The Post’s Steve Serby chatted with the 61-year-old chairman and co-owner of the Giants and partner in Escape Artists, an independent film production company.
Q: The chances of a New York Super Bowl in 2014?
A: I can’t predict what the vote is going to be. … I feel a lot of goodwill from a number of the owners.
Q: Will you give a presentation when the owners meet in Dallas a week from tomorrow?
A: Woody (Johnson) and John (Mara) are going to speak on behalf of the two teams and I believe my brother Jon (bid co-chairman) will also be speaking.
Q: Are you optimistic?
A: I would say I’m an optimist by nature. I don’t think I will characterize this as a slam-dunk by any means. . . . I feel that our presentation will be convincing . . . positive. I don’t think we need to spend a lot of time talking about the weather. . . . I’m guardedly optimistic.
Q: Will the new stadium be a bigger home-field advantage?
A: The design brings the fans a lot closer to the playing field than most other stadiums. I think it’s going to be a very exciting place for the home team.
Q: Plaxico Burress’ possibly returning to the Giants when he gets out of prison?
A: I would be very much in favor of Plaxico returning to the NFL when he is released. I haven’t yet gone to visit him, but I intend to over the summer.
Q: You haven’t discussed it with John Mara, Tom Coughlin and Jerry Reese?
A: It’s a more complicated issue. Because I think it’s not only premature, it’s difficult to predict when Plaxico will be released.
Q: Plaxico wrote you a letter?
A: A very personal letter . . . a very emotional letter, a very heartfelt letter . . . explaining to me how badly he felt about personally disappointing me and my father’s memory. It’s something I’ll keep and remember forever.
Q: Lawrence Taylor?
A: A giant on the New York Giants.
Q: LT’s current situation?
A: It’s an unbelievably sad, tragic, confusing and disheartening situation. Knowing one of the three people involved is difficult because I’ve known LT for a long time and he and my father were close. I think until the investigative process is completed, no one is really going to know what happened.
Q: A new CBA?
A: It’s just a matter of when we get there, not if we get there. I think we have to get there. Again, I have no idea when.
Q: Why do you say that?
A: It’s too important for everybody involved. . . . The long-term benefit is for everybody — not only for the players and owners, but for the fans.
Q: If Tom Hanks hadn’t played Forrest Gump, who else could have?
A: In 1985, when Warner Bros. optioned the rights to the book for us, two or three of the actors they had in mind were Chevy Chase, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who physically is very similar to the way Forrest is described in the original novel, and Bruce Willis.
Q: Describe your emotions accepting your Oscar at the 1994 Academy Awards (“Forrest Gump”) and getting to express your gratitude to your family for their support.
A: The actual Oscar statue was handed to me by Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, and it was a moment in time that I’ll never forget.
Q: The Oscar or your Super Bowl XLII championship?
A: The Super Bowl championship. Unlike a movie, we didn’t have the script . . . it was unrehearsed, unedited, and it had all the components of great theater. To me it was as dramatic a story, a spectacle, an experience, to view as a fan as I’ve ever seen.
Q: OK, so Ed Harris plays Tom Coughlin . . . who plays Steve Tisch?
A: I’ve had a couple of requests from George Clooney, and it’s just a matter of saying yes (chuckles). My gut instinct is to go with him playing me.
Q: Who would play Rex Ryan?
A: (Chuckles) I think Vince Vaughn could have a good time playing Rex Ryan.
Q: You were thrilled for your father (Bob) when he bought into the Giants after Super Bowl XXV.
A: I think for him, this dream of the sort of definitive New Yorker owning a piece of New York sports history, a legendary franchise, was absolutely thrilling. And I think my father’s gratitude to be part of the Giants organization and partners with Wellington Mara was absolutely a dream come true.
Q: What makes your relationship with John Mara work so well?
A: Trust . . . respect . . . openness . . . admiration. John is extremely professional. I admire his style as a businessman, as a partner, as a parent, as a role model to his children and his siblings, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for who John is as a man and I admire him very, very much. . . . I think we acknowledge how we’ve both been able to create a functional 50-50 partnership, which is very tough . . . and in a very important way, my partnership with John has been very helpful in allowing John and me to understand the Giants’ partnership with the Jets.
Q: John Mara’s public anger at the end of the 2009 season?
A: I don’t think those are the kind of feelings you hold in. I think it’s great he expressed himself so openly and so honestly. Those words were heard by a lot of people and they resonated very, very deeply.
Q: Naming rights for the new stadium?
A: I would like to say we’ll have a deal by kickoff for the Carolina game. There are now some conversations we are having. . . . one or two could prove to be leading us in the direction of a partnership. The atmosphere is getting a lot more positive.
Q: Favorite movies you’ve produced?
A: “Forrest Gump;” “Risky Business;” “American History X;” “The Pursuit of Happyness;” “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.”
Q: Favorite characters in your movies?
A: Forrest Gump; Charles Gardner (played by Will Smith in “The Pursuit of Happyness”); Joel (played by Tom Cruise in 1983 in “Risky Business”); Denzel in “The Taking of Pelham 1, 2, 3.”
Q: Otto Preminger?
A: One of a kind. Preminger himself was a bigger character than any character in any movie he directed . . . a lot of times I thought he was intimidating and a little scary. . . . I think he was a very passionate filmmaker from a very different era.
Q: Will Smith?
A: The greatest.
Q: J Lo?
A: Terrific . . . great sense of humor . . . doesn’t take herself very seriously at all . . . a really good sport.
Q: Denzel Washington?
A: Extremely talented . . . passionate . . . very professional . . . extremely smart . . . likes to have a good time . . . does not take himself very seriously.
Q: Michael Douglas?
A: A friend of mine. My heart goes out to him and his family going through a very tough time. He’s strong, and his strength is going to be tested right now.
Q: Tom Arnold?
A: I was invited to attend his fourth wedding, and I hope I’m not invited to his fifth (chuckles) . . . one of my closest friends . . . a guy with a big, big heart and a great sense of humor.
Q: Farrah Fawcett?
A: A great lady who we lost way too soon.
Q: Your first Giant game with your father was at Yankee Stadium in 1960 . . . your favorite Giants?
A: (Frank) Gifford, Y.A. Tittle, Del Shofner, (Andy) Robustelli, (Jim) Katcavage.
Q: Best piece of advice your father gave you?
A: Treat people the way you would like them to treat you.
Q: Describe your father.
A: Generous . . . kind . . . passionate . . . emotional . . . both extroverted and at the same time very shy . . . huge heart . . . great role model . . .caring.
Q: Boyhood idol?
A: Mantle.
Q: Did you want to be Mickey Mantle?
A: As a kid, I wanted to be a Yankee. Mantle or (Roger) Maris.
Q: Big influence?
A: I had a (English) teacher (Norman Lemke) in my junior year of high school (The Gunnery) who really inspired me to believe that I could achieve anything I wanted to and to understand the concept of hard work, that there are no shortcuts in life.
Q: Five dinner guests?
A: Lenny Bruce; William Shakespeare; President Kennedy; Sinatra; Marilyn Monroe . . . Marilyn Monroe and John Kennedy are not dating (chuckles).
Q: Favorite movie growing up?
A: “Easy Rider.”
Q: Favorite actor growing up?
A: Humphrey Bogart.
Q: Favorite actress growing up?
A: Lauren Bacall.
Q: Favorite singer/entertainer growing up?
A: The Beatles.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Dino’s meatballs at Rao’s.
Q: You hope your children will carry on the legacy of Tisch philanthropy?
A: It’s not always about having your name on a building or a floor of a museum, but you can change lives very personally one at a time.
Q: What do you want Giants fans to say about you?
A: Great passion about the New York Giants . . . very interested in making sure that the fan experience is as good as it gets. As a film producer, I want to put the best product on screen. As Chairman of the Giants, I want to put the most successful, exciting product, the New York Giants, on the field.