Hello, I'm Richard Ridge for Broadway World
Billy Crystal is back on Broadway in the brand new musical, Mr. Saturday Night
which is based on his hit film, and we're her on the opening night, Red Carpet
I'm very excited. This is my first time back in a theater. Yeah, me too. I can't wait
So, Billy better bring it. Billy, bring it tonight, you know he will
I love Billy Crystal. I love the movie. I love this character, Buddy Young Jr
I think it's hilarious and also great writers. Bob Lou Mandele, Lowell, who also wrote Fever
pitch, hello. But I love it. It's so funny. I get it. It's very New York. And I love
700 Sundays, too. I laughed, I cried. I came. I brought my parents. I came back. The second
time, it was the best. I loved it. When Billy Crystal comes on the show, you have no script
He just takes over the show and runs it. And that's what we're going to do tonight. Well, there's many levels of excitement. One is just being anywhere out, seeing Billy in this show
because 700 Sundays was fantastic. It was irrepressible. It toured the world
I mean, I would go to Australia. They say, Billy Crystal was here and every night it was sold out
So, you know, he's a fabulous talent. We're excited to be here
I love opening nights. I love opening nights. And it just feels like everything's coming back to life
And who doesn't freaking love Billy Crystal? I mean, my gosh, I'm so excited
It's Mr. Saturday night. It's Billy Crystal. But I have to give a shout out to my best friend
Brian Gonzalez. Brian and I started in our first Broadway show in 25th of your Putnam Spelling Bee And then we turned around and opened Broadway Aladdin together as Babcock and a genie So the fact that I get to be here for that brother is nothing but just a blessing
And also, I've never seen Shoshana Bean live, so I'm so glad to be here. I'm so excited
Wait. Baby, I'm so, I'm so cool. Also, I tease Brian a lot
I've told the story before, but I was in the reading for this, and I brought him to the reading
And I said, you know, you're going to end up being in this. And you see where I am
I'm on this side. He's on the inside. So I'm saying when we laughed we laughed about that last night and I was like bro I cannot wait to watch you shot
Would you like to come to the stage and do some stage work? You know I would it's an absolute dream
But I I I don't know how it would possibly happen, but I would love it
Amy Sherman Palladino and I have talked about it many times like how can we how can we do this but
It terrifies me but that's why I think I should do it We should everybody you talk to anybody they'll say you have to be terrified at the same time
Well my hope is that I will take over this role for Billy You're night off from Chicago
You are co-starring along, of course, with Pamela Anderson. I mean, how incredible is it performing with her in Chicago
You know, we're both vegans, which we're like, we're like this now
No, but we both like help one another. It's been like really like the first show was like the first week was 10 shows, now eight
which is a little bit easier than 10, but I love performing with her
She's magic. We're both magic together. So. My wife is okay with the beard once it receives
a definitive length Otherwise when it starts out as pokey it like you know kissing a porcupine I guess I never kissed a porcupine but that what I would imagine it would be like
Would you like to come back and do another musical or another show on Broadway now that we're open again
I'm 76. It takes five years to do a musical. I think I'll pass
Steve, thank you very much. I'm so excited. It's a convention of Jews. It's like, I don't think there's a Jew in
in the 200 mile vicinity that isn't here tonight. Except Lou is the exception to the rule
Did you know the film, Lou, before tonight? I did. I mean, come on
No, no, I know. I know. I know. I know. You never know. I did know the film, and I know he worked on it
We're here. Since we got married, he's watched my movies. I've had to watch everything
I've never seen the movie. So I'm excited to see the, because I'm looking at it with completely fresh eyes
So I'm the perfect audience in a way for it. So I can't wait
You've been on all these carpets. I talk to you all the time, which I love. You have a few more to go, right
I'm running out of things to say. I'm sounding like Regis Philbin
Did you know he was in a show called Breaking Bad? Yeah, I don't know if he've heard of it, but it's amazing
Opening night of your show, how do you feel tonight? I'm excited. It's been six years in the making
out, you know, we, I can't believe we're here, and I'm so excited that we are
What was it like creating this with Jason Robert Brown? It was you know I didn have it on my bingo card that Jason and I would get to write with each other It was wonderful He so smart so funny and I really feel like it was you know playing tennis with somebody who is just incredible you know and I think it makes you be better you know I never worked with another lyricist
before and the only reason I said yes is because I think Amanda's brilliant
and I thought well why would I say no to that and so for something like this
where it needed to be funny and it needed to be sharp and it needed to be Jewish
and it needed to be so warm and so smart and I thought who else would I ever
want to do it with, but Amanda Green, it was such a relief to be able to work with her
and just felt like I had someone to share the load. It was a wonderful, wonderful collaboration. You directed 700 Sundays with him. What's it like working with Billy Crystal
Oh, he's a, he's a riot. He's a lot of fun. He's tremendously loyal. You know, we got to do 700 Sundays
and then we got to do the HBO movie for Michael Ombardo, which was a great thrill
So he's just, you know, you live forward to rehearsal. And, uh, you know, you look forward to rehearsal. And, uh
There is a lot of laughter. A lot of laughter. I cannot believe it is my job to be in the room with Billy Crystal
and watch him do stand-up. And it really is, like, on the stage, he's hilarious
but he's as hilarious in real life. He is, like, throwing jokes here and there
He is so intelligent. It is a joy to work with him
He's an incredible collaborator. He's a funny personality that you just want to be around all the time
I'm always so enamelious. of every second that we're working together. I'm a little closer
You could be a pirate. You should play a pirate in something