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Emmy®-nominated producer/director Bob Weide took time from his busy schedule--not only is he Executive Producer, but he's directed 15 episodes as well as the original Curb Your Enthusiasm special--to let us grill him about the show. We asked, he answered--everything from where story ideas come from to what Alanis Morissette really whispered in Larry's ear.
HBO
In episode 26, "The Special Section", Larry complains to Martin Scorsese about the number of takes he does, claiming that they never did more than two takes on Seinfeld. I can't imagine this is the case on Curb. You go into great detail elsewhere about the process of filming improvised scenes based on a short outline. Has this process changed at all since the first season?
Bob
The process is basically the same as what we've utilized since Season One, which had its genesis in the original one-hour special I directed in '99. Sometimes I actually hear people say they don't believe the dialogue is really improvised, which I guess is the highest compliment of all. I think they wonder how the story can follow such a specific through-line if it's all made up on the spot. What those people probably don't understand is that the storyline is worked out in great detail in advance. We go in with an outline that runs about seven pages. (An average half-hour sitcom is 40 pages.) All the story points are worked out, we know basically what's going to happen in each scene, but there's no written dialogue. Occasionally we need a specific line to drive the scene, in which case I'll plant it in the actor's ear. But the key is just to shoot the scene enough times, in enough different ways, that we can make sense out of it in the editing room. On average, I may shoot each scene about eight times. Plus there are usually pickups (or partial scenes) that have to be covered.
I guess the only thing that's changed or "evolved" since Season One is that we kind of have our act together a bit more as we've been at it for four years now, if you count the special. So the process is a bit more streamlined. I now have a better idea going into a scene as to what kinds of shots I'll need in editing and what is likely to be a waste of time.
Bob
Jeff Garlin jokingly calls me "Baron Von Coverage" because I'm often shooting things that I know we'll need in the editing room, when an actor may not always understand the overall editorial game-plan. But our scheduling is so tight, there's never time to be too excessive or self-indulgent.
HBO
Were you intimidated at all by directing director Martin Scorsese in episode 28, "Krazee-Eyez Killa"?
Bob
He was too nice to be intimidating. He couldn't have been more cooperative and playful and willing to take direction. He was great at playing improv. And at the end of each take he would just laugh at how funny the whole thing was. He was already a big fan of the show and he was clearly having a good time.
But it was a mutual admiration society. I mean, is there a more important, influential, contemporary American director? More fun than filming him was the time we had between takes. I'm a big film history buff and here I was talking with Scorsese about Howard Hawks and John Ford and François Truffaut and Alfred Hitchcock--not to mention Scorsese's own films. That was a day that I did not want to end. Plus it was the only time we've had occasion to film on location in New York since the original special.
HBO
You use a lot of library music on the show. Was the decision to use library music purely budgetary or is there another reason?
Bob
With all the relative success of the show, we still operate ostensibly on a shoestring budget. The choice to go with licensed music is part budgetary and part time constraints. For the special and the first season, we had some original scoring by a guy who was very capable, but our editing schedule is so jammed, we just don't have time to sit with a composer and explain what we need, and then maybe go through three or four different versions.
Steve Rasch, who is one of our two editors (the other is John Corn), is also our music supervisor. He finds library music to slug into the show at appropriate places, and Larry and I will either approve it or ask for options.
A lot of people ask about the opening theme, which has become very popular. The title is "Frolic." People ask where they can buy it, but I don't think it's available on a marketed CD. Larry heard it used years ago on a banking commercial and thought he'd like to use it somewhere, so he had his assistant track it down. We almost opted for it on the special, but ultimately couldn't find a place for it. When we started the series, we thought it would make a great opening theme, and it sort of set the tone for the other incidental music. It's somewhat Fellini-esque, or more accurately Nino Rota-esque. It's appropriate because Larry's on-camera life resembles a Fellini film at times. We call it our Italian Circus music. It actually was written by an Italian composer who just found out it's being used as a theme to an American television show and he was very excited by that.
Sometimes I'll crack Larry up in the editing room by improvising lyrics to the music that relates to what's happening in the show. But no, I won't give you any examples.
HBO
Where did you find Chris Williams (who plays Krazee-Eyez Killa)?
Bob
Just another actor who came in and auditioned. Garlin's wife is a casting director and I think she knew him and recommended him. What a find!
We actually auditioned a lot of genuine rappers for this role. Some are pretty big stars in that world. But Chris came in and cracked us up. In fact he came into the room in character. Not as Krazee-Eyez exactly, but as a similar character he called "Wolf" and we assumed he was really that guy. He fooled us. He's actually a very sweet-natured, unassuming guy. When he left the room, we were told his name was Chris Williams and that he was Vanessa Williams' brother. This knocked me out because Vanessa and I were pals years ago but we lost touch after she moved back to New York. After working with Chris, I got to reunite with Vanessa when we went to New York for the Scorsese shoot. We chatted backstage at "Into the Woods." Got to meet Rick Fox, too.
You'd think that Vanessa would have used up all of the talent genes in that family, but apparently there were plenty left over for Chris. I hope this episode launches a big career for him.
HBO
You oughta know: whose idea was it to cast Alanis Morissette in episode 25, "The Terrorist Attack"? Was she a fan of the show before she got the call?
Bob
Larry had this idea for a show about keeping secrets and spoiling this benefit performance of a singer by mentioning this rumored terrorist threat. Then he'd also open his mouth about a famous secret that the singer had. The idea was to have a contemporary version of Carly Simon's "You're So Vain." So several of us on staff said, "Well, how about Alanis Morissette and 'You Oughta Know.' People are still arguing over who that was about."
Understandably, Larry isn't a big aficionado of the contemporary pop/rock scene, so we had to educate him about Alanis and this song. We played the CD and gave him the lyrics. It was fun watching his face as he followed the lyrics. He kept saying, "Are you sure people know about this song and that this was a big secret?" We kept assuring him it was and told him that the CD sold about 25 billion copies.
But yes, she was a fan of the show, god bless her, and agreed to do it with very little coaxing. She was sweet as pie and had a great sense of humor. Working with her and Scorsese were the two biggest thrills of Season Three for me. I mean, try working with Alanis Morissette without having a huge crush on her by the end of the day. Good luck!
HBO
Did she ever reveal who the song was actually written about
Bob
We pumped up the audio when she whispered the name in Larry's ear. It sounded like it might have been Charles Nelson Reilly.
HBO
Does everyone in the cast pitch story ideas, or are they all Larry's?
Bob
The stories are almost all from Larry's imagination or his life experiences. Although many of us have been participants in the actual events leading to the story ideas. In fact, the argument between Larry and Ted over the ripped shirt ("Chet's Shirt") was inspired by a shirt that Larry gave me for my birthday that had a small stain on it. The debate erupted over who was responsible for exchanging the shirt--the giver or the receiver.
Occasionally, one of us will get a story into the show. The Christmas cookie incident (in the "Mary, Joseph and Larry" episode) actually happened to a cousin of Cheryl's. The business in Season One of Larry having to retrieve Jeff's porn while Jeff was in the hospital (in "Porno Gil") was a contribution of mine. A few of my friends and I agreed that if any of us died, someone should make a porno sweep through our homes before the secret stashes were discovered by family; and I pitched that concept to Larry.
During our hiatus, Larry always goes over storylines with me. I think I'm a good sounding board for him and I contribute here and there. But he's definitely the one sweating out these ten insane storylines every year.
What's funny is when strangers outside of the show want to pitch stories. Let me make a blanket statement right now that we appreciate the interest, but Larry's fertile imagination manages to fill up the season just fine.
HBO
You've had comedy veterans like Louis Nye and Mina Kolb in past seasons. This season Shelley Berman appears as Larry's dad. It must be a big treat to work with someone you admire (and included in your documentary, "The Great Standups.")
Bob
Shelley was great. And such perfect casting as Larry's dad. He was even willing to work bald. (I refuse to say whether he shaved his head for the show or if he normally wears a hairpiece.) We're all such comedy buffs on the show that working with great veterans like Louie Nye or Mina Kolb or Paul Sand (in the season's final episode) or Shelley Berman is one of the great perks of doing this show.
Younger viewers may not fully understand Shelley's history. In the 1960s, there was no bigger name in standup comedy. His albums broke sales records. There were few American families that didn't have a copy of "Inside Shelly Berman" on their turntable. He was a regular on the Ed Sullivan show. School kids and adults memorized his routines. He was phenomenal. He's always worked since, but these days, unless you're on TV every week, a lot of people think you don't exist. We're so pleased by the positive response we've received from Shelley's appearance. I hope it leads to a professional renaissance for him.
HBO
Which episodes were the hardest to do? The easiest?
Bob
I've always said that the scenes I think will be difficult wind up being a breeze, and the one's I think will be easy wind up being a huge pain. I remember fearing all of the nighttime driving scenes in "Porno Gil" but other than the very cold weather, it went pretty smoothly. The graveyard stuff in "The Special Section" (directed by Bryan Gordon) wasn't completed until about 5am. And poor Shelley Berman; that was his first day working with us.
The final episode this year ("The Grand Opening") had two scenes that I feared, and rightfully so. The first was a parent/child dodgeball scene which involved somewhat complicated choreography that couldn't be much planned in advance. But the final scene of the restaurant's opening was the toughest thing I've had to shoot in the history of the series and we went past sun up. It was the first time I was worried that we were "gaining" the light.
Without giving anything away, may I say that the effort that went into that final scene was well worth it. It's a fitting finale to the season's story arc about the restaurant. I'll go out on a limb and predict it will be a Curb "classic."
HBO
Which episodes do people always want to talk to you about?
Bob
Everyone seems to have their favorite, but the one that seemed to get the most attention was "The Doll" from Season Two. I have to admit that was my own personal favorite. It also got me my Emmy® nomination for directing. Working with Rita Wilson was a treat. And little Bailey Thompson who played the daughter was so good I cast her in a play I directed that Fall.
People still talk about "Porno Gil" a lot. "Beloved Aunt" was another popular one. Our audience seems to love seeing Susie Essman in anything. And Wanda Sykes. I still hear people do impressions of Wanda from the "Thor" episode: "What, were you scrounging under some bleachers, looking for ass?" Talk about improvisation! Do you think Larry ever could have written that line? Wanda tells me that some people still shout out to her, "Hey, Big Ass Wanda!" Great legacy for her, huh?
HBO
What are you working on after the current season ends?
Bob
I always joke that I used to be in the "Bob Weide business" but for the past four years I've found myself in the "Larry David business." So between seasons, I like to get back to my own projects. I'm about to polish my feature script based on Kurt Vonnegut's novel, "The Sirens of Titan," plus I'll choose between two other original screenplays I've been wanting to write. The big goal now is to direct a feature before "Curb" starts up again. A couple of possibilities are getting very close, but of course, talking about it is the best way to jinx it.
I encourage all "Curbies" to take a peek at my website at www.duckprods.com. There's a ton of "Curb" info and photos there, plus lots of info on my past, current and future projects.
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Inside Curb Your Enthusiasm |
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Curb Your Enthusiasm Fact
"Curb your Enthusiasm" evolved from a 1999 HBO mockumentary (of the same name) on Larry David's return to stand-up comedy.
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Long Sleeve Logo Tee
For the Curb Your Enthusiasm fan in your life, this HBO® Store Exclusive long-sleeve tee. |
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