In a recent podcast interview, director Paul Feig opened up about his early stand-up comedy career and a memorable encounter with the legendary Robin Williams that almost derailed his performance.
Speaking with Jesse Tyler Ferguson on the Dinner’s On Me podcast, Feig shared a story from his time performing at The Improv, a well-known comedy club in New York City, where he crossed paths with some of the biggest names in comedy, including Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, and Robin Williams.
Feig, now 62 and famous for directing hit movies like Bridesmaids, explained that in those early days, he was still trying to establish himself in the stand-up world. “I wasn’t one of the main guys,” Feig said, recalling how he often had to wait for a late-night slot to perform.
During one of those nights, Feig was excited to finally get his chance to perform in front of a packed audience. But just before he was set to take the stage, he learned that Robin Williams wanted to do a quick set before him. “I was like, ‘Well cool,’” Feig said, thinking Williams would only perform briefly.
However, Williams ended up doing an hour-long set, and by the time he was done, the audience had left — all except for one woman who was waiting for her husband to come back from the bathroom. Feig described the experience as a kind of “sabotage,” though it seemed clear he didn’t hold a grudge against Williams, speaking about the moment with humor.
Despite setbacks like this, Feig’s career eventually took off. In the podcast, he also reminisced about the moment his TV show Freaks and Geeks was picked up by NBC. He described it as a life-changing event, and a moment that came after years of hard work and struggling to make it in the entertainment industry.
“It was huge, I mean it was life-changing,” Feig said, recalling how he was in London at the time when he got the good news. He even jotted down a note in a small notebook, reflecting on how he was about to get “everything I’ve ever wanted out of my life.”
The success of Freaks and Geeks led to more opportunities for Feig, including directing several episodes of The Office. His work on the popular sitcom earned him two Emmy nominations and a Directors Guild of America Award.
Feig is now a well-established director in Hollywood, known for his work on films like Spy and The Heat. He also shared on the podcast that his latest project, A Simple Favor 2, is “almost finished,” teasing the sequel to his 2018 film starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively.
Feig’s recollection of his early days in comedy offers a glimpse into the tough road he traveled before making it big. Though his career may have had a few bumps along the way — including being upstaged by Robin Williams — his perseverance and talent ultimately led him to great success in both television and film.
