John Travolta Goes Hog Wild In "Wild Hogs"

It has been 30 years since John Travolta's breakout movie role in "Saturday Night Fever" and since then he has done it all: drama like "Pulp Fiction," musicals like "Grease" and he returns to comedy in "Wild Hogs" this Friday.

The movie is about four middle aged friends who are conned by Travolta's character, Woody Stevens, into taking a cross-country trip. It's a strong cast of comedic veterans such as Martin Lawrence, Tim Allen and William H. Macy. They hop on motorcycles and take to the road. Hilarity ensues and they attempt to shed the strictures of their mundane suburban lives.

"My character has a few secrets before we — I get the idea I want to get out of town but I don't tell the guys what my secrets are," Travolta told The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith. "And so they're just thinking we're doing it because we're bored with our jobs and want a little change in our lives. I inspire them to go on the road with me. And it's — it's a great, funny ride."

The four stars came to the project with very different personalities. Travolta said edgy comedian Lawrence was a gentleman.

"He was a middle brother, more of a sibling rivalry going on," Travolta said. "He was like the middle brother that was the balance of everybody. Tim Allen was the aggravator. You know, he would tease and antagonize, which was very important for the rapport. And Bill Macy was more like the eccentric … Wonderful friends, but I think that the brother feeling was more predominant."

The idea of middle-aged men grappling with getting older resonates with many men, but Travolta admits he can't relate to it very strongly. He has had the chance to do many things most people can never dream of.

"But I am a wanderer," Travolta said. "I like to get on the road and go. Probably the only thing I can relate to is I love machines, my motorcycles, I love my cars, my boats, my planes. And I want to get on the road. I've done that my whole life."

But other than that, Travolta said, "I'm too blessed to be stressed."

"I love my life," he said. "Celebrities by nature don't have a lot to complain about. But it doesn't mean we don't experience others and what they go through. And I identified enough with it to give you a good movie."

Travolta will also be starring in a remake of the musical "Hairspray" in which he plays Edna Turnblad, a very overweight middle-aged woman. Travolta said with all the makeup and hair, he looks like a combination of his sisters, Annie and Ellen.

"But if Annie ate Ellen," he said.

"Hairspray" comes out next year.