Copyright 2003 National Broadcasting Co. Inc.  
NBC News Transcripts
SHOW: Today (7:00 AM ET) - NBC
October 16, 2003 Thursday
LENGTH: 1397 words

HEADLINE: Actor John C. McGinley discusses the National Down Syndrome Annual Buddy Walk

ANCHORS: KATIE COURIC

BODY:
KATIE COURIC, co-host:

Actor John C. McGinley just kicked off his third season as the blunt but sometimes lovable Dr. Perry Cox on NBC's hit series "Scrubs."

(Clip of "Scrubs")

COURIC: This morning, John C. McGinley has temporar--temporarily shed his scrubs to talk about his true love.

John C, good morning.

Mr. JOHN C. McGINLEY ("Scrubs"): Good morning to you.

COURIC: I always like that I get strict instructions, 'Do not call him John, do not call him Johnny, call him John C.'

Mr. McGINLEY: Well, my friends call me John C...

COURIC: They do?

Mr. McGINLEY: ...and we're quickly becoming friends, aren't we, Katie?

COURIC: Well, I'm happy to be included in that category. But when you see people, they all say 'Hey, John C, how you doing?' They never say 'John'?

Mr. McGINLEY: Well, it's my name, John C. McGinley. That's what I was--that's--you know, you--when you get confirmed, that's the name they gave me.

COURIC: And your family calls you that and everything?

Mr. McGINLEY: They call me 'Hey, you' or...

COURIC: Stupid sometimes, right?

Mr. McGINLEY: ...'Jackass Number Two,' come over here.

COURIC: Anyway--well, it's great to see you again.

Mr. McGINLEY: Good to see you.

COURIC: And, obviously, we are here for a very important reason, and that is because you are national spokesperson for the--the National Down Syndrome Annual Buddy Walk.

Mr. McGINLEY: Yes.

COURIC: Did I get that right?

Mr. McGINLEY: Yes, you certainly did.

COURIC: And--and the reason why you're involved, John C, is because of your adorable son Max...

Mr. McGINLEY: Yes.

COURIC: ...who is six years old...

Mr. McGINLEY: Yes.

COURIC: ...who has Down syndrome.

Mr. McGINLEY: Yes. Max was born with Down syndrome six years ago. And Down syndrome is a genetic disorder. There are 350,000 people in the United States with Down syndrome. And the families and brothers and sisters and all the extended people who deal with those 350,000 people are an extraordinary group. And so the walk on Sunday here in New York, and October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, is called the Buddy Walk, and it's a day of inclusion and empowerment, and it's a day we like to celebrate people's abilities and not their disabilities. And so it's--it's really about lifting up families and children with special needs.

COURIC: You have such a great attitude about Max and his situation. But for a lot of families--and I know you probably went through this too--when you have a child born with Down syndrome, it--it can really take you aback and can be a very tough situation, initially, right?

Mr. McGINLEY: Well, look, nobody--nobody signs up to have a child with special needs. You go to the hospital and--and you're in labor and your wife's in labor and you're doing the thing, and then it's very disorienting and scary and--and you beat yourself up and you go through a whole period of 'woe is me' and then you realize that this a--this is a gift, this child is the light, he's--he's--and if you can nourish that light and just--and let it shine, you have an opportunity to--to get closer to what I think is God, and that's--and that's grace, you have a chance to be graceful, and...

COURIC: Obviously, this has changed your life in an incredibly positive way.

Mr. McGINLEY: If--if you ever met Max, you--you would understand.

COURIC: Well, you know, you just look at his sweet face. Tell me a little bit more about him.

Mr. McGINLEY: Well, he's a good boy, you know, he's a precocious, stubborn, Irish, no-good menace to society. And it doesn't fall far from the tree. And he's just such a beautiful little boy. And who--who knows what he is or isn't going to be able to do? I--is he going to be a brain surgeon? Probably not. But you want to provide a--you want--you want to foster an environment and a landscape where he can--he can excel and--and do whatever he can do. What a--what a wonderful thing to be able to say, that a child got a chance to do what he or she was able to do.

COURIC: What advice would you give, knowing what you know now and what you've been through, to parents who may have children with Down syndrome?

Mr. McGINLEY: Fir--first thing is--is to get on the--the Web site, which is buddywalk.org, and I think that it's a link at the TODAY show Web site as well, and start finding out information. Because there's all sorts of very--it's an enormous resource and there's a lot of stuff you should know about kids whose 21st chromosome tripled, and that's what Down syndrome is. And if you get on that Web site, you're going to find out you're not alone, you're not from Mars, you didn't do anything wrong, you've been--you've been blessed with a gift and you have a chance to--to bring up a child who's going to be just a stunning, stunning person here.

COURIC: I think the feeling of community is so important when you're in a situation like this, because you can learn so much from other--other people who have sort of walked the walk, if you will.

Speaking of the walk, by the way...

Mr. McGINLEY: A thousand times yes.

COURIC: ...John C, I know a lot of your friends from "Scrubs" participated. You had a walk in LA, I guess...

Mr. McGINLEY: We did.

COURIC: ...this summer, and they participated, which I think is so great, that they came out to support you and Max.

Mr. McGINLEY: It was stunning. The whole cast came out. It made me cry...

COURIC: Well...

Mr. McGINLEY: ...because so many people say, you know, 'I'll be there. Whenever you need me to do something, just call up and I'll be there.' And sure-shooting, that whole cast showed up. We had--we somehow got access to the Santa Anita Racetrack, so all the kids...

COURIC: Which is so cool. Seabiscuit, right?

Mr. McGINLEY: Yeah. And it's topical and, you know, you could be near the horseys, and it's--it's a beautiful place and...

COURIC: Well, it was a great experience for them. Let's listen to what some of them had to say about you and Max afterwards.

Mr. McGINLEY: Oh.

Mr. KEN JENKINS: Johnny C. McGinley is a friend. And Max, I think, is an astonishingly wonderful little boy. And it's the two of them that I come out here for. And then I get here and I discover all this incredible sweetness.

Unidentified Man: Since Max was born, we've become more aware of Down syndrome. And--and this is one of the ways that we can all come out and sort of show our--our love for Max.

Mr. ZACH BRAFF: Johnny C has really opened all of our eyes to how--I mean, his son is one of the most wonderful children I've ever seen, and has just become a part of our family and I've become a part of theirs.

COURIC: How nice that they deliver such friendship and love to you.

Mr. McGINLEY: That made me cry.

COURIC: That's really, really sweet.

Mr. McGINLEY: This is stunning.

COURIC: Before we go, how's "Scrubs"?

Mr. McGINLEY: "Scrubs" is the best gig on the planet.

COURIC: Yeah?

Mr. McGINLEY: Yeah.

COURIC: Anything--anything exciting in store for your character?

Mr. McGINLEY: Mayhem. Just complete mayhem. It's anarchy in a hospital. The writers came back from the summer fresh with new ideas. And--and the cast is just up to the task. And everybody's knocking the cover off the ball, transition to 'Go, Yankees.'

COURIC: OK. I'll leave it at that.

John C. McGinley, it's great to have you here.

Mr. McGINLEY: What a pleasure. Thank you for having me and letting us talk about the Buddy Walk and stuff.

COURIC: Oh. And we should mention again that people can get more information about the Buddy Walk in their area by logging onto our Web site, which, again, directs them to your Web site so they can get all the 411.

Mr. McGINLEY: That is so helpful, it's so helpful.

COURIC: And it must be a wonderful day and a great day of celebration and joy for lots of families.

Mr. McGINLEY: It is a day of inclusion and--and advocacy of children with special needs.

COURIC: All right. Well, Johnny C...

Mr. McGINLEY: Yes, indeed.

COURIC: ...nice to see you.

Up next, a best-selling novelist takes us to Washington.

Plus, STYLEWATCH has its eyes on Hollywood and how the Material Girl likes to save face. So stick around for that.

And we'll have a howling good time with some costume ideas for your kids. I don't think we're in Kansas anymore.

But first, these messages.

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