Just when you thought '70s remakes were played out, Dax Shepard (Parenthood) has made the one that should have come first. With his new movie CHiPs--which he wrote, directed and stars in--he hopes to revive all the khaki-covered gay fantasies sparked by a classic show about two SoCal motorcycle cops.
Why did you want to make a movie about these guys?
Separately they're idiots, but together they're a perfect human being. My character, Jon, is an emotional genius, and Ponch (Michael Pena) is a logical genius. Plus, having grown up in Minnesota, I loved the California setting. The motorcycles and Jon and Ponch--it was like taking a vacation every week.
You really get into the origins of homophobia.
When I meet Ponch, I'm in the locker room wearing skintight underwear. You can definitely see my penis, and I go to hug him, and he's not into that. So I go, "Hey, if you're homophobic, I respect your right to be." And he says, "That's not the definition of homophobia." We end up exploring that, and it's never done in this generic, alpha-male way. It's sincere.
There's actually a lot of penis humor in the movie.
My wife [Kristen Bell] has the hardest time understanding my fascination with this, but I think the penis is one of the most tried-and-true comedic tropes there is. It's just so goofy that we have this thing hanging between our legs. She doesn't agree with me.
She thinks it's dramatic?
I think she feels a bit of ownership over it.
I read you did your own stunts.
A lot of them. I'm a very confident stunt car driver and pretty good on a motorcycle. But there's a ton of tricks I can't claim to have done. There was a stunt guy named God Bod who emasculated me daily, and I was grateful for it.
You look jacked.
One of the kids who worked on the film is Zac Efron's brother. I said, "Ask your brother for tips." He sent back, like, an 11-page thing. It was the most scientific approach to looking good with your shirt off: "15 minutes before your scene, you're going to have seven nuts. Then you're going to have a glass of water and do 22 push-ups." No wonder nobody has a chance.
Rumor has it you have one of the largest endowments in Hollywood. True?
I can't say for certain. But there's no reason someone with Karl Malden's nose and a weak chin should be as confident as I am.
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