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Get In The Car, Jane!: Adventures in the TV Wasteland
GET IN THE CAR, JANE! A behind the scenes memoir of Emmy-nominated writer/producer Billy Van Zandt and his years making America’s favorite (and not so favorite) sit-coms. It is filled with first hand observations of Lucille Ball, Brooke Shields, Frank Sinatra, Don Rickles, Martin Lawrence, Andrew Dice Clay, Richard Lewis, Bob Newhart, Jamie Lee Curtis, The Wayans Bros., Richard Mulligan, Alan Arkin, DL Hughley, film legend Dorothy Lamour, Broadway legend Elaine Stritch, Rosie O’Donnell, Oscar-winner Olympia Dukakis, Penny Marshall, and Matthew Perry among many others. Part behind-the-scenes gossip, part textbook, all truth. A funny insider’s look at Hollywood as well as an invaluable and insightful guide to writing and producing sit-coms, GET IN THE CAR, JANE! Is a book for everybody who’s ever been passionate about their work and frustrated with the obstacles they need to overcome just to do their job.
- GenresNonfiction
220 pages, Paperback
Published May 24, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 20, 2021
Just finished reading “Get in the Car, Jane!: Adventures in the TV Wasteland” by Billy Van Zandt (2020). Another fun look behind the scenes into the making of television sitcoms from Billy Van Zandt, who, along with his long time partner, Jane Milmore, created and/or developed such shows as “Daddy Dearest” (with Don Rickles, 1993), “Bless This House” (with Andrew Dice Clay, 1995-1996), “The Wayans Bros.” (1995-1998), and “Suddenly Susan” (with Brooke Shields, 1996-2000). Chapters of the book also detail Van Zandt’s and Milmore’s tenures as staff writers on the last season of “Newhart” (1982-1990), their first jobs in television after starting our as off Broadway playwrights, “Anything But Love” (1989-1992) with Jamie Lee Curtis, consulting on “Sydney” (1990) with Valerie Bertinelli and a very young Matthew Perry, supervising producers on the first season of “Nurses” (1991-1994), co-executive producers on the first season of “Martin” (1992-1997) with Martin Lawrence, and as consultants on “The Hughleys” (1998-2002) and, briefly, “Yes, Dear” (2000-2006).
Of all of the shows mentioned above, I will admit that I didn’t really watch any of them (except for “Newhart”), but I still found Van Zandt’s experiences working on each of these shows to be fun to read about. Being a comedy writer, he makes humorous his struggles to get scripts ready, parts cast, network and studio executive notes addressed (or not) and shows shot all in time to air or to be considered for the following season, oftentimes under very trying circumstances (whether from working with a verbally abusive Martin Lawrence, being told that he and Milmore can also act in the series they are producing then having that taken away from them, or working to produce pilots which they somehow manage to get finished by crazy deadlines and actually quite good ones only to have the network either A) decide to pass on the pilot, or B) decide to replace Van Zandt and Milmore with other producers.
Three television pilots that Van Zandt and Milmore worked on that ultimately didn’t get turned into regular series which make for interesting chapters of his book are “Staten Island, 10309” with David Krumholz and Kaye Ballard; an American version of the British sitcom “Waiting for God” that would have been titled “Alive and Kicking”, starred Olympia Dukakis and Richard Mulligan, and produced by Van Zandt, Milmore, and Penny Marshall; and a Disney Channel kids show titled “Jake and Janet Save the Planet” starring eleven year old China Ann McClain (who would star in the Disney Channel series, “A.N.T. Farm” (2011-2014), instead).
As a classic tv (1950s to 1970s/80s fan), though, my chapters of most interest are Van Zandt’s getting in 1986 to meet his idol, Lucille Ball, watch her shoot an episode of her short lived series she was starring in at the time, “Life With Lucy”, and even appear in a brief scene as a flowers delivery guy.
Then, in 1990, (“ten months after Lucille Ball’s death”), a copy of the long thought lost pilot episode of “I Love Lucy” is found (a story in and of itself), and Van Zandt and Milmore get to produce “I Love Lucy: The Very First Show”, a TV special incorporating both the unearthed pilot episode and also interviews with “I Love Lucy” writers Bob Carroll Jr. and Madelyn Davis, hosted by Lucie Arnaz. The special would go on to be nominated for an Emmy for “Best Informational Special”.
Again, I very much enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone interested in reading funny stories of working with television stars, writers, and producers in getting television shows made in the 1990s, and with the studio and network executives pulling the strings (and oftentimes making the process all the harder).
(Checked out from the Tampa/Hillsborough County Public Library. Learned about from hearing Van Zandt interviewed on Ed Robertson’s “TV Confidential” radio show/podcast.)
Of all of the shows mentioned above, I will admit that I didn’t really watch any of them (except for “Newhart”), but I still found Van Zandt’s experiences working on each of these shows to be fun to read about. Being a comedy writer, he makes humorous his struggles to get scripts ready, parts cast, network and studio executive notes addressed (or not) and shows shot all in time to air or to be considered for the following season, oftentimes under very trying circumstances (whether from working with a verbally abusive Martin Lawrence, being told that he and Milmore can also act in the series they are producing then having that taken away from them, or working to produce pilots which they somehow manage to get finished by crazy deadlines and actually quite good ones only to have the network either A) decide to pass on the pilot, or B) decide to replace Van Zandt and Milmore with other producers.
Three television pilots that Van Zandt and Milmore worked on that ultimately didn’t get turned into regular series which make for interesting chapters of his book are “Staten Island, 10309” with David Krumholz and Kaye Ballard; an American version of the British sitcom “Waiting for God” that would have been titled “Alive and Kicking”, starred Olympia Dukakis and Richard Mulligan, and produced by Van Zandt, Milmore, and Penny Marshall; and a Disney Channel kids show titled “Jake and Janet Save the Planet” starring eleven year old China Ann McClain (who would star in the Disney Channel series, “A.N.T. Farm” (2011-2014), instead).
As a classic tv (1950s to 1970s/80s fan), though, my chapters of most interest are Van Zandt’s getting in 1986 to meet his idol, Lucille Ball, watch her shoot an episode of her short lived series she was starring in at the time, “Life With Lucy”, and even appear in a brief scene as a flowers delivery guy.
Then, in 1990, (“ten months after Lucille Ball’s death”), a copy of the long thought lost pilot episode of “I Love Lucy” is found (a story in and of itself), and Van Zandt and Milmore get to produce “I Love Lucy: The Very First Show”, a TV special incorporating both the unearthed pilot episode and also interviews with “I Love Lucy” writers Bob Carroll Jr. and Madelyn Davis, hosted by Lucie Arnaz. The special would go on to be nominated for an Emmy for “Best Informational Special”.
Again, I very much enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone interested in reading funny stories of working with television stars, writers, and producers in getting television shows made in the 1990s, and with the studio and network executives pulling the strings (and oftentimes making the process all the harder).
(Checked out from the Tampa/Hillsborough County Public Library. Learned about from hearing Van Zandt interviewed on Ed Robertson’s “TV Confidential” radio show/podcast.)
January 5, 2024
Fun set of stories about a sitcom writer's Hollywood experiences, where pretty much everyone gets exposed as egotistical hypocrites that are grossly overpaid and undertalented. The book is essentially a bunch of short humorous bits (many just a paragraph long) but it lacks any sense of connective writing or personalization that would make it a true memoir.
The best part is seeing who Van Zandt throws under the bus, and that involves most of the people he worked with. Those that come across as downright crazy and delusional are Martin Lawrence, Richard Lewis, The Wayans Brothers, Andrew Dice Clay, Penny Marshall, and just about any network executive, especially the horrible Les Moonves. The biggest surprise to me was the scathing secrets about mega-show creators Witt/Thomas, who should never again be considered among the greats after the revelations in this book. In a couple of cases the author refuses to give readers the names of the famous people he is bashing, especially one major standup comic who destroys his own pilot, and Van Zandt disappoints by not being totally transparent.
The writer does praise Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz (a touch of overpraise I'd say), Bob Newhart, Brooke Shields, Don Rickles, and his own wives (who barely get mentioned). But even those he is closest too, such as his decades-long co-writer (and ex) Jane Milmore, who he jokingly bashes throughout in ways that aren't very funny.
The book was published in 2020 but the stories end 15 to 20 years earlier. There is a two-page tacked-on update but why didn't he write about the rest of his career?
If you're looking for an easy read about the disgusting ways television sitcoms are put together, this is it. If you're wanting something with more depth and character, you'll be a bit disappointed. Van Zandt writes his life like it's a sitcom with quick punchlines and stereotyped caricatures.
The best part is seeing who Van Zandt throws under the bus, and that involves most of the people he worked with. Those that come across as downright crazy and delusional are Martin Lawrence, Richard Lewis, The Wayans Brothers, Andrew Dice Clay, Penny Marshall, and just about any network executive, especially the horrible Les Moonves. The biggest surprise to me was the scathing secrets about mega-show creators Witt/Thomas, who should never again be considered among the greats after the revelations in this book. In a couple of cases the author refuses to give readers the names of the famous people he is bashing, especially one major standup comic who destroys his own pilot, and Van Zandt disappoints by not being totally transparent.
The writer does praise Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz (a touch of overpraise I'd say), Bob Newhart, Brooke Shields, Don Rickles, and his own wives (who barely get mentioned). But even those he is closest too, such as his decades-long co-writer (and ex) Jane Milmore, who he jokingly bashes throughout in ways that aren't very funny.
The book was published in 2020 but the stories end 15 to 20 years earlier. There is a two-page tacked-on update but why didn't he write about the rest of his career?
If you're looking for an easy read about the disgusting ways television sitcoms are put together, this is it. If you're wanting something with more depth and character, you'll be a bit disappointed. Van Zandt writes his life like it's a sitcom with quick punchlines and stereotyped caricatures.
June 6, 2020
A quick & enjoyable read, completed in less than a day. If you enjoy an inside view of the amount of grief people go through in order to put a show together that entertains you as you stuff your face on the couch, then here you go. The stories are funny and quick so your never stuck waiting for a punchline. Not sure which is worse: having to deal with an ego on a star or an ego from an executive in a suit who you’ve never met but gets to tell you what it is you need to do for your work to be funny. Then if that advice fails it’s still your fault. Nice to read a book that even when pointing out complaints or faults in people there is usually a compliment right behind it.
August 24, 2020
An absolutely funny read that provides great insight into the life of a successful television and playwriting team. Get in the Car, Jane, by Billy van Zandt gives a hilarious insight into some of TV’s memorable and forgotten shows. You’ll learn how some of the most famous TV stars work their craft with and without success. And with many behind the scenes vignettes, you will appreciate the challenges and obstacles that TV production teams face when creating and producing a show. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in writing, television, or just looking for a good laugh.
July 7, 2020
What a ride!
Loved the intricacies of this talented and inspired duo’s career. How as writers and show runners they played their pivotal role in TV world, how they dealt with the delicate, unstable, powerful relationships with studio heads, stars, directors and everything/one between their idea and the finished product we get to watch on TV. Loved how, underneath it all, their love and passion for this incredible business and art form are palpable. Congratulations.
Loved the intricacies of this talented and inspired duo’s career. How as writers and show runners they played their pivotal role in TV world, how they dealt with the delicate, unstable, powerful relationships with studio heads, stars, directors and everything/one between their idea and the finished product we get to watch on TV. Loved how, underneath it all, their love and passion for this incredible business and art form are palpable. Congratulations.
January 6, 2023
Fun read. Although I had not seen most of the TV shows Billy Van Zant worked with I still found this a very fun read. I knew most of the stars he wrote for and enjoyed the stories he shared about them. This was a very quick read. Lots of insights and a lots of laughs along the journey.
June 12, 2020
What an entertaining and hysterical adventure through the television industry. Whether you are part of the industry or not, Billy's words will make you laugh. A fun ride.
July 18, 2022
This was fantastic! Billy tells his story of writing for TV. Really enjoyed his stories. Had to go look up some old shows, and even bought some of them on Amazon. Hope he writes another book one day!
August 16, 2022
A fun read. Fast, dishy and smart. A perfect summer romp.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews