ShareThisBy TERRY MORROW
When David Keith looks at the character he plays on CBS's "The Class," he doesn't see the "jerk" everybody else does.
"He's not a jerk because he is a bad guy. He is a jerk because he is just so happy," the Tennessee native says with a laugh. "Friends might say that's closer to home for me than I might tell you."
"The Class," which airs 8:30 p.m. EDT/PDT on Mondays, is a twentysomething "Friends"-like ensemble that follows eight former grade-school classmates who are reunited 20 years later.
As self-absorbed former pro football quarterback Yonk Allen, the 52-year-old Keith isn't one of the kids. He has a secondary role, but is in a major storyline that is driving the show's drama.
Yonk is married to one of the eight former classmates, a lonely woman (Andrea Anders) many years his junior who's having an affair behind his back.
"The Class" also stars Jason Ritter, Jesse Tyler Ferguson (from Broadway's "Spelling Bee") and Jon Bernthal.
Yonk is not too bright and fairly insensitive (ranking his Super Bowl moment as the best time of his life, even above his wedding). He is the kind of ex-pro who expects you to kiss his Super Bowl ring and like it.
Despite that flaw, Keith recognizes a bit of himself in the character.
"He's very much like me in my life in that I am almost never in a bad mood," he says during a phone interview. "Almost nothing gets me down. I'm just basically happy all the time, and that's the way Yonk is."
Keith was cast in the role after the first pilot was already shot with another actor. When the comedy decided to go another way with the character, director James Burrows, who had worked with Keith on past pilots that didn't fare well, contacted Keith.
Burrows knew of Keith's availability, his acting chops, his passion for football ... and he was the right age.
From the beginning, Keith, whose resume includes major roles in big-screen projects like "An Officer and A Gentleman," "The Rose" and "Daredevil," asked that certain aspects be included in "The Class" part.
He wanted Yonk to retain Keith's natural Southern accent. Also, he was hoping Yonk's backstory would include him playing for the University of Tennessee Vols.
"The Class" is causing Keith is doing double duty now. A resident of Knoxville, Tenn., he flies to Los Angeles to shoot his episodes during weekdays. On weekends, he hops on a red-eye flight back to Tennessee so he can catch the University of Tennessee Vols play.
In the thick of all this scheduling, Keith tries to make sure he's home on Sundays so he and his family can attend church and have "family time." Keith says it's more important to him than any role.
"God just smiled on us," Keith says of his new role, "and believe you me, we thank him every day for it."
