Judd Apatow on The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling
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He had a very natural human story that most people go through: You have certain wounds in childhood and overcome them, you try to succeed, then you start aging and you have to figure out what your life meant. And Garry decided that what was important was to give back and to try to be closer to people, and laugh and forgive. He didn't want to chase success anymore; he decided to give it back to other people. Judd Apatow, left, director of "The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling," with Shandling in 2005. Shandling died in 2016. John Sciulli/WireImage He comments on his own life in his amazing diaries, full of brilliant jokes but also serious thoughts about life that we should all be thinking about. A lot of his diary is about accepting where he was at: “Grow old gracefully, learn to become a mentor gracefully. Learn to let go. This is all a dream. Don’t take it so seriously.” But boy, did he take it seriously. He got famous overnight in maybe the greatest Tonight Show guest comic debut in history. His gag about his girlfriend moving in with another guy was great: “So I dumped her. Because that’s where I draw the line.” Entertainment $3 off popcorn and soft drink combos See more Entertainment offers > He was always trying to break new ground — if he felt like he couldn't top himself, he’d lose interest. He was more interested in the people on The Tonight Show than hosting The Tonight Show. So he did The Larry Sanders Show, about an imaginary talk-show host. He wanted it to feel like a documentary about the world behind the scenes, as a way to explore human beings and how they behave. He said it was a show about people who loved each other, but show business got in the way. He was satirizing the need for fame and success and how it separates people. Shandling’s life was shaped by an adored brother who died young. How did that affect him? It made him go on a search of authenticity. He was very interested in the idea of being present — Buddhism was an interest of his — and the loss of his brother made him seek new connections, and want to explore the ways people have trouble connecting. His mom became obsessed with Garry, and became overcontrolling so he wouldn't die, too. Garry [spent] a lot of time alone in his room watching comedians on TV, and that's where he discovered his interest in comedy. I think comedians use humor as a defense mechanism to survive. What’s one specific great piece of advice he gave you? Didn’t he suggest the ending of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, which grossed $177 million and made Carell and you huge stars? He kept saying that when s character finally has sex, it’s better than his friends' sex, because he’s in love and they’re not. I said, “I can’t show the sex!” He said, “Well, you have to figure out a way.” One day he said, “Maybe he could sing a song and say it that way.” And that’s the end of the movie. Your documentary has lots of insightful interviews, but the dominant voice is Shandling’s own voice in his remarkably literary diaries. What was he telling himself — and could we benefit from that advice? He rarely complains in the journal. It’s like a voice speaking to his more neurotic voice, talking himself down, reminding him how he should look at things and how he should feel. He got caught up in his mind too much. The journal says, “You miss a lot by thinking,” and constantly tells him to get to a place where his mind is empty. He said about his first Tonight Show appearance: “You just clear your head when you sit down next to Johnny Carson, all your preparation will serve you. When the time comes, you'll think of something funny.” More on entertainment AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS
Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling The Grownup Who Invented Modern Comedy
Judd Apatow reveals the heart and mind of Shandling in his HBO documentary
Actor and comic great Garry Shandling at the 2005 Comedy Festival in Las Vegas. Jeff Kravitz/Film Magic Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Shandling was the grownup who launched today’s top talents, from you to Conan O'Brien to Jon Favreau (Iron Man). But what can we learn from his life?He had a very natural human story that most people go through: You have certain wounds in childhood and overcome them, you try to succeed, then you start aging and you have to figure out what your life meant. And Garry decided that what was important was to give back and to try to be closer to people, and laugh and forgive. He didn't want to chase success anymore; he decided to give it back to other people. Judd Apatow, left, director of "The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling," with Shandling in 2005. Shandling died in 2016. John Sciulli/WireImage He comments on his own life in his amazing diaries, full of brilliant jokes but also serious thoughts about life that we should all be thinking about. A lot of his diary is about accepting where he was at: “Grow old gracefully, learn to become a mentor gracefully. Learn to let go. This is all a dream. Don’t take it so seriously.” But boy, did he take it seriously. He got famous overnight in maybe the greatest Tonight Show guest comic debut in history. His gag about his girlfriend moving in with another guy was great: “So I dumped her. Because that’s where I draw the line.” Entertainment $3 off popcorn and soft drink combos See more Entertainment offers > He was always trying to break new ground — if he felt like he couldn't top himself, he’d lose interest. He was more interested in the people on The Tonight Show than hosting The Tonight Show. So he did The Larry Sanders Show, about an imaginary talk-show host. He wanted it to feel like a documentary about the world behind the scenes, as a way to explore human beings and how they behave. He said it was a show about people who loved each other, but show business got in the way. He was satirizing the need for fame and success and how it separates people. Shandling’s life was shaped by an adored brother who died young. How did that affect him? It made him go on a search of authenticity. He was very interested in the idea of being present — Buddhism was an interest of his — and the loss of his brother made him seek new connections, and want to explore the ways people have trouble connecting. His mom became obsessed with Garry, and became overcontrolling so he wouldn't die, too. Garry [spent] a lot of time alone in his room watching comedians on TV, and that's where he discovered his interest in comedy. I think comedians use humor as a defense mechanism to survive. What’s one specific great piece of advice he gave you? Didn’t he suggest the ending of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, which grossed $177 million and made Carell and you huge stars? He kept saying that when s character finally has sex, it’s better than his friends' sex, because he’s in love and they’re not. I said, “I can’t show the sex!” He said, “Well, you have to figure out a way.” One day he said, “Maybe he could sing a song and say it that way.” And that’s the end of the movie. Your documentary has lots of insightful interviews, but the dominant voice is Shandling’s own voice in his remarkably literary diaries. What was he telling himself — and could we benefit from that advice? He rarely complains in the journal. It’s like a voice speaking to his more neurotic voice, talking himself down, reminding him how he should look at things and how he should feel. He got caught up in his mind too much. The journal says, “You miss a lot by thinking,” and constantly tells him to get to a place where his mind is empty. He said about his first Tonight Show appearance: “You just clear your head when you sit down next to Johnny Carson, all your preparation will serve you. When the time comes, you'll think of something funny.” More on entertainment AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS