Jerry Zucker is one-third—along with David Zucker and Jim Abrahams—of the comedy writing-directing-producing trio that brought us Airplane! and the Naked Gun franchise. Before participating in a conversation with Mayor Eric Garcetti and his filmmaking partners at the Million Dollar Theatre after a screening of Airplane!—the mayor’s pick for Zócalo and KCRW’s “My Favorite Movie” series—he talked in the Zócalo green room about the Governator, the impossibility of the 405 freeway, and how to get a football player to be funny for the camera.
What’s your drink of choice?
A venti decaf vanilla soy latte. With almond milk.
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
I’m very positive.
Why didn’t you put your neighbor Arnold Schwarzenegger in a movie?
We actually tried. I think he was too expensive—and then he became governor. He wouldn’t even entertain movie roles when he was governor.
If you were ever to make a parody of Ghost, which you directed in 1990, what would you call it?
It would still be called Ghost, but I’d put an exclamation point at the end. [Ghost!]
What’s your favorite holiday?
I like Thanksgiving. It’s family, great food. It applies to everybody. And it’s just about gratitude.
What’s your guilty TV-watching pleasure?
Fox News.
What is the ugliest tie you own?
I rarely wear ties, but the ugliest one has all these scales of justice on it. It’s blue with gold scales of justice. I saved it because it was so ugly—not to wear.
What’s your least favorite freeway?
In L.A. that’s a hard choice. I’d say the 405 is my least favorite freeway. It’s always unpredictable and impossible.
What’s your favorite Shakespeare play?
Hamlet wasn’t bad.
What’s the problem with turning an athlete into a comedic actor?
Sometimes people who are non-actors are self-conscious and approach a role with a little more timidity. So with those kinds of people, it’s important to get them to throw caution to the wind and just dive in. Sometimes you have to get them to go way over the top and then you bring them down.