CRE8TIVITY 008: “Jamie Lissow” (Blog)

When Rob Schneider‘s Real Rob debuted back in December on Netflix, I had not heard of JAMIE LISSOW. After seeing the show, seeing his stand-up at Wiseguys and after having a conversation with him, he seemed like an incredible choice to interview for Your Cre8tivity! Hope you enjoy!


 1. Describe What You Do.
I do stand up comedy, write television scripts, act and do punch up for movies. But, if someone woke me up in the middle of the night and asked me what I did for a living I would say “stand-up comedy.”


2. How Did You Get To Where You Are Today?
This may sound a little silly but I try to work and live by one simple thing. When I meet someone I don’t think “what can this person do for me?” I instead try to figure out “what can I do for this person?” So for instance when I meet someone famous, I don’t think, “what can this person do for my career? how can this person help me get ahead?” I instead try to think of ways to help that person get ahead, whether writing jokes for their act or punching up scripts. I try to think of ways I can be useful, make their life easier and add value whenever I’m around. I think this mindset has helped keep me pretty busy the past few years.


3. What Type Of Conditions Are You The Most Creative For You?
Strong coffee and being around supportive people who value what I bring to the table. The least creative I have ever felt was when I was on a morning radio show where the corporate suits didn’t get my humor and didn’t think I really added anything of value to the show. The most creative, situation I’m consistently in is writing the sitcom I star in with Rob Schneider. This is the perfect example of my creative perfect storm. I write the show with Rob and his wife Patricia. They both laugh their asses off when i come up with a good ending or a funny joke and I feel like a real valued, necessary piece of the writing team. If any one of us doesn’t work on an episode it will be missing something.


4. Who Has Inspired You Most? Why?
Rob Schneider. I drop his name a lot, but it’s true. He works so hard and actually makes shit happen. We were on the set of the Netflix Adam Sandler movie The Ridiculous Six and when he was done filming a scene or waiting to shoot we were working on a different movie in his trailer. Rob is starring in a movie, and in full make-up and we are writing the next script. Adam is incredibly inspiring as well and is such a brilliant hard working guy. Also, Nelson Mandela because that feels like a name someone intelligent would say when asked this question.


5. You Co-Wrote Real Rob, Give Us Some Background On That Experience.
I basically opened for Rob 5 years ago and started doing little writing jobs for him. Writing jokes for a Stern appearance or for a late night talk show etc. He had this idea for a sitcom and I helped him write the pilot. We ended up writing the whole series and somewhere along the way I got cast as his assistant.

 


6. What Is Your Favorite Part About Writing?
My favorite part about writing the scripts for this particular show (Real Rob), is that the words we write will actually be shot. So many scripts get written and then disappear at the bottom of a drawer somewhere. I remember sitting at Rob’s kitchen table almost two years ago and saying, “You know what would be a funny end to this episode? If David Spade showed up…” Then I pitched this scene that David Spade would do with Rob. I remember Rob saying, “That’s funny! I know David. I’ll give him a call.” And a year later I was on a set watching David Spade read the lines we wrote. I keep wondering what would have happened if I had said Jesus should be in this last scene.


7. Aside From Writing For Real Rob, You Have Started Authoring A Book Series. Tell Us About That.
My newest book series (that is going to be published next month) is called Drew and The Magic Joke Book. Book one is “Ninja Jokes and the Beastly Bully.” So many kids joke books have the same shitty jokes.(I don’t use words like “shitty” in the kids books, btw.) So I wanted to write a series of books for the age group that I’m sort of an expert in.. KIDS..(because I have three kids at home and that’s who I have to try to make laugh ever day that I’m not on the road). I wanted to write a book that has a compelling cool story, might even teach a good lesson or two and have 20 or so original jokes in each book. I think I accomplished that. So you get a good story and then some jokes you’ve never heard before about cool things like ninja weapons, pirates, dinosaurs, and butts.

8. What Is Your Favorite Book? Why?
This is very hard to answer, because my favorite book changes all the time. My favorite book right now is The War of Art. But the first book that changed my life was The Greatest Salesman in the World that I found in a stack of my dad’s books when I was home for a summer from college. Favorite fiction book is Fight Club.


Additional Comments.
I don’t want people to think all I do is try to ride off the coattails of Rob Schneider.
I have my own projects too, read about them on my website: www.robschneidersfriend.com


B I O G R A P H Y

Jamie is a former New Yorker, now living in Alaska. Jamie is currently starring in Real Rob on Netflix, a television show he wrote and produced with SNL alum Rob Schneider. Jamie has been seen on Gotham Live, The Tonight Show, The Late Late Show, Last Comic Standing, Premium Blend, Late Friday, Star Search and in his own 1/2 hour special on Comedy Central. Jamie has been heard on has been heard on The Opie & Anthony Show (now Opie & Jimmy), Bennington, Bob and Tom, Sirius XM, and Pandora. He has been featured at The Montreal Comedy Festival, The Great American Comedy Festival and has appeared on Fox News Redeye over 50 times while still managing to have no political opinions. Jamie is currently touring the country headlining comedy clubs on weekends and working on Season 2 of Real Rob and also pretending he is not writing this himself.


LINKS:
Jamie Lissow: Website | IMDb | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
Real Rob: Netflix | IMDb | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube