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a14 people & arts
Friday 24 June 2022
Director James Burrows looks back on his career in new book

By ALICIA RANCILIO provide insight into certain
Associated Press situations that could be
NEW YORK (AP) — James helpful for working direc-
Burrows loves sitcoms, and tors or those who want to
he should. The 81-year- become directors. Was that
old has directed more intentional?
than 1,000 episodes of TV BURROWS: It’s pretty spe-
sitcoms, including fan fa- cific to sitcoms but there
vorites such as “Friends,” are tips in there. The, major
“Cheers,” and Will & tip, which I always try to get
Grace.” He’s also directed out in the community of sit-
the pilot episodes for “Frasi- com directors, is to die with
er,” “Two and a Half Men,” your boots on. It’s a writers-
“The Big Bang Theory” and driven medium, the writer
more, setting the tone for is also the executive pro-
the series going forward. ducer and so they kind of
Ask him why there are so control it. There’s a lot of sit-
few of his beloved sitcoms com directors who are just
on the air these days and traffic cops, who just move
Burrows can’t answer. people around an parrot
“It’s not a good time for the James Burrows, director of the television series “Partners,” poses for a portrait on the set of the exactly what the writers
multi-camera sitcom right show at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, Calif., on Sept. 19, 2012. say. I’m a big advocate
now. I don’t know why. Associated Press of, once the read-through
People ask me and I say, of the script is over, you go
I don’t know why. There’s BURROWS: What I do is not edy, because it’s where young when I was doing it down to the stage and re-
only two or three on the air.” really television. It’s really they shined. to watch it, but they watch hearse and try new things.
He does believe the next theater that I film for televi- BURROWS: They were all in it now and their kids are AP: These days how do you
big sitcom will come, and sion, so the structure of the their 20s and I just wanted going to watch it and their decide when you’re going
that will make multi-cam piece has to be the work to enable them to under- kids are going to watch it. to take something on or say
sitcoms popular again, but done with the actors and stand how gifted they all There’s something really yes to directing a show?
adds he “doesn’t see that the writers on stage, and were and to be able to special about that show. BURROWS: I’m very selec-
show on the horizon right then you cover it with a express what they thought AP: The actors who’ve tive. I haven’t found a show
now.” camera. But what makes about the piece with ensu- worked with you always yet that I would attach my-
Burrows looks back on his it great is the interaction, ing directors and the writ- express such love for you. self to, like I did with “Will &
famed career in a new not necessarily the camera ers because they were all Why do you think that is? Grace,’ which really made
book called “Directed by work, it’s the characters really creative. If an actor BURROWS: It’s comedy. me laugh and was like a
James Burrows,” detail- and the situation. contributes, it only makes That’s what it should be fountain of youth for me.
ing how he got started in AP: A touching point in the the show better and it only and what rehearsals should The last thing I did was I did
showbiz and became Hol- book is when you recall sit- makes the actor happier to be. I did invoke my fun a pilot with Valerie Bertinelli
lywood’s go-to director for ting down with the cast of be part of the creative pro- clause once. I was working that didn’t get picked up.
sitcom pilots, setting shows “Friends” when you were cess. I tried to enable them on a show and the actors And before that, I did “Live
up for success to go for- leaving the show, and giv- to out there when I left the were too difficult. So I said, in Front of a Studio Audi-
ward. ing them a very fatherly show and express them- ‘Start my car.’ And I started ence,” with “The Facts of
He spoke with The Associ- talk about how to handle selves. my car and I was off. I can’t Life” and “Diff’rent Strokes,”
ated Press about the book, future situations, such as, AP: You also say that one of work under those circum- where we had adults play-
working on “Friends” and listen and learn from new the few regrets of your ca- stances. There has to be ing kids, Kevin Hart and
what entices him to work directors but “if you dis- reer is that you didn’t stick this feeling on the set that Snoop Dogg and Jen Anis-
these days. Remarks have agree, say something.” with the show throughout I work, that we’re all in it to ton and Kathryn Hahn and
been edited for clarity and You reminded them that its nine season run. Why do make a good show and Jason Bateman and Will
brevity. they knew their characters you think “Friends” is still so not to either count lines or Arnett. Those make me re-
___ better than anyone and popular today? complain about the writing ally happy because I love
AP: The business seems to that David Schwimmer and BURROWS: There’s always or other actors. those people and I love the
prefer single camera com- Jennifer Aniston, in particu- a new generation of de- AP: In the book, you in- challenge of taking a show
edies these days. Why do lar, should push for oppor- mographic that watches clude examples of prob- that’s decades old and do-
you prefer multi-cam? tunities to do physical com- the show. My kids were too lem solving on the job and ing it again.q

Chelsea Manning memoir to be

published in October

come out this fall. The book in 2017. The day after her a trans woman,” accord-
is titled “README.txt,” and conviction, Manning de- ing to an announcement
it’s scheduled for release clared her gender identity Thursday by Farrar, Straus
on Oct. 18. The former intel- was a woman and began and Giroux. “Manning de-
ligence analyst served sev- to transition. “In README. tails the challenges of her
en years in a military prison txt, Manning recounts how childhood and adoles-
Former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning appears for leaking a trove of docu- her pleas for increased insti- cence as a naive, com-
in Alexandria, Va., on May 16, 2019, left, and cover art from ments to WikiLeaks before tutional transparency and puter-savvy kid, what drew
Manning’s book “README.txt,” releasing Oct. 18. President Barack Obama government accountabil- her to the military, and the
Associated Press
commuted the remainder ity took place alongside a fierce pride she has about
NEW YORK (AP) — A mem- oir by Chelsea Manning will of her 35-year sentence fight to defend her rights as the work she does.”q