you a slight idea about what you could play. The main thing is they let me improvise a lot, so when you have that freedom not only do you get to kind of physically make her what you think of, but you get to have her talk and say things that you think she would.
Did they invite you to come back a couple of more times? Can you talk about that, or will we see you again?
ALI: Yes, I mean they have invited me back. I think since they shot this season they’ll see where they’re at, but I would love to come back and I had so much fun with Bob [Clendenin].
What made you decide to take on the role in the first place? Was it something particular that initially drew you to the show?
ALI: I am friends with the creator Bill Lawrence and his wife Christa Miller, and they were saying, “We want you to come on the show and play with us,” and they came up with this part that was just too fun to pass by, so I said, “Absolutely. I’ll come to L.A. for a week and wear a padded bra and hair extensions and have fun.”
You’ve done acting. You’ve done writing. What’s next on your “bucket list”?
ALI: Oh, on my bucket list? Well, I am writing a second book. I’m writing a pilot for Warner Brothers and NBC for my first book, and doing this daily show on Yahoo called the “Daily Shot with Ali Wentworth.” But I’d like to make-out with James Franco in a movie, if you could make that happen. (Laughs)
What will this next book be? Is it a continuation or on a completely a different subject?
ALI: I wrote “Ali in Wonderland,” which is kind of autobiographical stories, so this [new book] is more about perspective of a middle-aged woman. It’ll be the range. It’ll be kids. It’ll be plastic surgery. It’ll be sex. It’ll be everything that I’m thinking about or seeing or wondering about at my age. Somebody that I’ve always admired is Nora Ephron, so I sort like that vein of writing.
Do you have plans to do your own series again?
ALI: I live in New York and my husband George anchors GMA, so I wouldn’t do a series in L.A. So that kind of cuts down 80% of opportunity. I feel like my life and especially with little kids it kind of works well on the East Coast. I mean as much as I would love it, I think if I went and did a series in L.A. I would be single, which is no fun to be single when you’re a middle-aged housewife, so that’s probably why. And that’s I why I also love to guest star, to go do something fun in COUGAR TOWN for a week. It’s like the perfect amount for me. 
Tiffany Vogt is the Senior West Coast Editor, contributing as a columnist and entertainment reporter to TheTVaddict.com. She has a great love for television and firmly believes that entertainment is a world of wondrous adventures that deserves to be shared and explored – she invites you to join her. Please feel free to contact Tiffany at Tiffany_Vogt_2000@yahoo.com or follow her at on Twitter (@TVWatchtower).
To meet the newest addition to the Cul-De-Sac Crew, be sure to tune in tonight to see Ali’s unforgettable appearance in COUGAR TOWN, at 10PM on TBS.