By Pat Cerasaro BroadwayWorld.com Saturday, March 19, 2011 Today we are talking to Emmy and multi-Grammy-winning actor, musician and performer Harry Connick, Jr. about his new concert CD/DVD/Blu-Ray HARRY CONNICK, JR.: ON BROADWAY, in stores this week and premiering on PBS GREAT PERFORMANCES nationwide on Sunday. In this revealing two-part discussion encapsulating many of Harry's stage, film and concert memories - as well as anecdotes about working with friends and co-stars like Sandra Bullock, Hilary Swank and Renee Zellweger - we analyze the sights and sounds of his new concert album and DVD (which was filmed at the Neil Simon Theatre on Broadway last year) with central focus of the conversation being his passion for musical theatre music - as a musician, composer, performer and actor - and what the future holds for him on stages and screens large and small around the world. Of course, all of this is coming on the heels of the first news of Harry himself starring in the highly-awaited revival of ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER on Broadway next year! All that and much, much more awaits in this extensive weekend triptych feature, so don't miss the special Harry-centric edition of FLASH FRIDAY for the full experience! In Part II we have Harry's thoughts on mentoring AMERICAN IDOL contestants, GLEE, details about his new movies DOLPHIN TALE and WHEN ANGELS SING, working on BUG, HOPE FLOATS and more, in addition to his earliest musical theatre memories and what his stage work has meant to him, both as an actor and performer. But, first, enjoy this largely music-focused discussion - just as it should be when dealing with the reigning king of New Orleans jazz and America's best-loved classic song crooner - with a thorough rundown of writing his first Broadway musical, THOU SHALT NOT, and revisiting the finely-crafted tunes on three albums and, now, on the ON BROADWAY CD/DVD - plus thoughts on Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Frank Loesser and more! It's a whole lotta Harry! Part II: Doing It All PC: It's so simply awesome to see you hold the stage, sing, and conduct the orchestra simultaneously like you do on the DVD. It's so smooth. HCJ: Well, it's tough. You're trying to do it all and you have everyone with their eyes on you; watching you. It's really funny that you noticed that, because you really have to be a musician to notice it. Most people think I am doing a Mariah Carey-type thing. (Laughs.) PC: No diva hand gestures from Harry! HCJ: (Laughs.) It's funny, too, because the musicians are so disciplined in the way that they watch. Many times I will say, "Look, I can't give this prompt to you or that to you, but I can do this and I can do that. Is that cool? Can you spot me?" and, they're like, "Oh yeah, man. Whatever you want us to do." They're very committed to keeping a close eye on me and it's all a team effort. PC: That really comes through on the DVD. Was this your road orchestra for the most part? HCJ: The strings were all New York people. But, by the time we filmed it we had been playing together for about two weeks, so they knew the music pretty well - even though we changed it and tempos changed and fermatas changed in length; they were all right with me. PC: Speaking of Mariah, will you be guest-judging on AMERICAN IDOL again this year? HCJ: I don't think so. They haven't asked me - if they asked me, I'll think about it, I guess. But, they haven't even asked me. PC: Would you consider doing GLEE? HCJ: I know my wife and my daughters would love it if I did GLEE! PC: They're fans then? HCJ: Oh, yeah. I haven't even thought about it seriously, though. They haven't approached me, anyway. PC: Do you think it's a good show? Do you approve of them bringing Broadway music and standards to a potentially new audience? HCJ: I think it's nice that they bring music to the masses, but I don't like how they pitch-correct things! PC: Does Autotune drive you nuts as a real musician? HCJ: They don't need to use it. They don't need to do that. It's really unfortunate. Also, it's creating a dependency for people to just assume that's the way it's going to be. I think it's very, very unfortunate and extremely damaging to young singers. They think they are just going to walk into the studio and have all their flaws fixed - it's like using spellcheck on a wordprocesser and never learning how to spell. I think it's sad. And, it's so overused. I think the show is fun, otherwise, though. PC: Can you imagine having Julie Andrews Autotuned? HCJ: You can bet they will, though! You know, if I ever did that show I would have it written into my contract. PC: Really? HCJ: Absolutely, no question. No Autotune! PC: What's on your iPod right now? HCJ: You'll never believe it: nothing. PC: Really? Why? HCJ: I don't have one song - oh yeah, I do have one song: "Let's Get Physical" by Olivia Newton-John. PC: The original or the GLEE version? (Laughs.) HCJ: Original! Only! (Laughs.) PC: Why that song out of all songs? HCJ: I downloaded it in the hair and makeup trailer of the movie I'm doing because we were talking about it. That's the one song on my iPod. So, if I got in a car wreck and somebody looked through my iPod, that's the one song that's on there.