NEW YORK -- Getting summoned into a room with President Fitzgerald Grant is an order the more than 8 million viewers of "Scandal" would kill for -- Huck-style, if needed. In this case, reality set in pretty quick. Care for some almonds? Or maybe chocolate-covered blueberries? Tony Goldwyn, in a suede suit jacket and jeans (no Eisenhower pin or presidential tie in sight), asks late Monday night in a SoHo production studio. Goldwyn, of course, portrays the head of state in Shonda Rhimes' hit ABC series "Scandal." He is in town for the network's upfront presentation scheduled Tuesday afternoon in New York -- where his show will undoubtedly be showered with praise for causing chaos on Twitter. The 53-year-old actor until now was probably best known for being the dude that had Sam Wheat killed in 1990's "Ghost" -- because, gosh, that was such a heinous act! While he went on to play equally memorable roles, like an interior designer with HIV on "Designing Women, and took up directing, these days he's best known as the unhappily married president (a.k.a. "Fitz"), whose affair with fixer Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) weirdly generates swoons. In anticipation of the show's second season finale, which airs Thursday, we spoke to Goldwyn about what can be expected, remedies for dealing with the show's summer hiatus, and -- because we still can't let it go -- his involvement in having Sam Wheat killed. Things got handled. Look, I know you have to relive this a lot, but really: How could you have even considered putting Sam Wheat in a harmful situation? Do you know how long I've loathed you? I was struggling! And I had to earn a living and I was like, 'OK, I guess I'll be the guy who has him killed ...' Shameful. I took a friend to a screening recently, and I was really mad because she laughed when the demons get you. And I was like, "Do not disrespect this movie!" The effects look sort of ridiculous compared to now. It's a classic! Do you remember shooting that scene? Was it hard not to laugh? The director had these dancers on roller skates and leotards acting like the demons and they kind of dragged me back -- but they didn't film that, it was just for reference. So it was just me alone, pretending I'm being attacked, reenacting how it felt when those people on roller skates were surrounding me. But I also -- Wait, do you know who Elvis Costello is? Please tell me you do. You do realize I'm not 4, right? It's just hard to understand how you consider this a movie of your time. But, so, yeah, the director also told me to be like Elvis Costello -- he sort of does that weird, spastic thing when he performs. So I channeled my inner Elvis Costello. You direct. You've even directed an episode of "Scandal." Have you had to tell someone to channel their inner Elvis Costello? I don't give musical references for that reason.