Barry Bostwick from 'Rocky Horror' admits he can't do the Time Warp, praises the film's inclusivity

Actor Barry Bostwick, who played Bradley J. Majors in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” talks with Yahoo Entertainment’s Ethan Alter about the film’s longevity and inclusivity, but admits he doesn’t know how to do the Time Warp.

Video Transcript

ETHAN ALTER: It's a real pleasure to chat with you about all things "Rocky Horror." And congrats on 48 years of this never-ending fan favorite.

BARRY BOSTWICK: That's right, 48 years, you know, who thought that we'd still be alive 48 years later? It's just-- it's animalistic. I don't know. It is just so-- I'm agasped whenever I see it. I'm going, my god, there's 1,000 people out there, doing something that we did in this little old, beat-up sound stage in England, cold, no bathrooms. We were all freezing. And now, here's 2,000 people in front of me, doing it. It's-- there is a time warp for all of this.

ETHAN ALTER: Well, I guess that leads to the obvious question. How does your Time Warp hold up? Are you able to still do the moves, when--

BARRY BOSTWICK: I never did the time-- I never did the Time Warp. I never did it in the movie. And when somebody says to me, you know, well, do the Time Warp. Show me how to do it. I go, I don't know. I could do the Madison.

- Do one of you guys know how to Madison?

ETHAN ALTER: That's what I thought. I mean, I know you don't do it in the movie. I wondered, oh, maybe you must have learned over the years after doing this. But no, you're just like, I-- that's not what I do.

BARRY BOSTWICK: It's just a jump-- it's just a jump to the left. And if somebody asks me, I always say, it's just a jump to the right. And they go, no, it's a jump to the left. But then, where is this step? Oh, the step is to the right. No, the step is to the-- I don't know how to do it. I don't know how to do it. And then, you have to do the pelvic thrust.

ETHAN ALTER: One of the things I always remember from my "Rocky Horror" screenings is Brad, at least, especially in the beginning of the movie, gets a lot of abuse from the audience. People are always yelling at him and insulting him, and saying, come on, Brad! Did you feel defensive for him? Do you want to, like, stick up for him when you hear that sometimes?

BARRY BOSTWICK: Oh, no, no, I love it. I've embraced-- I've embraced the names that they call me, and so much so that I think I can now run for governor of Florida.

ETHAN ALTER: Well, you mention Florida. And obviously, there are states now where performing "Rocky Horror" falls under drag shows. And they've been banned. There's been that issue. Does that frustrate you? Can you believe--

BARRY BOSTWICK: No, it hasn't affected us. Either that, or they haven't caught us yet, you know, which is maybe more to the point. No, we did three shows in Florida last month.

ETHAN ALTER: And obviously, you're in drag in the film. I have to say, you look darn good in drag in the film, too. So, you're a part of that.

BARRY BOSTWICK: Thank you.

ETHAN ALTER: That's good.

BARRY BOSTWICK: So, I don't-- thank you. I'll tell my wife that you said that, thank you. So, I don't-- in my intro, I don't get into that drag outfit anymore.

ETHAN ALTER: [LAUGHS] In the closet.

BARRY BOSTWICK: I wouldn't fit into that bustier. And I wouldn't attempt those four-inch high heels again. It's created a very safe place, this theater, the audience, the community, for people to act up and act out, and perhaps explore who they want to be, or are, genuinely. And I think that we have also created this space to learn how to embrace our differences, in a way. From the moment that we all entered the theater, in that space, you know, it becomes something spiritual, in a way, you know? I mean, it is like church.