The hoot that is Karen Walker, Will & Graces rich bitch of a character, was best nailed last season when her très gay buddy, Jack, deliriously proclaimed in an October episode of the hit NBC sitcom, Youre like an icon to gay men. Youve got the sass, the class, and the ass! Indeed, as played by the 40-year-old comedic bombshell Megan Mullally (pronounced muh-LA-lee), Karen is all that. She gleefully guzzles martinis at her work desk and she blithely trashes friends like Grace. But Karens quirky creator bears only a passing resemblance to her alter ego: Surprisingly fine-featured and soft-spoken (Karens Betty-Boop-goes-boom voice is, it turns out, just part of the act), Mullally is an Oklahoma Cityreared, self-proclaimed homebody whos quietly been supporting herself as a musical theater actress for nearly 20 years in such shows as the 1995 Broadway revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying; an indie-rockloving, creatively obsessed artsy type who prefers reading, writing, and thrift stores to anything fancy-schmancy; and a devoted yogi who considers her spiritual well-being the most important thing in my life.

Why do you think the über-bitch Karen has so caught on?
Well, shes pretty fabulous.

So youre enjoying what some people would dub your reign as Americas favorite fag hag . . .
At first I thought you were gonna say Americas Favorite Sweetheart, and I was gonna have to correct you. But Americas favorite fag hag? Well, Im sure thats a fine thing. [Laughs] 

Not everyones crazy about Karen. The show made headlines in September when she witheringly called her Salvadoran maid tamale. NBC edited the line at the last minute, but many Latinos were still upset.
I definitely understood where they were coming from, but Karens totally dismissive, disapproving, judgmental, and impatient with everyoneits Karens World, and we all just happen to live in it. Thats her philosophy, and shes just as happy as a clam about it. 

What do you most relate to in the old broad?
[Laughs] I dont claim any qualities in common with her except for that joyfulness she hascause Im a really happy person. 

Then what inspired her in you? Shes very Patsy from Ab Fab, you know.
This is so lame, but I never really got to see that show much because Im such a loser, I didnt even have cable until last year. [Laughs] So I didnt really model her after anybodythough I probably do use a bit of my late dad, who had a very bizarre, black-comedy streak in him. I mean, from the time I was, like, 6, Id come home from school and say, Wheres Mommy? and hed say, My darling, Im so sorry to have to tell you this, but your mother is dead. Hed say that! [Laughs] So since he was so flamboyant and extreme, that probably influenced me a lot. 

Theres another man who has had quite an effect on your life. Explain your unbridled chemistry with Sean Hayes.
Its greatwe have a very unorthodox flirtation on the show, and we have it in real life too. I mean, if he walked in right now, hed grab my boob and start dry-humping me. And its mutual. Weve confused many people on the set because there is not one part of my body that Sean has not touched, nor me his. And I cant explain itits just our way of relating. [Laughs] I mean, if we were presented to the queen of England, Id probably be grabbing his package. 

So have you ever seduced a gay man?
Theyve seduced me. Ive had two relationships with gay men where we were seriously in love. In love. And both times, it started with the guy telling me how he felt. It was just, like, total, inner-conflict, long, drawn-out, tearful conversationsjust wrenching. 

What happened?
Never had sexbut totally passionate fooling around like with the straightest of straight men. And these were both extremely gay men.

So just what is it about you?
If it aint obvious, then I dont want to explain it. [Laughs] 

Ever fooled around with a woman?
I consider myself bisexual, and my philosophy is, everyone innately is, although Ive never had a full-on relationship with a woman, just a couple of what Id term half-assed dalliances. So I havent explored it to the degree that Id like to, but Ill tell you, Im open to it. And I dont have any problem saying that. 

Youve just made a lot of girls very happy. Are you seeing anyone right now?
Im not. Im very single, and I love being single. My main focus right now is kind of inner, so Im not really that attracted to anybody, hardly ever. 

Must be hell on your sex life.
Oh, Ive had sex within the last four days. [Laughs] I think sex is numero uno, and I dont think anyone would disagree. I guess what Im trying to say is, I dont need the emotional validation of it anymore. Im so independent, so not a needy person, that now its just, like, sex happens when it happens. [Smiles sweetly] And Im always happy when it does. 

Devil. Last question: Youre an enormously successful actress who never took an acting class and a killer singer who cant read music. Are you surprised by your brilliant career?
Listen, when I was 12 and Id go over to my girlfriends house, her little brother, who was 6, would come scampering down the stairs with a brush and a comb, and hed want to style my hair. Now hes a hairdresser. Hed also dress in his mothers clothes, and hes also now a drag queen. So what can I say, honey? Some things are just predetermined.