Still flying higher than a kite!
Host Glass makes every moment of his interview count with comedy legends, Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams and David Zucker, the writers, directors, and producers of the comedy film classics “Airplane” and “Naked Gun,” among others. They talk backstory about the making of “Airplane” and their book on that exact subject, Surely, You Can’t Be Serious. They share how they recruited famous dramatic actors like Robert Stack, Peter Graves and Leslie Nielsen (and others) and talked them into doing the film (it’s all in the book). The comedic geniuses also talk about love and marriage. Jerry Zucker, tells David why he and his wife are still “happily” married after 37 years, while David Zucker and Jim Abrahams share how they are still friends with their exes.
David Zucker lets us in on how he and his former wife still travel and have regular family get-togethers, while Abrahams talks about his dedication to better health through “Keto.” He is now dedicated his life to helping others with that diet’s health benefits which started with his own son who suffered from seizures. The three share their insights on what films to watch when going through a divorce. In that regard, they give solid advice. They also talk about their early beginnings with Kentucky Fried Theater, and how they brought their comedy brand from Madison, Wisconsin to L.A. in the mid-70s, and their rejection in those early days from those in the industry. They also let us in on what happened along the way as they achieved overwhelming success. All that information crammed into one Glass interview? Surely, you can’t be serious, you might ask. Ah, yes, we are. This is an Episode you may have to watch a couple of times to soak up their method of comedic madness and the epic work they created. And, yes, are still creating!
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Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams and David Zucker
Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker (abbreviated to ZAZ) are a legendary American comedy filmmaking trio consisting of Jim Abrahams and brothers David Zucker and Jerry Zucker. They knew each other growing up in Shorewood, Wisconsin, which is sometimes referenced in their work. While attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison, the trio founded a small theater known as The Kentucky Fried Theater in 1971 which led to their sketch comedy film The Kentucky Fried Movie in 1977. This was followed by the trio’s breakout hit Airplane! in 1980, which remains a revered comedic milestone.
David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker knew each other as children while growing up in Shorewood, Wisconsin and while attending Shorewood High School, which is sometimes referenced in their work. While attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison, the trio founded a small theater known as The Kentucky Fried Theater in 1971 which led to their sketch comedy film The Kentucky Fried Movie in 1977. This was followed by the trio’s breakout hit Airplane! in 1980, which remains a revered comedic milestone. Subsequent collaborations include Top Secret!, Ruthless People, and The Naked Gun.
All of their projects relied heavily on parodies, visual gags and breaking of the fourth wall, and established a strong 1980s cult following. The notable stylistic exception is Ruthless People, a more traditional farce that was directed by the trio but unlike their other productions, not written by them. The trio’s status as a three-person team of co-directors is highly unusual, although some of their later projects were directed by David working solo and with Jerry and Abrahams credited only as producers and/or writers.
The trio split up in the 1990s for fiscal and creative reasons, stating that there were “too many guys sitting in the same chair”. They also said that they had been treated unfairly by the studios that produced their films, claiming that they failed to see any profits from Ruthless People. Nevertheless, the three still maintain a close friendship