NEW YORK, Sept. 30 (UPI) — Saturday Night Live and NewsRadio legend Jon Lovitz says his 40-year friendship with comedy writer Greg Daniels coupled with the chance to work with a group of hilarious actors, led to his recent guest arc in Season 2 of The Paper.
“I’ve known Greg since 1986 and he’s one of the nicest people in the world and a great writer. So, when he asked me to do it, I just said, ‘yes,'” Lovitz, 69, told UPI in a recent Zoom interview.
“This is a first-class show from the writers to the actors to the fact that it’s on a network. I was very excited to do it. It was way more fun than I thought,” he said. “They really let me collaborate with them on the character and gave me a great direction, but, also, gave me room to try stuff and add lines, jokes.”
Now streaming on Peacock, the mockumentary-style Office spin-off follows the staff of the struggling Toledo Truth Teller.
Lovitz plays Todd Dumph, a veteran newsman from their rival, The Cincinnati Chronicle, which has wooed away Mare, the TTT’s top reporter Mare (Chelsea Frei).
“Most of my scenes were with Chelsea Frei. She’s amazing. She’s amazing,” Lovitz said.
“She’s so friendly and funny and goofy, but can do drama,” he added. “She’s a really great actress. She really is.”
Lovitz didn’t get to share the screen with the show’s other lead, Domhnall Gleeson, who plays Mare’s former boss and love interest Ned.
“That guy is such a great actor. I saw so many movies and I didn’t realize it was him. Every time he was a different character. They’ve got an amazing cast and the rest of the people in the cast were, I thought, really, really good,” Lovitz said.
“It’s hard to do that kind of acting. To be super-real, but, also, be entertaining at the same time, but not make it look like you’re performing at all,” he added. “It’s tricky.”
Lovitz described Todd as a man who has been a journalist most of his life and is getting “grumpy” because newspapers are becoming obsolete.
“It’s important to him, his job. It means a lot and he takes pride in his work,” Lovitz explained. “Now this form is going by the wayside because of the Internet and everything.”
The High School High, Rat Race and A League of Their Own star said he gets the experienced Todd’s frustration with younger colleagues who come in and think they know everything.
“I’ve been acting since I’m 15 and then you see people do stuff and you just want to slam your head against the wall,” Lovitz said.
“They don’t study, you know what? I was highly trained and they go to school for six months and they think they know what acting is,” he added. “They don’t really respect it. It’s kind of the same thing.”
Lovitz said Todd’s opinion of Mare changes over the course of the season.
“Part of me goes: ‘Oh, here comes a person who wants to be a journalist and it’s just a job on the way out. She’s delusional,'” Lovitz added.
“But then she does stuff and I kind of make fun of her. He’s kind of making fun of everybody. He’s actually trying to help her and, then, when she comes up with something good, I’m like: ‘Oh, there you go. You’re listening,'” he said.
“Then, he’s kind of her mentor and, then, she starts impressing him. So, he actually likes her. He’s actually trying to help her, but he’s kind of gruff.”
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