Welcome Back? To an episode of the modern moron! It feels strange to say that after saying it once a week for about a year and a half. I stopped doing this podcast in March and, I can't remember why… did something happen around March that I'm missing? Actually I did have a reason to stop doing this program and I will get into that another time. Because my guest on this episode is an old and very dear friend from, you guessed it, my days in Los Angeles chasing the elusive career in the entertainment business.
The friend I speak of is Mike Schwartz. Mike was a senior classman at the the Groundling's Theater school and it's Sunday company when I came in as a freshman. Mike went on to become a writer and producer for the very successful show Scrubs and for those of you who are big fans of Scrubs, Mike also played the character Lloyd. Lloyd, if you remember was a recurring character who was an EMT, a delivery guy, and also a patient at the hospital. There's even a wiki page for Lloyd and I will put the link to that at the bottom of the description.
But a big break for Mike came long before that and I got to be around him when it happened.
I ask Mike about Billy Crystal. Mike had the good fortune to be the writer's assistant for Billy Crystal's staff during some of the years he hosted the Academy Awards - specifically '97 and '98 when the best picture films were The English Patient and Titanic. Now if you're nestled right into our demographic you remember what a great job Crystal did as he's hosted the Oscars 9 times, second only to Bob Hope who hosted for a total of 19 Academy Award programs. Billy won 2 Primetime Emmy awards. If you'll remember, Billy was known for opening the show with a montage of scenes from nominated films that were put together where he would show up in each scene and then he did a musical number mentioning all of the nominees as well.
Mike was the writer's assistant for those broadcasts and he tells a great story or two about being backstage at the Oscars, because they would write jokes on the fly as events happened during the telecast. He has a particular memory he shares for I believe the 1998 Academy Awards which was it's 70th Anniversary.
Side note, one of Mike's comedy idols was and is Albert Brooks who has done so many great films you know him from... like Broadcast News, Modern Romance and Lost in America both of which he wrote, and of course the voice of Marlin in Finding Nemo… SO, Mike does a great Albert Brooks impression and Billy Crystal knows and loves Albert as well, so that was sort of the gateway of establishing a special place in Billy Crystal's heart.
Mike also tells a story about comedian Richard Lewis who was speaking at a reception following a funeral for a mutual acquaintance that involves Billy Crystal as well.
There, is that enough context for you? Now it's like you and Mike are good friends with an unspoken bond. Good. Now I'm stealing Mike's Albert Brooks impersonation.
We begin the call with Mike revealing to me that he just finished a therapy session and I immediately try to delve into his therapy with complete abandon and intrusiveness. Not a very polite thing for a host to do, but we'll see what happens.
It's my friend Mike Schwartz on the Modern Moron and as always, thank you for listening…
Scrubs Fan Page - Lloyd Slawski
Billy Crystal 70th Annual Academy Awards - YouTube
Olivia de Havilland presenting the 75th Past Oscar Winner Reunion - YouTube
