Rainn Wilson moved to Wilmette when he was in high school so his parents could work at the Baha’i National Center, where he eventually worked as a security guard. He shared some of his suburban Chicago memories:
What’s the most absurd thing you did to get a laugh when you went to New Trier High School?
I ran for senior class treasurer, and my entire campaign consisted of me handing out Q-tips. And I wore a giant sombrero — huge sombrero, covered in Q-tips. There were like a thousand Q-tips hanging from it. And I went around the hallways handing out Q-tips saying, “Vote for Rainn Wilson for treasurer.”
What do Q-tips and sombreros have to do with being treasurer?
Absolutely nothing.
What was your most “Risky Business”-like experience in early ’80s suburban Chicago?
I think my most “Risky Business”-like experience was starting a call girl ring out of my parents’ house in Winnetka.
Wow, that’s eerily similar to the movie.
Isn’t it? Isn’t that a little bit weird? No, I didn’t live that life. I hung out with the drama geeks and the band geeks and the radio geeks.
