Modified On September 11, 2009
The interview with Howard Lapides in the Buffalo News is interesting for its insight into the manager-client relationship.
Of course, the period of the late 1980s and early 1990s was good for comedians and their managers. Lapides’ clients included Canadians Mike Mc- Donald, Pat Bullard and Norm MacDonald.
“First client I let go,” he said of Norm McDonald. Lapides explained that Norm wanted to become a writer and didn’t want to do stand-up anymore. Lapides made a deal with Tom Arnold, then married to Roseanne Barr Arnold, who wanted to hire MacDonald for his wife’s hit show, “Roseanne.”
“Norm doesn’t drive and he wasn’t going to take a cab,” said Lapides. “He wouldn’t take the job. I said, ‘You take the job or I’m done.’ He didn’t take the job… I’m a big fan of Norm, I’m a friend of Norm, I loved watching Norm’s comedy. He was difficult.”
Read the whole thing.