Simon Rich, who has collaborated with some names you may know – like Seth Rogan and Lorne Michaels – has more than a few words to say about staying productive during these %!$#ing times. Take it away, Simon!
By Rebecca Rubin
Writer Simon Rich, who counts Seth Rogen (for “An American Pickle”) and Lorne Michaels (for “Miracle Workers” and “Man Seeking Woman”) among his collaborators and Seth Meyers and John Mulaney among his friends, hasn’t had trouble staying productive during the pandemic.
“It’s much easier to be a fiction writer than a feature director right now,” he observes.
The rest of the world may be filled with existential dread, but Rich, whose resume includes “Saturday Night Live” and Pixar, is focusing on pirates, bears… or anything that might make a good subject for one of his numerous short stories. “I’ve never written about topical subjects, so it hasn’t affected my work at all,” he says. “I just write about [made-up] things, no matter what’s happening in the actual world.”
His short stories and novels have been the foundation for TV shows including “Man Seeking Woman” and “Miracle Workers.” His four-part novella “Sell Out” was adapted into a movie, “An American Pickle,” starring Seth Rogen. It was intended to release on the big screen but ended up debuting on HBO Max because theaters were closed due to the pandemic….