Heather Headley didn’t know much about football and Brian Musso wasn’t a theater buff. But that changed when the R&B singer and Tony Award-winning actress married Musso, a standout football receiver at Hinsdale Central and Northwestern who spent time on the New York Jets practice squad. RedEye caught up with the Chicago residents at a Los Angeles party after their first six months of wedded bliss.
Now you all met in college, but when did you actually start dating?
HH: We did meet in college and we started dating when he was in New York playing for the Jets and I was doing “Aida.”
Were you a Jets fan before you two hooked up?
HH:[laughs] I was not a football fan at all. But I’m learning football as we speak.
So, what do you know about the game?
BM: I’ve given her one line that covers her in every circumstance.
Let me guess. “Defense wins games?”
BM: Exactly. Defense wins games. That’s it.
HH: And that you have to run the ball.
BM: She’s got two lines that make her sound smart. We’re not learning any more.
HH: But the only thing is that when I was in the show (“Aida”) he saw the show about 100 times. So when we got married he said you owe me 100 hours of football. No, it was 100 multiplied by two hours, so it’s 200 hours.
So your Sunday afternoons and Monday nights are kind of booked, huh?
BM: It’s going to take her about two seasons to make it up.
So what are you up to now, about hour two, three?
BM: Six, maybe. And four of those were sleeping.
Did you ever go see him play?
HH: I saw him play once because we weren’t really dating yet. But at the Rose Bowl, where I should have seen him play–I was out here at the Rose Bowl to sing–I was trying to sell my ticket because I was very bitter with the football players. I sing all year round and they play for two months and they get everything! But it was good. I wish he was playing now because I’d be a lot better.
Brian, do you sing at all?
BM: I’ve been banned from singing. I used to sing in church but then one day Heather looked at me and asked me to be quiet because she said I was a distraction. She told me to lip sync.
———-
Oaktown89@aol.com
