Hollywood director Paul Feig has accused the late comedian Robin Williams of sabotaging his stand-up career “several times” as he tried to break into the Los Angeles comedy industry.
Feig, known for directing such hits as “The Office,” “Bridesmaids,” and the controversial “Ghostbusters” reboot, directed the highly competitive film starring Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld and Williams. He revealed what it was like trying to stand out in his stand-up “era.” He dominated the circuit.
Feig claimed that Williams sometimes wanted to play unscheduled sets, which interfered with the performance.
Feig said on Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s Dinners on Me podcast, “When I finally got a spot on The Improv, Robin Williams tried to block me a few times.”
“I wasn’t one of the main players yet, so I was going to get a later position. When it was time for me to stand up, the crowd was full and I remember being so excited about them. came in like, “Oh, Robin just wants to get up and do a quick set first,” and I was like, ‘Great. ‘”
Williams took to the stage for his stand-up set and pushed Feig’s time back. After Williams finished singing, the audience left the venue with the Dead Poets Society star.
“He did it for an hour and it was over. Everyone left except for one woman who was waiting for her husband to come back from the bathroom,” Feig said.
It’s common for popular comedians like Williams to appear unexpectedly and be allowed on stage for a surprise set.
Dave Chappelle shocked fans with his 30-minute set at Broadway’s now-closed Caroline’s when he went to see former “Chappell’s Show” castmate Charlie Murphy perform in 2009. Gave.
Jerry Seinfeld has been known to stop by New York comedy clubs without telling his fans to try out new material while preparing for a bigger show.
Greenwich Village’s Comedy Cellar features an anonymous-looking photo in the lineup, created specifically for each famous comedian who wants to quietly attend a show but doesn’t want to be identified in advance by ticket buyers sources told the Post.
Mr. Fayed said he didn’t want to cause a scene and anger the owners of Tinseltown’s few comedy clubs when Mr. Williams, who died by suicide in 2014, crashed his set.
“You were being held hostage by The Improv and The Comedy Store because that was the place, where you could be discovered and make it big, so you could stay in their good graces and stay in their good graces. I had to do whatever I could to impress him,” Fayed said.
Other factors that led the five-time Emmy nominee to hang up the microphone include “losing the passion” and not wanting to be the “miserable” guy doing comedy.
Feig began his career as a producer in 1999 with “Freaks and Geeks.” The show lasted only one season, but eight years later, he joined “The Office” as co-executive producer.
