Dave Boone

摘要

On the morning of the recent Tony Awards ceremony, news started seeping in of the tragic shootings in Orlando, Fla., that left 49 dead. That created an important task for Dave Boone, a two-time Emmy winner and one of the most sought-after head writers of awards shows on U.S. television. Boone crafted a statement that, in collaboration with the writing staff of Tonys host James Corden, was delivered by Corden at the start of the show. Thankfully, Boone is normally tasked with much lighter-but still memorable-responsibilities. After being hired by Billy Crystal to help write the 1998 Oscars show, he has built a career that now encompasses writing material for 150 hours of live TV every year. Boone, who began his career as a joke writer for the likes of Jay Leno and Kevin Nealon (when Nealon was doing "Weekend Update" on Saturday Night Live), is also a director, producer and political speech and Hollywood script doctor. An edited transcript of his conversation with B&C contributing editor Robert Edelstein follows.