A comedy genius replies

Alan Zweibel

Reference Date: August 3rd





I am a huge fan of NBC's "Saturday Night Live" and have been watching since its debut in 1975. (Though I was too young to get most of the jokes back then.) One of the people who helped to shape the direction of the show was staff writer Alan Zweibel.

You may not know his name, but Mr. Zweibel has collaborated with some of the greatest comedy minds of our generation, including the late Gilda Radner, about whom he wrote a touching memoir.

In recent years, Mr. Zweibel has lent his brilliant comedic writing skills to Broadway productions like Billy Crystal's "700 Sundays" and Martin Short's "Fame Becomes Me."

I wrote to Mr. Zweibel after seeing Martin Short's show, and this is what he had to say in response:

Dear Chris -

The only words of advice I can give you is "keep rowing". Keep doing what you're doing and don't ever lose hope or get down on yourself when things look bleak. I don't know one successful person who didn't go through tough and frustrating times - even after they had experienced success.

One never knows when the phone will ring with an opportunity to change your career/life. So the best we can do is keep working at our craft so we can be prepared when that opportunity presents itself - because it will.

Good luck with everything,

-Alan Zweibel



I sent him a thank you the next day