I’ve interviewed lots of people, and lots of big stars, but one of the most exciting for me was the one I just did with Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, who plays “Lily” on Modern Family. I was out in LA acting in some sketches for Nick Kroll’s new show on Comedy Central coming up this summer, and I went to visit my old buddy Kent Emmons who created “All Comedy Radio” and owned National Lampoon Radio for a time.
Jeffrey Gurian, holding Aubrey Anderson-Emmons. I don’t usually pick up the people I interview, but in this case I made an exception!
The last time I was out there was last July and his 4 year old daughter Aubrey was going for the audition for Modern Family. It wasn’t until I got back to New York that I found out she had gotten the role. It was so exciting!
As Lily, she plays the adopted daughter of gay couple Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cam,(Eric Stonestreet). In real life, Ferguson is openly gay, and Stonestreet is openly heterosexual!(LOL)
Aubrey Anderson-Emmons being held by her screen Dad, Mitchell, played by Jesse Tyler Ferguson!
Aubrey Anderson-Emmons with her real Dad, Kent in the family kitchen. (L-R) Jeffrey Gurian, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, Kent Emmons, Kent’s assistant Sarah House, and family friend Doug in the back!
So this time when I went to visit Kent, I brought along my camera equipment, which I try to always have with me, and was able to get a really cute interview with little 4 year old Aubrey, who is so smart, and so well-poised. She knows me as “Uncle Jeffrey”, and she invited me on the set next time I’m out in LA!
Jeffrey Gurian interviewing Aubrey Anderson-Emmons for Comedy Matters TV in her home in LA!
Aubrey Anderson-Emmons at home in her cowboy hat, singing for her Uncle Jeffrey!
I asked her if she’d introduce me to Sofia Vergara and she said she would. Sofia’s boyfriend Nick Loeb is an old friend, so I’m sure he won’t mind if I come and say “Hi!”!
Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV with Nick Loeb, a great guy who just happens to be the boyfriend of Sofia Vergara! They make an AMAZING couple!
I ran into Brian McCarthy from National Lampoon Radio’s Interview Show recently at a party, and he reminded me of when we first met back in the 90’s.
He was kind of new in town, and said he used to see me at many parties and events with spectacular women, and always wondered who I was, but was too nervous to come over and say hello! (LOL)
Then one day he realized we had a mutual friend named Chris Walsch. Chris and I had a comedy sketch troupe that disbanded before we got to do any performances, but we were always hysterical laughing, and I wish I knew what ever happened to him. Brian asked Chris who I was and he told him to the best of his ability! (LOL)
Thankfully the ensuing years have given Brian more courage because the evening I mentioned above, he did come over to say hello, and we had so much fun reminiscing that he invited me to be a guest on his interview show. He and producer Marty Dundics do this really fun show, and I was a guest for about an hour.
Brian McCarthy, the host of National Lampoon Interview Show, showing that he has nothing in his hands, but still does magic with Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV!
Brian McCarthy, host of National Lampoon Interview Show and Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV, pointing each other out to the police, when asked “Who did it???”
You can check it out in the video below! We really had lots of fun!
I’ve met lots and lots of stars in my day, but none more exciting, and adorable than Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, who got on my lap almost as soon as I met her! Not because I’m that good with women, but because she’s only 4 years old! I have the pleasure of being good friends with her Dad, Kent Emmons who started All Comedy Radio, and headed up National Lampoon Radio for a while, and is now heavy into creating infomercials with his company Kent Direct!
Jeffrey Gurian holding Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, the new star of ABC's Modern Family, along with Ed O'Neill and Sofia Vergara!
When I told Kent I was coming out to LA last month to perform and also to interview Billy Crystal and Russell Peters, he insisted that I stay at his home in Westlake Village, and I’m so glad I did. Kent is the kind of host that makes you feel at home right away. And he and his assistant Sarah made sure I felt like part of the family for my whole stay!
Jeffrey Gurian and Kent Emmons in Kent's new home in Westlake Village!
As part of the family, I got to meet little Aubrey. I had met her before but it was when she was just born. I was out in LA with my new book at the time, “Filthy, Funny, and Totally Offensive”, which was based on my writings for the famed Friars Roasts for many years, and Kent was kind enough to make me a book party at his home in the Hollywood Hills. It was a great party and Budd Friedman, the father of comedy clubs was there, as was uber-literary agent Peter Miller, and Hollywood starlet and dear friend Kali Hawk, among others. Kali, by the way, is gorgeous and talented, and will be HUGE, and I’m glad to say I know her for a loooooong time !!!
Comedy Legend Budd Friedman of Improv fame at the party that Kent Emmons made for Jeffrey Gurian's book "Filthy, Funny, and Totally Offensive."
Super literary agent Peter Miller at Kent Emmon's party for Jeffrey Gurian's book "Filthy, Funny, and Totally Offensive."
Jeffrey Gurian with the gorgeous and talented actress Kali Hawk at Kent Emmons' part for Jeffrey's book, " Filthy, Funny, and Totally Offensive" with the favorite nasty jokes of 250 celebs!
Anyway, I think Aubrey had been born about a week before I arrived, and I felt badly for her mom, comic Amy Anderson who really didn’t need house company at a time like that. I did my best not to cause any trouble! (LOL)
This time, I got to see Aubrey all grown up! What a beautiful, happy, well-adjusted child! Her parents must be doing something right. Her personality is that of a 12 year old, but she’s so loving and adorable, and accomplished. I got to spend quite a bit of time with her, and at the time I was there, we knew she was up for the role of Lily, on Modern Family, replacing the twins Jaden and Ella Hiller, but we didn’t know she got the role yet!
Kent Emmons and his beautiful daughter Aubrey, having the best time at a Reggae Festival!
We all went all over together and we even went to a Reggae Festival with internet master Adam Gilad, because the Reggae Festival was being produced by his son Amit, who I had also met when he was just a kid! All of a sudden he has a beard, and is producing music festivals! What happened???
Jeffrey Gurian having a laugh with TV star Aubrey Anderson-Emmons over dinner in a Mexican restaurant!
Anyway, I just got the good news from her Dad, and Aubrey was all over the trades this week. This is a cool article on her in Entertainment Weekly! AubreyEntWeekly
We wish her so much luck on her debut when the show returns on Sept. 21st. I already got an invite to return and stay with Kent, but I hope Aubrey doesn’t get so famous that she won’t wanna hang out with her uncle Jeffrey! (LOL)
Coincidentally, while I was in Montreal recently at the Just For Laughs Festival, I got a great little interview with Steve Levitan the creator and writer of Modern Family. You can check that out right here: