Why Mark-Paul Gosselaar, aka Zack Morris was, Continues to be Cool

Jimmy Fallon has been hoping for a "Saved By the Bell" reunion, and aside from some photos in a tabloid magazine, he hasn't gotten his wish. 

Renewed interest in the series and its stars prompted Dustin Diamond, who played Screech, from threatening the cast with a sordid tell-all book about their times filming the show. It's sort of sad, really: boy is a nerd, boy plays nerd on television, boy grows up and releases a grody sex tape of himself that no one buys, boy threatens former cast mates with a trumped-up book as a desperate attempt to maintain a shred of relevancy in a society that moved on without him a long time ago. 

Mark-Paul Gosselaar was asked about the Diamond tell-all in an interview with Newsweek, to which he responded in his trademark-cool Zack Morris fashion.

"What is he going to say? We were banging groupies at 14? I can't wait to read his book, because I don't have a memory of a lot of the shows. Maybe it was because I was doing lines off of the audience members' asses. I'm sure he's going to write something crazy like that. The truth is─the reason why the show worked and why it's still on today─we were good people and good to each other. We were innocent, naive kids. We were not jaded. So him writing a book, I'm not really afraid of what he has to say. There are not too many skeletons in my closet."

Zack still has it after all these years. 

Via, related

Comments

[Terra (aka Zoeyjane)]

I'll have to read this...seems like a good bathroom book.

But by god, if Kelly or Jessie ended up tossing Screech's salad, I'll never be able to watch again.

[Tracy H]

Did u see the appearance he made on Jimmy Fallon as "Zack Morris?" It was great. It is so refreshing to see a celebrity who is down to earth and not afraid to make fun of himself. Long live Zack Morris!

[steff]

I did! A little awkward in parts but still amazing to see him reprise his most notorious character in the flesh. Can't help but love him especially after reading that quote. Way to be the bigger person Mr. Morris.

[Jill]

:sigh: I love him.

[Kim]

And in addition to all that, on Raising the Bar he plays the underdog hero lawyer who champions for the little guy and gets people out of jail and shoots rainbows out of his ass.

I mean, I don't watch the show, but my partner does, and he gives me verbal recaps which make it sound like a small time The West Wing. So, defenders of the little guy, one more reason to love him.

[shine]

Oh, Zack. I love you.

[msmarci7]

Here's to respecting your roots and not crapping the show that made you. It is refreshing to see!

[bd]

Oh thank god he cut his hair.

[ravenlynne]

ROFL! @ tossing Screech's salad.

[Another Suburban Mom]

If you want to see some outstanding acting from MPG, find his arc on NYPD Blue. Not everyone can hold a scene and even take one from Dennis Franz, but he manages.

[DianaCLT]

Yay! Someone other than me remembers his time on the show! :)