Dan Bucatinsky Is Forever a Friend of "Friends"

amp8220We met when Don cast her then I cast her in a movie I made called All Over the Guyamp8221 he continued amp160amp8220It was after that she and I started the company Is or Isnamp8217t Entertainment and that year we were at Warner Bros amp160A lot of our meetings took place in her dressing room so I was at every taping of Friendsamp8217 later episodes and I became friends with executive producers David Crane and Marta Kauffman who asked me to play the part of the waiter at Phoebe39s birthday dinneramp160 I was thrilled to do itamp8221In the episode Bucatinsky also had the pleasure of being directed by David Schwimmer amp160amp8220David was greatamp8221 he recalledamp160 amp8220It39s always fun to be directed by an actor who is in the show with you amp160I didn39t know any of the other cast members at that point but I did become friendly with them through Lisaamp8221It was that association that led to most of the Friends cast appearing on Web Therapy an internet series that was picked up by Showtime which Bucatinsky produced and starred in with Kudrow amp160amp8220David appeared on our show as did Matthew Perry Matt LeBlanc and Courteney Cox everyone but Jennifer Anistonamp8221 he recalledamp160 amp8220She was slated to do the show during the next season but unfortunately we were canceled If we ever do another one she39ll be in it amp160I39ve actually thought about bringing Therapy back just for thatamp8221In addition to Therapy Bucatinsky and Kudrow are the team behind the acclaimed reality series Who Do You Think You Are exploring the fascinating subject of genealogy through the experiences of celebrities which began on NBC moved to TLC and is about to return to the peacock network amp160amp8220We39re currently producing a season for NBCamp8221 he explained amp8220Weamp8217re so happy to be going back to NBC at the end of the 10th season amp160This is something that never happens but it did happen for us amp160Paul Telegdy was the head of unscripted when we were at NBC and heamp8217s now the head of NBC so we were able to transition back to the network because he was a big fan of the show amp160Five Emmy nominations and a win helped and the show has maintained its reputation amp160Itamp8217s something we39re proud of and it belongs at NBC amp160I hope we can run there for another 10 yearsamp8221The busy Bucatinsky will next be seen in ABCamp8217s new romantic comedy series The Baker ampamp the Beauty amp160amp8220With this project Iamp8217m just acting and it39s kind of refreshingamp8221 he smiled amp160amp8220I started out and was always an actor first so when I was on Scandal and 24 and with the other shows I39ve done and now with this show it feels good to just be able to wear the actor hat amp160I39m still doing all the other stuff but on Baker I just get to focus on that amp160It39s a lovely show and my character Lewis is fun to play amp160He39s not dissimilar to Billy my character on The Comeback also opposite Kudrow although Lewis is more in control of himself than Billy was amp160Billy was clearly out of control which was so fun to playamp8221As for his Friend of Friends status Bucatinsky reflects on that fondly amp160amp8220Doing that was really fun for sureamp8221 he saidamp160 amp8220By that point even though Lisa and I had only been business partners for a year it really did feel like I was in the family amp160Which was very niceamp8220Iamp8217d like to think my Friends character wasnamp8217t waiting tables anymoreamp8221 he laughedamp160 amp8220I think he might have quit that night after Phoebeamp8217s dinner amp160Now he probably has some sort of telemarketing job amp160To be honest with you I am mostly recognized for Scandal but occasionally somebody will ask me if I was the waiter on Friends amp160It39s usually young people amp160My daughter is 14 and obsessed with Friends so the fact dad was on it is huge amp160amp160It39s so cool and a real feather in my cap amp160Little impresses my daughter but that doesamp8221Click on the social media tiles above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively those of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated bloggersamp160

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Dan Bucatinsky Is Forever a Friend of "Friends"

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Dan Bucatinsky Is Forever a Friend of "Friends"

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