1 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 1: This is Alec Baldwin, and you're listening to Here's the 2 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 1: Thing from My Heart Radio. You may not know the 3 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: name of my guest today, but you certainly know his work. 4 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: In fact, you've probably watched hours upon hours of it. 5 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 1: He's been called the Steven Spielberg of sitcom's, the Willie 6 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:27,480 Speaker 1: Mays of directing, the sitcom Sorcerer. It's the legendary James Burrows. 7 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: Burrows is the director of some of the most popular 8 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: and acclaimed television shows in history, including Taxi, Cheers, Will 9 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: and Grace, Friends, and Frasier. In his five decades of work, 10 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 1: the eleven time Emmy winner has directed seventy five pilots 11 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 1: that went to series, including The Big Bang Theory and 12 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: Two and a Half Men, spanning over one thousand hours 13 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: of television. He's also the author of a memoir entitled 14 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 1: Directed by James Burrows, which we counts his incredible career. 15 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:07,039 Speaker 1: Burrows also has an amazing pedigree. He's the son of 16 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 1: famed radio and theater director Abe Burrows, but Tony and 17 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,400 Speaker 1: Politzer Prize winner whose credits include Guys and Dolls and 18 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 1: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. I wanted 19 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: to know what it was like growing up with such 20 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 1: an accomplished and influential father. My parents were divorced, so 21 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: we live with our mom five blocks away from our dad. 22 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 1: So we'd see our dad probably twice a week, once, 23 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:34,400 Speaker 1: you know, on a school day for dinner, and then 24 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 1: on a Sunday for maybe football or something like that. 25 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:42,040 Speaker 1: So he was around in that way. But I al 26 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: would like to say that, you know, I was in 27 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: the family business. I didn't know anything else. The only 28 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: thing I knew is I didn't want to be in 29 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: that business. I didn't want to. I didn't want to 30 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: try to compete with a legend because he was a 31 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: legend in New York City, brought by music. Yeah, Broadway 32 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 1: musicals and Broadway plays. And my sister and I used 33 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: to go when we were thirteen and fourteen and meet 34 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 1: you know, Truman, Capodi and John Steinbeck and Comdon and 35 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 1: Green and called porter Una. I mean, all these they 36 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 1: were just older people. They I didn't know. I had 37 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: no idea what boring boring. I like to say my 38 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 1: dad taught me when I didn't know I was learning, 39 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: because he would trundle my sister and I off to 40 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 1: rehearsals occasionally, and we would sit in the audience because 41 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 1: we're gonna have dinner with him. We would come like 42 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:32,399 Speaker 1: four o'clock and we sit in the house and see 43 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:35,519 Speaker 1: him working on stage or a rehearsal hall, and we 44 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 1: didn't I didn't understand what he did at all. But again, 45 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 1: it was a lot of osmosis at work, latent learning, 46 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 1: the latent learning, Yeah, it's in there, and then he 47 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 1: winning the back seat with your sister going no, Dad, 48 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 1: I got a horse right here. His name is It's 49 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: a little dough. Put them in there. No, I never 50 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 1: did that. I never remember time did I did. When 51 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: I after college and graduate school, I worked with him 52 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: as a stage manager, so I would inject a couple 53 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 1: of what I thought were funny things, and he was 54 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 1: incredibly tolerant of me. I think one of them made 55 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 1: it in one of his plays. But that was it. 56 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 1: But isn't it funny how in your life it all 57 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 1: loops around in a way. Because I wanted to ask 58 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 1: you a question about the nature of casts who have 59 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: roots in the theater and those that don't. A lot 60 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 1: of theater roots with Kelsey and Hyde Pierce and with 61 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 1: the Will and grace cast. Isn't it funny? In the 62 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 1: life of Jimmy Burrows? Did we come back to this, 63 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 1: which is Megan mollal mean, Megan does how to succeed 64 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 1: with Matthew A long long time ago? Your dad, I 65 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: went to see it, of course, I said, they playhouse. 66 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: I thought to where I saw it. I was with dad, 67 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 1: my wife and then my sister's late husband. We're in 68 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: a motor home and a driver and drove it down 69 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 1: and drove drove down Illahoya and it was it was one. Yeah, 70 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: it was wonderful. But then that leads me to I 71 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: want to get back to your schooling. Why go from 72 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 1: it was political science? And what were you studying at government? 73 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: Studying government? And then you go and you get a 74 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 1: master's degree in theater. You know, you're in the Yale 75 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 1: drama program. Why are you trying to run away from 76 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: the family business. I was trying to run away from 77 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: the draft. You know it was it was Vietnam wartime, 78 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 1: and uh, you're probably too young. A lot of us 79 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: didn't believe in the war and that particular one. And 80 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:34,720 Speaker 1: after Oberlin I got my draft notice, I decided to 81 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: try and postpone it. As long as I could. So 82 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: I went to the Yale School of Drama, where I 83 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 1: was exposed to all these you know, because if you're 84 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: in there, you have to take a course in directing, acting, playwrighting, 85 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: scenic design, stage manager, all these courses. And I went 86 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 1: and had a class in directing with Nico Sakaropolis, who 87 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:59,479 Speaker 1: who went on to run The Williams. And he kind 88 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 1: of in my eyes to exactly what a director does. 89 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 1: Because I knew I was an actor, I knew I 90 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 1: couldn't write plays, so I, you know, I got to 91 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: direct a couple of small scenes. I think I did. 92 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:13,160 Speaker 1: I got the horse right here with a couple of students. 93 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 1: I staged that and and then when I got out, 94 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 1: I still had to take a physical for the Army, 95 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,599 Speaker 1: and fortunately I was. They didn't want me, I was. 96 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 1: I guess I was too funny, you know, So I 97 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 1: can't have that, I know, God, No, we need discipline. 98 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:33,599 Speaker 1: And then I started stage managing because as a stage 99 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: manager you direct the understudies. So I got more and 100 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 1: more practice in doing that, and then I would do 101 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:42,280 Speaker 1: summer stock productions of The Odd Couple with Stubby k 102 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 1: and Arnold Stangby k who was in the original original 103 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 1: Guys and Dolls, and you know productions of Never Too 104 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 1: Late with Bob Cummings. But let me let me just 105 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 1: say that street Car on Broadway. I considered that one 106 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 1: of the great years on Broadway because Kate Burton's doing 107 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:02,600 Speaker 1: Jex Women with Alan Alda and Guys and Telsa's I'm 108 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: Broadly with Nathan and I'll never forget the Banner. Although 109 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: we did run for a very long time, it was 110 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: in a huge success. This the banner all wrapped around 111 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:15,159 Speaker 1: the canopy said this show will run forever. But I 112 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 1: went to see that show twice and Faith Prince. They 113 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:21,840 Speaker 1: all made me cry. Walter Bobby playing that role and 114 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 1: singing rock in the boat and I love that show. 115 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 1: I cried. And Peter Gallaghter Galina Gallagher was sky Masters, Yeah, 116 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: it was a dear friend of mine. Yeah, and then 117 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 1: all of them, I mean, I love that show. That 118 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 1: was the most funny I've ever had watching a show 119 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: without the producers. I mean, I love Nathan, but then 120 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:40,839 Speaker 1: Stubby k and you're and you're directing the understudies And 121 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:45,839 Speaker 1: what did you think directing was back then? And how 122 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 1: has that changed over the years. Well for you, Directing 123 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 1: for me was back then you had a script that 124 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: never changed. So I was doing plays. You know, I 125 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: had a couple of plausas week marriage go around, so 126 00:06:57,839 --> 00:06:59,600 Speaker 1: there was a lot of nuance involved in it, a 127 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 1: lot of you know, I could put in physical bits 128 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 1: when I thought it would help. So I knew I 129 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 1: had that creative sense. I did in uh ninety eight, 130 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: after you know I had in my career had taken off, 131 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: I did a theater production to the man who came 132 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 1: to Dinner with Mahoney because Mahony, Yeah, Mahoney was on 133 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 1: Frasier and he arranged for me to direct it at Steppenwolf, 134 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: and uh, I put in like four jokes, you know, 135 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 1: and George Calfman's daughter came to the show, and I was, 136 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: you know, I was concerned. I knew George. I knew 137 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 1: George through my dad and George Calsan's daughter. And at 138 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: the end she said, I liked your auditions. It was 139 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 1: so sweet. Usually they hated, but they were they were 140 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 1: big laughs. So but anyway, so when I was, you know, 141 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: doing summerstock and dinner thing, I was just trying. You 142 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 1: had to get a play up on its feet in 143 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: a week. So there was a lot of rapid stuff. 144 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 1: So I found myself people who could think, Yeah, I 145 00:07:56,840 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: found myself more dinner theaters wanted me and or regional 146 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 1: theorist Coast, East Coast. You know, television is a writer's 147 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 1: medium too, as in Broadway. Broadway, the playwright is paramount 148 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: in in what I do, the writers are paramount. But 149 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 1: I have my time along with the actors. As you know, 150 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 1: I've directed you a few times, and that's the time 151 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 1: when my creative juices come out, and I don't want 152 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: a guy behind me judging, you know what I do. 153 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:30,280 Speaker 1: What I say, I'll move, you know, say the line 154 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 1: this way before I can see it and say, well, 155 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: maybe that doesn't work. I don't want a guy behind 156 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 1: me saying no, don't prompt, preempting me. That's totally debilitating 157 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:43,079 Speaker 1: for a director who would preempt you. Well, I mean 158 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 1: the writers, No, I know, but when the writers come down, 159 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:51,880 Speaker 1: they see our work, you know, they see what we've passed. Yes, 160 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 1: I get a pass, and you know I'll never forget. 161 00:08:55,640 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 1: In a taxi episode I was directing, I had him move. 162 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 1: I had this move that I thought it was funny, 163 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:05,680 Speaker 1: and I don't remember who did it, but the actor 164 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: executed it. And then all of a sudden the writer 165 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: turned around to me and said, what the funk was that? 166 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:15,200 Speaker 1: And so we went on with rehearsal, and after I 167 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:18,120 Speaker 1: took him aside and I said, if I'm not allowed 168 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:21,680 Speaker 1: to fail, I'll give you nine good things, but one 169 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 1: may be bad. But you know, God forbid, he's over 170 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 1: my shoulder when I'm when I'm trying to do it 171 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: for myself. So you know, everything you think of, you 172 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: think is funny, it's not necessarily funny. In the end, 173 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 1: you have to, you know, try try it. Yeah, Well, 174 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:41,960 Speaker 1: describe for me the seam of whatever length and whatever 175 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 1: different components takes you from directing Stubby k And we 176 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: were seeing stand ins to your first four ways into Hollywood? 177 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 1: When does Hollywood become your future? In nineteen sixty six, 178 00:09:57,080 --> 00:10:00,200 Speaker 1: my first job on Broadway was as the assistant to 179 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 1: the assistant stage manager on the Broadway production of Breakfast 180 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:08,360 Speaker 1: at Tiffany's, a musical that my dad wrote based on 181 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:13,959 Speaker 1: Breakfast at Tiffany's. And so as the assistant to the 182 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: assistant I was in charge of the actors from Hollywood 183 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 1: who were going to be in the show. Mary Tyler, Moore, 184 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:26,599 Speaker 1: Richard Chamberlain, Laura Petrie and Dr Kildare, We're going to 185 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 1: be in the production. And it was not my dad's 186 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:33,400 Speaker 1: best work at all. It was you know, he went 187 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 1: into rehearsal with one act and we opened in Philadelphia 188 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 1: and they had a huge advance sale because of Dr 189 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 1: Kildare and Laura Petrie, and then it was Chamberlain, Dick Chamberlain. Yeah, 190 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 1: and so David Merrick didn't like the show, so he 191 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 1: replaced my dad with Edward Albe. Wow. Wow, an obvious choice. 192 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:04,200 Speaker 1: Let's have Dick chamber and Mary Tyler. We'll cool each 193 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 1: other's eyes out. Well, they're swimming bobbles of vodka. Yeah, 194 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: I'm sure you wanted George and Martha, you know. So 195 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 1: then Mark didn't want to go back out of town 196 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:19,559 Speaker 1: with the show, so we played previews and Edward did 197 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: stuff to help the production by putting in Holly's miscarriage. 198 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:26,640 Speaker 1: This is a Broadway musical. It was just horrible. And 199 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 1: the audience when we opened in New York for previous 200 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:32,679 Speaker 1: food and every time Mary would come off stage, I 201 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 1: would be there and she would wrap her arms around 202 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:39,160 Speaker 1: me and start crying. She was so devastated by the 203 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 1: audience reaction. And once they night came, Mary closed the show. 204 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 1: I sat with Mary at Sartie's. We had an awake 205 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 1: at Sarti's till Grant Tinker, her husband arrived, and they 206 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 1: went off, and then I went to Summer Stock and everything. 207 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:59,679 Speaker 1: And then in ninety three I was watching television on 208 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:03,560 Speaker 1: US Saturday night after directing Joan Fontaine in Forty Carrots, 209 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 1: and I turned on the television. There was a Mary 210 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 1: Tyler Moore show and I hadn't seen it before, I 211 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:15,199 Speaker 1: hadn't registered with me before, but I noticed they were 212 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:18,200 Speaker 1: doing a play. There's a multi camera sitcom, which you know, 213 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:21,480 Speaker 1: it's a it's a play that's filmed. It's proscenium, proscenium, 214 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:24,560 Speaker 1: everything like that. And I said, wow, they're doing twenty 215 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 1: five minutes in a week and I'm doing two hours 216 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:28,640 Speaker 1: in a week. I think I can do that. So 217 00:12:28,679 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 1: I wrote a letter to Mary Tyler Moore because I 218 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:34,800 Speaker 1: didn't know Grant that well. And about two weeks later 219 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 1: I got a letter from Grant Inker saying, we have 220 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:42,679 Speaker 1: four multi camera sitcoms. We are very interested in theatrical directors. 221 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:46,920 Speaker 1: Would you come out and do one show that was 222 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:50,319 Speaker 1: February of I said, great, maybe I was going to 223 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:53,240 Speaker 1: do a New Heart or a Rhoda or a Bob 224 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 1: Crane show or a Paul Sancho, but said, no, you're 225 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:58,080 Speaker 1: gonna do a Mary Tyler Moore show. You know. So 226 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:02,840 Speaker 1: I was thrust into this, into this endeavor I didn't know. 227 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:05,520 Speaker 1: I had to learn. I had to come and observe 228 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:08,960 Speaker 1: for three months to observe the technical aspectal you know, 229 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:11,440 Speaker 1: I knew how to talk to actors and stuff like that, which, 230 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:13,679 Speaker 1: even though it was much simpler back then, I'm sure, yeah, 231 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 1: it's still something that was foreign too. Yeah, totally foreign. 232 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:17,840 Speaker 1: So I had to learn that. I learned that by 233 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 1: watching J Sandrich, who was my mentor and to me, 234 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 1: the king of Sitcom's describe that experience, meaning when you're 235 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: doing it and you've been around successful people, all the 236 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:31,440 Speaker 1: cylinders are clicking on great shows, how to succeed your dad, 237 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: or these legendary musicals, things you've done, And when you 238 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: were there, did you sit there and go, yeah, I 239 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 1: like this. Okay, you're going to get a courtesy van. 240 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:47,679 Speaker 1: Back to the telling your furnishing van for Mr. Your 241 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 1: first shot in television and you're on like the number 242 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:53,559 Speaker 1: of top five show with the biggest people in television. 243 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,080 Speaker 1: I know, I was scared out of my witch and 244 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: it was it was daunting. You know. You read the 245 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:01,440 Speaker 1: script around it able as you know, before you rehearse, 246 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:04,560 Speaker 1: and it was a C minus script and I said, 247 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:07,120 Speaker 1: the grand tinker in a sea of Danish, I get 248 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:11,080 Speaker 1: a bagel, you know. So I had the script and 249 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 1: in those days, you went down and immediately rehearsed and 250 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:17,840 Speaker 1: while the writers were rewriting, so you were rehearsing stuff 251 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 1: on your feet, on your feet that you knew it 252 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 1: was going to change. So it was like rearranging chickchairs 253 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:26,760 Speaker 1: on the Titanic. And Mary, Mary hated the script and 254 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 1: she would complain. I said, hopefully they'll make it better. 255 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 1: And it was called The Neighbors something like that because 256 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 1: it was Loue moves into Rhoda's apartment because Rhoda had 257 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:40,680 Speaker 1: spun off to do her own show. So lou moves 258 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 1: into Rhoda's apartment, so that lou and Mary are living 259 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 1: together and they're working together. So that was the thrust 260 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 1: of the show. And uh, you know, I was just 261 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:52,920 Speaker 1: treading water. I was, you know, five six of the 262 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:56,120 Speaker 1: best actors on television, and I was a thirty four 263 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 1: year old Pisha who they probably didn't think I knew 264 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 1: what I was doing, and I didn't think I knew 265 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: what I was doing. But what happened? You said that 266 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 1: it was a C plus D script, But I invoked Chekhov, 267 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 1: I invoked Shakespeare just to try to enhance the piece 268 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 1: and make the piece better. How so, well, in the 269 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 1: last scene, when Lou figures it's time to move out, 270 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:19,360 Speaker 1: I had his two suitcases there, and I said to 271 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 1: Marry into ed, sit on those suitcases and reminisce like 272 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: you're in the cherry orchard and you're leaving the cherry orchard. 273 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 1: So they did. And you know, I tried to put 274 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 1: in some funny stuff, but I never I played by 275 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 1: the rules of that show. If you're going in as 276 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 1: a guest director on a show, you gotta play by 277 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 1: the rules of that show, you know, you just because everybody, yeah, 278 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 1: you do. And so I I did that. And just 279 00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 1: before the show was shot, I was walking to back 280 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: to my dressing room and Mary came out of her 281 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 1: trailer and she stopped me and she said, Jim, we 282 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 1: feel our investment and you has worked out. Oh my god, 283 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: I wept. I went back. I wept, And the next 284 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 1: day I had called from the New Heart Show, from 285 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 1: the Paul Sanchow, from Bob Crane Show. They wanted me 286 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: to direct. So that literally was the birth of my 287 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:25,920 Speaker 1: television career. Director James Burrows. If you enjoyed conversations with 288 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:31,200 Speaker 1: accomplished directors, check out my episode with Cameron Crowe. Generally, 289 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:36,920 Speaker 1: not every time, but generally a movie will have your spirit, 290 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,040 Speaker 1: your the movie will have your signature somewhere. Even even 291 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:42,520 Speaker 1: the movies where, like you know, Penny Marshall came in 292 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 1: at the last minute and replaced so and so it's 293 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 1: it's a Penny Marshall movie. The director's personality seeps in Hallelujah. 294 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:52,440 Speaker 1: And I love playing with that. I love playing with 295 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:55,280 Speaker 1: like the sensibility and the feeling that the movie is 296 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 1: gonna give you. Music helps the relationship on the set, 297 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:02,680 Speaker 1: Like when we've been able to work together, it's really 298 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 1: been wonderful to have like the environmental version of directing 299 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:09,119 Speaker 1: where we all are together kind of vibing, and there 300 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:11,960 Speaker 1: are relationships that are separate and the characters are part 301 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,680 Speaker 1: of it and we're doing this thing together. I think 302 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:18,760 Speaker 1: that feeling gets into the movie. Here the rest of 303 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 1: my conversation with Cameron Crowe in our archives at Here's 304 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:27,359 Speaker 1: the Thing dot org. After the break, James Burrows tells 305 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:45,360 Speaker 1: us about the casting kismet on Friends. I'm Alec Baldwin 306 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 1: and you're listening to Here's the Thing. The Emmy winning 307 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 1: series Cheers ran for eleven seasons, for a total of 308 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 1: two episodes, with James Burrows directing all but thirty five 309 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 1: of them. I wanted to know how he chooses to 310 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 1: stay with the show for the length of its run 311 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 1: as he did with Cheers. Well, it was at a 312 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 1: point where people felt confident enough for me to be 313 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:18,359 Speaker 1: the permanent director. Did other shows have them, Yeah, I 314 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:20,400 Speaker 1: think Paul Bogart did a lot of All in the Families, 315 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:22,480 Speaker 1: and John Richard a lot of Dick Van Dyke shows, 316 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 1: and Jay did The Mary's but nobody did as many 317 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:29,119 Speaker 1: as I did. And I did it. I did it 318 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:32,720 Speaker 1: because I love the show. But the people who don't 319 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:34,239 Speaker 1: know the first show that you do that of the 320 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 1: long runs which one taxi Taxi was created by the guys. 321 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:41,200 Speaker 1: Two of the guys who created The Mary Tyler Moore Show. 322 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 1: Jim Brooks and Alan Burns created Mary Tyler Moore. Jim 323 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:47,240 Speaker 1: Brooks and Ed Weinberger. Ed was a writer on the show, 324 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:50,399 Speaker 1: Stan Daniels and Dave Davis Worthy four who created a 325 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:53,119 Speaker 1: taxi and they asked me to be the permanent director. 326 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:58,199 Speaker 1: So although once before I did Laverne and Shirley, I 327 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:01,639 Speaker 1: directed some of them. And after about three shows, Gary 328 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:07,240 Speaker 1: Marshall took me to do you remember ni Ovalas and Nicodell's, 329 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:10,800 Speaker 1: the two restaurants that were on the paramount, and he said, 330 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:14,159 Speaker 1: would you consider staying with the show? And I, and 331 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 1: all due respect to you, I I can't. It was 332 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:20,440 Speaker 1: too it was too it was too crazy. My friend 333 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:23,440 Speaker 1: was a writer on that show, Dan Olson, Oh my god, 334 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:25,480 Speaker 1: Dana Wilson was my buddy and I hung out with 335 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 1: him and he told me, I don't want to pin 336 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:31,960 Speaker 1: this on Olsen, but someone told me that they're corresponding managers. 337 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:35,720 Speaker 1: Their respective managers would sit there with stop watches in time, 338 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:38,280 Speaker 1: how long the tally light was on their client, who 339 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:40,720 Speaker 1: got more camera time. There was such a kind of 340 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 1: a competitiveness between Penny and Penny, and so I was 341 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 1: on the show and the ship hit her fan. He 342 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:48,880 Speaker 1: said it was really not. It was such a successful show, 343 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:51,280 Speaker 1: and they just it was not anyway. So I told 344 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 1: Gary I didn't want to do do it, and then one 345 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 1: tact she came along and I read that script and 346 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 1: they asked me to commit to it. I said, sure, 347 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:02,240 Speaker 1: if I'm not mistaken Taxi. At that point, Danza went 348 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 1: on to do Who's the Boss after Taxi? Correct? So 349 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:08,400 Speaker 1: you had a menagerie of actors, none of whom were 350 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:10,880 Speaker 1: that famous on their own, you know what I mean. 351 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:15,720 Speaker 1: De Vito, Lloyd, Judd Hirsch had a Broadway career, but 352 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 1: not a big TV or film Danza, Mary Lou Kaufman, 353 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:21,880 Speaker 1: all of them, this is the show that made them 354 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:24,359 Speaker 1: really famous, that took them to that next level. And 355 00:20:24,359 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 1: I was wondering, what's it like for you when you 356 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:27,680 Speaker 1: work with a bunch of people. Do you see them? 357 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:30,159 Speaker 1: I'm not asking you to disparage anybody, but would you 358 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 1: say people become big stars in these television shows, do 359 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 1: they change? Yeah? I mean without naming names, do you 360 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:38,960 Speaker 1: see the cast change? The cast jelled for me? That 361 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:41,879 Speaker 1: was again I talked about that as an interplanetary cast. 362 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:47,119 Speaker 1: There are there are people. You know, Andy was a 363 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:50,639 Speaker 1: comic and and the bravest comic I've ever seen in 364 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:55,200 Speaker 1: my life. And Tony was a boxer, croner and a croner. 365 00:20:56,280 --> 00:21:01,600 Speaker 1: And so my job, as I talked about in the book, 366 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:04,600 Speaker 1: is to create a homogeneous group of people who are 367 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 1: all in a lifeboat. Everybody has their own oars and 368 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 1: pulls it intoandem. And so it was that was my 369 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:16,200 Speaker 1: first big show. And it was difficult on that show 370 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:21,679 Speaker 1: because there were so many eccentricities. Andy Kaufman had day 371 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:24,719 Speaker 1: night reversal and didn't come into one, but he had 372 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:27,480 Speaker 1: a photographic memory, so he didn't you know, he knew 373 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:29,800 Speaker 1: his part when he came in. You know, Jim Brooks, 374 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 1: the writer was off doing starting over that movie. He 375 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:36,760 Speaker 1: was writing it, and so we had all these things 376 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:39,680 Speaker 1: that you had to juggle, and so it was very 377 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:42,919 Speaker 1: difficult for me. But I think there's some of my 378 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 1: best work. Some of the funniest shows I've ever did 379 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 1: are on war done on taxi. I think, what does 380 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:49,919 Speaker 1: the yellow light mean? The Reverend Gym show when he 381 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 1: becomes a cabbyast goes down in history as maybe the 382 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:56,880 Speaker 1: biggest laugh I've ever directed. And so I don't know 383 00:21:56,920 --> 00:22:00,119 Speaker 1: if they, Well, look who who would you think be 384 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:04,119 Speaker 1: the movie star at that show? Danny DeVito. I had 385 00:22:04,119 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 1: a wonderful time on the show. I learned a lot 386 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 1: and it's the moment that I cemented my relationship with 387 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:14,040 Speaker 1: the Charles brothers because the Charles brothers were producers on 388 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:17,600 Speaker 1: that show. So they had a difficult task in coordinating 389 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:20,560 Speaker 1: the writing because Jim wasn't around all the time and 390 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: when he came, he would say he wanted it this way, 391 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 1: and then Ed would see that and say, no, I 392 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 1: want it this way. So it was it was difficult. 393 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 1: It turned out to be a wonderful show. But Glenn 394 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:31,440 Speaker 1: a Less had as difficult a time as I did, 395 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: and that's where we became really close because we had 396 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: the same agent, and he said, we have to do 397 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:42,920 Speaker 1: our own show. I'm wondering, was there a difference for you? Again, 398 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:45,639 Speaker 1: without disparaging anybody by any means, was there just a 399 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:49,800 Speaker 1: difference for you with a theater based cast Kelsey, Hype, 400 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:53,320 Speaker 1: Pierce and so forth, and the cast of Will and Grace, 401 00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:55,720 Speaker 1: all of them with theater. But I think Deb's de 402 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 1: deb was just on stage here, Shan's superstage worthy. I 403 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:03,159 Speaker 1: wor ship him. I worship him. McCormick, Dost Theater and 404 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 1: Megan Dost Theater, and then other shows you've done where 405 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:10,159 Speaker 1: there's nary a theater, Dennis and among the bunch. You know, 406 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 1: there's not many theater credits in the Friends cast a Swimmer, Swimmer, 407 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 1: he still one out of six looking Glass Theater. Yeah, 408 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:21,240 Speaker 1: did you find it? So? Do you? You You had a 409 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 1: different language with those that had a theater background or no, 410 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 1: the same, No, I you know I would tell them 411 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:31,680 Speaker 1: in the beginning, this is theater. It's it's an amalgam 412 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:34,119 Speaker 1: of theater and film, but it's basically theater because you 413 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:38,200 Speaker 1: have to tell the story to the fifty people watching 414 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 1: you that night, and so you tell the story to 415 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:46,080 Speaker 1: them in theater, your reactions have to be bigger because 416 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:50,160 Speaker 1: to reach the person in the balcony, you can't be subtle. 417 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 1: That's subtle in theater, you know, you have to have 418 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 1: to be a little bit exaggerated. I told him, I 419 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:59,200 Speaker 1: will be on you if you're reactions are too big, 420 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:03,000 Speaker 1: because this is going out on a television screen, so 421 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:05,119 Speaker 1: it the irractions can't be as big as they are 422 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 1: in the theater, but they have to be enough to 423 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:11,919 Speaker 1: get a laugh, not only with this audience but with 424 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:15,119 Speaker 1: the audience at home. So the kids were pretty good 425 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:17,560 Speaker 1: on On Friends. You know, Lisa was in the ground, 426 00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:22,919 Speaker 1: links Jen was amazing, and they just embraced and inhabited 427 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:27,200 Speaker 1: those characters like it was it was a gold mine. Well, 428 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:30,200 Speaker 1: I don't think we ever read anybody together. So when 429 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:32,040 Speaker 1: I got up to six of them down on stage 430 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:37,360 Speaker 1: and they just fit like a glove, it was, oh 431 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:40,359 Speaker 1: my god. They were since they were sinked, and I said, 432 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:44,160 Speaker 1: this is crazy. When I did William Grace, you could 433 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:48,040 Speaker 1: see that they were so welcoming to your package is leaking. 434 00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:52,720 Speaker 1: You've stole my life. I'm standing there and he says, 435 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 1: and she says goodbye to me. We closed the drum 436 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:58,040 Speaker 1: and love with Megan. He says, your package is leaking. Said, 437 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:00,920 Speaker 1: what can I say? I like her because you brought 438 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:02,679 Speaker 1: her ice I brought the ice cream, which was your 439 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:05,879 Speaker 1: package is dripping. Whatever. You know better than I do. 440 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:09,560 Speaker 1: So when I do that show, they were so welcoming 441 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 1: and they were so sweet when I did will and 442 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:15,159 Speaker 1: Grace because they were just so charming, and Megan was 443 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:17,800 Speaker 1: the one who I always say the same line Megan 444 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:20,280 Speaker 1: was the one who helped to at least in part, 445 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 1: broke er my deal with thirty Rock because Megan said, 446 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:26,199 Speaker 1: you listen as she said, it's fun. I mean I 447 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:27,960 Speaker 1: never dreamed of doing a sitcom. And when I did 448 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:30,600 Speaker 1: thirty Rock, I said, I'll do six episodes recurring and 449 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 1: that's it. And uh, they twisted my arm or whatever 450 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:37,679 Speaker 1: to do it and and SLRN I worship. But when 451 00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:40,320 Speaker 1: I came to do the show, you see where when 452 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:42,440 Speaker 1: it comes to tape time much and it comes down 453 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:46,760 Speaker 1: Cohen behind him much because a lot to say. He 454 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 1: has a lot of lines and jokes and things that 455 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:51,160 Speaker 1: his notes and so forth. Is every show the same 456 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:52,960 Speaker 1: that way or all the show is different in terms 457 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:56,560 Speaker 1: of the input of the top people. No, I on 458 00:25:56,560 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 1: any show I do, anybody can say anything about anything. 459 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:02,439 Speaker 1: Check your ego at the door. So I mean, if 460 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 1: you had a problem on Will and Grace, you you 461 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:06,960 Speaker 1: know you would come to me and say a problem. 462 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:10,320 Speaker 1: Max is Max. He's genius. You know you deal with 463 00:26:10,359 --> 00:26:14,160 Speaker 1: him because he's so valuable to the show. And one 464 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 1: of the one of your gifts is that you play 465 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:20,679 Speaker 1: in the same intensity as the four of them, and 466 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:22,640 Speaker 1: with it you know we had a lot. We had 467 00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:26,320 Speaker 1: over two hundred and fifty guest stars on Will and Grace, 468 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:30,720 Speaker 1: and invariably they would come in like they were a star, 469 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,600 Speaker 1: and I would take them aside and say, when you 470 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:41,480 Speaker 1: rehearsing with this cast, in rehearsal, they do of what 471 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 1: they can do, and then when you get to the showtime, 472 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:48,880 Speaker 1: it's a hundred to a hundred and fifty and if 473 00:26:48,920 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: you don't keep up, you're gonna be on the editing 474 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 1: room floor. So you you have your your on our show. 475 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:56,480 Speaker 1: You agreed to her show. You gotta play by the 476 00:26:56,520 --> 00:26:59,080 Speaker 1: rules of the show, and I don't want you to disappear, 477 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:01,480 Speaker 1: and you have or to come in. You know you 478 00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:03,880 Speaker 1: are happy to be there, happy to be there, also 479 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:06,960 Speaker 1: larger than life, which is important on that show because 480 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:10,760 Speaker 1: that show is a fair to keep up literally in 481 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:17,679 Speaker 1: figurative director James Burrows. If you're enjoying this conversation, be 482 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 1: sure to subscribe to Here's the Thing on the I 483 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:25,600 Speaker 1: Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 484 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 1: When we come back, James Burrows tells us why his 485 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:45,840 Speaker 1: new book is ultimately about kindness. I'm Alec Baldwin and 486 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:49,320 Speaker 1: this is Here's the thing from my heart Radio. I 487 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:52,160 Speaker 1: was lucky enough to work with director James Burrows as 488 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:55,280 Speaker 1: a guest star on Will and Grace. We also work 489 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:58,840 Speaker 1: together on a pilot starring myself and Kelsey Grammar that 490 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 1: did not get picked for Serious. With burrows incredible track record, 491 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:06,399 Speaker 1: I wanted to know if he has a sixth sense 492 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:11,119 Speaker 1: about which shows will succeed and which won't when I 493 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:13,720 Speaker 1: read them, I don't know. You know, When I read 494 00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:17,840 Speaker 1: some of these pilots, I thought they were okay and 495 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:20,280 Speaker 1: I could maybe with a little smoke and mirrors, make 496 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:22,600 Speaker 1: it go. A few of them I made go, but 497 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:26,119 Speaker 1: they didn't last very long. But I try not to 498 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: do pilots that I don't think you're going to go. 499 00:28:29,119 --> 00:28:32,399 Speaker 1: But as to that pilot, I was shocked that the 500 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 1: network didn't. I don't know what was going on in 501 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 1: the ABC headquarters and watching the show, but you had 502 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 1: two monumental stars who played you know, it was Nol Coward, 503 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:51,040 Speaker 1: it was it was Will and Grace. It was that 504 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:55,880 Speaker 1: kind of intensity to your relationship that was exhilarating to 505 00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:59,280 Speaker 1: me and funny to the audience we had there, and 506 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:03,200 Speaker 1: I wish I was shocked I don't know if there 507 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:06,440 Speaker 1: were politics involved or what was involved, but they sure 508 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:11,200 Speaker 1: don't have a show on ABC that's commensurate with that show. Now, 509 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 1: you have no doubt. And I'm not just saying this. 510 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:18,040 Speaker 1: I loved working with you. Everybody loves working with you. 511 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:21,280 Speaker 1: You say that J Sandrich, J Sanders never put two 512 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:23,960 Speaker 1: people on a suitcase and starting the cherry orchard. I 513 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:26,760 Speaker 1: doubt you say J. Sandrids is the king. He's not 514 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:29,960 Speaker 1: the king. You're the king. And everybody who works with 515 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:33,800 Speaker 1: you loves you. They love you, and you do this show. 516 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:37,240 Speaker 1: And were you ever tempted to run out and do 517 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:40,280 Speaker 1: movies and write scripts and and go into those other 518 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:44,120 Speaker 1: cord or never? I was never a writer. I I 519 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 1: ruled that out. I did a pilot for Stephen Botco 520 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:51,440 Speaker 1: in nine seventies seven called Every Stray Dog and Kid 521 00:29:52,320 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 1: single camera pilot Our Jackie Earl Haley back then and uh, 522 00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:03,520 Speaker 1: Bruce White's Uh. I didn't no movies. I did a 523 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:06,960 Speaker 1: movie called Partners. It was a movie. Aaron Russo came 524 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:10,239 Speaker 1: to me after taxi and he said, I have this 525 00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:13,880 Speaker 1: movie that written by Francis vai Vert who wrote Lakaja Fall, 526 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:17,440 Speaker 1: and it was about. It was, it was present and 527 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:20,800 Speaker 1: the fact that it was about a straight cop and 528 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:23,440 Speaker 1: a gay cop. This Ryan O'Neill, Yeah, Ryan O'Neill and 529 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 1: John heard. Can you believe I remember that. I can't 530 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:29,800 Speaker 1: believe that, Ryan O'Neill, and it was they go undercover 531 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 1: to solve a murder and it tend to be a 532 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:35,880 Speaker 1: gay couple and the problem, you know a lot of 533 00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 1: the problems. You wanted Clan Eastwood in their part. You 534 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 1: wanted a guy, the most macho man in the world, 535 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 1: having to dress and change and leather, you know, that's 536 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:47,960 Speaker 1: what you want. You wanted Charlie Bronson, somebody like that, 537 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:51,160 Speaker 1: and we had at one point we had Peter Regert 538 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:54,280 Speaker 1: to play the gay cop and wed Sam Elliott, who 539 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:57,200 Speaker 1: would have been great, but we couldn't get it past 540 00:30:57,240 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 1: the studio, so we ended up with Ryan and John. 541 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:03,680 Speaker 1: What's difficult for me in the movies is number one, 542 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:07,960 Speaker 1: it takes two years to hear the reaction, and two, 543 00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:12,840 Speaker 1: it was tough for me in the comedy scenes. You 544 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:14,960 Speaker 1: shoot a master and everybody's kind of funny. Then you 545 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:17,360 Speaker 1: start to shoot the close up and the magic's gone. 546 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 1: I did a documentary where, um, what is his name? 547 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:30,920 Speaker 1: Who's the famous actor that's married to Eva? On I 548 00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:34,880 Speaker 1: miss you? I do, sorry were I would have been 549 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:36,760 Speaker 1: on your show. I would have stayed on that show 550 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:39,000 Speaker 1: because I had so much fun. You know something. Let 551 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:41,560 Speaker 1: me tell you. So, I'm sitting there and I was 552 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:44,840 Speaker 1: so excited. I thought, my god. Kelsey Grammar calls it. 553 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:47,920 Speaker 1: He goes, so, how's everything going. I mean, he's like 554 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:51,160 Speaker 1: such a force of nature. How's everything going? I go, 555 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 1: it's going, okay, I said, I mean, we're gonna make 556 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:54,960 Speaker 1: the deal. I mean, I'm not. My whole thing is 557 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:58,280 Speaker 1: don't get too crazy. And um. He was from a 558 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:00,600 Speaker 1: different school of negotiating because he was king of TV. 559 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 1: I His career in TV obviously eclipsed mine. He started big, big, 560 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:07,520 Speaker 1: big successful shows. But he calls hip and he goes, uh, 561 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:09,680 Speaker 1: what are you going in that? What are you asking for? 562 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:11,680 Speaker 1: What are you going in that? And I go, well, 563 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:13,120 Speaker 1: I thought I would kind of, like, you know, be 564 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:15,400 Speaker 1: the good partner. And I keep the numbers low seasons 565 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:17,320 Speaker 1: and one in seasons two, and if we get to 566 00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:19,640 Speaker 1: see so like I did in thirty Rock season four, 567 00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:21,600 Speaker 1: season five, we step it up. And then season five 568 00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:23,920 Speaker 1: and season six, I want to hear them crying all 569 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:26,120 Speaker 1: the way from the studio. I want to we're gonna 570 00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:28,240 Speaker 1: backload all the money into season five and six, and 571 00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 1: he goes, I'm coming in a blank and he named 572 00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:32,160 Speaker 1: some number that I was like, I was going to 573 00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 1: fall off the chair. And I thought after that, I go, well, 574 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:38,680 Speaker 1: of course you are. Of course you are. That's probably 575 00:32:38,680 --> 00:32:40,959 Speaker 1: what you got paid in the last season of your 576 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:44,560 Speaker 1: last show. I mean, he was like this comedy on 577 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:47,760 Speaker 1: the Mount Rushmore of TV comedy because I was always 578 00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:50,320 Speaker 1: a poll that we didn't pull that off. Uh, you 579 00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:52,760 Speaker 1: prompted me with here about you shoot the master, then 580 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:54,240 Speaker 1: you go back and you do the close ups and 581 00:32:54,360 --> 00:32:56,520 Speaker 1: sold of gone. I did a film that was a 582 00:32:56,560 --> 00:33:00,960 Speaker 1: documentary about can and um in the tone. Ryan Gosling 583 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:03,840 Speaker 1: has the most wonderful take on exactly what you said, 584 00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:08,960 Speaker 1: the Arthur Murray esque progression of shooting stuff where it's 585 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:11,320 Speaker 1: like do it again, do it again. Now we're gonna 586 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:12,960 Speaker 1: come in closer and do it again, and do it again, 587 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:14,960 Speaker 1: but make it fresh and do the same thing you 588 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:18,720 Speaker 1: did again close up, you know, mid shot, cowboy tight 589 00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:21,080 Speaker 1: e c U. And he said to me, it's just 590 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:24,960 Speaker 1: like it's a fucking nightmare. But in his language, we 591 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:29,040 Speaker 1: got a Gosling on film now. I'm assuming because you 592 00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 1: are a legend in television comedy that you know. Lord 593 00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:38,960 Speaker 1: Michael said, networks the best. I said why. He said, 594 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:41,040 Speaker 1: why it goes because it demands more of you. You 595 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:43,440 Speaker 1: can't say funk on the network. You have to say 596 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:45,880 Speaker 1: funk without saying funk. You can't go blue. So you've 597 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:50,200 Speaker 1: got to be smarter, clever, better. And when I turn 598 00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:52,760 Speaker 1: on TV now and I'm on streaming service, as somebody says, 599 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:56,880 Speaker 1: Susie was late for work today. Fuck, everybody laughs because 600 00:33:56,880 --> 00:33:59,720 Speaker 1: they're saying, oh my god, they said, fuck, you've never 601 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:03,719 Speaker 1: gone to a streaming service. I did one show for 602 00:34:03,880 --> 00:34:08,360 Speaker 1: Chuck Laurie that was on with Kathy Bates called Disjointed. 603 00:34:08,640 --> 00:34:11,080 Speaker 1: She owned a pot shop and I think it lasted 604 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:14,120 Speaker 1: twelve episodes something like that. I had a great had 605 00:34:14,120 --> 00:34:16,719 Speaker 1: a great time working with her. She's what a pro. 606 00:34:17,040 --> 00:34:19,000 Speaker 1: And but I'm sure you've been asked to come and 607 00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:21,000 Speaker 1: maybe they tried to seduce you to come and do. 608 00:34:21,360 --> 00:34:23,680 Speaker 1: They don't do a lot of three camera, multi camera shows, 609 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:28,399 Speaker 1: but even single camera for them, I'm not good. I'm 610 00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:31,640 Speaker 1: I like, I like to get home early, as you 611 00:34:31,680 --> 00:34:34,440 Speaker 1: know that the multi camera schedule is the greatest in 612 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:37,840 Speaker 1: the world. And you're talking about what Lauren I I 613 00:34:38,880 --> 00:34:43,839 Speaker 1: corroborate what he says because the euphemism is funnier than 614 00:34:43,880 --> 00:34:49,879 Speaker 1: the actual work. On Will and Grace, I mean Karen leaking, Yeah, yeah, 615 00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:53,640 Speaker 1: package is leaking or uh, you know, Karen had nine 616 00:34:53,719 --> 00:34:58,480 Speaker 1: different euphemisms for vagina. You know, so euphemism harder to 617 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:03,879 Speaker 1: think of. It was it is funny your stuff? Why 618 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:08,040 Speaker 1: write a book? Meaning it's like, doesn't your work speak 619 00:35:08,080 --> 00:35:09,920 Speaker 1: for itself when you wanted to write a book? Why? 620 00:35:10,280 --> 00:35:13,200 Speaker 1: I have all these stories that are that are in 621 00:35:13,239 --> 00:35:16,680 Speaker 1: the book and I tell them to you know, I 622 00:35:16,719 --> 00:35:18,520 Speaker 1: look for new friends so I can tell him the 623 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:21,720 Speaker 1: stories because I have to held all my old friends 624 00:35:21,719 --> 00:35:25,239 Speaker 1: the same stories. And it was COVID. It was the 625 00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:27,760 Speaker 1: beginning of COVID, and my wife, Debbie came and said 626 00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:30,880 Speaker 1: to me, you got to write a book, what she 627 00:35:30,920 --> 00:35:33,919 Speaker 1: had been saying for the past ten years. And I said, 628 00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:36,720 Speaker 1: I don't have a hook. I don't have an angle 629 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:40,680 Speaker 1: on a book. She said, please stop sitting around, write 630 00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:42,719 Speaker 1: a book. So I called my agent, who hooked me 631 00:35:42,800 --> 00:35:45,560 Speaker 1: up with Eddie Friedfeld, who's my co author, and I 632 00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:48,279 Speaker 1: started telling him the stories. He had not heard any 633 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:51,440 Speaker 1: of the stories, and he helped shape the book. And 634 00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:53,880 Speaker 1: it's a little bit of it's a lot of my stories, 635 00:35:53,880 --> 00:35:56,680 Speaker 1: but it's a little bit of a tutorial in how 636 00:35:56,680 --> 00:35:59,040 Speaker 1: to make a show or what's what's good for a show. 637 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:01,240 Speaker 1: I talk about a little. I talked about the cameras 638 00:36:01,239 --> 00:36:05,640 Speaker 1: a little bit, not enough to bore Layman, but so 639 00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:07,640 Speaker 1: that that's what I did it, and I had a 640 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:10,960 Speaker 1: great time doing it. The book is directed by James Burrows. 641 00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:14,239 Speaker 1: I want to tell you, and I love the opportunity 642 00:36:14,239 --> 00:36:16,120 Speaker 1: to say, is I'm glad you came in person. I'm 643 00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:17,759 Speaker 1: happy to be here. And I want to tell you 644 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:20,080 Speaker 1: that the times I did that show with you, you 645 00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:23,160 Speaker 1: were so kind to me, and you create an environment 646 00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:26,399 Speaker 1: where it was fun. I was heartbroken when it was over, 647 00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:32,080 Speaker 1: and you're so graceful and gracious and smart, and it 648 00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:34,160 Speaker 1: really was just the joy of my life to do 649 00:36:34,239 --> 00:36:37,840 Speaker 1: those shows with you. Even of our pilot was the Challenger, 650 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:39,920 Speaker 1: it blew up on the launch pad and we didn't 651 00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:42,919 Speaker 1: make it. But my book is about kindness. I mean, 652 00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:46,799 Speaker 1: you can see it. It flows through there because if 653 00:36:47,320 --> 00:36:49,719 Speaker 1: if you have a set where everybody is nice to 654 00:36:49,719 --> 00:36:53,760 Speaker 1: one another and everybody likes dare I say, loves one another, 655 00:36:53,840 --> 00:36:56,520 Speaker 1: that's going to come across the screen. You know, the 656 00:36:56,560 --> 00:36:58,279 Speaker 1: fish thinks from the head. So if you have a 657 00:36:58,320 --> 00:37:03,160 Speaker 1: star who's counting lines, that's not a happy experience. So 658 00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:05,239 Speaker 1: I don't work on shows like that. I work on 659 00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:08,759 Speaker 1: shows where I have great actors that can only make 660 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:12,080 Speaker 1: me look better, and I treat them with the utmost kindness. 661 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:17,080 Speaker 1: I never see Hyde Pierce that much in uh in life, 662 00:37:17,360 --> 00:37:19,640 Speaker 1: but I wanted to see him. I'm willing to bet 663 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:23,160 Speaker 1: that you did Frasier and you've never done anything remotely 664 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:26,120 Speaker 1: like that again, because why bother. It's never going to 665 00:37:26,239 --> 00:37:29,080 Speaker 1: be better than that. You did that great show with 666 00:37:29,160 --> 00:37:34,440 Speaker 1: a great cast, great writing, great directing. I mean anything anybody, 667 00:37:34,640 --> 00:37:36,320 Speaker 1: the group you might work with, it would be a letdown, 668 00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:39,160 Speaker 1: I would say a lot of times. You know, if 669 00:37:39,160 --> 00:37:41,160 Speaker 1: people are on a hit sitcom, they think they can 670 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:45,120 Speaker 1: they think they can do it again. It's hard, you know, 671 00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:48,399 Speaker 1: it's hard. There's so many there's so many forces out 672 00:37:48,440 --> 00:37:52,040 Speaker 1: there that wants you to fail, and it's sad. But 673 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:55,319 Speaker 1: I've had a great run and so have you young man. Well, 674 00:37:55,360 --> 00:37:57,319 Speaker 1: I'm gonna my last line is going to be what 675 00:37:57,400 --> 00:38:00,759 Speaker 1: would you know about failure? That's my line for you. 676 00:38:00,920 --> 00:38:03,120 Speaker 1: What would you know about failure? James Burrows, You've had 677 00:38:03,120 --> 00:38:06,280 Speaker 1: the least amount of failure of anybody, know. I've had failure, 678 00:38:07,320 --> 00:38:11,440 Speaker 1: maybe a tablespoonful in an ocean of success. So enough 679 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:13,719 Speaker 1: of my tired metaphors. Thank you so much for doing this. 680 00:38:14,360 --> 00:38:21,480 Speaker 1: Thank you, Thank you, director James Burrows. This episode was 681 00:38:21,520 --> 00:38:25,040 Speaker 1: recorded at c DM Studios in New York City. Were 682 00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:29,399 Speaker 1: produced by Kathleen Russo, Zack McNeice, and Maureen Hoban. Our 683 00:38:29,520 --> 00:38:33,840 Speaker 1: engineers Frank Imperial. Our social media manager is Daniel Gingrich. 684 00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:36,920 Speaker 1: I'm Alec Baldwin. Here's the thing. Is brought to you 685 00:38:37,000 --> 00:39:00,399 Speaker 1: by iHeart Radio.