WHAT ever happened to Kotter? Thirty-two years ago, Gabe Kaplan’s comedy routine became “Welcome Back Kotter,” the beloved sitcom about a Brooklyn teacher returning to his roots to teach a bunch of remedial students, with John Travolta as Vinnie Barbarino. Kotter, er, Kaplan disappeared when the show ended in 1979, but this summer he returns, first via a DVD for the first season of “Kotter,” then as a commentator on ESPN’s the World Series of Poker, and lastly as author of his first book.
“Kotter’s Back: E-mails from a Faded Celebrity to a Bewildered World” (Simon Spotlight Entertainment, $15.95) is composed of a series of prank e-mails Kaplan sent and the responses he received in return. In fact, one of his favorite pranks led to him becoming the grand marshal of a Mardi Gras parade in Sioux City, Iowa.
We met Kaplan at the Oyster Bar at Grand Central, where several waiters and diners approached him for autographs. He was dressed for golf.
Why the delay with the DVD?
I guess they didn’t realize what the demand was. If they knew, I’m sure they would’ve released it earlier.
So it’s just a coincidence that the DVD and book are coming out at the same time?
I don’t think they even know about the book. The DVD was planned already without consulting myself or any of the others.
So how did this book come about?
In November of 2002, I was approached to be part of a reality TV show called “Celebrity Boxing.” I thought the request – to put two 60-year-olds in a ring together – was crossing the line, so I decided to have some fun with the network, and that grew into having some fun with a lot of people. Most of the e-mails were between January 2003 and October 2003, and then I advised people that this was a prank and they could stop writing me. I still have another book’s worth of material.
Did you get everyone’s permission to be in the book?
Yes, or if we couldn’t locate the person, we changed their name and details. About 90 percent of people agreed to be in the book. Jerry Falwell, Tom Clancy and some comedians I don’t want to mention because it would be embarrassing that they don’t have a sense of humor, all declined. If someone said no, then that was it.
You tricked the reporter from Radar magazine pretty well.
Yes, but Vanity Fair said no.
Funny, because the editor of Vanity Fair used to work for Spy, and this book reminded me of Spy’s regular pranks.
Well, there you go.
Beyond the good will afforded by your celebrity from the ’70s, the title is a little misleading. Did you have a hand in that?
Not that much. I really didn’t want to use the name Kotter, but they said that’s how most people know me.
When did you shave that mustache off?
Right after Kotter. I’ve had a beard for most of the last 25 years.
Do you often get so many double takes?
I think it’s the hair more than the mustache. [The] poker thing makes me a lot more recognizable. The voice makes me recognizable [too]. I definitely look different without all that hair.
When you began writing for the “Kotter” series, did you mean to make a statement about multiculturalism?
It was based on my real life – the kind of class I was in in Crown Heights, the guys who were my friends. That was a big part of it, that we were from different ethnic backgrounds and we all were friends. I thought that people would pick up on that and we would do shows about that, but nobody noticed and nobody cared. Mostly, the guys were funny and relatable.
This was the first sitcom to come directly from a stand-up routine, the way Ray Romano, Roseanne Barr and Jerry Seinfeld later developed shows.
It did come directly from my stand-up routine, which came from my life, yes. I was successful as a stand-up comedian, and then I did “Kotter,” until those “kids” were all in their mid-to-late 20s.
When “Kotter” was off the air, I became a marginal personality. I didn’t concentrate on show business. I didn’t do the social groundwork. I wanted to try and do something else. I think I have a realistic viewpoint.
Tell us some secrets. Who auditioned for the show and didn’t get on?
Farrah Fawcett and Cindy Williams.
Wow. To play your wife?
No, as Horshack. But what was nice about that was they both got shows that same year. Cindy got “Laverne & Shirley” and Farrah got “Charlie’s Angels.”
What’s up with the film rights for “Kotter”? Will there ever be big-screen Sweathogs?
Harvey Weinstein has optioned the show, and they want to do an urbanized version with Ice Cube as Kotter in Inglewood or Compton or something.
Do you find it strange that John Travolta has never had anyone from “Kotter” in any of his movies?
He’s asked me to be in all of his movies, but I keep insisting on top billing, and he balks at that. I don’t think it’s that strange – you don’t see Tom Hanks working with anyone from “Bosom Buddies.”
Travolta was a big star after just five weeks on that show. And when we went on hiatus, he made “Saturday Night Fever” and “Grease.”
So what have you been doing for the last 25 years?
Sometimes I joke and say I’m night manager at D’Agostino’s. [But] I’ve been doing other things. I was on the first episode of “The Love Boat.” I did a sports radio show in L.A. for about three years and got tired of knowing everybody’s batting average. I’ve been in some movies and TV shows.
But now, [being] a poker commentator, people have started to call me by my real name. For years, people would say, “Hey, Welcome Back Kotter,” like I was an Indian with three names.