Steven Wright with Emerson College

Comedian
American Comedy Archives at Emerson College
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About this interview

In his nearly two-and-a-half hour interview for the American Comedy Archives at Emerson College, Steven Wright talks about his early comedy career and his anxiety performing in front of audiences. He discusses his first performance at the Comedy Connection at Charles Street Playhouse, and performing at the Ding Ho comedy club -- where producer Peter Lassally saw him and booked him for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He talks about his first and second performances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and reminisces about attending Emerson College and how the atmosphere, students, and Emerson Comedy Workshop inspired his creativity. He discusses learning different techniques from listening to Woody Allen, George Carlin, and Johnny Carson perform, talks about his delivery, and describes how he comes up with material. He also discusses winning an Academy Award for the short film The Appointments of Dennis Jennings, and talks about several of his guest roles in films (Reservoir Dogs, Desperately Seeking Susan), and on television (Mad About You, The Larry Sanders Show). Eddie Brill conducted the interview on June 10, 2019 in Boston, MA at Emerson College. 

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"For people who have a goal to do anything -- movies, architecture, baseball, anything -- take the risk. You gotta take a risk. I was completely introverted, horrified of being on stage, but I wanted to do this thing. Try it -- either it works or it doesn't work -- but at least I tried it. I didn't want to be fifty years old, selling insurance in Wyoming (there's nothing wrong with that), but I didn't want to be wondering, 'What would have happened if I had tried?'"

People Talking About ...
Steven Wright
Highlights
Steven Wright on his first time performing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and getting asked to come talk to Carson after his set
08:24
Steven Wright on Peter Lassally helping him get an agent after his second performance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
00:53
Steven Wright on his first HBO special
01:50
Steven Wright on the first joke he ever performed and on unknowingly learning techniques by listening to comedy performances on the radio
05:13
Steven Wright on making a half-hour film, The Appointments of Dennis Jennings, and winning an Oscar for the film
04:23
Steven Wright on advice to aspiring comedians
02:12
Full Interview

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Chapter 1
On reminiscing about their years about Emerson; on his early years in Burlington, MA ; on his childhood and making his friends laugh; on whether or not you can teach someone to be funny; on his nerves when he first started doing stand-up; on the challenges of starting out in stand-up comedy; on the Boston comedy scene compared to other cities; on his first time performing -- at The Comedy Connection: on classes and writing he did at Emerson
On his first stand-up performance (contd.) and on other comics he observed when he was first starting out; on the first joke he ever performed and on unknowingly learning techniques by listening to comedy performances on the radio; on every comedian being a teacher and a student at the same time; on starting to tell jokes with longer setups, on pauses in delivery, and on waiting out a laugh
On a comedian's relationship with the audience; on his love of words when he was young; on his advice to anyone with a goal - take the risk; on creative people attending Emerson University, and there being a dividing line in his life from before he lived in Boston and attended Emerson to after; on looking back at their time at Emerson; on Monty Python and on big events in 1969
On his comedy career really taking off at the Ding Ho comedy club; on his contemporaries who performed at the Ding Ho comedy club: on additional Boston-area clubs where he performed when he started out; on first watching The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson with his older brother (who loved Johnny Carson), and then wanting to become a comedian
On the four things he would't talk about in his act and his rules for performing -- and when/why he would break his own rules; on whether or not he's enjoying himself on stage; on how his first time on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson came about; on his first, second, and additional performances on the show
On how he creates his material; on his first comedy album, "I Have a Pony," on his first HBO special, and on being nominated for a Grammy; on making a half-hour film, The Appointments of Dennis Jennings, and winning an Oscar for the film; on creating the film One Soldier; on his thoughts on social media and the internet; on whether or not he'd like to do a Netflix comedy special
On making creative decisions; on testing out material in theaters; on his film work -- Reservoir Dogs, Coffee and Cigarettes and Desperately Seeking Susan; on his guest appearances on Mad About You and The Larry Sanders Show; on advice to aspiring comedians and whether it was all worth it
Shows

Larry Sanders Show, The

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Steven Wright on his guest role on The Larry Sanders Show
00:19

Mad About You

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Steven Wright on his guest role on Mad About You
00:19

Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The

View Show Page
Steven Wright on wanting to be a comedian because of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
00:24
Steven Wright on first watching The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson with his older brother (who loved Johnny Carson), and then wanting to become a comedian
02:19
Steven Wright on being influenced by the comics he saw on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
00:28
Steven Wright on how his first time on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson came about
05:52
Steven Wright on his first time performing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and getting asked to come talk to Carson after his set
08:24
Steven Wright on his second time performing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson -- less than a week after his first performance
02:03
Steven Wright on his performance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson that was interrupted (his fourth or fifth performance on the show)
03:03
Topics

Advice

View Topic
Steven Wright on advice to aspiring comedians
02:12
Steven Wright on advice to aspiring comedians
02:12

Creative Influences and Inspiration

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Steven Wright on comics he was influenced by
07:54

First Big Break

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Steven Wright on how his first time on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson came about
05:52

Pivotal Career Moments

View Topic
Steven Wright on how his first time on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson came about
05:52
Steven Wright on comics he was influenced by
07:54
Professions

Comedian

View Profession
Steven Wright on the first joke he ever performed and on unknowingly learning techniques by listening to comedy performances on the radio
05:13
Steven Wright on every comedian being a teacher and a student at the same time
01:48
Steven Wright on his delivery
01:27
Steven Wright on starting to tell jokes with longer setups, on pauses in delivery, and on waiting out a laugh
04:38
Steven Wright on a comedian's relationship with the audience
03:59
Steven Wright on his love of words when he was young
01:35
Steven Wright on his advice to anyone with a goal - take the risk
01:44
Steven Wright on how he creates his material
03:32
Steven Wright on advice to aspiring comedians
02:12
Steven Wright on the four things he would't talk about in his act and his rules for performing -- and when/why he would break his own rules
06:30
Steven Wright on his nerves when he first started doing stand-up -- on differences between being funny amongst friends vs. on a stage
01:47
Steven Wright on the challenges of starting out in stand-up
00:56

Performers

View Profession
Steven Wright on the first joke he ever performed and on unknowingly learning techniques by listening to comedy performances on the radio
05:13
Steven Wright on every comedian being a teacher and a student at the same time
01:48
Steven Wright on his delivery
01:27
Steven Wright on starting to tell jokes with longer setups, on pauses in delivery, and on waiting out a laugh
04:38
Steven Wright on a comedian's relationship with the audience
03:59
Steven Wright on his love of words when he was young
01:35
Steven Wright on his advice to anyone with a goal - take the risk
01:44
Steven Wright on how he creates his material
03:32
Steven Wright on advice to aspiring comedians
02:12
Steven Wright on whether or not you can teach someone to be funny
00:51
Steven Wright on whether or not you can teach someone to be funny
00:51
Steven Wright on the four things he would't talk about in his act and his rules for performing -- and when/why he would break his own rules
06:30
Steven Wright on his nerves when he first started doing stand-up -- on differences between being funny amongst friends vs. on a stage
01:47
Steven Wright on the challenges of starting out in stand-up
00:56
Genres

Comedy Series

View Genre
Steven Wright on his guest role on Mad About You
00:19
Steven Wright on his guest role on The Larry Sanders Show
00:19

Late Night

View Genre
Steven Wright on wanting to be a comedian because of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
00:24
Steven Wright on first watching The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson with his older brother, who loved Johnny Carson, and then wanting to become a comedian
02:19
Steven Wright on how his first time on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson came about
05:52
Steven Wright on his first time performing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and getting asked to come talk to Carson after his set
08:24
Steven Wright on his second time performing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson -- less than a week after his first performance
02:03
Steven Wright on his performance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson that was interrupted (his fourth or fifth performance on the show)
03:03
People

Garry Shandling

View Interview Page
Steven Wright on his guest role on The Larry Sanders Show
00:19

George Carlin

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Steven Wright on working with a George Carlin piece in an Emerson class
01:49
Steven Wright on being influenced by the comics he saw on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
00:28

Johnny Carson

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Steven Wright on meeting Johnny Carson for the first time
00:30

Peter Lassally

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Steven Wright on how his first time on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson came about
05:52
Steven Wright on Peter Lassally helping him get an agent after his second performance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
00:53

Robert Klein

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Steven Wright on seeing Robert Klein perform
00:53

Woody Allen

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Steven Wright on learning techniques by listening to comedy performances on the radio -- including those by Woody Allen
01:07

All Interviews

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