I’ve always loved comedians. It’s a rare gift. When I read a truly funny script it’s like magic. Because we did so much comedy radio at McHale Barone, I’ve tons of funny friends. Jim Gaffigan, Jim Conroy, Jackie Hoffman, Gilbert Gottfired, Jon Steward. It’s also kind of a pain in the ass. I mean, I’m a serious dude, and those guys don’t take anything seriously! Adam Roth, Rob Pruitt. Still. Comedians are like wizards. We used to have a saying— comedy is dangerous, leave it to the professionals.
One of my all time favorite things to do is have a comedian punch up my scripts. They always come back smarter. Comedians take the edge off a doom and gloom guy like me. I’m the straight guy. It’s a life. But it’s a lot more fun surrounded by comedians! Just make sure you put on your thick skin.