Acclaimed actor and stand-up comedian Jon Lovitz (“Saturday Night Live”) chatted about his respected career in acting, comedy, and performing.
Walt Disney once said: “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” Jon Lovitz is living proof of this wise quotation by the cartoon legend.
‘Saturday Night Live’
Lovitz is one of the most well-known names in American comedy, acting, and voiceover. He has been working non-stop since the ‘80s, and he was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards, a feat he achieved during his first two years on “Saturday Night Live.”
“I never thought I would on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ ever,” he said. “It was a lot of fun, but it was very stressful, a lot of work, and very competitive. That show took up my whole life. ‘Saturday Night Live’ is pretty much everyone’s big break. Back then, if you were on the show, you had a really good shot in becoming a movie star, and everybody was aware of that so that meant a lot of resentment if you were doing well on the show.”
During his tenure on “Saturday Night Live,” he became known for a wide variety of characters including “Master Thespian,” “Hanukkah Harry,” and “the Devil.”
Jon Lovitz: The two-time Emmy nomineee
He opened up about his two Primetime Emmy nominations for “Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program.” “I got those for my first two years on the show, and it was pretty funny. The first year, I was nominated alongside Stevie Wonder, Sarah Vaughan, Patti LaBelle, Whitney Houston and Debbie Allen. The next year, I was nominated alongside two other comedians: Billy Crystal and Robin Williams.”
“I was honored to be nominated at all,” he admitted. “I remembered the first year being in the green room with my father, and I am sitting on the couch and across from me was George Burns, and sitting on the armchair was Lucille Ball, and I told my father ‘can you believe we are in this room!'”
Jon Lovitz: The film actor
Lovitz has appeared in numerous films, which include “A League of Their Own,” “The Wedding Singer,” “Rat Race,” “The Producers,” “Three Amigos,” and “Grown Ups 2,” among many others.
‘A League of Their Own’
“I had a blast doing ‘A League of Their Own’,” he said. “The writers Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel wrote the part for me, and every time I run into them, they remind me because it was the only time they ever wrote a part for an actor. When I read the script, I knew that I had to play that part.”
“The director, Penny Marshall, befriended me and became a mentor from the day she met me, and she was so great to me. Penny really let me create the character,” he added.
Lovitz complimented his cast members on “A League of Their Own.” “Lori Petty was great, I didn’t know her previously, but she was fun. I really liked Lori. Also, I became close friends with Tom Hanks when he did ‘Saturday Night Live’ for the first time.”
He continued, “I also worked with Madonna and Gina Davis when they co-hosted ‘Saturday Night Live.’ I was good friends with Penny Marshall and her daughter, Tracy, so it felt like making a movie with your friends. It was really fun. It just felt special the whole time we were making that movie. I loved the ’40s, so it felt nostalgic making a movie that took place in that time period.”
Jon Lovitz: The voiceover artist
Aside from his comedy, Lovitz is well known for his distinctive voice. He was the lead voice for the character “Jay Sherman” in the popular cult cartoon series “The Critic.”
‘The Simpsons’
Lovitz has also appeared in 20 episodes of “The Simpsons,” where he originated the character of Artie Ziff, who was Marge Simpson’s boyfriend. “When I first did ‘The Simpsons,’ it was the No.1 show on television, I was honored to be a part of it, and that was a lot of fun. I still do ‘The Simpsons’ because I enjoy it and it’s fun.”
Jon Lovitz: The TV star
Lovitz has also had an illustrious career in television. He was a special guest star on the hit TV show “Friends.” In the same week, he appeared on an episode of Seinfeld. Jon also had recurring roles on “Las Vegas,” “Two and a Half Men,” and “New Girl.”
‘Friends’
“I was the first famous guest star on ‘Friends,’ I did the eighth show,” he said. “Lisa Kudrow and Courtney Cox asked me to do it. I’ve known Lisa since she was five. It wasn’t a giant show when I did it, but by the time it aired, it was huge. Then, I got to go back nine years later and I played the same guy, it was fun.”
The digital age
On being an actor and stand-up comedian in the digital age, Lovitz said, “It’s interesting. It’s tougher to get work, there are so many more outlets, but it is still very competitive.”
“You can put content out there yourself, which I think, is great,” he said. “In a way, you can do your own publicity that way, and you can put yourself out there. That is great for anyone that wants to do it. People are getting discovered doing it and they are getting big, it is pretty fascinating.”
Stand-up comedy inspirations
Regarding his inspirations for his stand-up comedy routines, he said, “I am inspired by things that I feel strongly about that are going on in the world that I don’t really understand and it makes me want to make fun of it. I play the piano, I sing funny songs, and I talk about politics.”
“I’ve been doing standup for 20 years now, and the more I am myself and talk about how I feel and what I really think, the more the audience laughs, which is great and weird at the same time. I really enjoy doing stand-up comedy,” he acknowledged.
“Now, I also do the game show ‘Funny You Should Ask.’ Scott Satin, who created it and sadly, he just passed away. Scott really wanted me to be on every show. I turned out that I really had fun doing it. I sit in a comfortable chair making jokes, it’s a fun job.”
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Lovitz said, “I am just getting started.”
Advice for aspiring entertainers
For young and aspiring actors and comedians, he said, “Use who you are and your personality in your work. You need to practice, practice, practice. Do it as much as you can. Do as many scenes and plays as you can, and learn about it. Mostly, it’s about practice.”
“Also, every time you do a scene or a stand-up act, think about what worked and what didn’t, and carry that on to the next time you do it. Don’t just forget it. Always, try to get better. Eventually, you will be so good that they will hire you,” he added.
If he were to have any superpower, it would be to “fly around invisibly.”
Success
On his definition of the word success, Lovitz said, “Honestly, doing what you love for a living and getting paid for it. Also, being surrounded by people that you like being around is important.”
For his fans and supporters, Lovitz concluded, “Thank you, I am flattered that you like my work. I was the lead in a movie once but the fact that I did projects that people remember such as ‘Friends,’ ‘The Simpsons,’ and ‘The Critic’ is really gratifying. The fans have enabled me to have a career, and I am very thankful.”
To learn more about esteemed actor and comedian Jon Lovitz, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and check out his IMDb page.
