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Eric Grignon was only too happy to oblige.
The Winnipegger, who got a walk-on role on TV's NYPD Blue when he shelled out $6,200 at a Manitoba Special Olympics auction in September, returned Sunday after two days of shooting at the Fox studio in Los Angeles.
In a show slated to air in about a month, Grignon will appear in the background of one scene while Det. Diane Russell (Kim Delaney) talks with someone in a bar.
"Eating peanuts and drinking beer ... I've found my calling," Grignon, 30, chuckled yesterday. "It wasn't really acting. They gave me about 40 bowls of peanuts.
"It's amazing. A two-minute scene probably took us about 31/2 hours to shoot at least. They shoot the same scene over and over and over."
Grignon, the vice-president of sales with AIM Funds Management, had fun rubbing shoulders with stars such as Dennis Franz and Rick Schroder, who play Det. Andy Sipowicz and Det. Daniel Sorenson, respectively.
"We got to spend time with just about everybody," he said. "Dennis Franz is one of the nicest guys I've ever met in my life. He's just like a regular neighbour that you'd go over and barbecue a few hamburgers with. There's no ego.
"Rick Schroder's wife is from Calgary and he had nothing but nice things to say about Canada."
The show's staff invited Grignon to send them his souvenir photos so the cast can autograph them for him. Grignon's brother, Derek, tagged along for the vacation and also landed a spot as a background extra.
The 15th Precinct set, near Hollywood, is much smaller than Grignon had imagined.
"It's the size of a big house and they just shift everything around," he said. "There is no natural lighting, so it's neat how they re-create it to look like the sun is shining through an open window.
"You know those staircases on the show? They lead nowhere. When you see those guys in the squad house going up the stairs, they don't lead to another room. You just spin around to come back down."
For those who've wondered what people actually drink in bars on TV sets, Grignon has the answer.
"It's point-five beer," he said.
"There's not much kick."