This Is Not A Bit

Jerry Schatzberg is a paragon of perseverance, who paid his dues to become one of the most influential photographers and filmmakers of the late 20th century.  After getting his start with  baby and catalogue pictures, he worked his way up to photographer at Vogue and Glamour magazines, where he initially met music industry executives like Atlantic Records President Ahmet Ertegun.  After befriending Bob Dylan, Jerry’s pictures were used on the covers of Dylan’s first book, “Tarantula,” and the “Blonde On Blonde” album.  Jerry went on to photograph some of the most famous people in the world, including The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, The Rolling Stones, Sammy Davis Jr., Andy Warhol, Frank Zappa, and countless other cultural titans.

After conquering the photography world, Jerry became a film director, helming a string of classics like “Puzzle of a Downfall Child” (with Faye Dunaway), “Panic In Needle Park” (Al Pacino’s film debut as a lead character), “Scarecrow” (with Pacino and Gene Hackman), “The Seduction of Joe Tynan” (with Alan Alda and Meryl Streep), “Street Smart” (with Christopher Reeve and Morgan Freeman), and many others.

In this interview, Jerry discusses his friendship with Bob and Sara Dylan, Nico, Faye Dunaway, and Jimi Hendrix, whom Jerry hired to play in his discotheque when Hendrix still went under the professional name “Jimmy James.” 

Jerry’s friend Josh Safdie (co-director and writer of “Uncut Gems”), was kind enough to provide this insight into Jerry’s unique role in our cultural history: “Jerry is an ‘iconic’ artist and by that, I don’t mean he himself is iconic (though of course he is), but that he works in the language of iconography without ever flirting with cliche. His characters are icons of parables, of personalities, of types. His work has taught us how to immerse yourself in the iconography of the story and having FAITH in the POWER of character. His work as a photographer, photographing some of the most iconic men and women of the 20th century, led him to develop an incredible taste for talent and knack for showing a person’s power.”  To see some examples of what Safdie means, go to www.JerrySchatzberg.com.  

Ever wondered who helped Stephen Colbert, Chris Farley, Amy Sedaris, and Paul Dinello to hone their comedy chops when they were starting their careers? Our guests, Jeff Michalski and Jane Morris, have directed, taught, and worked with these and countless other improvisers and writers, encouraging their originality and unique comedy voices.  Through their theater, Fanatic Salon in Culver City, Jeff and Jane bring the skills they developed at Second City in Chicago to new generations of improvisers and writers in Los Angeles and beyond.  Jeff and Jane discuss working with improv legends Del Close and Paul Sills, taking acting classes from fellow Chicagoan David Mamet, watching Chris Farley audition for Second City by performing a belly flop on stage, and a unique encounter with Tennessee Williams. They also discuss their monthly improv performances with the Immediate Theater, led by Dan Castellaneta (aka the voice of Homer Simpson and Krusty the Klown).

Harvey Brooks is one of the most respected and emulated bassists and producers in the history of rock and jazz music.  After being the lucky recipient of a B.B. King record at a synagogue dance contest as a kid, he was inspired to pursue playing the blues and R&B.  After playing live gigs tirelessly for years, his old friend, keyboardist and guitarist Al Kooper, invited Harvey to a Bob Dylan recording session to play bass, the tracks of which became the seminal “Highway 61 Revisited” album.  

Harvey went on to appear on a mind-blowing string of classic albums, as a founding member of The Electric Flag and on such stand-outs as The Doors’ “Soft Parade,” Miles Davis’ “Bitches Brew,” and Al Kooper’s “Super Session.”  He also produced such masterpieces as Quicksilver Messenger Service’s debut album and Karen Dalton’s “My Own Time.”

In this interview, Harvey talks about keeping himself alive and sane amidst the drug culture of the late ‘60s.  He discusses how me met the challenge of Dylan’s mid-‘60s audience turning on him for changing to electric music, including a live concert at Forest Hills, New Jersey where the audience rushed the stage and were tackled by security, while Harvey played alongside Robbie Robertson and Levon Helm of The Band.  Harvey also talks about 3 a.m. jam sessions with Paul Butterfield, and serving as Mama Cass Elliot’s musical director at Caesar’s Palace.

Earlier this year, Harvey released an autobiography entitled, “View from the Bottom: 50 Years of Bass Playing with Bob Dylan, The Doors, Miles Davis and Everybody Else.”
The book is published by tangiblepress.net and can also be acquired on many online bookstores. Autographed copies and bookplates can only be procured at tangiblepress.net.  The book was co-authored by Frank Beacham, a notable music historian and Bonnie Brooks, author of the children's book "Gramps Has A Ponytail,” also published by tangiblepress.net.

Danny Jolles is an actor-writer-filmmaker-comedian-singer-dancer-podcaster - a true multihyphenate.  He is best known for his role as George on the CW’s “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” created by and starring his friend, Rachel Bloom.  Danny and Rachel met when they were in the NYU sketch group Hammerkatz, later appearing in each other’s sketch videos.  Danny began his stand-up comedy career in New York City before moving to Los Angeles, and he has performed stand-up on such programs as “Late Night With Stephen Colbert”.  Danny’s rom-com “Blowing Up Right Now,” about a recently-separated couple coping with the imminent apocalypse, has shown at numerous film festivals and will shortly be receiving a wider release.  Danny also has his own podcast entitled “Everything But The Scores With Danny Jolles,” which takes a deep dive into all manner of sports.  In this interview, Danny explains why “if you want to do a thing you love, you have to do it yourself.” 

Barnet Kellman is a master in both the practice and teaching of comedy.  After getting his start directing and acting in live theater, he became a director in both film and television.  His films include “Straight Talk” with Dolly Parton and “Key Exchange” with Brooke Adams.  He has directed countless television programs, including the pilots for “Murphy Brown” and “Mad About You,” as well as episodes of “Designing Women,” “Ally McBeal,” “Alias,” “The George Lopez Show,” and “ER.”  He currently serves as the Robin Williams Endowed Chair in Comedy at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.  In this interview, Barnet discusses his collaboration with Gene Wilder on the sit com “Something Wilder.”  Barnet also discusses creating a curriculum for the teaching of comedy directing, and (befitting a teacher of comedy) the history of “shpritzing.”  

Andy Cowan has a comedy resume anybody would be envious of.  After a stint as a stand-up in the late ‘70s at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles (alongside such comics as David Letterman), Cowan became a talent coordinator at the legendary Merv Griffin Show, where he met such luminaries as Sir Laurence Olivier, Andy Kaufman, Ethel Merman, Tony Curtis, and Orson Welles (the day before he died).  Cowan then went on to write for some of the top sit coms in television history, including “Cheers,” “Seinfeld,” and “Third Rock From The Sun.”  In this interview, Cowan explains the origins of the “Opposite” episode of Seinfeld and its ongoing cultural impact.  Cowan also discusses working with Sid Caesar’s head-writer, Mel Tolkin, befriending Jerry Lewis, and voicing the mysterious Admiral Ackbar for a Star Wars audiobook.

Michael Blieden, along with fellow former “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” writers Bashir Sallahudin and Diallo Riddle (and Bashir’s brother, Sultan), form the creative backbone of the HBO series “South Side.”  In this interview, Blieden discusses the genesis and creative decision-making of “South Side,” and how it stems from the team’s bonding on “Late Night.” Blieden discusses how his play “Melvin Goes To Dinner” was turned into a movie by director (and later “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul” actor) Bob Odenkirk, which led to his directing “The Comedians of Comedy” with Patton Oswald, Zach Galifianakis, Maria Bamford and Brian Posehn (one of the first films to be financed by Netflix).  Blieden also discusses his collaborations with singer-songwriter Michael Penn and the late comedian Mitch Hedberg.