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[–][deleted]  (40 children)

[removed]

    [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 275 points276 points  (25 children)

    I did a movie Casino Jack that was kind of like that. You should watch that movie, it's a good one, with Kevin Spacey.

    [–][deleted] 30 points31 points  (4 children)

    You were in a movie with Kevin Spacey?! Holy fuck, you've just made my Thanksgiving magical. See we play this game where you connect two actors (kinda like 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon but with random folks) if I can get from you to Kevin Spacey in one movie I'm fucking gold for connecting anyone. Also, because you pointed this out I'm going to go buy the movie right fucking now.

    [–]Iamtheonewhobawks 1689 points1690 points  (77 children)

    Please, please, PLEASE make a Critic-style youtube series reviewing bad movies.

    Please do this. For the children.

    [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 1012 points1013 points  (61 children)

    It's up to Al Jean and Mike Reiss who created the show!

    [–]NaughtyAudio 227 points228 points  (27 children)

    Just review movies as yourself. No one could stop you from doing that!

    [–][deleted]  (22 children)

    [removed]

      [–]spinningmagnets 113 points114 points  (17 children)

      "The Critic" is highly UNDER-rated. Why can't the newest generation see it on Hulu? It needs to be re-released.

      [–]ZOMBIE_N_JUNK 450 points451 points  (8 children)

      Just do it.

      [–]theresamouseinmyhous 300 points301 points  (4 children)

      Now he's going to get sued by Jean, Reiss, and Nike.

      [–]lunarmodule 94 points95 points  (1 child)

      I might sue him just because of peer pressure.

      [–][deleted]  (24 children)

      [deleted]

        [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 308 points309 points  (9 children)

        Once in a while people recognize my voice as Radio.

        [–]brusslesprout17 62 points63 points  (3 children)

        ONCE IN A WHILE!?!? That's one of my favorite movies from childhood and there's something insanely comforting about your voice - partially because you're Radio!! I think you're just great all around, thank you for the AMA!!

        [–]Flomo420 7 points8 points  (0 children)

        I absolutely LOVED that movie as a child, and looking back, I think it may have been the reason I became a (now recovering) hoarder as an adult.

        [–]KEYZx50 37 points38 points  (6 children)

        You just blew my mind. Up until now I had no idea he voiced Radio.

        [–][deleted]  (19 children)

        [deleted]

          [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 492 points493 points  (17 children)

          Well I don't have 1 but he became an older brother to me and was just the nicest guy in the world. Whenever we worked together he always made me laugh and I looked up him and thought he was brilliant. He was also one of the nicest people I've ever met in my entire life.

          Al and Tom Davis were producing the show and they hired me to do SNL. I was in the Groundlings theater and they came to see me and I was doing a Master Thespian sketch and nobody was laughing except for Al. I remember thinking thank god that guy from Saturday Night Live is laughing. He recommended I meet with Lorne Michaels.

          [–]themeatbridge 167 points168 points  (6 children)

          Your portrayal of Satan ranks at the top of my list of funny and awesome things. Thanks for being so funny!

          [–]bookishboy 47 points48 points  (1 child)

          One of the best SNL skits ever was Master Thespian hosting his mentor, The Great Baudelaire (Jon Lithgow).

          "ACTING!"

          "THAnnnkyew!"

          "No, ThannnnkYEW!"

          [–]lacienega 342 points343 points  (76 children)

          You were friends with Michael Jackson, weren't you?

          [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 936 points937 points  (75 children)

          No, my father was his family doctor. I met him 5 or 6 times briefly over the years since he was 11. I wouldn't say I was friends with him but one of my best friends worked for him and I got to stay at Neverland Ranch. The last time I saw him he recognized me. He was the most generous person I ever met in my life.

          [–]AppleSmoker 92 points93 points  (24 children)

          I would so love to hear more about this.

          [–]Chikes 117 points118 points  (35 children)

          TL;DR MJ spent $100K putting his train back together for the kids who were coming over for a party. And MJ also let my friend hold his baby.

          My dad's friend was working at Neverland replacing the brakes on Michael Jackson's train. They had the train apart, and when MJ realized the train would still be disassembled for an upcoming party, he kindly asked them to put it back together. My dad's friend told him the extra work would cost an additional $100,000.00 to assemble the train and disassemble it again, Michael said he didn't care, he didn't want to disappoint the children.

          [–]Doggonelovah 102 points103 points  (26 children)

          My dad's friend told him the extra work would cost an additional $100,000.00 to assemble the train and disassemble it again, Michael said he didn't care, he didn't want to disappoint the children.

          Love MJ. He always did stuff like this. He went out of his way to make others happy. He didn't have to bring up all those kids from the ghetto and the hospitals and treat them to all that fun free of charge, but he did, out of the goodness of his heart.

          His daughter said she wants to restore Neverland and open it up to disadvantaged children again as soon as she turns 18.

          [–]betaboxx 27 points28 points  (10 children)

          MJ did so much for the santa ynez valley. Great guy. Going to never land was amazing.

          [–]lacienega 35 points36 points  (5 children)

          I've heard that. He used to let the local school children come in and use his zoo for like field trips. I remember in the 80s before Neverland his manager's young daughter Belinda was doing show and tell and wanted to borrow one of MJ's pets to use, instead MJ went to the school personally and brought along Bubbles/his python with him and helped show it to her class himself.

          [–]lacienega 34 points35 points  (1 child)

          That's actually what Lovitz's story was about, an interview between Lovitz and Miko Brando, Marlon's son:

          Lovitz: It was a beautiful place. And I think the thing that most people don't understand about Michael, the thing that's most misunderstood was his generosity, and people think, "How could someone be THAT generous and not have an ulterior motive?" But he didn't. Three times a month - and Michael would not be there - they would have schools going up there, and he said, you have to provide supervision for the kids and transportation up to the ranch, and they would provide everything else. They would get up there, these kids would get on a train ride that was a replica of the one they had at Disneyland. They'd see all the animals, they'd go on the amusement rides, they'd have a big picnic lunch, they'd go to the movie theater which sat 88 kids, they'd have all the candy and food they wanted... three times a month for no charge. I got to send up a whole orphanage, called Hollygrove, which Marilyn Monroe had been at, it's an orphanage at Hollywood that's been there for years. I got to send up a bunch of orphans. And one time at 2 days notice I called up Michael's assistant, Evvy and I said, "Can I send these kids up there?" These 12 kids, and sadly these kids had cancer and they were dying. And she said, "Yes, absolutely." Two days notice and I sent them up there. And all these kids said, it was the best day of their life. And I remember I got to meet Michael and tell him this and said, "You should know what you've done for these kids. You've given them the best day of their life by letting them go to Neverland, I want to thank you and you should know this." And he said, "Well, that's what it's there for." And he was just such a generous guy. I got to stay up there, and how generous was he to let me stay up there. You invited me and I mean, I stayed there for the weekend, like a vacation.

          Miko: He was very generous.

          Lovitz: All the food, I must've gained ten pounds every weekend. And I remember he called me and said, "Jon Lovitz you gotta stop eating so much, I'll go broke."

          Miko: Let me... before I forget... talking about Michael Jackson, remember, you and I used to spend weekends and hang out and you wrote in his guest book at the ranch and you wrote something. I never read it because it was...

          Lovtiz: You got married there.

          Miko: No, I don't think it was that time. It was another...

          Lovitz: It was.

          Miko: It was after that, remember.

          Lovitz: So, I wrote in his guest book.

          Miko: It's my story, let me finish it. (laugh) And you wrote something, and it was really touching, and he read it a few days later, and he mentioned it to me, and he was really touched by what you wrote. But he mentioned it to me several times, like, when he'd be talking to me and asking me what I was doing, "Oh, I'm with Jon." and he goes, "Oh I remember what he wrote in my book." He really remembered what you wrote. With all the people that had been up at that ranch and had written in the guest book, he always brings up your name.

          Lovitz: Well, I could tell you what I wrote.

          Miko: No, I don't mean to share, I just mean...

          Lovitz: I just -

          Miko: No, I don't wanna hear it. (laugh)

          Lovitz: Then what'd you bring it up for you big... (laugh)

          Miko: 'Cause we were talking about Michael and...

          Lovitz: What I wrote was... which was true. I remember being there and I'm pretty sure it was your wedding. It may be after that. But we were all dressed up and everything, and we got to stay there, and everyone got out of their tuxedos, and just put jeans and sweatshirts on at night, and he said, you have free run of the place, you can go on the rides or theaters and... I remember being there and after about half an hour, it literally made me feel like I was 10 years old again. And it brought me right back to that excitement of being 10, and it's the summer and you're running around with your friends at an amusement park, or whatever, and you're playing Capture the Flag. Just that complete freedom of youth, of no responsibilities, it just all came rushing back. And I wrote, "Thank you for letting me relive my childhood with a night at Neverland." That's what it felt like, like I was running around and, it was just incredible, and so nice.

          Caller asks bout Marlon's favorite film role of his own movies.

          Miko: It was actually "Burn." Michael had actually been asking about it, we'd both went to the TV room, and I remember they would go over "Burn" together, and they would go over the scene and he would give Michael step by step what he thought were his best scenes.

          [–]Doggonelovah 20 points21 points  (0 children)

          He was the most generous person I ever met in my life.

          He gave Chris Tucker his flat screen TV after he told him he liked it!

          [–]Twinkledad 329 points330 points  (3 children)

          TIL Jon Lovitz's father is Dr. Conrad Murray

          [–]Tk14388 778 points779 points  (181 children)

          what ever happened to the critic they need to bring it back

          [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 1136 points1137 points  (154 children)

          The show was a hit, but Fox cancelled it anyway. I would love to do it again.

          [–]MonsterBurrito 191 points192 points  (11 children)

          What if Netflix picked it up like Arrested Development?

          [–][deleted] 9 points10 points  (3 children)

          My thoughts exactly. I'd really like Netflix to have some animated originals.

          [–]mrinterrobang 40 points41 points  (0 children)

          "Cookie Puss, I will eat your soul! Muahahaha!"

          [–][deleted]  (8 children)

          [deleted]

            [–]TheCarpe 122 points123 points  (9 children)

            BUY MY BOOK BUY MY BOOK BUY MY BOOK BUY MY BOOK

            [–]logically 86 points87 points  (0 children)

            Hotchy motchy Subway eat fresh!

            [–][deleted] 714 points715 points  (42 children)

            Contact Adult Swim and inform them that there is a demand for The Critic to return to television with new episodes, and that Jon Lovitz himself has publicly agreed that he would do the show again, if given the opportunity.

            If you don't wish to use their direct contact page, you can also connect with them on facebook, twitter, or instagram

            [–]cyberslick188 214 points215 points  (13 children)

            "I would love to do it again" is not even fucking remotely similar to "John Lovits himself has publicly agreed that he would do the show again" (sic).

            [–][deleted] 49 points50 points  (18 children)

            I'd rather see Netflix pick it up, but I'd be okay with this too I guess.

            [–]jakealake4 104 points105 points  (17 children)

            IMHO, Adult swim needs to get themselves out of the Seth MacFarlane / live action rut they got themselves into. I think this would help

            [–]jgfoto 50 points51 points  (20 children)

            My favorite critic line: "Beauty and King dork" "What did you say?" "I said, how useful is a spork, you know that thing you get from KFC". John your the best!

            [–]spaceman_spiffy 65 points66 points  (12 children)

            I would go so far as to say one of my top 10 sitcom lines in TV history:

            "Wait....penguins can't fly!!!"

            (IIRC Franklin was flying on a plane, casually observes that the pilots were penguins. But as soon as the aforementioned fact occurs to him the plane begins to crashe)

            [–]zoidberg82 45 points46 points  (3 children)

            I always liked, and I still quote this line:

            "This film gets my highest rating, a 7 out of 10!"

            [–]MURDERDICK 9 points10 points  (0 children)

            I think my favorite scene was when jay goes to Hollywood and it cuts to a guy standing outside his house.

            "What the H?!"

            :cue giant H from Hollywood sign crushing his house:

            [–]gradeahonky 22 points23 points  (3 children)

            Beautiful animation like that was probably very expensive in the 90s.

            [–]jbibby 118 points119 points  (11 children)

            The Critic was one of my absolute favorite animated series.

            "Now listen Mr. President, I've never asked you for anything..."

            "Mr. Sherman you asked me to be Secretary of Balloon Doggies."

            "I didn't ask for to be Secretary of Balloon Doggies, the Balloon Doggies DEMANDED IT!"

            [–]Irishfanbuck 138 points139 points  (3 children)

            "It Stinks."

            [–]mindbleach 13 points14 points  (2 children)

            They did.

            Then it was cancelled again.

            Then they brought it back again!

            Then it was cancelled again.

            But this time...

            [–]CatboyMac 44 points45 points  (0 children)

            Humanity doesn't deserve to have The Critic back. Not yet.

            [–]DohRayMeme 1206 points1207 points  (109 children)

            Who wrote the Hitler scene in Rat Race? That sequence is by far the funniest thing I have ever seen in my life. I start laughing at "I'm not putting my mouth on it, I'm not suckin on the dashboard" and I dont stop. If anyone missed this movie, go see it immediately. Most underrated comedy of all time. Forgive the smash mouth, everyone was doing it back then.

            [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 969 points970 points  (35 children)

            Andy Breckman wrote the movie. He used to write on David Letterman and SNL and he created the TV show Monk. He is one of the few comedy writers who is also a very funny person. I love his sense of humor.

            [–]acantud 153 points154 points  (1 child)

            When you get in front of the WWII vets and start speaking, that scene almost killed my dad in the theatre. I was worried. Hardest ive ever seen him laugh by a mile.

            [–]CompanyMan 161 points162 points  (8 children)

            This scene gave me diarrhea i laughed so hard

            [–][deleted] 361 points362 points  (1 child)

            My sisters still shout "I'm prairie doggin'!" on road trips.

            [–]ehrgeiz91 99 points100 points  (1 child)

            Are you INSANE?? This is HITLER'S CAR!

            [–]Rainman316 11 points12 points  (7 children)

            I still like Smash Mouth :(

            [–]DohRayMeme 8 points9 points  (5 children)

            They aren't bad, nor did I mean to imply it as I did. Its more of the overuse of the "Hey now, you're an All Star" refrain. That song was everywhere for a time period. They have great skills and I don't want to be a hater.

            [–]tenniskirst21 323 points324 points  (18 children)

            when can we expect the return of artie ziff?

            [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 344 points345 points  (16 children)

            You have to ask Al Jean who runs the Simpsons! But I always have fun doing that character.

            [–]dinokrita 37 points38 points  (0 children)

            Hey there computer geek, you will be connected in no time!

            [–]soth09 107 points108 points  (8 children)

            Hi Jon, I just wanted to say that the end of Artie Ziffs return episode where Marge presents homer with a machine that turns snoring into easy listening music at the end is hands down my favourite Simpsons moment ever.

            "Sweet dreams are made of these......"

            Thanks man

            [–]argus_rising 74 points75 points  (4 children)

            Marge, I'm watching you through a camera

            [–][deleted] 10 points11 points  (3 children)

            No, it had more soul! IIIIIIII AM WATCHINNNNN YOU THROUGH A CAMERA!

            [–][deleted]  (33 children)

            [deleted]

              [–][deleted] 149 points150 points  (11 children)

              For reference listen to this interview Lovitz gave after the incident. It is worth a listen.

              http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_audio/071707_lovitz.mp3

              [–]Pronell 45 points46 points  (2 children)

              Lovitz gets a lifetime career pass for that incident.

              I'll watch him do just about anything. Probably not porn, unless it's a Ron Jeremy parody.

              [–][deleted]  (2 children)

              [deleted]

                [–]herpderpherpderp 564 points565 points  (24 children)

                Tartlets.

                [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 552 points553 points  (12 children)

                That's from my first time doing FRIENDS. Thanks for remembering.

                [–]jonasdash 54 points55 points  (1 child)

                my friends (hah!) and I still reference this scene any time someone mentions tartlets or the phrase "has lost all meaning"

                [–]Tooblekane 35 points36 points  (1 child)

                I think it's awesome that he remembered one line from a guest spot on a show he did a decade and a half ago. Definitely seems like from this and his other answers, that he genuinely enjoys his work and the people he works with. Very cool.

                [–]vandelay714 32 points33 points  (0 children)

                The word has lost all meaning!

                [–][deleted] 1087 points1088 points  (12 children)

                Hi Jon, no question here, but my brother and I once ran into you in a McDonalds in NYC, and you couldn't have been cooler.

                There was also a family that was there, who asked you to eat with them even though you were clearly looking to be in and out, but you indulged them for a few minutes and sat down with them. Kudos to you for being a good dude.

                [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 1034 points1035 points  (5 children)

                well thank you very much!

                [–]droivod 375 points376 points  (4 children)

                I totally heard that in Jon Lovitz' voice. It was pretty cool!

                [–]CajunSteve 74 points75 points  (1 child)

                I can't stop reading this whole ama in his voice, its so glorious...

                [–]mrshatnertoyou 133 points134 points  (18 children)

                What is your best memory from your SNL days?

                [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 246 points247 points  (16 children)

                Just the camaraderie of all the comedians and every week getting to do scenes with the best actors in the country. I would always Master Thespian with John Lithgow and he was a great actor and just the nicest guy in the world.

                [–][deleted] 359 points360 points  (18 children)

                I've got a remodel project going on in the bathroom. What kind of tile do you see as being popular in the next 10 years?

                [–]evansmith182 171 points172 points  (13 children)

                What was your experience like on Seinfeld?

                [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 318 points319 points  (11 children)

                I had a great time. It was the number 1 show on TV and I had known Jerry Seinfeld for a long time. I remember I kept making Jason Alexander laugh every time I said "You got that right Jack." And Julia Louis-Dreyfus was nice, Larry David was great, I was excited to be on it. I thought the idea of the character was very very funny.

                [–]Raaaghb 68 points69 points  (2 children)

                Came here just to say, "Good for you, Jack!"

                [–][deleted]  (8 children)

                [deleted]

                  [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 383 points384 points  (7 children)

                  The cast accepted me but understandably, emotionally it was tough to do.

                  [–][deleted]  (2 children)

                  [removed]

                    [–][deleted] 24 points25 points  (1 child)

                    I was talking to the cigarette!

                    [–]aiming-low 82 points83 points  (8 children)

                    1. Was there much (any) ad-libbing on The Critic, or was it all pretty much recorded and aired as scripted?

                    2. And what was your favorite episode? :-)

                    [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 148 points149 points  (7 children)

                    It was pretty much recorded as scripted but if I had an idea they would let me try and then keep it in. Pretty much close to 100% except for a few lines here and there that I made up was written.

                    My favorite episode was the one where he runs the New York Marathon.

                    [–]zoidberg82 16 points17 points  (1 child)

                    Damn. This AMA is great. So many good memories of the critic and all your movies. I fucking love that episode of the critic. The best part is went Jay sprinted out ahead, you think he's made the impossible happen, then he just fizzles out in a few seconds. Lol

                    [–]Frajer 121 points122 points  (9 children)

                    Which Simpsons character was/is your favorite to voice? What's your best memory doing The Simpsons?

                    [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 282 points283 points  (8 children)

                    Llewellyn Sinclair the director in "A Streetcat Named Marge."

                    We used to record in the basement of a building called The Daryl Zanuck Theater. And the whole cast would be there all day, and in between takes there's a ping pong table, and we would play ping pong, and the cast would be very very funny and nice. It was always very entertaining to me to watch them do their voices.

                    [–]philipquarles 161 points162 points  (5 children)

                    I am not an easy man to work for. While directing "Hats off to Channukah," I reduced more than one cast member to tears. Did I expect too much from fourth-graders? The review "Play enjoyed by all'" speaks for itself.

                    Awesome.

                    [–]Flomo420 37 points38 points  (0 children)

                    Hello! I am Llewellyn Sinclair. I have directed three plays in my career, and I have had three heart attacks. That's how much I care, I'm planning for a fourth.

                    [–]Mystery_Hours 15 points16 points  (0 children)

                    Season 4 was magic.

                    [–]Dajbman22 148 points149 points  (79 children)

                    What work of yours do you feel is the most misunderstood or under-appreciated?

                    [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 457 points458 points  (77 children)

                    Mom and Dad Save the World. Only because it was only out for one week so hardly anybody got to see it, but I think if they had publicized it it could have been a hit, it was a very funny comedy.

                    Also the movie Rat Race. It was funny but the trailer to the movie was incomprehensible, so...

                    [–]Dajbman22 134 points135 points  (7 children)

                    Mom and Dad Save the World was one of my favorite movies as a kid. It was always playing on random weekend afternoons on basic cable!

                    [–]trafficrush 34 points35 points  (2 children)

                    Rat Race is one of those movies we laugh at every time we watch. I saw it first when I was maybe 14!

                    [–][deleted]  (5 children)

                    [removed]

                      [–]unicornsodapants 7 points8 points  (1 child)

                      It's great to hear someone else knows that line!

                      My brother and I quote that line all the time. We quote that line and Phil Hartman's line in 'So I Married an Axe Murder'. When he calls his tour group together and says "close it up, close it up."

                      Anyway, it's great to hear some one else's family gets as much fun out of that line as mine does.

                      [–]DoctorNRiviera 74 points75 points  (0 children)

                      Thank you for doing what we all have wanted to do to Andy Dick.

                      [–]ajb1990 100 points101 points  (10 children)

                      First of all, "Top Billing" was the best episode of Tales from the Crypt. You were so damn good in that.

                      Your scene in Happiness is one of the most unforgettable openings ever filmed. Is Todd Solondz someone you'd be interested in working with again?

                      [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 95 points96 points  (3 children)

                      Thanks for the compliments. Yes I loved working with Todd and would love to work with him again. He was very smart, very funny and very collaborative.

                      [–]jjidi[🍰] 405 points406 points  (31 children)

                      Hey Jon, no question here, just wanted to say you were funny as hell in High School High.

                      [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 473 points474 points  (27 children)

                      Thank you! That was the first time I had the lead in a movie, and I got to a love scene, a fight scene, but they were all funny too. I met Tia Carrere working on that movie and we've become really good friends. Anyway I'm glad that you liked it. Thank you.

                      [–]actionscripted 91 points92 points  (2 children)

                      "Oh my god you're a virgin!"

                      "I still have my pantyhose on."

                      [–][deleted] 13 points14 points  (1 child)

                      That poor, poor cat...

                      [–]Pussy_Crook 13 points14 points  (1 child)

                      High school high is one of my favorite movies from the 90's. So many good one liners thanks!

                      [–][deleted] 98 points99 points  (14 children)

                      Tia Carrere

                      So hot that I couldn't settle for a woman until I found one that looked like her.

                      [–]you_should_try 128 points129 points  (7 children)

                      ah, true romance. I hope one day I find somebody who looks like my ideal woman and I can force myself to fall in love with her. Until then I'll just have to settle for my life-sized poster of the beautiful, the one and only, Diane Feinstein.

                      [–][deleted] 94 points95 points  (18 children)

                      First off, thank you so much for spending time with us tonight. You did a couple of guest appearances on NewsRadio before the untimely death of Phil Hartman, after which you came on as a regular cast member. It sucked we lost Phil Hartman, but you did a fantastic job all things considered. One of the funniest shows I had ever seen was just as enjoyable with you on the cast.

                      My question is this: What was your favorite movie role and why?

                      [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 213 points214 points  (17 children)

                      A League of Their Own was a great part written for me. I love baseball and old movies and I had a blast, plus I had a lot of friends on the movie like Penny Marshall and Tom Hanks. And I had worked with Geena Davis and Madonna on SNL, got to meet Rosie O'Donnell for the first time and she was great. I love baseball, women and movies and that part combined all of it. I also liked my part in City Slickers 2, I thought it was a great part and working with Billy Crystal and Jack Parance was great.

                      [–]Synchestra 70 points71 points  (9 children)

                      The "Will you shut up!" line from "A League of Their Own" is a classic and one me and my brother use often. Thanks for being one of the best characters in such a memorable movie.

                      [–]propsandmayhem 50 points51 points  (6 children)

                      Are you coming? See, how it works is, the train moves not the station.

                      [–]huntergraybles 251 points252 points  (6 children)

                      I don't even have a question to give you. Only my love! You are so amazingly quotable, every line, pure comedy gold. You help me seem funny sometimes. Thank you!

                      [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 268 points269 points  (3 children)

                      That's a huge compliment. Thank you!

                      [–]chadork 21 points22 points  (1 child)

                      He's losing his mind. And I'm reaping all the benefits. Curtain

                      [–]stile99 167 points168 points  (18 children)

                      More classic The Critic:

                      Rosebud...

                      Yes, Rosebud frozen peas. Full of country goodness and green pea-ness. Wait, that's terrible. I quit. ...just a handful for the road.

                      [–]JohnnyCastaway 63 points64 points  (1 child)

                      Oh look, there's a french fry stuck in my beard!

                      [–]Thosearebawls 17 points18 points  (0 children)

                      Yes! Oh Yes!! They're even better when you're DEAD!

                      [–]Mystery_Hours 13 points14 points  (1 child)

                      That was my first exposure to Orson Welles.

                      [–]RalphiesBoogers 265 points266 points  (21 children)

                      If Fox, Comedy Central, or Cartoon Network is reading this, please bring back The Critic with new episodes. We will watch it.

                      [–]MissSpicyMcHaggis 229 points230 points  (22 children)

                      i am so sexual attracted to you it's awkward in every way.

                      I loved you in the wedding singer and hope one day you can be my wedding singer.

                      Also, Rat Race. Hands down one of my favorite movies ever. Thank you for exploding my bladder.

                      [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 741 points742 points  (19 children)

                      Well that is very flattering, thank you. I am glad I attracted someone sexually. Finally, somebody who gets it!

                      [–][deleted] 217 points218 points  (5 children)

                      mmmmm sophisticated mamaaaaaa

                      [–]meanttodothat 16 points17 points  (0 children)

                      Yeah, that's the ticket!

                      [–]mmirela 186 points187 points  (18 children)

                      So what's mr bean like in real life?

                      [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 327 points328 points  (12 children)

                      He's very nice. He's very reserved and very quiet. He doesn't tell jokes, he's very shy. He's very into his family. When he's doing a scene and working it out, he is very funny.

                      [–]stile99 66 points67 points  (4 children)

                      I loved The Critic. I cannot hear "Beauty and the Beast" without hearing "Beauty and King Dork" instead. This is not a bad thing, I love it. Thank you for that and your other wonderful works.

                      Oh wait, I didn't phrase it as a question. OK, here goes:

                      Do you have any idea how awesome you are?

                      [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 78 points79 points  (1 child)

                      No! I don't think I'm awesome, but I appreciate you saying that, that's very kind of you.

                      [–][deleted]  (7 children)

                      [deleted]

                        [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 144 points145 points  (6 children)

                        I missed you too Red!

                        [–]Pleaseluggage 42 points43 points  (2 children)

                        Who should I believe, you or Joe Isuzu?

                        [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 94 points95 points  (1 child)

                        Well, I would believe me.

                        [–]SOAP_before_HMMER 45 points46 points  (8 children)

                        Hi Mr. Lovitz. Let's not forget your excellent part in the movie Happiness.

                        What was it like starring in such a film, and what is your primary memory derived from working on that film?

                        Thanks, for the AMA; I'm a big fan of your work.

                        [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 57 points58 points  (6 children)

                        Todd Solondz wrote a great scene and it was a real challenge because I had to be funny and sad at the same time. It was a challenge but he wrote a great scene and was a great director to work with.

                        [–]SOAP_before_HMMER 14 points15 points  (3 children)

                        Thanks for your answer Mr. Lovitz. And, if I may say so, I think you pulled off that scene perfectly.

                        [–]rexmanly 12 points13 points  (1 child)

                        How underrated do you feel you role in "Little Nicky" is currently perceived?

                        "Hello, Mr. Devil. I like your cape."

                        [–]deadmallsanita 45 points46 points  (2 children)

                        If there was a Jay Sherman/Jon Lovitz doll out there, I would carry him in my purse every day. Justssayin.

                        Do you have any upcoming projects with with Matthew Broderick again?

                        [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 60 points61 points  (1 child)

                        No, not right now, but he's a great actor and a good friend. I love working with him and hope I get to work with him again.

                        [–]littlekikistar 35 points36 points  (2 children)

                        Saw you perform once at the Comedy Club in LA, great show! Who are some of your biggest comedic inspirations/heroes? Also I miss The Critic :(

                        [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 73 points74 points  (1 child)

                        Woody Allen and Lenny Bruce. I saw Woody Allen's first movie when I was 13 years old and that's when I decided I wanted to be a comedian.

                        [–]busted_up_chiffarobe 38 points39 points  (1 child)

                        Jon, people may crow about other former SNL stars but let me tell you, in a room full of 40-somethings I can cry out 'Acting!' or 'Get to know me!' or 'That's the ticket!' and EVERYONE KNOWS the character and you.

                        Somehow I wish you could return as Jay Sherman in small web shorts, 'reviewing' movies. And food.

                        Any odds of you returning to television?

                        And was that YOU as 'the man who invented the dictionary' on AM radio ads?

                        "...P...pies...!"

                        GENIUS!

                        [–]mrhalf 582 points583 points  (155 children)

                        Why did you fuck over Ralph Garman and Kevin Smith for Hollywood Babble On?

                        Edit: corrected my spelling of Ralph Garman's last name.

                        [–]GrizzlyManOnWire 115 points116 points  (72 children)

                        Can someone please explain this?

                        [–]beezer210 290 points291 points  (66 children)

                        Kevin Smith and Ralph Garman host this Podcast called Hollywood Babble-On. It's available for free at smodcast.com and I would definitely recommend it. At first, it was taped in a very small venue Kevin owned, but then they moved into Jon Lovitz' nightclub at Universal Studios. According to Kevin, he also bought the top floor (I think) of the club, where various SmodCo stuff was stored. It was a hit. Still is. Jon Lovitz even guest hosted a few episodes while Kevin was away. Seemed to be getting along really well, until they had a falling out over cost. To hear Kevin and Ralph's side, Jon didn't pay them for a good long while. Then when they confronted him about it, Jon paid, but said he wanted a much larger percent of their business. Then he wanted to move their night, which had been long established. This continued to escalate until Kevin and Ralph took their show elsewhere, where it continues to do gangbuster business. I hate this, because I am a fan of both parties, but everyone in Hollywood has an ego, so there you go.

                        Oh, and Kevin and Ralph have not even mentioned Jon's name ever since they explained this. I wonder if legal proceedings are going on. Kevin says he has a claim on part of the club, but Jon said it was just for storage. I think part of the plan was to make it a super-studio-lounge thing where most of the west coast SmodCo Podcasts would be taped.

                        [–]Mandellav 101 points102 points  (11 children)

                        I feel especially bad for Kevin Smith in this situation since on the short-lived podcast series "The ABCs of SNL," Kevin repeatedly praised Lovitz in direct conversation with him. Even when Kevin told this story, he seemed very hurt by Lovitz. In many ways, Kevin Smith does not have the stomach for rampant Hollywood betrayal and perhaps that is one of the reasons I respect him so much.

                        [–]nonsensepoem 53 points54 points  (14 children)

                        Oh, and Kevin and Ralph have not even mentioned Jon's name ever since they explained this. I wonder if legal proceedings are going on.

                        I could be mistaken, but I vaguely recall Garman saying something like, "I'm a douchebag!" in Lovitz's voice at some point in the last few episodes.

                        [–]offensive_user_name 18 points19 points  (4 children)

                        They actually mentioned him 2 weeks back, I believe. He had some sort of kickstarter (but not a kickstarter, something else). It was for a youtube show Jon Lovitz wants to do. They brought it up on the show and made fun of the benefits you'd get if you supported him. Also made fun of the fact that he doesn't realize you don't really need money to make a youtube show.

                        [–]nonsensepoem 15 points16 points  (0 children)

                        To be fair, you don't need money to make a crappy YouTube show. But yeah, Lovitz's kickstarter is the best joke he's come up with since The Critic.

                        [–][deleted] 28 points29 points  (6 children)

                        He did. They don't bring Lovitz up at all but if the opportunity arises, they don't miss a chance to call him a douche.

                        [–]nonsensepoem 16 points17 points  (5 children)

                        To be fair, Lovitz behaved like a douchebag even on mic when guest-hosting the show. It seemed to be part of the act at first, but it was so thorough and so consistent that it just came off as Lovitz being a jackass.

                        [–]Outlulz 14 points15 points  (2 children)

                        "Oh, it's your birthday? Do you want a piece of cake? Then buy one. Thank you, acting!"

                        [–]BigBassBone 17 points18 points  (0 children)

                        Lovitz seemed to be made very uncomfortable every time something homosexual came up.

                        [–]Royd 7 points8 points  (0 children)

                        they mentioned Jon Lovitz on the most recent episode of HBO. They spoke about how he doesn't know how to use youtube or start a youtube channel and talked about donating the most so that they can rename his club

                        [–]RaiderDuck 79 points80 points  (2 children)

                        Even though Hollywood Babble-on was far and away the Lovitz club's best-selling show, Lovitz tried holding them up for more money. They left and are now selling out the Improv every week.

                        [–]KingOfCopenhagen 10 points11 points  (0 children)

                        Why don't we let Kevin and Ralph explain it themselves.

                        http://youtu.be/73E5d_kDrWU

                        [–]KingOfCopenhagen 188 points189 points  (21 children)

                        Think he fucked himself over the most. Even DJ James left him.

                        [–][deleted] 15 points16 points  (0 children)

                        Tell Em Steve Dave!

                        [–]saaaaad_panda 83 points84 points  (0 children)

                        If the version of the story Kev and Ralph told is true, the only person Lovitz screwed is himself. He sounds like a sad man getting influenced by people so easily.

                        [–]Outlulz 39 points40 points  (0 children)

                        Was hoping someone would ask this. From what I heard about the lawsuit Ralph and Kevin weren't the only people he fucked over.

                        [–][deleted] 47 points48 points  (11 children)

                        What's your very best life advice?

                        [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 183 points184 points  (10 children)

                        2 things.

                        One is happiness is a choice.

                        And the second is are you willing to do what you have to do to get what you want.

                        [–]aspbergerinparadise 17 points18 points  (3 children)

                        happiness is a choice.

                        My dad always said this to me when I was younger. I didn't really understand it until I got older, but one day it just really resonated with me and it changed my life.

                        [–]mull3286 27 points28 points  (1 child)

                        Any roles you passed up on that were big hits?

                        [–][deleted] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

                        Gollum.

                        "Give me the ring. Thank YOUUU. "

                        [–]mynameisseven 39 points40 points  (2 children)

                        Jon: Your time at 'Saturday Night Live' is, definitively, the greatest era of the series. It was because of you that you saved the series from the brink of cancellation. Congrats.

                        What was the writers' room like? I mean, in your time at the show, you saw the three-headed powerhouse that was Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk, and Conan O'Brien churning sketch-after-sketch out like it was nothing. I've always been curious what you thought of those three.

                        [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 52 points53 points  (1 child)

                        Robert was there my first year so we started together. I became friends with all 3 of them. Bob is a great guy, he got the show because Robert recommended him. And Conan came on my second year, it took him 2 weeks to get the courage to introduce himself to me, but he knew Lisa Kudrow from The Groundlings theater so Lisa told Conan to say hi to me. They wrote sketches for me, but I was never in the writers' room. I wrote a Master Thespian sketch with Robert Smigel and he had an idea of having the Thespian be the Santa Claus at Macy's.

                        [–]theorian83 9 points10 points  (0 children)

                        My favorite movie of yours was City Slickers 2. How was it working with Billy Crystal and Daniel Stern? Any chance for a City Slickers 3?

                        [–]jxj24 26 points27 points  (5 children)

                        You're so much taller in real life. It's quite shocking, really.

                        I really, really miss News Radio. I felt that your character had just hit its stride, and was meshing well with the other cast, and that the writers had finally figured you out. Then -- BOOM!

                        How was your experience on the show?

                        [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 129 points130 points  (4 children)

                        Thank you! I think a lot of people think I'm 5' 6" and they are surprised when they meet me to find out that I'm 6' 10".

                        [–]huffdoggie 27 points28 points  (5 children)

                        Hey JLO! You have a very distinct voice. Whenever I hear you in a cartoon I can immediately say, "Oh! That's Jon Lovitz!" I was wondering if this is because you have a particular inflection or character type that you work towards when doing voices. Also, being that your voice is so distinct, how do you typically get voiceover gigs? Do you audition when you see a part that looks right or do people usually come to you knowing that YOU are what they are looking for?

                        [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 69 points70 points  (2 children)

                        I get offered voiceover parts. The funny thing is, I never thought my voice was anything distinctive and when I was in college I asked a professor of mine if he thought I could be a professional actor. And he said I had everything going for me except my voice. I tease him about it today. I didn't think my voice had anything distinctive about it at all. So it surprised me when people said it did.

                        [–]mitchmanfitz7 25 points26 points  (4 children)

                        How much fun was it making Benchwarmers!?

                        [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 51 points52 points  (3 children)

                        I had a blast doing that movie. The guys were all funny and great. I thought the script was very funny and I knew David Spade and Rob Snyder and Jon Heder was great to work with, and I got to meet Reggie Jackson and that was a real thrill.

                        [–]RageagainsttheSons 32 points33 points  (5 children)

                        Thanks for doing this IAmA! It's nice of you to be doing this :) My question is how was it to work with a young Tom Hanks in Big?

                        [–]IamJonLovitz[S] 71 points72 points  (4 children)

                        Well by the time they shot Big we had become very good friends. I thought he was great in the movie, at the time he was a year older than me so I didn't think of him as "the young Tom Hanks" I just thought of him as Tom. He was fun and a great actor.

                        [–]MumfordandYourMom 142 points143 points  (1 child)

                        In case anyone was wondering, Tom is now 6 years older than Jon.

                        [–][deleted] 50 points51 points  (0 children)

                        How much older is he than you now?

                        [–]NopeNopeUmmNo 14 points15 points  (3 children)

                        Mr. Lovitz,

                        My wife chose you as the one person she would cheat on me with. To continue her perverted obsession, she asks that you describe your favorite baked good.

                        Thanks for doing this AMA by the way!