A whole lot nicer than he seems

Leatherface, the brutal killer in “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” looks much better without the mask. Bryniarski may be scaring the life out of Jessica Biel and company, but in real life he’s a guy who loves animals and quotes Ralph Waldo Emerson. Still, at a muscle-bound 6-foot-5, he’s usually playing tough-guy roles, from Patrick “Madman” Kelly in “Any Given Sunday” to Joe the Boxer in “Pearl Harbor” -- except, of course, on weekends.

With the animals

I like to spend Friday night at home with my wife and my menagerie. I have a yellow-headed Amazon parrot named Wally. I taught him to say “Hello. I’m Johnny Cash.” I’ve got a trio of Pomeranians named Harley, David and Son, a.k.a. Cody. I’ve got two cats, Bill and Tom. Here’s where we get serious: two Eastern box turtles -- Stevie and Bucky, and they’ve got eggs now -- plus four giant African sulcatas, Elvis, Frank, Sammy and Lucy. They’re fairly small tortoises now, but they’ll grow to weigh between 150 and 230 pounds. They don’t bite; they ram you. Otherwise, all they do is eat -- lettuce, leaves, flower petals.

Just for kicks

Saturday mornings, I meet my friend at the Santa Monica stairs at the end of 4th Street. We do a circuit of kickboxing, stretching, tai chi, the stairs. That’s the way to start the day.

Otherwise you tackle the mountain. Temescal Peak has maybe a 25% grade. I start off in Will Rogers State Park, cross over Rogers Ridge to Topanga State Park and Temescal. The end result is that you’ll never beat the mountain, you can only work with it.

Fueling up

Next I might have breakfast somewhere in Venice, like the Firehouse. I’ll have a buffalo and egg white scramble with avocado and brown rice. I also like the Brick House’s huevos rancheros with pico de gallo. Or I’ll eat at the Omelette Parlor ... pancakes with eggs over easy.

Surfing safari

Sometimes my wife and I will go to the beach -- Venice, Zuma or El Matador, depending on the surf, the sun and the crowds. Sometimes I want to surf. I’m good enough to enjoy myself and not hurt myself. It’s great.

Sometimes you’ll get pilot whales and dolphins swimming nearby. They come within 18 inches and they’re coming at 20 to 30 miles an hour like a 500-pound torpedo. They don’t try to hurt you, it’s part of the adventure. They’re just curious.

Of clubs and bands

We’ll usually go to A.D. in Hollywood. It’s a dance club with a stage, they have DJs, live music and multiple floors.

If I don’t go there, I like the Jazz Bakery in Culver City. If I don’t go to the Bakery or A.D., then I go to see any rock act in town. I love rock. I just started a band. We’ve just performed in the living room so far. We call ourselves the Project MFS -- Musical Freak Show -- and we’re on a mission to keep rock ‘n’ roll alive.

Just breathe

If I’m feeling like it, I’ll take a class at Bikram’s Yoga on La Cienega. It’s 90 minutes, it’s hot and it’s a challenge -- your own battle for mental conditioning as well as physical. Or I’ll go to Venice Beach and just people watch. That’s a great way to unwind. We’ll come home, light some candles, have a bottle of wine and relax. I’ve got to get ready for the next week.

-- Carolyn Patricia Scott