• Bruce Vilanch Tells Jay He Needs To Market Himself Better

  • May 6 2025
  • Length: 48 mins
  • Podcast

Bruce Vilanch Tells Jay He Needs To Market Himself Better

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  • Summary

  • Bruce talks about stumbling into writing and finding a home. His feud with Barbra Streisand, writing for Richard Pryor, George Carlin, and Lily Tomlin. He talks about how being your own weird self is the best marketing and he discusses his new book “It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time: The Worst TV Shows in History and Other Things I Wrote” He talks about t-shirts, Elmo, Hollywood Squares, The Star Wars Holiday Special and surviving as a writer forever no matter what he’s asked to write.

    Bio: Bruce Vilanch is an American comedy writer, songwriter and actor who has won two Emmy Awards for his work on the Annual Academy Awards. He is also known for his appearance as a celebrity participant and head writer on Hollywood Squares for four years. Here are some facts about his life and career: He was born on November 23, 1948, in New York City and was adopted by Jonas and Henne Vilanch, an optometrist and a housewife. He started his career as an entertainment writer for the Chicago Tribune, where he interviewed celebrities and wrote about the industry culture. He moved to Los Angeles and wrote for various shows and artists, such as The Donny & Marie Show, The Star Wars Holiday Special, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, Bette Midler, Robin Williams, Lily Tomlin, Billy Crystal, Roseanne Barr, Rosie O’Donnell, Paul Reiser, Elizabeth Taylor, Steven Tyler and Aerosmith. He wrote the lyrics for the farewell song that Bette Midler sang to Johnny Carson on his final broadcast of The Tonight Show, which won him an Emmy Award. He was a panelist and the head writer for Hollywood Squares from 1998 to 2002, where he sat next to his friend and client Whoopi Goldberg. He was the head writer for the Oscars from 2000 to 2014, after being a co-writer for the previous ten years. He collaborated with hosts such as Whoopi Goldberg, David Letterman, and Billy Crystal. He also acted in several movies and TV shows, such as The Ice Pirates, Law & Order, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, and Celebrity Fit Club. He performed off-Broadway in his self-penned one-man show Bruce Vilanch: Almost Famous in 2000. He played the role of Edna Turnblad in the Broadway musical Hairspray in 2005. Within the last several years, he has written the book for 2 jukebox musicals. He is openly gay and has been involved in various philanthropic causes, such as AIDS awareness, gay rights, and animal welfare
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